PQ: 30th October 2091

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-10-24.4974.h

Criminal Proceedings: Translation Services

Ministry of Justice written question – answered on 30th October 2019.

Yasmin Qureshi Shadow Minister (Justice)

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases have been adjourned due to a lack of translation or interpreting services in each week since the start of 2019 in all criminal courts.

Chris Philp The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice

The Ministry does not hold weekly statistical figures for the information requested.

However, central information does exist on the number of trials listed in the criminal courts which were adjourned as a result of interpreters being unavailable in quarterly figures. This data is published in Criminal Court Statistics, “Trial effectiveness at the criminal courts tool”.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/criminal-court-statistics

Latest published statistics are available to June 2019. Data covering the period July-September 2019 is provisionally due for publication December 2019.

Our most recent statistics show the total number of language service requests are at their highest level since the new contract was introduced in 2016 and the vast majority of these were fulfilled.

PQ: 21st October 2019

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2019-10-14.HL20.h

thebigword

Ministry of Justice written question – answered on 21st October 2019.

Baroness Coussins Crossbench

To ask Her Majesty's Government when the contract with thebigword to provide interpreting and translation services in the criminal justice system will be reviewed.

Lord Keen of Elie The Advocate-General for Scotland, Lords Spokesperson (Ministry of Justice)

The Language Services contracts commenced on 31 October 2016, with thebigword appointed as providers of spoken face to face, telephone and video interpretation as well as translation and transcription services.

The initial term of the contracts is four years with up to three one-year extensions available.

The initial term of the contracts with thebigword is due to expire on 30th October 2020. The first option to extend for one-year has been agreed for translation and transcription services, and has also been approved for spoken face to face, telephone and video interpretation services.

The future of the contract, including the possibility of further extensions, is currently being considered.

"lack of interpreters"

https://uk.reuters.com/article/britain-slavery-policy/can-do-better-uk-upbraided-over-support-for-child-slavery-survivors-idUKL5N27249S

17 October

[…] One temporary carer of trafficked children - who asked to remain anonymous to protect the young people under her care - recalled a lack of interpreters and a dearth of compassion.