Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar on 12 January 2022 (HL Deb cols 1151–2), when the Ministry of Justice's independent review of the qualifications and experience required of spoken word interpreters in HM Courts and Tribunal Service will be completed, and when it will be published.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have been considering the findings of the independent review to help inform the development of new tender specifications. This is a complex process and covers a wide range of agencies within the Ministry of Justice. We will, of course, publish the outcome of the review once the tendering process is complete.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the public consultation on the proposed amendments to the Victims' Code under the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 has been launched; and if not, when this will happen.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
A public consultation on a new Victims’ Code has not been launched. We will be carefully considering the implementation of measures under the Victims and Prisoners Act, including the measure to publicly consult on and issue a new Victims’ Code.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the invitation to tender for the next contract to provide spoken word translation and interpreting services for HM Courts and Tribunals Service will be issued.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Ministry of Justice’s invitation to tender for the new spoken word services contract is expected to be published in the autumn, subject to completion of approvals processes.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the independent review of qualifications and experience required of spoken language interpreters in HM Courts and Tribunals Service will be completed; and when it will be published.
Answered by Lord Bellamy
The review of qualifications and experience has been completed by an independent expert. We are considering its findings as part of a wider review of service requirements currently being undertaken within the Ministry of Justice, which is helping inform the development of new tender specifications. This is a complex process and covers a wide range of agencies within MoJ. Because this is linked with the ongoing language services procurement and invitation to tender work it is unlikely anything will be published before 2024. We will, of course, publish the outcome of the review once it is complete.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the invitation to tender for the next contract to provide spoken word translation and interpretation services for HM Courts and Tribunals Service will be issued.
Answered by Lord Bellamy
The Ministry of Justice’s invitation to tender for the new spoken word services contract is expected to be published in 2024. The MoJ is currently assessing requirements for the new contract, which are complex, as it supports multiple agencies within the department. Timescales for the tender publication will be refined after this.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the supply chain of spoken word interpreters for HM Courts and Tribunals Service.
Answered by Lord Bellamy
The Ministry of Justice and HMCTS engage regularly with commissioning bodies, educational institutions, and external stakeholder working groups, including language professional membership organisations, regarding the routes available to those wanting to become interpreters working within the justice system. We are also engaging with the market in advance of the upcoming tender for interpreter services.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the right to translation services for people engaged with the criminal justice system, under Directive 2010/64/EU of the European Parliament, and incorporated into UK law by 18 different measures, will be affected by the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill; and if so, whether this right will be (1) sunsetted, (2) retained, (3) replaced, or (4) updated.
Answered by Lord Bellamy
The measures implementing Directive 2010/64/EU concerning the right to translation services for people engaged with the criminal justice system are in scope of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill. We are reviewing these and other pieces of retained EU law for which the Ministry of Justice is responsible to decide whether they should remain on the statute book, and if so whether they should in due course be amended using powers in the Bill, or whether they should be left to sunset.
The provision of translators and intermediaries is a priority for this government, and we do not intend to remove the right to translation services for people engaged with the criminal justice system.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the invitation to tender for the new contract for provision of court and tribunal spoken word interpreters will be issued.
Answered by Lord Bellamy
The Ministry of Justice has been assessing options for tendering the new contract for provision of spoken word interpreters. Our plans remain commercial in confidence at this time. Information will be published to the market in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the full independent review of qualifications and standards for court and tribunal spoken word interpreters, announced by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar on 12 January (HL Deb, col 1151), has been completed; and if so, when it will be published.
Answered by Lord Bellamy
This review is ongoing alongside a wider and comprehensive review of language service requirements which is currently being undertaken within my Department. We will, of course, publish the outcome of that review once it is complete.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how often each year between 2017 and 2020 interpreters were used in courts or tribunals in each of the following case categories, as specified by the Ministry of Justice's language services contract: (1) complex written, (2) complex, and (3) standard.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
A table with the answer to the question is below:
HMCTS - Volume By Complexity & Calendar Year | ||
Year | Complexity | Volume |
2017 | Standard | 25,899 |
2017 | Complex | 104,382 |
2017 | Complex Written | 3,766 |
2018 | Standard | 26,230 |
2018 | Complex | 101,539 |
2018 | Complex Written | 4,125 |
2019 | Standard | 27,520 |
2019 | Complex | 100,720 |
2019 | Complex Written | 5,687 |
2020 | Standard | 27,113 |
2020 | Complex | 69,058 |
2020 | Complex Written | 4,046 |
Please note this data includes fulfilled Face to Face bookings only due to the enquiry referring to instances where HMCTS has ‘engaged individuals’