Welsh Language Scheme for the National Offender Management Service (NOMS): Public Consultation

Results updated 26 Mar 2013

The consultation paper ‘National Offender Management Service Welsh Language Scheme’ was published on 04/09/12. It invited comments on our proposed approaches to ensuring that the Welsh language is equally as accessible as English within prisons, probation trusts and NOMS offices; our methods for delivery of these measures, monitoring of them and ongoing review.

The Scheme committed us to:

• Creating a new Prison Service Instruction (PSI) on Welsh language which will act as our delivery mechanism in prisons and NOMS headquarters – a national policy document which is monitored and reviewed. 
• An action plan which describes commitments and can be used to hold NOMS to account in the delivery of commitments, including target dates and ownership. The action plan will also be monitored and reviewed. 
• Updating our existing policies to: 
  - Ensure that our public facing staff in Wales are appropriately trained in Welsh and that there are sound procedures in place for accessing our Welsh speakers, wherever and by whomever they are needed 
  - Provide prisoners with more opportunity to state a Welsh language preference and use that information to provide appropriate services for them whilst in custody 
  - Improve the range and availability of materials in Welsh, for prisoners and staff 
  - Look to improve our information storage collection and sharing; 
• Review and update our Welsh Language Scheme on an annual basis. The consultation period closed on 04/12/12 and the consultation responses report is published today, March 18. The report summarises the responses, including how the consultation process has influenced the final Scheme. Overall, we received some helpful responses to our consultation which we will be able to use to amend the Scheme and inform the delivery of services.

Next Steps

We will continue to amend our Scheme in light of this consultation and aim to publish by 1st April with approval from the Commissioner. We will then begin delivery of the action plan and drafting of the new PSI.

Files:

• Consultation response, 88.4 KB (PDF document)
• Welsh consultation response, 176.8 KB (PDF document)