Do not outsource interpreting and translation in the justice sector

Responsible department: Ministry of Justice

We, the undersigned, petition the Ministry of Justice not to outsource the provision of interpreters and translators in the justice sector to a single commercial agency. In particular, we request that:
1. The National Agreement be preserved and made mandatory.
2. All interpreters working in the justice sector must be registered on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters.
3. The Ministry of Justice engages in a meaningful consultation with the interpreting profession to enable efficiency savings to take place.
4. The Ministry of Justice considers the adverse impact the contract with the preferred supplier is likely to have on ethnic minorities and on foreign-language speakers.