Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures are in place to ensure that interpreters of interviews during the asylum process are able to translate to a high quality and produce work to an accredited standard.
All asylum interviews are carried out by an impartial interviewing officer.
All interpreters engaged by the Home Office must demonstrate they have the required skills and qualifications. They must also:
They are also bound by a “Code of Conduct” to ensure minimum standards for interpreting and behaviour.
Home Office policy and guidance ensures that in the event of interpreters or interviews falling short of those standards, it would not adversely affect an individual’s asylum claim.
Interviewing Officers are encouraged to provide feedback on the performance of interpreters, using specifically designed monitoring forms. Interviews may also be monitored for training and security purposes.