http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/1213/moj_language_services.aspx
The Ministry of Justice’s language services
contract
We publish the results of our investigation into the contracting out of
language services in the justice system.
In August 2011, the Ministry of Justice signed a new framework agreement
for language services with a company called Applied Language Solutions (ALS).
Under that agreement, a range of justice sector bodies entered into contracts
with ALS for the provision of specific interpretation and translation services.
On 30 January 2012, the largest of those agreements, for the Ministry, which is
worth an estimated £90 million over five years, became operational and
immediately faced operational difficulties. Following this, the National Audit
Office received correspondence from a number of individuals, including MPs,
whistle-blowers and the public, asking us to look into what had happened. This
memorandum sets out the results of our investigation.
