British Sign Language (BSL) national plan 2023-2029: consultation analysis

Appendix 1: Respondent types

Note: Figures/percentages may not sum to total due to rounding.

Question: Are you responding as an individual or an organisation?

The table shows that this question received a total of 80 respondents. Of these, 48 respondents (or 60% of total respondents to this question) selected the option ‘Individual’, and 32 respondents (or 40%) selected the option ‘Organisation’.

Question: If you are responding as an individual, please tell us whether you are a BSL user?

The table shows that 21 respondents (or 36% of total respondents to this question) selected the option ‘Yes – I am a BSL user’, 29 respondents (or 50%) selected the option ‘No – I am not a BSL user’, and 8 respondents (or 14%) selected the option ‘I prefer not to say’. Please note that although this question was intended for ‘Individual’ respondents only, it was also answered by 10 ‘Organisation’ representatives.

Question: If you are responding as an organisation, please select which of the following most closely describes your organisation type?

The table shows that 12 respondents (or 30% of total respondents to this question) represented ‘Local Government’, 9 respondents (or 23%) represented a ‘Third Sector/ Deaf Organisation’, 6 respondents (or 15%) represented a ‘Public Body, including Executive Agencies, NDPBs, NHS etc.’, 6 respondents (or 15%) selected ‘Other’, 5 respondents (or 13%) represented ‘Academic/research’, and 2 respondents (or 5%) selected ‘Representative Body for Professionals’. Please note that although this question was intended for ‘Organisation’ respondents only, it was also answered by 8 ‘Individual’ respondents.

Question: What is your organisation?

35 organisations responded to this question. In alphabetical order, these are: ‘Aberdeen City Council’, ‘Aberdeenshire Council’, ‘British Deaf Association (BDA) Scotland’, ‘British Sign Language Justice Advisory Group’, ‘Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)’, ‘Deaf Action’, ‘Deafblind Scotland’, ‘Deaf Services Lanarkshire’, ‘Dumfries and Galloway Council’, ‘Dundee City Council’, ‘Highland Deaf Education Service’, ‘Historic Environment Scotland’, ‘Language and Intercultural Studies: Heriot-Watt University’, ‘LGBT Health and Wellbeing’, ‘National Deaf Children’s Society’, ‘New College Lanarkshire’, ‘NHS Fife’, ‘NHS Forth Valley’, ‘NHS Highland’, ‘Perth & Kinross Council’, ‘Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh’, ‘Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership’, ‘RNID’, ‘Scottish Borders Council’, ‘Scottish Collaborative of Sign Language Interpreters SCOLSI’, ‘Scottish Qualifications Authority’, ‘Stirling Council’, ‘The City of Edinburgh Council’, ‘The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE)’, ‘The Scottish Register’, ‘University of Aberdeen’, ‘University of Edinburgh’, ‘University of the Highlands and Islands’, ‘West Dunbartonshire Council’, and ‘West Lothian College’.