foreign speakers in uk

if a foreign speaker attends ,the police station ,council buildings,courts ,DHSS ,an interpreter is provided free of charge and always has been, At a very costly price,millions spent on interpreters,why is this so,when the money could be spent on the health service,
in Spain you have to provide and pay for the service yourself if you cant speak the language,
both countries are in the E.U. at this present time, so it must,nt be an E.U law,as the Spanish don't comply, just curious as to why?

Because the UK IS A SOFT TOUCH simples !!!!!

Because the UK is a more mature, forward thinking, appreciative and welcoming country.

Glassfull wrote:Because the UK is a more mature, forward thinking, appreciative and welcoming country.

Interpreted as "A Soft Touch "

What would we personally prefer Spain to be like ?

"Come in, we will get an interpreter to help you"

Or how it is now..."go away and come back with an interpreter" (no matter how important the situation may be!)

The UK have an Interpreter company on speed dial for all important situations.
Hospitals, doctors, police. Often they can just use them over the phone.

I'm not saying that I don't think the UK are sometimes too accommodating but we have to put ourselves in the situation sometimes to appreciate it. Many of us have been in this situation in Spain and it's not nice.
I have often wondered same as the OP ...why are Spain not following the same rules while we are both EU?

I think that only in courts, the EU insists that a translator is available.

The UK’s assistance with interpreters in other spheres is a conscious and responsible choice.

Hi All...I think that Glassfull has got it right...EU directive 1/1958 stipulates that translation rights are mandatory in Criminal etc procedures...other directives stress the desire that other circumstances should also attack translation rights...However these directives until transposed into the member country's legislation have no real weight. Like everything EU related it's actually about how the individual Nation States decide to act...and in this respect the UK always act in the positive. Whether as an individual we support this is a matter of individual opinion...As for me I always have been of the mind that Britain should remain in the EU and work hard to turn the Agenda toward what is the correct thing to do in the interest of all Citizens of Europe.

Personally I think it is perfectly right that you have to provide your own interpreter in Spain for routine things like doctors, official business, bureaucracy etc. After all you are choosing to be here and why should that burden be placed on Spain. I think the UK also should be the same for most things ( apart from criminal procedures and some other exceptional circumstances) . Could never understand why the UK spent public money on this when individuals choosing to be in the country should take responsibility for their own interpretation needs. I think Spain has it right .

In the UK the police,ambulance, hospitals and bureaucratic institutions all have different interpreters for the same languages. Yes here in Spain if a friend speaks fluent Spanish we would ask them to accompany us, why can’t foreigners living in the UK do the same? It us not a case the UK is a welcoming society it is a case of the UK being a very stupid society.

I thought in UK if you work and can afford you are charged for interpretation, other then that if you're a refugee or no money you don't pay,