By Grant Smith

THE INFLUX of foreign workers to Scotland has pushed up the cost of providing interpreters at the sheriff courts in Dundee and Perth, according to official figures.

Witnesses and accused people with poor English are entitled to have someone present to translate the proceedings into their own language.

During 2006-07 the cost in Dundee came to £43,000, almost four times as much as in 2003-04. Perth saw an even bigger rise, up nine-fold over the same period to £27,000.

The cost of interpreters across Scotland came to £653,000, compared to only £167,000 in 2003-04.

The rise in the number of people from eastern Europe has been a key factor in increasing demand for the services of translators nationally, and particularly in Tayside where many come to work in agricultural jobs.

Polish, Lithuanian and Russian are among the top six languages required. Mandarin, Punjabi and Arabic are also common.

Interpreters are paid a basic fee of £40 for attending a case, then £22 per hour and travel and accommodation expenses as needed.

Although the costs of translation have risen steeply, they still account for a tiny proportion of the courts budget. For example, legal aid for 2006-07 topped £150 million.

The additional demand for interpreters has, however, sometimes raised questions about the quality of the service being provided.

It emerged in October that an Edinburgh High Court trial of a couple accused of people trafficking had collapsed because an interpreter for a prosecution witness did not know what to do.

The most recent office audit report available for the fiscal service in Dundee, covering 2005, said, “Legal members of staff note requirements for interpreters on case papers and either a member of administration staff or a precognition officer will contact (an interpreting service) to make arrangements for an interpreter to attend court.”

A similar audit for the fiscals in Perth, referring to 2004, said there were also no reported problems in ordering interpreters, although on two occasions police had not informed staff of language needs and the matter had to be dealt with at a late date.