Tag: Chi Onwurah

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in her Department was in each of the last three financial years.

Mr Desmond Swayne

Responsibility for training in DFID is decentralised to departments and country offices. We do not maintain a central record of the training undertaken by individuals. To gather the information retrospectively would incur disproportionate costs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department’s training budget was in each of the last three financial years.

Claire Perry

The Department for Transport has and continues to make a significant investment in learning and development for its staff.

In the last three financial years, the Department’s original training budgets were as follows:

· 2013-14 – £12,882,894

· 2012-13 – £11,526,697

· 2011-12 – £11,155,906

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much his Department spent on training in each of the last three financial years.

Jo Swinson

The spend on training in the core Department was

Year	Spend (£)
2011/12	2,662,967
2012/13	2,070,999
2013/14	2,125,638

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in his Department was in each of the last three financial years.

Mrs Helen Grant

We do not have this information. Records of completed learning and development activities are kept by staff as part of their performance development plans and discussions with line managers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance her Department provides to its managers on how many days training should be made available to staff.

Dan Rogerson

The Department supports and actively promotes the ‘5 a year’ Civil Service Learning campaign to encourage individuals to take at least five days a year targeted learning and development, as set out in the Civil Service Reform plan. The campaign is promoted to both staff and managers using posters, the intranet and learning and development plans.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what guidance her Department provides to its managers on how many days training should be made available to staff.

Mr Desmond Swayne

Cabinet Office advises departments that staff should aim to have at least 5 days per year training and development.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in his Department was in each of the last three financial years.

Claire Perry

The Department for Transport encourages staff to take full advantage of the wide range of development available and to undertake at least five days a year of development.

Staff in the Department has undertaken the average number of day’s formal development over the last three financial years:

· 2013-14 – 4.5 days

· 2012-13 – 3.5 days

· 2011-12 – 4 days

In addition to this, staff have engaged in a good deal of informal development which is not easy to capture for example on the job training, coaching and mentoring.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2014-06-25.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2014, Official Report, column 147W, on Fraud, Error and Debt Taskforce, for what reasons the Fraud, Error and Debt Taskforce has been reconstituted; what the terms of reference and mandate for the new taskforce are; what the membership of that taskforce is; and when the minutes of the reconstituted taskforce will be made available.

Mr Francis Maude

Before 2010 there was no coordinated action to tackle fraud, error and debt across Government despite the significant losses to the Exchequer. In 2011 alone the Annual Fraud Indicator estimated Government annual losses from fraud and error were over £30bn. It is also estimated that between £7bn and £8bn per annum is lost through debts owed to Government not being pursued.

This Government established the first cross-departmental taskforce to address this issue after the last General Election. In 2012-13 the Fraud, Error and Debt Taskforce reported savings and improved performance in detecting and preventing fraud and error of £6.5bn, and is overseeing initiatives to improve debt collection. Despite this progress we know there’s much more to do. The reconstituted taskforce is chaired jointly by the Cabinet Secretary and myself, and attended by senior Ministers and Permanent Secretaries, supported by industry sector experts, to ensure there is full alignment towards further reducing fraud and error losses and improving debt collection in benefits and tax credits.

As was the case under previous administrations, minutes of internal meetings are not usually disclosed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department provides to its managers on how many days training should be made available to staff.

Mr Francis Maude

We want to ensure that the Civil Service is ready to meet the challenges of the twenty first century.

Through our programme of Civil Service Reform the Government is working to address long-standing weaknesses in four key skills areas: commercial, programme and project delivery, digital delivery, and leading and managing change across the Civil Service.

Civil Servants are encouraged to take at least five days learning a year but the key point is to ensure that civil servants have the particular skills they need to do their jobs well. The Functional Heads, most of whom report to the Chief Executive of the Civil Service, will set the learning curricula for their functions.

Most learning is now provided by Civil Service Learning.

Complete central records are not held on the number of days training, training budgets or training expenditure.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff employed in his Department was in each of the last three financial years.

Anna Soubry

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to helping all employees realise their full potential. This is why all civilian staff are strongly encouraged to take up the offer of completing five days training each year. I am pleased to report that the Department is investing an additional £10 million to develop the skills of our civilian personnel.

The MOD does not hold information centrally on the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff. Some data is available from Civil Service Learning for the period July 2012 – June 2013. This showed that the average number of days training of full-time equivalent staff via Civil Service Learning was 1.3 days per head.

However, this is not a true indication of the total number of days training staff have undertaken, as staff may receive training through a variety of other measures. The Defence Academy undertakes training and development which is specific to Defence, including command and staff courses, languages, acquisition and technology training for military and civilian personnel. It also has a considerable range of leadership, management, project management and commercial training which is specific to Defence.

The Defence Learning Portal hosts e-learning including a wide range of military and technical training, and mandatory training for civilian and military personnel. This is complemented by a range of learning and development opportunities available to predominately civilian staff, through Civil Service Learning.

There is also a range of other activities such as coaching, mentoring, shadowing and 360 degree feedback which count towards five training days a year, but may not be recorded officially.