Capita boss asked to explain dismal ALS performance
P Pindar Esq.
Chief Executive
Capita plc
71 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0XA
Dear Mr Pindar,
Re: the Framework Agreement and contract between Applied Language Solutions and the Ministry of Justice
In a case in Leeds Crown Court (R – v – Tahir and others) last Friday, an ALS/Capita worker had to be removed from a courtroom by a Judge for being unable to interpret.
Today at Leicester Crown Court Judge Mooncey discharged the jury, already having sacked your worker last Friday (R – v – Sarfudin and others). Since this was the beginning of week four and it is a three-hander case, the costs will be likely to be very substantial. Maybe the Court will grant a wasted costs application if one is made, maybe it will not. But either way it is bad news for your company. Aside from the publicity, either a huge sum will be required to defray cost to the public purse, or the public purse will have to shoulder the burden. Given that huge savings were promised under this Framework Agreement, it must now be clear that not only will no savings ever be made, but that it is going to be extremely costly.
It must be clear to all parties that your company is unable to service the MoJ Framework Agreement, and as related in my letter to Ms Mooney last month (attached), your spokeswoman lied when she said, 'All our interpreters are qualified to at least the minimum standards required to provide services to the criminal justice system and many are qualified well beyond this.' As the Leeds and Leicester cases reveal, the Snaresbrook case is not unique; you are developing solid form for mendacity and incompetence.
We wonder how many times the CEO of Applied Language Solutions will be required to attend Crown Court and 'show cause', as he was last Thursday at Kingston in yet another wasted costs application, before Capita and the government realise that the Framework Agreement is not just anathema to Justice and unworkable, but an extremely expensive folly which this country cannot afford.
The Framework Agreement is unworkable and unviable. We respectfully suggest that you return it to the Ministry of Justice without delay.
Yours sincerely
Geoffrey Buckingham
Chairman
The Association of Police and Court Interpreters
16 Pepper Street
Glengall Bridge
London
E14 9RP
