At the NAWRA meeting in Edinburgh, the issue of language interpreters and appellants being separated before hearings came up, we have now had a meeting with the Tribunal Service to raise this issue and have received assurances from the Tribunal Service that they have sent out a memo stating that interpreters and appellants must not be separated before a Tribunal hearing, there is no legal or any other grounding to justify this and it could be viewed as a discriminatory issue if challenged.

If you have any problems of this nature in the future, then please let me know or you can also email the Tribunal Service area manager at Bill.craig@tribunals.gsi.gov.uk

He has stated he would be interested to know if this happens again in the future.

As an update to this posting, we received a request this week from TAS of another case that we reported to them were terps and appellants were kept apart, so TAS are on the case and actively pursuing any examples we provide were this is or has happened.

Great work on this- it has frustrated me for ages that I couldn't check over a few things with my client in the few minutes before the hearing because the interpreter was being kept in another room.


I'd be quite interested in seeing the memo if you happen to have a copy?

Martin.

Martin

Not in memo form, but this extract from the minutes of the NCRLF meeting:

Update on Action Points Log from last meeting

2.2.1 An update on the action points from the preceding meeting was given.

2.2.2 AP1 – Cleared. Bill Craig informed that offices have been told that common sense and a flexible approach be used when interpreters attend hearings by allowing them to meet with the appellants in the waiting room prior to the hearing.

2.2.3 However, Keith Spencer informed that an interpreter had been prevented from speaking to an appellant before the hearing in Scotland. Bill asked Keith to send details of the case to investigate.

AP1 – Keith to email Bill of the case details to Bill.Craig@tribunals.gsi,gov.uk