British Sign Language 5-year plan: Attorney General's Office (English and BSL versions)
Published 21 July 2025
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
© Crown copyright 2025
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 BSL version
What we do
AGO provides legal advice and support to the law officers who give legal advice to the government and perform other duties in the public interest.
Overview
AGO is committed to promoting the use of British Sign Language (BSL) throughout the department’s communications and increasing accessibility for both staff and the public.Â
This plan outlines the activities and actions we will undertake over the next 5 years to embed BSL into our external and internal communications.
1. Promoting accessibility and BSL awareness (2025 onwards)
In February and March 2025, we added an ‘Accessibility at the AGO’ page to the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) section of our intranet. This resource will be promoted through our weekly Friday staff email to ensure all staff are aware.
We will carry out a monthly check with HR to identify whether any new starters have specific accessibility requirements, including the need for BSL support.
2. Marking Sign Language Week and raising profile (annually)
In March 2025, to mark Sign Language Week (SLW), we published an article on our intranet about BSL and its importance. We also promoted the article in our Friday newsletter.
From 2026 onwards, every March during SLW, we will:
- amplify relevant posts on our official X (formerly Twitter) account
- publish an article encouraging staff to take part in BSL awareness, such as signing up for a free BSL lesson or joining informal chat sessions to learn basic BSL skills
3. Increasing accessibility in internal communications (from December 2025)
From December 2025 and in each annual staff survey until 2030, we will include accessibility-related questions to get feedback and identify any other BSL-related needs in our workforce.
4. Broadening BSL in external communications (ongoing)
All new Parliament videos published on our YouTube channel will, as a matter of course, include a BSL version, to ensure our external content is accessible to BSL users.
Monitoring and review
These actions will be regularly monitored and reviewed. We will adjust them based on staff feedback, uptake of BSL training, and the evolving needs of BSL users inside and outside the department.