Minister Shailesh Vara assures parliament that there is less and ever less to worry about over interpreter delivery through Capita. He has that on the highest authority: Capita itself, a wholly disinterested party – not.
As against that: 2,480 cases disrupted due to the lack of an interpreter; a marked rise in interpreters’ late arrival; still a significant falling back on the old, tried and tested arrangement pre-framework agreement.
So many instances in a quarter is scarcely small beer. How is it a cause for rejoicing that the figure was even higher for the last quarter of last year? There were no such major shortfalls before.
There is no computation of the hidden costs of delays and disruption, let alone the less measurable costs in emotional damage for parties to proceedings, to the rule of law and its blood brother public confidence in the criminal justice system. It is meaningless, therefore, to speak airily and arrogantly about savings made.
Interesting, is it not, that neither the Ministry of Justice nor Capita even bother any longer to respond to my several outstanding complaints.
Justice demands a return to candour and sanity, and sooner rather than later.
Malcolm Fowler, Dennings, Tipton, West Midlands
