Social Security Scotland Interpretation Services costs breakdown: FOI release

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

FOI Reference: FOI/202400438349
Date received: 29 October 2024
Date responded: 26 November 2024

Information Requested

Request for information 1: In each year since 2019-20, including the current year to date how many foreign language interpreters has this body employed?

Request for information 2: In each year since 2019-20, including the current year to date how much has this body spent on foreign language interpreters?

Request for information 3: In relation to Questions 1 and 2, could these answers further be broken down by language?

Response

Request for information 1:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested.

Social Security Scotland does not directly employ any language interpreters.

Social Security Scotland use an interpretation service which is provided by Global Connects.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested.

Request for information 2:

Each quarter Global Connects provide Social Security Scotland with management information detailing the cost of interpretation services. The below information is management information.

Financial Year

Cost of Interpretation Services (ex VAT)

2019-2020

£6,951.91

2020-2021

£15,200.53

2021-2022

£39,876.23

2022-2023

£114,933.60

2023-2024

£215,430.53

Request for information 3:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Social Security Scotland does not have the information you have requested.

As Social Security Scotland do not employ language interpreters directly, we cannot provide a breakdown by language.

Global Connects carry out letter translations as well as interpretation services for Social Security Scotland. Global Connects invoice Social Security Scotland by service provided, these invoices do not provide a breakdown of cost by language. Management information is not held for the full period requested.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that Social Security Scotland does not have some of the information you have requested.

We do hold a breakdown of cost by language for 2023-24 which may be helpful to you. Please find attached a table which includes management information, provided by Global Connects, detailing the cost of interpretation services broken down by language for 2023-24. Please note the language categorisation is determined by Global Connects. This information is management information.

About FOI

Social Security Scotland is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. The Scottish Government also publishes responses to requests. You can view the responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

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