The government is reviewing its Welsh language scheme as part of efforts to improve court services in Wales.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service said today that it takes the obligations of the scheme seriously but wants to ensure it 'more adequately reflects' the needs of Welsh speakers.

The scheme, set up in 2013, encourages Welsh-speaking HMCTS staff to use the language when they do their daily duties.

A Welsh Language Scheme 2013-16 paper prepared under the Welsh Language Act 1993 states that HMCTS aims to increase its capacity to provide bilingual services by raising awareness of court and tribunal users' rights to use Welsh, develop a further Welsh language telephone contact centre at its Welsh language unit in Caernarfon, improve the provision of bilingual IT services, and increase the number of staff who are able to speak Welsh.

HMCTS said today that users can already get help with fees, enter a plea or pay a court fine in Welsh.

However, as well as reviewing the language scheme, it will also examine ways to raise awareness that Welsh speakers have an absolute legal right to speak Welsh in any court or tribunal hearing in Wales.

It added: 'As we develop our online services we are making sure that Welsh speakers can access these services in Welsh, and [we] recently conducted focus groups with them to better understand what, in their opinion, makes a great Welsh digital service.'