Costs

Capita Translation and Interpreting Ltd had a contract with the secretary of state to provide interpreters for court and tribunal hearings. The court had booked two interpreters for an application for leave to oppose an adoption, but the interpreters were not provided and the hearing was adjourned. The local authority sought recovery of its costs of that hearing against Capita. The Family Court granted the application and held that Capita had failed to discharge its obligations under the contract with the secretary of state and, where there had been a background of serial failures by Capita in the proceedings, it was just for the company to pay the authority’s costs.