- 19/10/2016
- Posted by: Mike Hedges MS
- Category: Press Releases
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| Mike Hedges AM Raises issues of Employment Discrimination for Deaf People with Cabinet Secretary at Welsh Assembly
Mike said… ‘I wished to raise awareness of how deaf people can face discrimination when applying for jobs. Employers need to take account of issues affecting deaf people when developing job specifications’
14:39 – Mike Hedges |
| Can I declare an interest firstly as president of Swansea hard of hearing group, and I also have a sister who is profoundly deaf? It’s very easy to discriminate in employment: you just need to make answering the phone identified as part of the job and immediately somebody who’s deaf is unable to apply. The one thing that would make a huge difference would be parity of esteem for first-language sign language with English and first-language Welsh, so that people who are deaf have the same opportunities. Will the Cabinet Secretary investigate this? |
| 14:40 – Carl Sargeant |
| Thank you for raising that issue with me, Mike. This Government formally recognised British Sign Language as a language in its own right in January 2004. Since then, we have supported training to increase the number of qualified interpreters in Wales and ensured that legislation, policies and programmes across this Welsh Government recognise the importance of accessible communication to everyone. He is right to raise that issue in the Chamber today. |
