Yeovil assault case adjourned for interpreter to be present

http://www.westerngazette.co.uk/Yeovil-assault-case-adjourned-interpreter-present/story-27844354-detail/story.html 
24 September 2015

Yeovil assault case adjourned for interpreter to be present

A Polish man accused of assaulting a male during an incident at Yeovil has had his case adjourned for an interpreter to be present.

Krsyszytof Bortnowski, 21, of Matthews Road, Yeovil, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates at Yeovil.

He was charged with assaulting Liam Cousins by beating him on August 29 but did not enter a plea.

Prosecutor Emma Lenanton said that the alleged offence involved the defendant who was said to have kicked another male who was lying on the floor when police arrived at the scene.

Defending solicitor Greg Peters said that his client did not have sufficient command of the English language to take part in a court hearing so required the services of an interpreter.

The magistrates agreed to his application for an adjournment and ordered the defendant to return to the court on October 2 when he will be expected to enter his plea.

Until then Bortnowski was released on unconditional bail.

PQs - 22 September 2015

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2015-09-10.HL2146.h

Courts: Interpreters

Ministry of Justice written question – answered on 22 September 2015

Baroness Coussins Crossbench

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to their response to the Independent Review of Quality Arrangements under the MoJ Language ServicesFramework Agreement, published by Optimity Matrix in December 2014, what progress has been made in discussions with the National Register of Public Services Interpreters on the development of an independent regulatory framework.

Lord Faulks Conservative

This Government is committed to providing a standard of interpreter that meets the needs of those requiring support in the justice system.

Provision in interpretation and translation services across courts and tribunals is being explored in preparation for the end of the current contracts in October 2016. As part of this work, Ministry of Justice officials have met with representatives from a range of stakeholders, including the National Register of Public Service Interpreters.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2015-09-08.HL2090.h 
Rights of Accused 
Ministry of Justice written question – answered on 22nd September 2015

Baroness Coussins Crossbench

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of the current United Kingdom law with the European Union Directives on the right to information in criminal proceedings, and on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings.

Lord Faulks The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice
The UK Government opted into these Directives, on 22 October 2010 and on 8 March 2010 respectively, and in transposing them into domestic law undertook careful analysis of the state of the existing law and whether any new measures were required to ensure compliance. As a result of this assessment, in England and Wales transposition included several new legislative measures, subsequently approved by Parliament, and the Devolved Administrations made similar arrangements. A full transposition table was provided to the European Commission as is normal practice. As with all Directives, the Government keeps compliance under review.

PQ - 21st September 2015

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2015-09-08.HL2089.h

Courts: Interpreters

Ministry of Justice written question – answered on 21st September 2015

Baroness Coussins Crossbench

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the timetable and process will be for reviewing, publishing and awarding the contract for the provision of court interpreters, when the current contract expires at the end of 2016.

Lord Faulks The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice

Provision of interpretation and translation services across courts and tribunals is being explored in preparation for the end of the current contracts in October 2016. A competition to retender the contract is expected to be launched in due course.

PQ - 11 September 2015

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2015-09-04.8630.h

Interpreters: Hearing Impaired

Cabinet Office written question – answered on 11th September 2015

Ian Lavery Labour, Wansbeck

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons no consultation has taken place with members of the deaf community, service users and British Sign Language interpreters and service providers on the National Framework Agreement for interpreting and translation.

Matthew Hancock The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General

There has been extensive stakeholder engagement for a new Language Services Framework Agreement (RM1092) over the past year, following which the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has amended the specification of requirements to address the points that have been raised by stakeholders, including organisations representing deaf people, users, interpreters, suppliers and industry standards organisations.

CCS has also included the National Union of British Sign Language Interpreters (NUBSLI), and the National Union of Professional Interpreters and Translators (NUPIT) as part of the consultation process over this period.