New report examines how linguistic and cultural errors undermine justice in immigration tribunals

https://www.ein.org.uk/news/new-report-examines-how-linguistic-and-cultural-errors-undermine-justice-immigration-tribunals

2 July 2026

New report examines how linguistic and cultural errors undermine justice in immigration tribunals

A new report by the Public Law Project (PLP) details how cultural, linguistic and procedural barriers continue to undermine access to justice in the UK's immigration and asylum tribunals.

You can download the 33-page report here.

PLP explained: "[The] report examines how the accessibility and accuracy of interpretation and translation, the quality of evidence on country context and the ability to understand it, and procedural constraints affect access to justice in immigration and asylum tribunals. The report's central argument is that cultural and linguistic understanding lies at the heart of asylum and immigration tribunals, thereby making cultural competence a procedural fairness matter."

Read more here: https://www.ein.org.uk/news/new-report-examines-how-linguistic-and-cultural-errors-undermine-justice-immigration-tribunals

https://publiclawproject.org.uk/content/uploads/2026/06/Cultural-Linguistic-and-Procedural-Barriers.pdf

PQ: 2 July 2026

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2026-06-23.12240.h

Asylum: Appeals

Ministry of Justice written question – answered at on 2 July 2026.

 

Lee Anderson Reform UK, Ashfield

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what data his Department holds on the total cost to the public purse of (a) translation and (b) interpretation for foreign languages with regards to asylum claim appeals.

 

Sarah Sackman The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice holds some, but not all, of the information requested. The information available for the most recent full financial year is set out below.

Interpretation spend in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber (asylum claim appeals) for FY25/26 was as follows:

FY	Interpretation spend
FY25/26	£5,811,761

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2026-06-23.12239.h

Asylum: Translation Services

Home Office written question – answered at on 2 July 2026.

 

Lee Anderson Reform UK, Ashfield

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her department holds on the total cost to the public purse of (a) translation and (b) interpretation for foreign languages with regards to the asylum process.

Alex Norris The Minister of State, Home Department

The information requested is not centrally held and could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

 

"a Tamil translator was unable to be secured"

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/tipton-shops-fate-over-missing-34213185

1 July 2026

Tipton shop's fate over 'missing lottery reward' delayed over translator

[…] Sandwell Council’s licensing committee met to review the shop’s licence at a hearing on June 30 but was forced to adjourn the meeting after a Tamil translator was unable to be secured for shop licence holder Vincent Shaanmugarajah Thamilnesan.

Duncan Craig, the solicitor representing Mr Thamilnesan, said that while the shop owner spoke and understood English, the Tamil translator was required to ensure he carried out his job properly.

Reform councillor Karl Leech questioned the cost of hiring a translator and whether the hearing could go ahead without one but after listening to legal advice it was agreed to adjourn the meeting. The hearing is set to reconvene on July 10.

West Midlands Police said Mr Thamilnesan had been questioned under caution with the help of a translator. [...]

PQ: 26 June 2026

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2026-06-18.11236.h

Department for Education: Translation Services

Department for Education written question – answered at on 26 June 2026.

Andrew Snowden Opposition Assistant Whip (Commons)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department spent on translation services in each of the last five financial years.

Olivia Bailey Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The amounts that the department spent on translation services in the years between 1 April 2022 and 18 June 2026 are as follows:

Financial Year	Spend on Translation Services
2022/23	£7,933.47
2023/24	£2,023.20
2024/25	£1,159.02
2025/26	£21,732.82
2026/27 (to 18 June 2026)	£3,766.93
Total Spend	£36,615.44

The much higher spend in year 2025/26 was driven principally by three specific items of translation spend:

(i) Safeguarding guidance aimed at parents relating to children in out-of-school settings.

(ii) Consultation documents affecting disabled students into British Sign Language.

(iii) UK hosted summit on artificial intelligence safety in education, requiring translation services for overseas delegates.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2026

Published 25 June 2026

Criminal court statistics quarterly: January to March 2026

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-january-to-march-2026

"a Kurdish interpreter had not been booked for the trial"

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/suspected-burglar-targeted-luciana-berger-37316634

18 June 2026

Suspected burglar accused of targeting Labour peer's home and stealing her wellies

[…] Lokman, who faces an additional allegation of attempting to burgle a home in Enfield, north London, in March, was due to stand trial on Thursday, having previously denied all the charges.

But his case had to be adjourned until July 6 when it was discovered that a Kurdish interpreter had not been booked for the trial, and efforts by court staff to scour London for an available interpreter to come to court at the last minute failed.

District Judge Annabel Pilling conveyed the news of the adjournment to Lokman by typing out an apology and explanation on her tablet, running the message through Google Translate, and showing him the screen. [...]

PQ: 18 June 2026

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2026-06-18a.991.0#g1006.3

Business of the House

– in the House of Commons at 11:02 am on 18 June 2026.

Mary Glindon Labour, Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend

My constituent Abdul faced three on-the-day cancellations of his asylum interview because of challenges securing an interpreter. He then had a fourth interview, in his second language, in which he is not proficient. He is now appealing his decision on the basis that he was unable to answer questions to the best of his ability. With his appeal date next month, he faces his fifth trip to London without an interpreter being present. Will the Leader of the House ask the relevant Minister to make a statement on what steps the Government are taking to tackle interpreter-related interview cancellations for people like Abdul?

PQ: 16 June 2026

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2026-05-13.197.h

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Publicity

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government written question – answered at on 16 June 2026.

James Cleverly Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the answer of 18 March 2026, to Question 116483, on MHCLG: Publicity, if he will list each supplier which has undertaken translation activities for the department since July 2024; and the amount of expenditure on each supplier.

Samantha Dixon Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Since July 2024 the Department has spent £172,362.29 on translation activities to the following suppliers:

Aa Global Language Services Limited	£105,549.12
Allied Publicity Services (Manchester)	£6,973.01
D A Languages LTD	£23,240.04
FCDO Services	£8,583.19
Mencap	£180.00
Prysg CYF	£13,358.30
Salina Interpreting & Translating Services	£6,932.00
Trosol	£7,546.63
Total	£172,362.29

These translation services largely support the department’s engagement with bereaved families, survivors and local residents affected by the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy. The services also support a range of departmental activity, including resettlement schemes (such as those for people fleeing the war in Ukraine) and Welsh language translation.

Suspects fail to attend court… but three interpreters do (at public expense)

https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/26196027.romanian-gang-accused-make-up-theft-boots-norwich/

15^th June 2026

Romanian gang accused of make-up theft from Boots in Norwich

The shocking waste of public money on failed court hearings has been exposed after three interpreters attended a hearing where four members of an alleged Romanian shoplifting gang failed to turn up. [...]

Read more here:  https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/26196027.romanian-gang-accused-make-up-theft-boots-norwich/

PQ: 15 June 2026

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2026-06-10.8739.h

UK Border Force: Interviews

Home Office written question – answered at on 15 June 2026.

Rupert Lowe Restore Britain, Great Yarmouth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in what proportion of asylum and immigration interviews conducted by Border Force via (a) video call and (b) telephone-only are translators or interpreters used.

Rupert Lowe Restore Britain, Great Yarmouth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what processes are in place to (a) monitor, (b) audit, and (c) quality assure the work of translators and interpreters used in asylum and immigration interviews conducted by Border Force.

Rupert Lowe Restore Britain, Great Yarmouth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints or concerns have been raised regarding the accuracy of translation or interpretation services used in asylum and immigration interviews conducted by Border Force in each of the last five years.

Mike Tapp The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department

The Home Office uses professional interpretation and translation services to support asylum, immigration and wider operational processes. These services are delivered through centrally managed arrangements, including the Interpreter and Language Services Unit (ILSU), as well as through contracted suppliers.

Quality assurance and contract governance arrangements are in place to uphold standards, monitor performance and support continuous improvement. This includes defined internal standards and structured quality frameworks to identify errors and ensure service quality. Where concerns are raised, they are considered carefully and, where appropriate, investigated on a case-by-case basis. The Home Office is committed to ensuring that interpretation services meet appropriate quality standards across all delivery routes.

Data on the proportion of asylum and immigration interviews conducted by Border Force via (a) video call and (b) telephone-only where interpreters or translators are used is not held in published statistics. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.