Government won’t investigate Du interpreter fiasco
- Details
- Category: News
- Published on Tuesday, 21 May 2013 14:45
- Written by Northampton Chronicle & Echo
The Government has said it will not investigate a firm which failed to send a Mandarin interpreter for a court appearance of murder suspect, Anxiang Du.
Capita, the firm contracted by the Ministry of Justice to provide foreign interpreters in courts, was branded a “disgrace” by a High Court Judge last week after Du’s latest court appearance had to be adjourned.
Du, aged 54, was due to enter pleas for charges of murdering Jifeng Ding, his wife Helen, and their two children Xing, aged 18, and Alice, aged 12.
During the plea and case management hearing at Nottingham Crown Court, at which Anxiang Du was present, the High Court Judge explained he had asked for an interpreter to be booked.
However, he said the firm indicated it was not worth sending one as they “would not make enough money” from the hearing.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “We have worked with Capita to make dramatic improvements in the interpreter service, saving taxpayers £15 million last year. These kinds of issues are now rare.”
Interpreters and legal aid consultation
- Details
- Category: Analysis and Comment
- Published on Monday, 20 May 2013 20:57
- Written by Matthew Scott
Criminal barristers and solicitors are now about to be subjected to the same MoJ treatment as interpreters. Under a "consultation" exercise Mr Grayling's plan is to close down 3/4 of solicitors' firms and remove the right of suspects or defendants to choose their solicitors. It is quite outrageous, and all to save a tiny amount. If you care, please sign the save uk justice petition http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/48628 (tinyurl.com/itsmychoice) & see "Is Mr Grayling’s Legal Aid Consultation Genuine Or A Sham? Ask An Interpreter" at http://barristerblogger.com/?p=213
Court interpreters reject new contract deal
- Details
- Category: News
- Published on Monday, 20 May 2013 09:32
- Written by Catherine Baksi, Law Society Gazette
Courts are being disrupted on a ‘daily basis’ as interpreters continue to boycott the private sector contract for translation services, despite a peace move by the Ministry of Justice, an interpreters group claimed this week.
The ministry last month revealed that it would foot the bill for a 22% rise in payments made to court interpreters in a bid to attract more to work under a controversial contract with Capita that has been blamed for widespread disruption over the past 15 months.
Professional Interpreters for Justice, an umbrella group of interpreters’ organisations that oppose the contract, said their members have rejected the new deal and will still not work for the company.
The group wants to see the contract, which has been criticised by two high-profile parliamentary committees and the National Audit Office, scrapped.
The group claims that ‘incidences of interpreter no-shows and poor-quality interpreting’ are disrupting courts on a ‘daily basis’.
FOI request on contract amendments to FWA with Capita
- Details
- Category: The Letters Page
- Published on Sunday, 19 May 2013 19:48
- Written by Yelena McCafferty
Data Access and Compliance Unit
Information & Communications Directorate
Ministry of Justice
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
Via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:
Please provide copies of all contractual documents drawn up as a result of the revision of the Framework Agreement with Capita Translation and Interpreting, coming into effect on 1st May 2013, as announced by Helen Grant MP on 25th April 2013 in the House of Commons:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130425/wmstext/130425m0001.htm#130425m0001.htm_spmin10.
Please let me have the information requested above in the electronic form.
Northpod Law: Legally Speaking
- Details
- Category: Analysis and Comment
- Published on Friday, 17 May 2013 09:32
- Written by Northpod Law
On this week's show, we look into the use of interpreters in courts and police stations and find out why a Ministry of Justice contract with Applied Language Solutions Ltd (now known as Capita Translation and Interpreting Ltd) is causing concern for interpreters, courts and parties to proceedings.
We speak with Mirela Watson, a Romanian interpreter with over a decade of experience and qualifications, about what is wrong with the present system and where the dangers lie.
If you want to read the BBC article about the Snaresbrook case, it is here.
The Court of Appeal decision referred to is here.
The place to register your concerns about cases such as those discussed is here.
We will bring you Capita's response in next week's show, if we receive comment.
Click here to listen to the show. Mirela Watson's interview from 0:28:10
More Articles...
- MP raises concern with Minister in Anxiang Du missing interpreter case
- Interpreters ask MPs to support a debate in Parliament on failures of FWA with Capita
- Exaro: Capita contract for court interpreters veers towards ‘collapse’
- Court Interpreting ‘Disgrace’ as Sweeteners Rejected
- Capita-TI on its knees begging their current 'linguists' to recruit new 'linguists'
- Geoffrey Buckingham on BBC about Capita TI: it's a display of contempt
- Sunday Express: Interpreter’s ‘low pay’ halts a trial
- Sky News: Murder Trial Stalled Over Missing Interpreter
- Du interpreter row: System “out of control” says MP Ellis
- BBC: Ding murder case judge's anger over interpreter no-show