Support Grows for Parliamentary Motion Welcoming New Translation Service
A week since Parmjit Singh Gill MP tabled an early day motion in Parliament in support of a new translation service provided by British Gas over forty Members of Parliament have added their support. The new service will enable engineers to access a translator who speaks the customer's language via a special telephone system. This will now allow engineers to overcome communications barriers with citizens who do not speak English fluently.
Language Line has been widely welcomed due to the service:
* Helping impart vital home safety advice, especially to vulnerable often elderly citizens.
* Acting as a deterrent against cowboy traders who may exploit confusion in householders whose occupants may not speak English fluently.
The service has also won praise outside Parliament:
1. The Trading Standards Institute said:
"Anything which helps consumers to better understand their position and the range of services which are available can only raise standards. For both economic and safety reasons, this is especially important with gas and electricity supplies. We very much welcome this initiative."
2. The Commission for Racial Equality's will include the Language Line initiative as an example of good practice in the promotion of the statutory Code of Practice in Employment which will be published next year.
Commenting Parmjit said:
"This is a praiseworthy service and will greatly benefit a large number of households in my constituency and around the country.
"Let's hope other private and public sector service providers will develop similar measures which recognize Britain's diverse society."
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. An early day motion (EDM) is a colloquial term for a notice of motion given by a Member for which no date has been fixed for debate. EDMs exist to allow Members to put on record their opinion on a subject and canvass support for it from fellow Members. In effect, the primary function of an EDM is to form a kind of petition that MPs can sign.
2. EDM 367 full text:
LANGUAGE LINE SERVICES FOR CITIZENS WHO DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH FLUENTLY
"That this House welcomes the introduction by British Gas of its innovative Language Line service, which enables the company's engineers to overcome communications barriers with citizens who do not speak English fluently by enabling engineers to access a translator who speaks the customer's language via a special telephone system; notes the support of the Trading Standards Institute for this service; believes that Language Line helps impart vital home safety advice to all customers and could also be a deterrent against cowboy traders who may exploit confusion among householders whose first language is not English; and urges other private and public sector service providers to develop similar measures in recognition of Britain's increasingly diverse society."
3. On 17th December the following MPs had signed the EDM in support:
Parmjit Singh Gill
Mr Richard Allan
Norman Baker
Mr Roy Beggs
Peter Bottomley
Mrs Anne Campbell
Mr Gregory Campbell
Mr Martin Caton
Mr Michael Clapham
Jeremy Corbyn
Mrs Ann Cryer
Valerie Davey
Mrs Janet Dean
Mr Andrew Dismore
Paul Flynn
Mr Don Foster
Andrew George
Mr Win Griffiths
Mr Mike Hancock
Nick Harvey
Paul Holmes
Simon Hughes
Dr Brian Iddon
Glenda Jackson
Lynne Jones
Mr Nigel Jones
Mr Paul Keetch
Mr David Lepper
Chris McCafferty
John McDonnell
Mr Kevin McNamara
Mr Michael Moore
Lembit Opik
Mr Greg Pope
Bob Russell
Mr Andrew Stunell
Sarah Teather
Dr Jenny Tonge
Dr Desmond Turner
Mr Paul Tyler
Dr Rudi Vis
Mr Roger Williams
Mr Phil Willis
Richard Younger-Ross
4. The British Gas Language Line has already gained national coverage on BBC online.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4080653.stm
5. The Trading Standards Institute also applauded the introduction of "Language Line". Its Chief Executive Ron Gainsford said:
"Anything which helps consumers to better understand their position and the range of services which are available can only raise standards. For both economic and safety reasons, this is especially important with gas and electricity supplies. We very much welcome this initiative."
6. The British Gas Language Line initiative will be included as an example of good practice in the promotion of the Commission for Racial Equality's statutory Code of Practice in Employment which will be published next year.