News
A lack of court interpreters is delaying court hearings and risks miscarriages of justice, The Times has been told — with predictions that the problem is likely to get worse.
Figures from the Ministry of Justice give an insight into the cost of translators and interpreters in the justice system.
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) spent £21.3 million on translators in the last year alone.
The interpreters are used for suspected criminals, victims and crime witnesses.
A record £1.2 m was spent on providing bilingual staff on Albanian suspects.
Health watchdogs are calling for interpreters to be made a legal requirement for all healthcare settings after a survey exposed worrying gaps in the service.