To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what documents her Department and its agencies translate for people in the UK who do not speak English; into which languages such documents are translated; and what the cost was of producing such translations in each of the last five years, broken down by language of translation. (113889)

The Department for Constitutional Affairs translates documents including consultation papers; public information; reports and guides. The Department does not collate information on which languages are translated from and to.

The Department for Constitutional Affairs does not collect the information centrally and could only be given at disproportionate cost. This department is giving consideration to the routine collection of data relating to translating departmental publications other than English.

Her Majesty’s Court Service has a Welsh Language Unit, which translates court proceedings from commencement to the transcription at the conclusion. There is currently no central policy regarding translating documents into other languages. This function is determined at local level. There would be disproportionate costs in obtaining the information regarding the costs and the number of languages. Her Majesty’s Court Service is giving consideration to the routine collection of data relating to translating departmental publications other than English. A central policy is currently being drafted which will identify the six most commonly requested languages for corporate publications to be translated into.

Since the Tribunal Service was created in April 2006, the documents translated for people in the United Kingdom who do not communicate in the English language include literature about how to bring a case to tribunal; claims forms; judgments; and correspondence with appellants and parties. The languages into which such documents have been translated are Welsh, Gaelic, Arabic, Chinese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Somali, Urdu, Vietnamese, Greek and Turkish. Since April, it is estimated that £27,000 has been spent on translation. The cost of breaking down the costs by language would be disproportionate.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs for what services provided by her Department and its related agencies translation services are provided. (113890)

The Department for Constitutional Affairs translates documents as requested including consultation papers; public information; reports and guides.

Her Majesty’s Court Service translates court proceedings from commencement to the transcription at the conclusion. There is a Welsh Language Unit that translates documents into that language. Other languages are translated by local agreements.

The services provided by the Tribunals Service for which translation services are provided relate to bringing a case to a tribunal.