Today (1 March 2022) on St David's Day, we launched our consultation to review whether our Welsh Language Scheme still meet the needs of our Welsh speaking court and tribunal users. The consultation opens today until 8 April 2022 and seeks to introduce standards to strengthen our consideration of Welsh language matters at initial policymaking stages.
Increased court and tribunal services in Welsh
A growing number of our online services can already be accessed in Welsh, including:
- get help with fees
- make a claim to an employment tribunal
- pay a court fine online
- make a maintenance payment online
- make a plea online for a traffic offence
- find a court or tribunal
- search for court and tribunal forms
- help to pay court and tribunal fees
- respond to single justice notices
- respond to a jury summons
- apply for probate
- apply for divorce
- appeal to the social security and child support tribunal
- track a claim to the social security and child support tribunal
Aligning our in-house Welsh Language Unit with our new Court and Tribunal Service Centres provides a more cohesive service, including access to ongoing user feedback. We introduced a Welsh Language Twitter Account and we'll be providing more Welsh content on our YouTube channel in the future.
You can use Welsh in your court or tribunal hearings. Asking to speak in Welsh in your hearing will not delay the hearing or have any impact on proceedings or the outcome. Over the next few months, our reform programme will provide more reformed services in Welsh in both the civil and family jurisdictions.
A grateful member of the public who interacted with us in Welsh during a highly emotive hearing recently shared this praise for the service:
You have restored my faith in humanity.
Kevin Sadler, Acting Chief Executive of HMCTS, said:
Today, on St David's Day I'm proud to launch our consultation on our revised Welsh Language Scheme. Improving our Welsh language provision and approach requires a cultural shift.
Our revised Welsh Language Scheme will contribute to a more lasting and sustainable approach to us providing our services in Welsh. It's our legal and moral duty to make sure our services are accessible in the Welsh language and just as importantly, that Welsh speakers know that they are available.
Hywel Hughes, Head of Welsh Language Services at HMCTS, said:
We're seeing an increased demand for Welsh language services across the public sector in Wales. From our experience in our courts and tribunals, it is plain to see users vastly appreciate being able to use Welsh when they contact or access our services. The language is an integral part of their identity and if they can't use it, they feel incomplete and alienated. The changes proposed in our revised Welsh Language Scheme cement our commitment to providing equal access to justice for Welsh speakers.
