Linguist bodies react to asylum questionnaire report

[THE CHIEF EXECUTIVES of the Institute of Translation & Interpreting and the Chartered Institute of Linguists – Paul Wilson and John Worne – have sent a joint letter to the Minister of State for Immigration Robert Jenrick MP, following reports in The Guardian that the government is considering ‘sending questionnaires to refugees instead of conducting official interviews’ with a demand that claimants ‘reply in English within 20 working days or risk refusal’.

The two bodies point to three particular concerns:

“Important information would be incorrectly translated: Notwithstanding advances in AI and machine translation, even in English and major European languages the frequency and severity of errors in machine translated texts is such that no public authority should contemplate its routine use, without human oversight. In world languages where there is less ‘training data’ the frequency and severity of errors can be so high that professional translators would not waste time using the tools.

“Appeals: Given the risks above it seems inevitable that machine translated text would be a common cause of errors and appeals, likely cancelling out any perceived or imagined savings from the move.

“Identifiable personal data leaving the UK: The UK government encouraging people to use Google Translate or other online translation tools means you are encouraging them to input and send their most personal and identifiable data on a trip around the world –to servers and data processors in the USA, and other countries, with very different data protection laws and potential interest in them as individuals than the UK’s.”

They accept that The Guardian piece is based on a leak and is speculation and express the hope that the government has ‘no intention of moving in the direction the article suggests’. q

Welcome to our A to Z guide of the websites of some of the Expert Witness field’s leading players.

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Chris Dawson MS FRCS LLDip

Translations and Interpreting for the Legal Profession since 1997. Specialists in Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence. www.abc-translations.co.uk

Salam Alaswad LLM PGDip BSc

• Financial derivatives

• Forex fraud

• Contracts for Difference (CFD)

• Financial crimes

• Pre-action assessment

• Charts and diagrams for complex cases www.fxandcfd.com/expert-witness

Dr Paul Baskerville MA DM FRCS

Expert witness instructions in cases relating to all aspects of vascular disease. Can act on behalf of claimant, defendant or as Single Joint Expert. www.baskervilleclinic.com

Mr Timothy Burge MBChB FRCS FRCS(Plast) DMCC MSc

Consultant Burns & Plastic Surgeon

• Cosmetic and aesthetic surgery of the breast and trunk

• Burns • Trauma • Scars www.clifton-plastic-surgery.co.uk

CEERISK Consulting Ltd

Expert witness services in engineering

• infrastructure

• construction

• oil & gas

• petrochemicals

Consultant Urologist with over 19 years experience of medico legal report writing and expert witness work in personal injury and clinical negligence cases. www.chrisdawson.org.uk

DentoLegal Ltd – Gary M Simon

DentoLegal specialises in the preparation of evidencebased Breach of Duty & Causation and Condition & Prognosis Dental Reports on the instruction of solicitors. www.dentolegal.com

DRC Forensics Limited

DRC Forensics Limited offers the complete range of forensic accounting & litigation support: • Fraud • Money laundering

• Partnership disputes • Loss of profit • Professional negligence www.drcforensics.co.uk

Mr Roger Emmott CEng BSc(Hons) MSc/MBA MA FCMI FIC Steel and iron ore expert with international arbitration and cross-examination experience in complex disputes

• Pricing • Contractual matters • Valuations

T: 07974 351704 E: roger@rogeremmottassociates.com www.rogeremmottassociates.com

FHDI - Kathryn Thorndycraft-Pope

Examining documents & handwriting • to determine authenticity

• power & energy

• mining

• insurance

• technology

• telecomms www.ceerisk.com

Professor Frank Chinegwundoh MBE

Consultant Urological Surgeon specialising in Personal Injury and Medical Negligence cases on behalf of either claimant or defendant or as a Single Joint Expert. www.urologyconsultant.co.uk

Clarke Gammon

Chartered Surveyors with experience in All Aspects of Property

• Residential property values

• to expose forgery • to reveal aspects of origin. Electro Static Detection Apparatus and Mi-Scope used. www.forensichandwriting.co.uk

Forensic Collision Investigation & Reconstruction Ltd Specialists in the analysis of road traffic collisions

• Collision Reconstruction • Expert Witness

• Vehicle Examinations www.FCIR.co.uk

Fiona Hotston Moore (FRP Advisory)

• Asset valuations

• Land values and more www.clarkegammon.co.uk

D & HB Associates Ltd

Experts in Road Traffic Offences

• Accident investigation and reconstruction

• Tachograph analysis

Fiona is a partner of FRP’s Forensic Services practice specialising in share and business valuation cases, commercial and tax disputes and professional negligence. www.frpadvisory.com/people/people-profiles/fiona-hotston-moore/

Mr Kim Hakin FRCS FRCOphth

Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Expert Witness on ophthalmological matters

• Stolen vehicle examination and identification

• Statement Taking www.dandhb.com

Dr Lars Davidsson MRCPsych MEWI

Consultant Psychiatrist and Accredited Mediator Reports within most areas of general adult psychiatry. Specialist in PTSD, anxiety disorders & mood disorders. www.angloeuropeanclinic.co.uk www.kimhakin.com

Haydn Jones MEng DipLaw FIET Data Technologist & Digital Regulation Expert

• Injunctive relief • Money laundering • Digital currency theft • Counter funding of terrorism haydn@blockchainhub.com

Dr Raj Kumar – Dental Expert

Causation and Liability and Condition and Prognosis Reports

• General dentistry

• Cosmetic dentistry

• Patient consent

• Dental implantology • Orthodontics • Facial aesthetics www.dentalexpert.me

Laird Assessors

The UK’s leading independent automotive expert witness firm supporting claimant, defendant and criminal solicitors. From instruction to court. www.laird-assessors.com

Kulvinder Lall Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon www.kulvinderlall.com

Instructions taken in cases relating to cardiac and thoracic surgery, including aspects relating to surgical care and those following trauma to the structures of the chest.

Mr Chris Makin

• Chartered Accountant • Accredited Civil Mediator

• Accredited Expert Determiner www.chrismakin.co.uk

Martyn Slyper Consultancy

Expert Witness in Assistive Technology

• Personal Injury

• Clinical Negligence

E: ms@martynslyperconsultancy.co.uk

Mr Sameer Singh MBBS BSc FRCS Orth

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon • All aspects of trauma – soft tissue and bone injuries • Upper and lower limb disorders and injuries

• Whiplash injuries • Performs claimant and defence cases Clinic locations – London, Milton Keynes and Bedford www.orthopaedicexpertwitness.net

Dr Elizabeth J. Soilleux MA MB BChir PhD FRCPath PGDipMedEd www.expertwitnesspathologist.co.uk

Expert Witness Pathologist with a particular interest in haematopathology. Short reports on specimens, full court compliant reports and expert biopsy reporting.

Mr Bernard Speculand MDS FDS FFD FRACDS (OMS) Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. Personal injury and clinical negligence cases for claimant, defendant and as Single Joint Expert. Special interest is TMJ Surgery.

Yvette Young (Secretary) T: 0121 605 1884

E: info@medsecadmin.co.uk www.birminghamtmj.co.uk

Target Psychology Ltd

• Public & Private Law Proceedings • Pre-Proceedings

• Immigration Proceedings • Criminal Proceedings

• Court of Protection Proceedings

• Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence www.targetpsychology.co.uk

Myles J O Taylor BA(Oxon) PhD FRCOG

Expert witness specialising in: • General obstetrics & gynaecology • Fetal Medicine • Multiple pregnancy

• Industrial Injury www.martynslyperconsultancy.co.uk

Professor Christopher Raine MBE

Specialist in paediatric and adult otology www.profchrisraine.co.uk

• Medical negligence • Personal injury cases involving noise induced hearing loss.

– including twin to twin transfusion syndrome, intrapartum care and general gynaecology. www.mylestaylor.co.uk

Vincent Theobald-Vega

Health and Safety expert • Asbestos management & removal

• Construction design and management • Laboratories www.safety4hed.co.uk

• Biological & chemical safety and much more.