Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to take steps to review court procedures to ensure deaf jurors are not excluded from panels on the grounds of the cost of the provision of British Sign Language interpretation.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is committed to opening up jury service to as many eligible people as possible and ensuring disability is never a barrier. No juror is expected to meet the cost of interpreting. HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) arranges and funds British Sign Language interpreting for jurors throughout their service, including during deliberations, via national language service contracts.
Jurors may also claim loss of earnings and other allowances under existing regulations, so cost should not prevent eligible deaf people from serving. HMCTS keeps operational procedures under review with the judiciary to ensure provision is timely and effective and that eligible jurors are not excluded from panels on cost grounds.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department monitors compliance with the legal right to British Sign Language interpreters in jury deliberation rooms in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 placed the right to British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting in the jury deliberation room on a statutory footing (now section 9C of the Juries Act 1974). The Ministry of Justice is committed to ensuring the justice system is supported by a range of high-quality language services that meet the needs of all those that require them. Visual and tactile provisions, including sign language interpreters, are met and monitored through the Ministry of Justice's language services contract with Clarion Interpreting Ltd.
Whilst HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not record protected characteristics of jurors in respect of complaints, an interrogation of data held suggests that there have been two recorded complaints regarding interpreter provision for jury service support in the last five years. When concerns are raised, HMCTS addresses them at a local level and, where appropriate, escalates issues through established contract management processes and ongoing improvements in data quality and governance.
The quality of interpreting provided to the Department, including the management of its register of interpreters, is assured by an independent provider, The Language Shop (TLS). TLS undertakes a programme of assessments for interpreters, as well as an annual audit of supplier processes for onboarding new interpreters. These safeguards ensure the legal right is delivered in practice while maintaining the integrity of the jury room.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Deaprtment is taking to ensure that cost does not prevent deaf people from serving as jurors.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is committed to opening up jury service to as many eligible people as possible and ensuring disability is never a barrier. No juror is expected to meet the cost of interpreting. HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) arranges and funds British Sign Language interpreting for jurors throughout their service, including during deliberations, via national language service contracts.
Jurors may also claim loss of earnings and other allowances under existing regulations, so cost should not prevent eligible deaf people from serving. HMCTS keeps operational procedures under review with the judiciary to ensure provision is timely and effective and that eligible jurors are not excluded from panels on cost grounds.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the number of deaf people who have completed jury service since the coming into force of the legal right to British Sign Language interpreters in jury deliberation rooms in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Since the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act came into force in 2022, there have been 84 bookings made for BSL interpreters to assist a deaf juror in deliberations.
HMCTS collects a range of information to support the administration of jury service and to fulfil its Public Sector Equality Duty, and this is regularly reviewed to ensure it is robust and proportionate. Information on adjustments made for individual jurors is not held centrally.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of data collection on (a) deaf jurors and (b) jurors with other protected characteristics within jury service records.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Since the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act came into force in 2022, there have been 84 bookings made for BSL interpreters to assist a deaf juror in deliberations.
HMCTS collects a range of information to support the administration of jury service and to fulfil its Public Sector Equality Duty, and this is regularly reviewed to ensure it is robust and proportionate. Information on adjustments made for individual jurors is not held centrally.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of interpreter absence on the ability of deaf jurors to fully participate in court proceedings.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is committed to ensuring that all jurors are able to participate effectively in the Criminal Justice System. Since new legislative provisions came into force in 2022, deaf jurors may be granted the assistance of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters in the jury deliberation room. If an interpreter is unavailable at any point, it is for the trial judge to decide whether to proceed or to adjourn until appropriate support is in place. Courts source interpreters through the Ministry of Justice’s contracted suppliers, with contingency arrangements (including booking pairs of BSL interpreters for deliberations) to manage fatigue and ensure quality.
HMCTS guidance makes clear that reasonable adjustments must be put in place to enable jurors with disabilities to participate, and that interpreter support should be arranged promptly where required. Where an interpreter is temporarily unavailable, jury officers and the judge will consider appropriate interim steps, such as written communication, assistive listening technology, or a brief adjournment, so that the juror is not disadvantaged. Judicial guidance in the Equal Treatment Bench Book underlines that arrangements are judicially led in line with legislation.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department provides to court staff on communicating with deaf jurors in the absence of an interpreter.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government is committed to ensuring that all jurors are able to participate effectively in the Criminal Justice System. Since new legislative provisions came into force in 2022, deaf jurors may be granted the assistance of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters in the jury deliberation room. If an interpreter is unavailable at any point, it is for the trial judge to decide whether to proceed or to adjourn until appropriate support is in place. Courts source interpreters through the Ministry of Justice’s contracted suppliers, with contingency arrangements (including booking pairs of BSL interpreters for deliberations) to manage fatigue and ensure quality.
HMCTS guidance makes clear that reasonable adjustments must be put in place to enable jurors with disabilities to participate, and that interpreter support should be arranged promptly where required. Where an interpreter is temporarily unavailable, jury officers and the judge will consider appropriate interim steps, such as written communication, assistive listening technology, or a brief adjournment, so that the juror is not disadvantaged. Judicial guidance in the Equal Treatment Bench Book underlines that arrangements are judicially led in line with legislation.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidelines his Department provides to HM Courts & Tribunals staff on promoting awareness of the principles of the (a) Equality Act 2010 and (b) Children Act 1989; and what steps he takes to evaluate whether HM Courts & Tribunals apply these principles.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) provides staff with mandatory training and comprehensive guidance to support awareness and application of the principles of both the Equality Act 2010 and the Children Act 1989.
This includes digital learning on reasonable adjustments, safeguarding policy and private and public law proceedings, supported by standard operating procedures, job cards, and Equality Impact Assessments.
HMCTS also promotes inclusive practice with internal working groups and by evaluating how the principles of both Acts are followed. This includes regular reporting on activity and pilot programmes such as the Family Court Pathfinder which aims to improve outcomes for children and families.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has considered setting national minimum standards for British Sign Language interpreter provision across all courts.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice has set national minimum standards for British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter provision across courts through the Language Services Contract. All interpreters must be registered with a voluntary National Regulator for Language Service professionals, with the minimum qualification standard for court work being a Level 6 BSL qualification.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of British Sign Language interpreters for deaf jurors.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 placed the right to British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting in the jury deliberation room on a statutory footing (now section 9C of the Juries Act 1974). The Ministry of Justice is committed to ensuring the justice system is supported by a range of high-quality language services that meet the needs of all those that require them. Visual and tactile provisions, including sign language interpreters, are met and monitored through the Ministry of Justice's language services contract with Clarion Interpreting Ltd.
Whilst HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does not record protected characteristics of jurors in respect of complaints, an interrogation of data held suggests that there have been two recorded complaints regarding interpreter provision for jury service support in the last five years. When concerns are raised, HMCTS addresses them at a local level and, where appropriate, escalates issues through established contract management processes and ongoing improvements in data quality and governance.
The quality of interpreting provided to the Department, including the management of its register of interpreters, is assured by an independent provider, The Language Shop (TLS). TLS undertakes a programme of assessments for interpreters, as well as an annual audit of supplier processes for onboarding new interpreters. These safeguards ensure the legal right is delivered in practice while maintaining the integrity of the jury room.