Only 28 per cent of adults currently make use of e-government services, with 56 per cent having more faith in traditional face-to-face services.

Moreover, the research shows that while 63 per cent have an e-ID, only 39 per cent use it to access online services.

The figures emerge from a new research study undertaken by the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) into the use of online public services.

Project leader Sarah Farrugia said that part of the reason for the low use was the lack of pleasant aesthetics and uniformity across e-government services.

She said that although the general feedback was the services were convenient, efficient and easy to use, participants also expressed the need for clear guidelines on use, easier ways to discover and navigate content, and better search functionality.

Project coordinator Joanne Deguara explained that the research project ran in tandem with an outreach programme that included video tutorials and a three-month awareness campaign.

She said the aim was to see an 8.5 per cent increase in use by December 2016, as well as a national action plan based on the project’s finding.

Ms Deguara said Mita would be making several recommendations, including more mobile-friendly services and the introduction of a system where users would only have to input their data once to access all services.

Parliamentary Secretary for Competitiveness and Economic Growth Jose Herrera said online tools were a way to increase the efficiency of government services.

“The challenge right now is not the technological infrastructure but ensuring that users are taking full advantage of what is actually available,” he said.

Dr Herrera said better training for public officials was needed to ensure they were equipped to guide citizens and pass on the government’s message, but expressed satisfaction at the progress towards the goals of the digital strategy.