Cost of translation is cut thanks to ALS

DELPH company Applied Language Solutions is gearing up for the national launch of a new centralised system for interpreters and translators.

From Thursday, December 1, all courts across England and Wales will switch to the system aimed at cutting costs in sourcing and selecting interpreters for courtroom assignments.

The specialist Saddleworth company has devised the Framework Agreement as part of a contract with the Ministry of Justice.

The system, also being rolled out across the prison service in England and Wales and the tribunal service UK-wide, aims at making the process of booking linguists more efficient.

It aims at stamping out problems with the current system of double booking, courts having to pay large travel costs for small hearings and failure of interpreters to turn up for assignments.

Richard Loyer, public services director at ALS, said: “This new system enables the courts within the justice sector significantly to reduce the amount of public money spent on providing language services, while making huge improvements in efficiency that will free front-line staff from the current administrative burden of searching for interpreters and translators.

“It will also improve the status of interpreters and translators by introducing a framework that identifies and supports the skills of individuals with internationally recognised qualifications.”

Expected to save the Government £18 million a year, the service will automatically locate the nearest available and adequately-skilled interpreter to deal with the assignment.

As part of the changes, any linguist wanting to continue to work with the courts and other participating organisations must take part in an assessment.

Meanwhile, the Chronicle has been asked to clarify that this is not a qualification, but an independently conducted assessment by Middlesex University.

The test will be used to slot linguists into three tiers based on their capabilities to ensure individuals are correctly assigned to tasks.

Translators and interpreters are already being assessed as part of the procedure.

Several other organisations have also signed up to the system and will begin using it from Monday, November 28.

They include West Yorkshire, Staffordshire and West Midlands Police as well as Lancashire Constabulary.

Justice Minister Nick Herbert has spoken in support of the contract saying that trials are being held up and considerable costs are being racked up under the current system.

To register for and arrange an independent assessment visit www.linguisticlounge.com or contact ALS on the dedicated number 0333-111-0060.

It hasn’t been a smooth ride for Delph-based firm since it was announced it was to take on the contract.
Interpreters and translators have hit out at the company for the changes that will affect them nationally.

One interpreter has contacted the Chronicle claiming that hundreds of qualified court and police interpreters are refusing to register or have anything to do with ALS.

Linguists have hit out at the introduction of the tiered system, seen as unnecessary on top of established qualifications.

Those in opposition claim that new rates under the cost-cutting measure will mean payments reduced by over half in some cases.

They say that net payments under the new system will disproportionate to the skills of qualified professional interpreters.