Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the NHS paid translators in the last financial year.

We do not hold this information centrally. National Health Service organisations have a duty to follow equalities legislation. This includes making sure their communities can understand information about the NHS services and that patients and clinicians can communicate with each other. However, we would encourage the NHS to be efficient and save money where possible by working together and sharing resources.