Information relating to translators employed/paid for by the MPS

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.24.035741

I note you seek access to the following information:

This is an information request relating to translators employed or paid for by the Metropolitan Police.

Please include the following information for each of the following financial years: 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23:

1. The number of translators employed by the Metropolitan Police.
2. The total spending on translators for the Metropolitan Police.
3. A breakdown of the languages they interpreted.
4. The number of social media posts translated into foreign languages by the Metropolitan Police.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - The number of translators employed by the Metropolitan Police.

We don’t employ interpreters to the MPS. We have a list of approved vetted interpreters who we contact should we need one and registrants who are on the National Database. We would also go through Agency firms if needed for a specific language if we can’t obtain one through our lists.

Q2 - The total spending on translators for the Metropolitan Police.

The figures for translation costs over the last 3 financial years are as follows:
2020-21 = £ 1,186,149.39
2021-22 = £ 1,805,645.63
2022-23 = £ 1,774,214.38

Q3 - A breakdown of the languages they interpreted.

Please see the spreadsheet below.

Q4 - The number of social media posts translated into foreign languages by the Metropolitan Police.

The total number of social media posts that have been translated and published over the last 3 years is not held.