Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank Mark Isherwood for bringing forward this important Member's legislative proposal and for the stimulating and important debate contributions from Members across the Chamber this afternoon? Also, I'll just say how important all of the purposes are of such a Bill that you put forward today in your proposal, Mark Isherwood, and I want to respond to all of those, as well as obviously noting your proposal.

I am very pleased to say that I was the Minister back in 2004, believe it or not, the health and social services Minister who enabled and supported the Welsh Government's stance that we would formally recognise British Sign Language as a language in its own right. That was back in 2004 and there are some Members here who'll recall that, who were there at the time. Actually, I do want to pay tribute to yourself, Ann Jones MS, as you were, with a former colleague, Karen Sinclair, very, very engaged at that time in making sure that the Welsh Government did respond. That was 2004—a long time ago—and at that time we were breaking new ground, and I always remember Karen Sinclair, as you reminded me this morning, Ann, speaking, as we did at the lectern, having a signer there on that occasion in 2004. So, just one of your legacies, Ann Jones, from your time here in this Senedd.

But it was important to make that statement back then in 2004, and since then we've supported training to increase the number of qualified interpreters in Wales, and ensured that all legislation, policies and programmes across Wales recognise the importance of accessible communications. I very much welcome the fact that we have a signer here today. Also, thank you, Suzy Davies, for acknowledging that, actually, awareness is raised by having a BSL interpreter at the Welsh Government COVID-19 press conferences. In fact, we were the first Government in the UK to do this, and it does make a clear statement, but it ensures that the language is accessible.

Of course, we know that more needs to be done. We have been exploring options to develop a national BSL charter for the delivery of services and to provide resources to deaf children, young people and their families, and that's come over very strongly in the debate and in Mark Isherwood's proposal. I recently agreed funding for the British Deaf Association to undertake an audit of our BSL policies and provision in the Welsh Government. The audit is crucial to show where we're going, what the gaps are and what we need to do. That work has just commenced. It will conclude in July of this year; it will result in a report; it will assess the Welsh Government's policies and services, and recommendations will come from that to inform an action plan and proposals for ongoing engagement with the deaf community. Whilst the proposal for the BSL Bill, as I said, is duly noted and recognised, we do need to review this at that stage, once the British Deaf Association's audit and recommendations on Welsh Government services and policies is complete.

In the Welsh Government, we have put in place a very good mechanism in which the views of our stakeholders are heard. Our disability equality forum, which I chair, covers membership from a wide range of stakeholders, including the Wales Council for Deaf People and the Royal National Institute for Deaf People. The forum provides an opportunity for all partners to advise and influence the Welsh Government on the key issues that affect disabled people in Wales, increasingly important during COVID-19, when the forum has met frequently, ensuring the voices of disabled people are heard.

We did set up, last June, the accessible communications group to overcome barriers and improve access to information during the COVID-19 pandemic. The outcome of the group's work is currently being finalised. A commitment is forthcoming from the Welsh Government to provide more information in a number of communication formats, including BSL.

As part of the BSL audit process, the British Deaf Association is arranging a number of events with the deaf community in Wales to ensure that deaf people have an opportunity to express their views and share their experiences of accessing services provided by the Welsh Government. We will ensure the involvement of as many deaf people as possible in the planning and action stages as part of our co-production values, which I know Mark Isherwood would welcome.

The Welsh Government is currently consulting on the Curriculum for Wales's BSL non-statutory guidance. As with other aspects of the Curriculum for Wales, this draft guidance has been developed through a process of co-construction. The guidance will be refined to reflect feedback from the consultation; it'll be published in autumn 2021 as part of the languages, literacy and communication area of learning and experience. The Curriculum for Wales will be rolled out, of course, as we know, from 2022.

Also, officials recently commissioned the Learning and Work Institute to undertake a round-table event in March 2021 to engage with the deaf community and wider stakeholders on the recommendations from the independent review of BSL provision for adults in Wales, and that independence is crucial so that we get this right. We'll focus on the demand for BSL, consideration of how provision is currently delivered, what improvements could be made, and where there are gaps in provision and access. That will, of course, inform further policy considerations for BSL provision for adults in Wales.

Finally, Deputy Presiding Officer, we've got the BSL audit and BSL consultation engagement event, a strong basis to consider our BSL support services in Wales, how they might be improved and how skills may be enhanced right across Wales. Once the audit process is complete, we anticipate signing up to the British Deaf Association's BSL charter. As an organisation, this will allow us to lead by example and promote good practice, and, indeed, consider those opportunities that we have, as you've brought forward today, Mark Isherwood.

Could I just finally say that next week, of course, as we celebrate St David's Day, there will be a BSL choir showcasing Wales to the world? I hope you will take note of that as we celebrate St David's Day. Diolch yn fawr.