British Sign Language (BSL) looks set to become an official language after the UK Government confirmed it would back a Private Members' Bill.
Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis appealed for the public to back a petition for British Sign Language recognition on Wednesday.
The Bill - tabled by Labour MP Rosie Cooper - would secure legal status and require Government Departments and public bodies to adhere to new guidance and meet the needs of 90,000 residents who depend on it as a first language.
It's due for its Second Reading on Friday.
Chloe Smith,Minister for Disabled People, Health & Work, confirmed the Government's support in a letter to MPs on Thursday. She said: "This Bill’s goals are shared in the vision and approach set out by the Government to transform the lives of disabled people.
"It will also support efforts to further reduce the jobs gap with non-disabled people.
"BSL vocabulary and syntax do not replicate spoken English and many Deaf citizens have a much lower reading comprehension age than the general population.
"Too many Deaf people in the UK continue to face barriers to communication which affect employment, education and access to healthcare.
"Working closely with Rosie, we have agreed that the Bill will recognise British Sign Language (BSL) as a language of Great Britain, with ultimately the objective of increasing access to BSL interpretation."
A duty will be placed on ministerial departments to report on their use and facilitation of British Sign Language at least every three years as well as a requirement on the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to issue guidance to departments on the promotion and facilitation of BSL.
The UK Government said it will establish a non-statutory advisory board of British Sign Language users to advise the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on BSL guidance while examining how to increase the number of British Sign Language interpreters.
It will also review the Access to Work scheme, which funds workplace adjustments, to ensure users of British Sign Language receive the support they need.
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