Asylum:
Interpreters
Home Office written question – answered on 11th
September 2018.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home
Department, what measures are in place to ensure that interpreters of
interviews during the asylum process are able to translate to a high quality
and produce work to an accredited standard.
All asylum interviews are carried out by an
impartial interviewing officer.
All interpreters engaged by the Home Office must
demonstrate they have the required skills and qualifications. They must also:
- be a full member of the National Register of Public Services Interpreters (NRPSI), or
- hold a Diploma in Public Services Interpreting (DPSI) (Law) or a letter of Credit in all oral components (Law), or
- have been assessed by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) (formerly the Immigration Appellate Authority), or
- have been assessed by the Metropolitan Police.
They are also bound by a “Code of Conduct” to
ensure minimum standards for interpreting and behaviour.
Home Office policy and guidance ensures that in the
event of interpreters or interviews falling short of those standards, it would
not adversely affect an individual’s asylum claim.
Interviewing Officers are encouraged to provide
feedback on the performance of interpreters, using specifically designed
monitoring forms. Interviews may also be monitored for training and security
purposes.
