9th January 2025
[…] In addition, no Vietnamese interpreter was available for the hearing at Bradford Crown Court.
His Honour Judge Jonathan Rose, the Recorder of Bradford and the city’s senior judge, expressed his frustration that three defendants had not been produced as arranged and that a Vietnamese interpreter was also not present. […]
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2024-12-19.21509.h
Courts: Interpreters and Translation Services
Ministry of Justice written question – answered at on 7 January 2025.
James Naish Labour, Rushcliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she is taking steps to improve the (a) quality and (b) performance of court language service providers: and whether she has had discussions with relevant stakeholders on the future insourcing of those services.
Sarah Sackman The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice is committed to ensuring the justice system is supported by a suite of high-quality language services that meet the needs of all those that require them.
Ministry of Justice language service contracts, which began on 31 October 2016, are subject to robust governance arrangements.
These include monthly meetings with suppliers and stakeholders to review the quality of the services being provided and performance against contractual performance indicators. The contracts also provide for the Ministry of Justice to audit the suppliers to verify the accuracy of contractual payments, management information, and compliance with contractual obligations.
In 2016, the Ministry of Justice also awarded a contract to an independent quality assurance provider. They review the Ministry of Justice’s register of interpreters, conduct an annual audit of supplier processes for introducing new linguists, and conduct 'spot checks' of interpreters undertaking assignments.
The Ministry of Justice has regular conversations with stakeholders about the Department’s approach to language service provision. The decision to continue with outsourcing beyond the current contracts was given careful consideration, based on service requirements and value for money for the taxpayer.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/04/interpreters-benefit-claimants-cost-taxpayers-27m/
4 January 2025
Interpreters for non-English-speaking benefit claimants cost taxpayers £27m
Interpreters for benefits claimants have cost the taxpayer £27 million over the last five years, official figures show.
Telegraph analysis of data released under government transparency rules shows how Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spending on interpretation services has shot up since 2019.
The highest annual spend was in 2022, when the department spent £8 million on interpretation, rising from £1.7 million in 2019.
The cost of interpretation at DWP has fallen back but remains at record levels, costing the taxpayer £4 million in 2023.
Nearly a million calls to the DWP Universal Credit helpline required a foreign language interpreter last year. […]
