§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what statutory obligation the probation services in England and Wales lie to provide interpretation services to clients of the service during interviews for pre-sentence reports or in any other appropriate circumstances.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 25 November 1992]: There are at present no statutory obligations on probation services in respect of interpretation. But national standards for the supervision of offenders in the community endorse the need to take reasonable steps to communicate effectively with, and understand offenders at all times.