Scottish court interpreting and translation services are being put out to tender to "improve quality". A £6million contract has been offered for the provision of interpreting services for non-English-speaking accused and witnesses in court cases.

The three-year contract also covers the Crown Office, Procurator Fiscal Service, the Scottish Legal Aid Board, and the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration.

The amount spent on court interpreters was £653,000 in 2006-7.

A Crown Office spokeswoman said: "The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service welcomes this positive step towards further ensuring diversity principles are put into practice. Not only will the new contract improve the quality and coverage of service delivery, it will also encourage the sharing of knowledge and improve efficiency."