Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will provide free access to British Sign Language lessons to those who require it as their primary method of communication.

The government has no plans to introduce universal free British Sign Language (BSL) courses. Funding is available through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) for qualifications in or focussing on BSL up to and including Level 2. About 60% of the AEB has been devolved to Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority, who determine which provision to fund for learners that are resident in their areas. The Education and Skills Funding Agency provides the remaining funding for learners that are resident in non-devolved areas. Some providers of Community Learning offer BSL courses, and those providers determine the course fees, including levels of fee remission. For qualifications at Level 3 and above, Advanced Learner Loans are available for certain BSL qualifications. BSL qualifications and the appropriate further education funding offer can be found at: https://www.qualifications.education.gov.uk/Search. If undertaking a BSL qualification that leads to a master’s level qualification, eligible students can access a postgraduate loan, as long as they have not previously accessed the postgraduate loan product, or they already hold a level 7 qualification. Several universities and organisations offer such qualifications.