English: I'm very pleased to support Mark Isherwood's motion, which asks us to note a proposal for a Bill that would make provision to encourage people to use British Sign Language in Wales and to increase access to education and services through the medium of BSL. Now, over the years, as a GP, and, in more recent years, as chair of the cross-party group on deaf issues, I have become very much aware of the whole host of challenges facing the deaf community, including the range of solutions to those challenges, and Mike Hedges has spoken very well about those. BSL is one of those solutions. Now, in an ideal world, the majority of our population would, naturally, respect the rights of any minority, looking at everyone as being equal. But, as we know, that isn't always the case, with the expectation that the minority will comply with the priorities of the majority for all sorts of different reasons. So, we must safeguard the rights of the minority through law. We cannot rely on the goodwill of the majority. It is law that allows a change of attitudes, as Mike has just outlined. We have seen this in a number of areas already. And, in the linguistic context, we have seen legislation in the area of the Welsh language in order to secure rights and services through the medium of that language in Wales. Well, I would argue that the need is exactly the same with BSL. We need legislation. Mark Isherwood has already outlined the case in favour. There is a need, as many of my constituents have told me over these past few days, once they discovered that this debate was taking place today. A Bill or a piece of legislation isn't going to transform the situation overnight, clearly, but it is a way of showing respect and giving credibility to valid beliefs on the dire need to develop further training, more job opportunities, better communication and, in general terms, to enhance the lives of deaf individuals within our nation. Although BSL is the only language of many of the deaf community in Wales, it does not have legal status. So, support this motion today in order to change that. Thank you.
Welsh: Dwi'n falch iawn o allu cefnogi cynnig Mark Isherwood, sydd yn gofyn inni nodi cynnig ar gyfer Bil a fyddai'n gwneud darpariaeth i annog pobl i ddefnyddio Iaith Arwyddion Prydain yng Nghymru a gwella mynediad at addysg a gwasanaethau drwy gyfrwng BSL. Nawr, dros y blynyddoedd, fel meddyg teulu, ac, yn y blynyddoedd diwethaf hyn, fel cadeirydd y grŵp amlbleidiol ar faterion byddardod, dwi'n ymwybodol o'r llu o heriau sy'n wynebu pobl fyddar, ynghyd â'r ystod o wahanol atebion i'r heriau hynny, ac mae Mike Hedges wedi sôn yn dda iawn am hynny jest rŵan. Mae iaith arwyddion Prydain yn un o'r atebion yma. Nawr, mewn byd delfrydol, byddai'r mwyafrif o'n pobl, yn naturiol, yn parchu hawliau unrhyw leiafrif, gan gyfrif pawb, yn naturiol, yn gyfartal. Ond, fel y gwyddom, nid yw hynny'n digwydd yn aml, gyda disgwyl y bydd y lleiafrif yn cydymffurfio efo blaenoriaethau'r mwyafrif am bob math o resymau. Felly, rhaid diogelu hawliau'r lleiafrif drwy gyfraith. Ni allwn ddibynnu ar ewyllys da'r mwyafrif. Cyfraith sydd yn galluogi newid agweddau, fel mae Mike newydd ddweud. Rydym ni wedi gweld hyn mewn sawl maes eisoes. Ac, yn y cyd-destun ieithyddol, rydym ni wedi gweld deddfu ym maes yr iaith Gymraeg er mwyn sicrhau hawliau a gwasanaethau drwy gyfrwng yr iaith honno yng Nghymru. Wel, felly'n union, buaswn i'n dadlau, ydy'r angen efo Iaith Arwyddion Prydain. Rhaid cael deddf. Mae Mark Isherwood eisoes wedi amlinellu'r achos. Mae yna angen, fel mae sawl un o'm hetholwyr i wedi dweud wrthyf i yn y dyddiau diwethaf yma, ar ôl iddyn nhw ddarganfod bod y ddadl yma yn digwydd heddiw. Nid yw Bil neu Ddeddf yn mynd i drawsnewid pethau dros nos, yn amlwg, ond mae yn fodd i ddangos parch a rhoi hygrededd i safbwyntiau dilys ynglŷn â'r angen dybryd i ddatblygu mwy o hyfforddiant, mwy o gyfleon gwaith, gwell cyfathrebu ac, yn gyffredinol, cyfoethogi bodolaeth unigolyn byddar yn ein gwlad. Er taw iaith arwyddion Prydain ydy unig iaith nifer o bobl fyddar Cymru, nid oes statws cyfreithiol iddi. Cefnogwch y cynnig yma heddiw i newid hynny. Diolch yn fawr.