To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support British Sign Language users across Scotland to access culture, in light of the publication of Scotland’s census 2022 report on language, which found that 117,300 people can use BSL. (S6O-03510)

We want to ensure that everybody, including British Sign Language users, can access and engage with cultural opportunities. In the BSL national plan, which was published just last year, we committed to supporting BSL users to take part in culture and the arts as participants, audience members and professionals. One example is Creative Scotland’s regularly funded organisation network; it includes Solar Bear, which works with deaf and hearing actors, theatre makers, artists and young people. In addition, targeted funding has directly supported the development of a deaf leader in the artistic director role.

The census revealed that BSL users now make up 2.2 per cent of the population, which is almost as many as the 2.5 per cent who can use Gaelic. Both Gaelic and BSL are national languages of Scotland; it is fantastic that Gaelic has dedicated funding streams to support artists who celebrate the language and the heritage, but BSL has a lower profile in the arts and culture sector. With that in mind, what more can be done to support great initiatives such as the Edinburgh deaf festival, which I hope to take my father to later this year?

I would certainly be keen to work with Karen Adam to ensure that the profile of the work around supporting those who use BSL is as high as possible. We should support all of Scotland’s languages. As Karen Adam has said, both Gaelic and BSL are national languages, and I offer to meet her to look at the specific initiatives and how we can work to support her objectives.