European Parliament: Petition 0361/2012, on application by the UK of Directive 2010/64/EU on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings
Friday, 28 September 2012
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Problems with Lithuanian interpreters
http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/Jury-rules-manslaughter-airport-case/story-16990191-detail/story.html
September 26, 2012
September 26, 2012
"The trial was originally
listed for up to three weeks but, after a series of problems over Lithuanian
interpreters, it lasted for three-and-a-half weeks."
Thursday, 20 September 2012
‘Shocking failings’ of court contract
http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news/73516/shocking-failings-of-court-contract
20 September 2012
20 September 2012
‘Shocking failings’ of court contract
A Parliamentary committee is to hold an inquiry into the “shocking
failings” of the Saddleworth company awarded a five-year government contract to
provide translation services to the nation’s justice system.
Applied Language Solutions has come under repeated attack since it won
the contract last year. The latest, from the National Audit Office, labelling
the performance “wholly inadequate”.
The Public Accounts Committee will hold a hearing into the alleged
failings on October 15. Its chairman, Labour MP Margaret Hodge said in a
letter: “The NAO inquiry has uncovered some shocking failings.”
Geoffrey Buckingham, chairman of the Association of Police and Court
Interpreters, wants the contract terminated.
He said: “The NAO report provides the evidence that the private contract
given to ALS should never have been awarded.”
The NAO report said ALS had not recruited and assessed sufficient
interpreters.
The company was set up nine years ago by businessman Gavin Wheeldon from
his bedroom, but bought by professional services firm Capita last December for
£7.5 million.
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
PQ - 18 Sep 2012
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2012-09-18a.770.3
Courts (Applied Language Solutions)
Oral Answers to
Questions — Justice
18 Sep 2012
Valerie Vaz (Walsall South,
Labour)
What assessment he
has made of the effectiveness of the language services for courts provided by
Applied Language Solutions.
Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald, Conservative)
The hon. Lady may be aware of problems that occurred when the contract
started in January, but the National Audit Office’s recent report, published on
12 September, showed that ALS was filling 95% of its bookings and complaints
had fallen. The Department continues to monitor the performance of ALS against
the key performance indicators. We published a statistical report in May and
plan to publish an updated report later in the year.
Valerie Vaz (Walsall South, Labour)
I thank the Minister for her response and welcome her to her post. She
brings a unique expertise to the team. May I also pay tribute to Mr Clarke? He
was a good Lord Chancellor.
The Minister will be aware that there is a legal duty under the Human
Rights Act to provide interpreters, and a judge last month said ALS was
dreadful—a plague on the courts and incompetent. What steps will the Minister
take to ensure there is no waste of public money in delayed and adjourned
cases?
Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald, Conservative)
The Ministry of Justice acted quickly to put a plan in place when it
became obvious that there were performance problems. We are not being
complacent and we will continue to monitor performance, but we are seeing some
substantial improvements. The framework with ALS is intended to provide better
value for money. It also provides an opportunity to reduce a great deal of
the administrative burdens that were placed on the justice agencies
under the old system. The contract is also expected to save the Ministry of
Justice in the region of £15 million a year.
Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith, Labour)
The Minister must be irritated to be spending her first few days in
office reading NAO reports detailing her predecessor’s cock-ups. Does she agree
with the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee that the NAO inquiry into the
language service contract has uncovered some shocking failings which have had a
dreadful impact on clients of the Court Service and people who work in the
interpretation service? If she does, will she now suspend the contract with
Applied Language Solutions, or is she happy to see interpreters with no
experience, qualifications or criminal records checks being used in serious and
sensitive criminal cases?
Helen Grant (Maidstone and The
Weald, Conservative)
I do not agree with
that. We are seeing significant improvements—
Sadiq Khan (Tooting, Labour)
Really?
Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald, Conservative)
Yes we are, and the Opposition also need to accept that the NAO report
accepted that the Government had good reasons for making changes from the old
system.
John Cryer (Leyton and Wanstead, Labour)
Further
to Question 6, is there any indication that any prisoner has received an
inappropriate sentence because of the failings of Applied Language Solutions,
given that, as the Under-Secretary of State for Justice, Mrs Grant said, it has
failed to fulfil 5% of its bookings even after the improvements that she talked
about?
We have
seen no such evidence. If the hon. Gentleman has a constituency
case that he wants to bring to us, he should feel free to do so.
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