UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: 2014

  • Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Mary Creagh – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mary Creagh on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with Transport for London on the South East Flexible Ticketing scheme.

    Stephen Hammond

    As a key delivery partner for the South East Flexible Ticketing (SEFT) programme, Transport for London are a signatory to the SEFT Memorandum of Understanding and have membership of the SEFT Programme Board. This is intended to ensure that their extensive experience of developing smart ticketing in London is fully utilised in delivering the SEFT programme.

    TfL has therefore been fully involved in all significant discussions on the strategic direction, design and delivery of SEFT. Significant work has also been carried out with them to ensure that the scheme will interoperate properly with their existing infrastructure in central London, including system testing.

  • Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Sadiq Khan – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sadiq Khan on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department has spent on agency workers to cover clerical staff in each month since January 2014.

    Andrew Selous

    Since April 2010 we have cut our overall spend on temporary staff by £35.5m. We only use temporary staff to fill business-critical posts and essential frontline services where they can provide a fast, flexible and efficient way to obtain necessary skills that are not currently available in-house. We will continue to examine our use of contractors and look for further reductions.

    In responding to each question we have utilised data provided by our contracted supplier of temporary clerical staff and contracted supplier of temporary operational staff. As the data provided has been supplied by two different third parties there is a slight difference in the way that the answer to question 3 and 4 has been presented.

    Temporary operational staff relate to Operational Support Grades (OSGs) used within HM Prison Service. We have contracts in place to provide temporary OSGs to fill in gaps in requirements, for building projects or to fill vacancies short term. Temporary OSGs are a very small proportion of our staff complement.

    Uniform operational support staff are Operational Support Grades (OSGs).These are uniformed staff who undertake a wide range of duties in prisons, for example operating prison gates, working in security and managing stores areas. They also escort contractors and their vehicles.

    1) The following amounts (exclusive of VAT) have been spent on clerical agency staff across –

    January 2014 – £2,983,633.14 (5 week period)

    February 2014 – £2,613,023.10 (4 week period)

    March 2014 – £2,591,678.87 (4 week period)

    April 2014 – £2,900,742.70 (5 week period)

    May 2014 – £2,398,053.57 (4 week period)

    June 2014 – £658,700.28 (1 week period)

    2) The following amounts (exclusive of VAT) have been spent on uniform operational support staff –

    January 2014 – £1,082,247 (5 week period)

    February 2014 – £1,420,329 (4 week period)

    March 2014 – £1,137,834 (4 week period)

    April 2014 – £1,249,908 (4 week period)

    May 2014 – £2,282,468 (5 week period)

    The spend for May 2014 also includes the backdated annual pay rise for eligible workers from 1st April 2014.

    3) The following number of clerical agency staff have been utilised –

    January 2014 – 1571 (Average headcount)

    February 2014 – 1634 (Average headcount)

    March 2014 – 1624 (Average headcount)

    April 2014 – 1578 (Average headcount)

    May 2014 – 1644 (Average headcount)

    June 2014 – 1674 (Average headcount)

    4) The following number of uniform operational support staff have been utilised –

    January 2014 – 697 (Peak worker number)

    February 2014 – 845 (Peak worker number)

    March 2014 – 867 (Peak worker number)

    April 2014 – 853 (Peak worker number)

    May 2014 – 855 (Peak worker number)

    June 2014 – Peak worker number not available yet.

  • Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Angus Robertson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Angus Robertson on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department’s agreement in principle for three offshore patrol vessels with BAE Systems.

    Mr Philip Dunne

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 November 2013 (Official Report, column 401W).

  • Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Timms – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2014-06-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what scope there is for amending an individual’s claimant commitment after it has first been drawn up.

    Esther McVey

    Once in place, both the claimant and Jobcentre Plus work coach can ask for the Claimant Commitment to be changed at any time.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) 20 highest and (b) 20 lowest value contracts awarded by her Department were in each financial year since 2009-10.

    James Brokenshire

    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my Rt. Hon. Friend, Minister for the Cabinet Office (Francis Maude) on 2 April 2014, Official Report, column 721W.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that war memorials around the United Kingdom are kept in good condition.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    There is a wide range of support available for the repair, conservation and protection of war memorials from the Memorials Grant Scheme run by DCMS, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the War Memorials Trust, English Heritage and others. In addition, the Government has announced an additional £5 million to ensure that war memorials and significant burial sites are in a good condition for the centenary. Further details will be announced in due course.

  • Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Sheila Gilmore – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sheila Gilmore on 2014-03-27.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) 20 highest and (b) 20 lowest value contracts awarded by his Department were in each financial year since 2009-10.

    Mike Penning

    I will place a copy of the document (PQ 14 194232 Top 20 & Bottom 20 Contracts 2009-2014) in the Library.

  • Lord Ashcroft – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Ashcroft – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ashcroft on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any civilian honours other than the George Cross can be awarded posthumously.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 16 June 2014, (Official Report) Column Ref WA126.

  • Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Charlie Elphicke – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charlie Elphicke on 2014-04-03.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what veterinary and animal welfare qualifications and training are a criteria of becoming an inspector at the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency.

    George Eustice

    Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) employs Veterinarians and Animal Health Officers who both are inspectors. Veterinarians employed by AHVLA must have a veterinary degree and be members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS). AHVLA supports these veterinarians to achieve the annual number of days continued development required to maintain their MRCVS.

    Animal Health Officers are not qualified veterinarians and have no requirement for any veterinary qualifications. They are trained in a variety of aspects relevant to their function and that are essential to their duties, including animal welfare, animal health, enforcement and evidence gathering. Furthermore, and in order to fulfil this function, Animal Health Officers are appointed as Inspectors under the Animal Health Act 1981. A senior veterinarian in the organisation ensures that appointed Inspectors only use the powers to act as an Inspector when they are deemed competent to do so.

    AHVLA has an annual programme of training for its veterinary staff and Animal Health Officers to ensure that they maintain and develop knowledge in their particular areas of expertise.

  • Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Ian Murray – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Murray on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he has had with Royal Mail Group, Ofcom or officials or Ministers in other departments about invoking section 44(9) and section 44(10) of the Postal Services Act 2011 to ask Ofcom to report on the sustainability of the Universal Service Obligation.

    Jenny Willott

    None.

    Under the Postal Services Act 2011, Parliament gave Ofcom the primary duty to secure the ongoing provision of the universal service and to this end Ofcom must also have regard for the provision of a universal service to be financially sustainable.

    Ofcom monitors market developments, including any impacts on Royal Mail’s performance and operational efficiency, and has the regulatory powers and tools to intervene if the sustainability of the universal service is ever at risk.

    As part of its monitoring regime, Ofcom publishes a report every year on Royal Mail’s performance and the postal market, and this includes an update on the financial sustainability of the universal service. More information about Ofcom’s regulatory regime can be found on its website (www.ofcom.org.uk).

    “