Written Question·Department of Health and Social Care·UIN 83909

Mental Capacity: Sign Language

Tabled: 21 October 2025
Answered: 21 November 2025

Question

Lee Anderson

Reform UKAshfield

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take legislative steps to ensure that BSL interpreters are provided during mental capacity assessments.

Answer

Stephen Kinnock
The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 already provides a legislative basis for providing interpreters, including British Sign Language interpreters, for people with specific communication needs. One of the foundational principles of the MCA is that individua...

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