23 January 2013
MPs ‘very concerned’ after official e-mail reveals
government gag over interpreter ‘fiasco’
Court
officials were ordered not to give evidence to MPs for an inquiry into
translation services, Exaro can reveal.
The
Ministry of Justice faces accusations of attempting to block the parliamentary
inquiry into the supply of interpreters to courts after issuing the instruction
in an e-mail obtained by Exaro. It has also blocked magistrates from supplying
crucial data to the inquiry.
The
ministry official responsible for interpreter services for courts sent the
e-mail in October to local managers in HM Courts & Tribunals Service
(HMCTS).
It
reveals that the ministry told the House of Commons justice committee “not to
contact our staff directly” to gather evidence.
The
committee set up an online forum in October to enable court staff and others to
give details of their experiences with interpreter services.
It is
investigating repeated reports of problems since Applied Language Solutions
(ALS) became the ministry’s sole contractor for translation services in courts.
ALS is part of Capita Group, the outsourcing giant.
But the
ministry told managers at HMCTS, an agency of the department, to warn staff not
to help the inquiry.
The
ministry’s e-mail said: “We have already asked the committee not to contact our
staff directly in this regard, but we are now aware that individual
interpreters are e-mailing our staff and encouraging them to participate.
“We are
very clear that this is not appropriate, and would be grateful if you could
cascade advice to your staff that they should not engage with these approaches,
as the ministry has already provided its evidence to the committee.”
The
ministry then provided a form of words to use to warn court clerks and other
staff against helping the investigation: “You may be aware that the justice
committee is currently investigating the interpreter-services contract that we
have with Applied Language Solutions/Capita.
“You may
be contacted by interpreters inviting/encouraging you to join a forum where
anecdotal information about this service is being gathered.
“As the
department has already provided consolidated evidence to the committee you are
requested to refrain from participating, or engaging with the interpreters who
approach you in this way.”
MPs on
the committee have complained to Helen Grant, justice minister with
responsibility for the courts, about what they see as the obstruction of their
inquiry.
Sir Alan
Beith, Liberal Democrat MP and chairman of the committee, told Exaro that he is
“very concerned” about the ministry’s attempts to undermine the online forum
aimed at “reticent witnesses”.
He said:
“The committee has used this process successfully in the past without any
objection from the department, notably in its online consultation with prison
officers.”
Madeleine
Lee, a court interpreter and Dutch translator (pictured above, second from the
left on the front row), obtained the e-mail under the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA).
Exaro
revealed in November how the ministry was blocking magistrates from supplying
crucial data to the justice committee’s inquiry into translation services for
courts.
The disclosure
prompted the committee to seek an explanation from Grant.
Lee said
that she was pleased to have the evidence of the ministry’s order as revealed
in the e-mail, saying: “Interpreters obviously suspected it for a long time,
because we knew anecdotally from the court staff that they were not allowed to
talk to us, or about us.”
A
ministry spokesman said that the e-mail “was in line with the rules that govern
civil servants’ conduct.”
“We
disagree that following established rules on these matters can be described as
‘gagging’ staff.”
A further
FOIA response to interpreters revealed that the government has temporarily
lifted the monopoly on court interpreting.
It said:
“The department does not have currently have procedures in place to monitor
qualifications or Criminal Records Bureau where interpreters are engaged
through other agencies.”
“As a
temporary measure, for short-notice bookings, HM Courts and Tribunals Service
uses interpreters from companies other than ALS.”
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