Commentary on provisions of Act Chapter 2: Duties relating to the promotion and facilitation of British Sign Language Section 3: Guidance on use of British Sign Language
Subsection 3(1) requires the Secretary of State to issue guidance on the promotion and facilitation of British Sign Language. It is intended that the guidance will be created with the involvement of the non-statutory board of British Sign Language signers that will advise the Secretary of State on its format and content. This board will convey the perspectives and priorities of those with lived experience, from BSL signers living across England, Scotland, and Wales. It is the intention of the Secretary of State to establish this as a non-statutory board.
	The guidance will be focused on the use of BSL in the public sector. However, there could be general information describing the grammatical form and linguistic approach to BSL, alongside descriptions of challenges experienced by BSL signers which may be of wider interest. Subsection 3(2) provides for the areas that the guidance may cover. These will include:
	How government departments will comply with the request to report on their activities in relation to British Sign Language as set out at section 2 of the Act.
	Information on best practice for communicating with Deaf British Sign Language signers in both ministerial departments’ communications (as set out in section 2 of the Act), and also for operational delivery purposes - for example in Jobcentres, health and education settings, courts and other public sector settings.
	Case studies illustrating the benefits of providing British Sign Language interpretation in communications with the public.
	Subsection 3(3) provides that the guidance must not include advice or material which relates only to Scotland and does not relate to reserved matters; and must not include advice or material which relates only to Wales and does not relate to reserved matters.
	Subsection 3(4) prescribes that the guidance issued by the Secretary of State must be published.