https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-the-criminal-courts-part-2
4 February 2026
Independent report
Independent Review of the Criminal Courts: Part 2
The Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, chaired by Sir Brian Leveson, has published Part 2 of the Review.
- From: Ministry of Justice
- Published 4 February 2026
[…] Interpreting
90. I will discuss the challenges of interpreter availability and more general recommendations to address this in detail in Chapter 9 (Hearing Processes). However, in summary, there are significant challenges with booking interpreters which is leading to delays or adjournments of hearings. It has been brought to my attention that this is a particular problem when requiring a ‘rare language’ interpreter where numbers are very low and can often require significant travel from the interpreter to attend courts across the country.175
91. Through engagement for this Review, I have been made aware of a previous pilot begun by HMCTS to deliver simultaneous interpreting remotely via CVP for defendants on remand.176 This was carried out by interpreters attending the court hearing or trial via video link and providing interpretation directly to the defendant who was also appearing via video link. The objectives of this pilot were: to assess feasibility of delivering simultaneous interpreting via CVP for legal proceedings; to evaluate the practicality of conducting interpreting while the defendant is in custody; and to assess the quality of simultaneous interpreting. The pilot got as far as a single in-court simulation exercise, from which an initial evaluation was completed. A number of recommendations were made to improve the process and technology further as the pilot developed.
92. The pilot was put on hold due to HMCTS capacity constraints, in part due to workload created by the House of Lords ‘Interpreting and translation services in the courts’ inquiry.177 However, I understand there is a strong desire from those involved in the pilot for it to resume when possible.
93. I therefore want to endorse the reintroduction of this pilot. Although it can be used for all languages, it has particular advantages for defendants from an ethnically diverse background who require rare language interpretation to access a fair trial. By allowing attendance of an interpreter via video, interpreters can be located across the country and not be required to travel to a particular court centre. As a result, it widens the pool of interpreters available to be booked by any court. The use of remote participation will also allow more flexible scheduling of hearings requiring interpreters, enabling courts to proceed with cases more promptly, reduce adjournments and minimise wasted resources.
Recommendation 124: I recommend that His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service and the judiciary should reintroduce their pilot of ‘Simultaneous Interpreting via Cloud Video Platform for Defendants on Remand’.[...]
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