Press release: Welsh language scheme to widen access to justice

• staff and judicial vacancy adverts in Wales will be bilingual
• programme covers prison, probation, legal and courts services

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has today improved the way services will be delivered in the Welsh language.

Approved by the Welsh Language Commissioner the scheme will cover each of the MOJ’s delivery bodies – Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, the Legal Aid Agency, the Office of the Public Guardian, and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. Each body will adopt their own version of the programme.

The Department will also now advertise vacancies for staff judges and magistrates in Wales bilingually and place adverts in Welsh language publications.

Ministry of Justice Permanent Secretary Richard Heaton said:

This change supports one of our most fundamental aims – making access to justice easier for everyone.

We listened carefully to the feedback from our public consultation and these improvements will allow us to deliver a service that works better for Welsh speakers.

Delivering our services in Welsh

We will deliver Welsh language services to the same quality and consistency as those provided in English, including by:

• responding in Welsh to correspondence received in Welsh within the same timescale as correspondence in English
• ensuring events in Wales are publicised in Welsh and that participants can contribute in Welsh
• publishing Welsh language content on MOJ website

The scheme was developed following a public consultation with feedback from members of the public, businesses and legal professionals.

For more information on the Welsh Language Scheme visit GOV.UK.