PQ: 4 June 2025

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2025-05-21.53990.h

Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre: Translation Services

Home Office written question – answered at on 4 June 2025.

Mary Foy Labour, City of Durham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that women have access to high-quality (a) interpretation and (b) translation services at Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre.

Angela Eagle The Minister of State, Home Department

There is detailed guidance for staff working at all Immigration Removal Centres (IRC), including Derwentside. Detention Services Order ‘Interpretation Services and use of Translation Devices’ provides instruction and guidance on the use of interpretation services and electronic translation devices. It sets out the provisions, including interpretation services and translation devices available for individuals held in immigration detention, and the circumstances in which these should be used.

During the arrivals and induction process, a primary and secondary language assessment is conducted. The outcome of those assessments is recorded on the individual’s profile.

For those requiring interpreters, staff at Derwentside have access to dedicated telephone interpretation services 24 hours a day. In addition, electronic translation devices are available to support informal engagement. Together, these enable support for women throughout their time in the centre.

 

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2025-05-12.51628.h

Department for Education: Translation Services

Department for Education written question – answered at on 4 June 2025.

Rupert Lowe Independent, Great Yarmouth

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department.

Janet Daby The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education

Language service needs and spend are assessed to ensure these services offer good value for money for taxpayers while maintaining high standards of service delivery.

House of Lords Public Services Committee - Government response to our report, Lost in Translation? Interpreting services in the Courts

https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8493/interpreting-and-translation-services-in-the-courts/publications/

Report: Published on 24 March 2025

Government response: Published on 3 June 2025

House of Lords Public Services Committee - Government response to our report, Lost in Translation? Interpreting services in the Courts

You can view the Government’s response here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/48172/documents/252233/default/

PQ: 3 June 2025

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2025-05-20.HL7669.h

HM Courts and Tribunal Service: Interpreters

Ministry of Justice written question – answered at on 3 June 2025.

Lord Kempsell Conservative

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the cost to the Courts and Tribunal Service of the provision of language interpreters in (1) 2020–21, (2) 2021–22, (3) 2022–23, and (4) 2023–24, broken down by language those interpreters were translating from.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The total spend by HM Courts and Tribunals Service on translation and interpretation in each of the last four financial years was:

Financial Year	Spend (£)
2020-21	7,094,093
2021-22	10,788,205
2022-23	11,489,997
2023-24	12,774,105

HMCTS does not hold expenditure information disaggregated by language, or to differentiate a) translation, and b) interpretation, so the total expenditure has been provided.

These figures include cover expenditure on the interpretation of official languages of the United Kingdom, including Welsh, as well as to provide equality for those with conditions that can be defined as a disability under the Equality Act, such as sign language interpretation.

These figures do not include any translation or interpretation spend covered by Legal Aid Agency central funds as these are not included in the accounts for HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

 

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2025-05-19.HL7588.h

Social Security and Child Support Tribunal: Interpreters

Ministry of Justice written question – answered at on 3 June 2025.

Lord Kempsell Conservative

To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of Social Security and Child Support Tribunal hearings had a language interpreter provided to appellants whose first language was not English by the Courts and Tribunal Service in (1) 2021–22, (2) 2022–23, and (3) 2023–24.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Ministry of Justice does not hold the information requested.