Assistance to victims with English as a second language

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.026691

I note you seek access to the following information:

1.Classification
1.1 Please provide a copy of the 'Vulnerability assessment framework (VAF) and Quick Tool Guide’ aswell as the ‘Identification of Adults at Risk’ advice from the MPS intranet.

2.Training
2.1 Please provide information on the contents of the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme(IPLDP+) relating to the issue of victims and witnesses with communication barriers.
2.2 Please provide information on, and any available materials from, the following IPLDP+ courses:
(a) Care of Victims and Witnesses - 0020
(b )Victim/ witness initial assessment - 00019
(c) Witness Charter - 009ti
(d) Courtroom processes - 00115
(e) 00039ti
(f) CRIS introduction – 00034

3.Engagement with vulnerable victims of crime
3.1 Please provide information on the number of victims who requested a translator between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021.
3.2 Please provide information that specifies the form in which written communications are provided tovictims with communications barriers.

4.Professional Interpretation and Translation services
4.1 Please provide information on the number of interpreters that your police force used for interviewsand translation of key documents for victims with communication barriers between 1 January 2020 to1 January 2021.
4.2 Please provide the total number of hours of interpretation services your police force paid for between1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021.
4.3 Please provide the total number of cases in which interpretation services were used between 1 January2020 to 1 January 2021.
4.4 Please provide documents that specify the indicators used by your police force to determine thecompetency of such interpreters.
4.5 Please provide the financial budget allocated by your police force to professional interpretation andtranslation services required for victims with communication barriers.
4.6 Please provide information on the number of volunteers that your police force has access to forenhancing language support wherever possible.

Clarification - Question 2.2(a to f) is for the following;

Question 2.2 (a,b,c,d,e,f) is indeed for recorded information in the courses which specifically references the issue of victims and witnesses with communication barriers.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:

Section 43(2) – Commercial Interests

Reason for decision

Before I explain the decisions that I have made in relation to your request, I thought that it would be helpful to outline the parameters set out by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act), within which a request for information can be answered. The Act creates a statutory right of access to information held by public authorities. A public authority in respect of a request must, if permitted, state under Section 1(a) of the Act, whether it holds the requested information and, if held, then communicate that information to the applicant under Section 1(b) of the Act.

The right of access to information is not without exception and is subject to a number of exemptions which are designed to enable public authorities to withhold information that is unsuitable for release. Importantly, the Act is designed to place information into the public domain, that is, once access to information is granted to one person under the Act, it is then considered public information and must be communicated to any individual should a request be received.

The MPS has today disclosed the full recorded information held for Question One (1), Three (3) and Four (4).

In respect of Question Two (2), our Learning and Development Unit has been able to disclose Learning Outcomes and Aims relevant this part of your request.

In respect of Question Two (2), having located and considered the relevant information, the MPS is not required by statute to release the information requested.

Section 43(2) - Commercial Interests - Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would likely to, prejudice commercial interests of any person (including the public authority holding it).

In order to apply section 43(2), the MPS must satisfy itself that disclosure of the information would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of any person, including the public authority holding it. In this case I consider that disclosure of learning materials would be likely to have an adverse effect on the Commercial Interests of the MPS and Babcock.

Initial Police Learning and Development Programme (IPLDP+) uses learning materials that mirror those created by Babcocks.

The 1st year of recruit training the MPS runs mirrors PEQF (Policing Education Qualifications Framework), which is delivered in Higher Education Institutions (that is run by Babcocks).

While MPS has paid for this, the Intellectual Property you are requesting sits with Babcocks. Disclosure of information requested would therefore prejudice the commercial interests of the MPS. It would damage future negotiations on contracts with external individuals, bodies or companies if its believe we will routinely disclose products, packages and information that we have paid for from them under FOIA requests for free.

Disclosure of the requested information, would prejudice the commercial interests of the MPS because the disclosure of this information would have a negative impact on the competitive nature of the negation and tendering process and could also provide competitors with an unfair advantage if the companies are likely to raise their prices or refrain from working with us due to concerns about adverse FOIA disclosures of their information, packages or training.

There is a public interest in ensuring that companies are able to compete fairly and such a disclosure would weaken the position of the MPS in a competitive environment by revealing market-sensitive information. This would as a consequence have a harmful effect on future partnerships when entering into commercial activities with the MPS.

The public interest in this case is met by the disclosure of Learning Outcomes for Question Two (2).

This decision is based on the understanding that the public interest is not what interests the public, but what would be of greater good to the community as a whole.

Disclosure

Q1.1 - Please provide a copy of the;
• 'Vulnerability assessment framework (VAF) and
• Quick Tool Guide’ as well as the
• ‘Identification of Adults at Risk’ advice from the MPS intranet.

The MPS has today disclosed the answer to this question in full, please find the attached two documents for you to view.

Q2 - Training
2.1 Please provide information on the contents of the Initial Police Learning and Development Programme(IPLDP+) relating to the issue of victims and witnesses with communication barriers.
Q2.2 - Please provide information on, and any available materials from, the following IPLDP+ courses:
(a) Care of Victims and Witnesses - 0020
(b) Victim/ witness initial assessment - 00019
(c) Witness Charter - 009ti
(d) Courtroom processes - 00115
(e) 00039ti
(f) CRIS introduction – 00034

Q2. 2 - (a,b,c,d,e,f) is indeed for recorded information in the courses which specifically references the issue of victims and witnesses with communication barriers.

Please find attached Learning Outcomes pertinent to this FOIA request that can be disclosed today.

Q3.1 - Please provide information on the number of victims who requested a translator between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021.

MPS figures held for interpreting and translation for victims are as follows;

• Interpreting for victims: 5995
• Translating for victims: 1329

Q3.2 - Please provide information that specifies the form in which written communications are provided tovictims with communications barriers.

The MPS can confirm that Language, Cultural & Travel Services (which sits within Met Operations MO11) does not hold a form for written communication.

Q4.1 - Please provide information on the number of interpreters that your police force used for interviewsand translation of key documents for victims with communication barriers between 1 January 2020 to1 January 2021.

During this period 354 individual interpreters on 5995 occasions were organised for victims with a language requirement.

Q4.2  - Please provide the total number of hours of interpretation services your police force paid for between1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021.

82002:06 hours: minutes

Q4.3 - Please provide the total number of cases in which interpretation services were used between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021.

There are not recorded records for individual cases but interpreters were used 24,374 times.

Q4.4 - Please provide documents that specify the indicators used by your police force to determine thecompetency of such interpreters.

The MPS does not hold recorded documentation that relates directly to the competency requirement for interpreters. The information you have requested for this question is not held.

However, to assist you the MPS can confirm the MPS Standard Operation Procedure Interpreters Guidelines (SOP) demonstrates essentials are for the interpreter to;

• Have the relevant security clearance,
• Be a registrant on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) and
• Have the relevant qualifications where available, i.e. to hold the Diploma in Police Interpreting (DPI) in the relevant language. Dependent on how rare the language, this requirement may need to be reduced and an appropriate risk assessment completed before an interpreter is used.

Q4.5 - Please provide the financial budget allocated by your police force to professional interpretation andtranslation services required for victims with communication barriers.

Language Services budget for interpreting and translation is circa £4.5m

Q4.6 - Please provide information on the number of volunteers that your police force has access to forenhancing language support wherever possible.

There are approximately 1.2k officers and staff with either language skills to enhance support for no-evidential support in line with the College of Policing APP.