More government services are being made available on mobile phones thanks to investment which has reached €150 million in five years, the head of the civil service, Mario Cutajar, said on Thursday.

The services, by all ministries, have been grouped on an app called Maltapps.

Cutajar said that some 1,200 services are currently provided round the clock. The latest additions focus on the energy, business and justice sectors, including advice on reduced energy consumption, a driver's licence portal where people can apply for a permit to learn driving and sit for the driver's exam, customer care of the Environment and Resources Authority, business and trading through BusinessEnhance.mt, legislation on LegislationMT and services from the notarial archive and the register of lawyers. 

Improvements have been made to services involving lifelong learning, BiedjaInfo, the Benefit Calculator, Clean & Upkeep, VisitMalta+, myGozo, PlanningMT, 112mt and ARMS. 

Cutajar also pointed out that life is also being made easier for those who still want a face-to-face service with service hubs being increased in community centres. People can also be assisted through the helpline 153, which handled a record 180,000 calls just in the past two months. 

When he referred to Covid-19, Cutajar said that with many civil servants having worked from home, an analysis will now be made to further strengthen the structures of remote working.