Linked Data API

Show Search Form

Search Results

168852
registered interest false remove filter
date less than 2014-12-09more like thismore than 2014-12-09
answering body
Department for Communities and Local Government more like this
answering dept id 7 more like this
answering dept short name Communities and Local Government more like this
answering dept sort name Communities and Local Government more like this
hansard heading Staff more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much his Department has spent on (a) consultants, (b) temporary staff and (c) contingent labour in each of the last five years; how many people have been so employed; what the length of contract of each such person was; and what equivalent civil service salary band each was on. more like this
tabling member constituency Manchester Central more like this
tabling member printed
Lucy Powell more like this
uin 217771 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-02-06more like thismore than 2015-02-06
answer text <p>My Department has made significant reductions to spending on consultancy, as the table below illustrates:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p><em> £ million</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>36.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>13.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>4.3</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>1.1</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>0.5</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The bulk of the 2010-11 spending was contractually committed under the last Administration, including consultancy on the last Administration’s failed FireControl programme.</p><p>In answering the question on temporary staff and contingent labour, we have used the Cabinet Office definition for contingent labour (temporary staff) which includes administration and clerical agency staff, interim managers and specialist contractors. The use of such staff for short-term or specialist work can be better value for money than hiring staff on a permanent contract.</p><p>My Department has spent the following on contingent labour:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td> </td><td><p>£ million</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>14.4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>4.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>2.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>4.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>3.3</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>My Department has cut spending significantly on contingent labour as a result of the tightening of its internal management controls, institutionalising these in its systems and adhering to Treasury and Cabinet Office spending rules. The saving in 2013-14 compared to 2009-10 is £11.1 million – a reduction of 77%.</p><p>Details of the number of consultancy and temporary staff that have been employed, the length of contracts of each and their equivalent civil service salary can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p><p>I would also observe that my Department has reduced total staffing costs from £218 million a year in 2009-10 to £95 million in 2013-14.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
answering member constituency Keighley more like this
answering member printed Kris Hopkins more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-02-06T16:31:40.147Zmore like thismore than 2015-02-06T16:31:40.147Z
answering member
4043
label Biography information for Kris Hopkins more like this
tabling member
4263
label Biography information for Lucy Powell more like this
168855
registered interest false remove filter
date less than 2014-12-09more like thismore than 2014-12-09
answering body
Department for Communities and Local Government more like this
answering dept id 7 more like this
answering dept short name Communities and Local Government more like this
answering dept sort name Communities and Local Government more like this
hansard heading Recycling more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what comparative assessment he has made of the rate of recycling household waste by (a) Brighton and Hove City Council and (b) other local authorities; and if he will make a statement. more like this
tabling member constituency Brighton, Kemptown more like this
tabling member printed
Simon Kirby more like this
uin 217790 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-02-23more like thismore than 2015-02-23
answer text <p>Recycling statistics are collected by DEFRA. In 2013-14, Brighton and Hove Council had a recycling rate (percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling or composting) of 26 per cent. This is amongst the lowest 25 councils in England.<br><br>To place this in context and to compare with similar, coastal towns, I would note that Bournemouth Borough Council and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council are recycling roughly half their household waste, and are providing a weekly collection of residual waste. This illustrates the scope for councils to have high recycling rates and still provide a weekly service for local taxpayers.</p><p> </p><p>Brighton and Hove Council has received financial support from my Department to help increase recycling, so we will want to see progress in these rates being improved. If the Council has failed to do so, then the ruling administration on the Council should rightly be held to account.</p> more like this
answering member constituency Keighley more like this
answering member printed Kris Hopkins more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-02-23T16:59:04.663Zmore like thismore than 2015-02-23T16:59:04.663Z
answering member
4043
label Biography information for Kris Hopkins more like this
tabling member
3929
label Biography information for Simon Kirby more like this
168891
registered interest false remove filter
date less than 2014-12-09more like thismore than 2014-12-09
answering body
Ministry of Defence more like this
answering dept id 11 more like this
answering dept short name Defence more like this
answering dept sort name Defence more like this
hansard heading Staff more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on (a) consultants, (b) temporary staff and (c) contingent labour in each of the last five years; how many people have been so employed; what the length of contract of each such person was; and what equivalent civil service salary band each was on. more like this
tabling member constituency Manchester Central more like this
tabling member printed
Lucy Powell more like this
uin 217773 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-02-04more like thismore than 2015-02-04
answer text <p>Ministry of Defence (MOD) expenditure on consultancy and non-permanent staff has been as follows:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Category</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Expenditure</strong></p><p><strong>2009-10</strong></p><p><strong>(£ million)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2010-11</strong></p><p><strong>(£ million)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011-12</strong></p><p><strong>(£ million)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-13</strong></p><p><strong>(£ million)</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-14</strong></p><p><strong>(£ million)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Advisory Consultancy</p></td><td><p>64.8</p></td><td><p>23.5</p></td><td><p>18.3</p></td><td><p>44.5</p></td><td><p>87.9</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Contingent Labour</p></td><td><p>74.6</p></td><td><p>46.9</p></td><td><p>26.1</p></td><td><p>50.3</p></td><td><p>68.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Fee Earners</p></td><td><p>1.0</p></td><td><p>0.6</p></td><td><p>3.4</p></td><td><p>1.0</p></td><td><p>1.2</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Casual Staff</p></td><td><p>13.3</p></td><td><p>7.3</p></td><td><p>4.4</p></td><td><p>7.9</p></td><td><p>5.9</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The numbers of non-permanent staff (headcount) engaged during any given financial year have been as follows:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Category</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Numbers Engaged</strong></p><p><strong>2009-10</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2010-11</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2011-12</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2012-13</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2013-14</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Advisory Consultancy</p></td><td><p>Note <sup>(1)</sup></p></td><td><p>Note <sup>(1)</sup></p></td><td><p>Note <sup>(1)</sup></p></td><td><p>Note <sup>(1)</sup></p></td><td><p>Note <sup>(1)</sup></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Contingent Labour</p><p>Note <sup>(2)</sup></p></td><td><p>1,815</p></td><td><p>1,175</p></td><td><p>3,171</p></td><td><p>4,021</p></td><td><p>5,632</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Fee Earners</p><p>Note <sup>(3)</sup></p></td><td><p>Note <sup>(3)</sup></p></td><td><p>Note <sup>(3)</sup></p></td><td><p>Note <sup>(3)</sup></p></td><td><p>Note <sup>(3)</sup></p></td><td><p>Note <sup>(3)</sup></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Casual Staff</p><p>Note <sup>(4)</sup></p></td><td><p>708</p></td><td><p>292</p></td><td><p>148</p></td><td><p>274</p></td><td><p>296</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Notes:</p><p>(1) The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We contract for consultancy work on the basis that the provider delivers a defined output at an agreed price rather than a specific individual or individuals whose remuneration is a matter for the service provider.</p><p>(2) Contingent Labour (also known as Manpower Substitution) is generally engaged on a temporary basis to fill vacant, funded posts until recruitment action is taken to appoint a salaried permanent member of staff. Included in this category are temporary admin and clerical workers, interim managers, and specialist contractors (in finance, HR, IT and other functions). We do not currently record numbers engaged for Contingent Labour sourced locally, so the statistics given are not directly comparable with the associated costs.</p><p>(3) The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. This information will, however, be recorded centrally from 2014-15. Fee earners are engaged for a temporary period to provide a particular service or specialist skill; they are paid an agreed fee for their work.</p><p>(4) Casual staff are engaged for a short-term period to undertake tasks that are one off or irregular and cannot be done by the permanent workforce or where the job requires expertise not readily available from within the permanent workforce.</p><p>Information on the average length of contracts and salary band equivalency could be provided only at disproportionate cost.</p><p>We seek to strike the best balance between what we resource internally and what we resource through external appointments; so, where we do contract for private-sector support, it must be fully justifiable and provide value for money to the taxpayer. It does not make economic sense for us to maintain all the specialist skills we need permanently in-house, and access to some level of private-sector expertise is consequently of enduring value to us. This is particularly the case at present, as we are going through a period of fundamental change in the way we do our business in response to the Levene reforms. As a result, we have needed in the short term to bring in specialist skills which cannot be found among the permanent workforce.</p><p>We are also keen to benefit from external expertise through skills-transfer to our own staff. This helps to make us more self-reliant and resilient in the longer term.</p><p> </p>
answering member constituency Broxtowe more like this
answering member printed Anna Soubry more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-02-04T16:53:58.623Zmore like thismore than 2015-02-04T16:53:58.623Z
answering member
3938
label Biography information for Anna Soubry more like this
previous answer version
34140
answering member constituency Broxtowe more like this
answering member printed Anna Soubry more like this
answering member
3938
label Biography information for Anna Soubry more like this
tabling member
4263
label Biography information for Lucy Powell more like this
169004
registered interest false remove filter
date less than 2014-12-09more like thismore than 2014-12-09
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Staff more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department has spent on (a) consultants, (b) temporary staff and (c) contingent labour in each of the last five years; how many people have been so employed; what the length of contract of each such person was; and what equivalent civil service salary band each was on. more like this
tabling member constituency Manchester Central more like this
tabling member printed
Lucy Powell more like this
uin 217781 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-01-21more like thismore than 2015-01-21
answer text <p /> <p>The spend for consultants, temporary staff and contingent labour has been published in the Ministry of Justice annual report and accounts, which can be found at the following links:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-justice-annual-report-and-accounts-2011-12" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-justice-annual-report-and-accounts-2011-12</a> (page 31 for 2010/2011 &amp; 2011/2012)</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-justice-annual-report-and-accounts-2013-to-2014" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-justice-annual-report-and-accounts-2013-to-2014</a> (page 33 for 2012/2013 &amp; 2013/2014)</p><p> </p><p>As the contracts for Consultancy are awarded to Companies on a project basis, the Ministry of Justice cannot establish the exact number working at a specific point in time. The number and seniority of consultants will vary depending on the stage in the project.</p><p>To establish the exact number of Agency and Interim staff we would need to interrogate both the MoJ files and Companies data to obtain the information required and then review and collate that information. By doing so we would incur disproportionate costs in answering this question.</p><p>Temporary staff and consultants are only used to fill business critical posts and provide essential services where they can provide a fast, flexible and efficient way to obtain necessary skills that are not currently available in house.</p>
answering member constituency Bermondsey and Old Southwark more like this
answering member printed Simon Hughes more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-01-21T14:00:58.987Zmore like thismore than 2015-01-21T14:00:58.987Z
answering member
194
label Biography information for Simon Hughes more like this
tabling member
4263
label Biography information for Lucy Powell more like this
169007
registered interest false remove filter
date less than 2014-12-09more like thismore than 2014-12-09
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Procurement more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which contracts worth more than £5 million his Department has signed since 1 September 2014; with whom such contracts have been signed; for what purpose; what the (a) annual and (b) total cost of each such contract is; and what the length of each such contact is. more like this
tabling member constituency Tooting more like this
tabling member printed
Sadiq Khan more like this
uin 217819 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-02-25more like thismore than 2015-02-25
answer text <p>When buying products and services we always seek best value for taxpayers' money and find savings were possible.</p><p> </p><p>Please refer to Annex A for the answer.</p><p> </p><p>I can confirm that 24 contracts worth more then 5 million have been signed since 1 September 2014.</p><p> </p><p>The Transforming Rehabilitation Programme successfully signed 21 contracts to run probation services for low and medium risk offenders across the whole of England and Wales in December 2014. These services replace the previous delivery of these services to low and medium risk offenders from probation trusts and will now also provide &quot;through the gate&quot; support and services to offenders serving sentences of less than 1 year. The contracts include a payment by results element to reward providers who are successful at reducing reoffending rates.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The contracts are for 7 years with a further 3 year extension option and an exit period available at the discretion of the Authority. The values stated for the Transforming Rehabilitation contracts are estimates based on a 7 year contract term. A range of values is provided indicating the value of the contract with no Payment by Results payable and with all available Payment by Results payable to the suppliers. Actual values are non-indexed and may vary depending on volumes, indexation and demand for services to the National Probation Service.</p><p> </p><p>The Contract Award date is the signed date.</p>
answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire more like this
answering member printed Andrew Selous more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-02-25T13:53:38.55Zmore like thismore than 2015-02-25T13:53:38.55Z
answering member
1453
label Biography information for Andrew Selous more like this
attachment
1
file name Annex A - Cost of Contracts.XLS more like this
title Cost of Contracts more like this
tabling member
1577
label Biography information for Sadiq Khan more like this
169009
registered interest false remove filter
date less than 2014-12-09more like thismore than 2014-12-09
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Judicial Review more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the contribution of the Secretary of State for Justice on 1 December 2014, Official Report, column 72, what the evidential basis was for his statement that minor technicalities in process have been used as an excuse to bring judicial review. more like this
tabling member constituency Hammersmith more like this
tabling member printed
Mr Andy Slaughter more like this
uin 217848 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-01-19more like thismore than 2015-01-19
answer text <p>The Government accepts that failures of procedure can amount to substantive unlawfulness, and that judicial review is a crucial mechanism by which such unlawfulness is considered and remedied by the court.</p><p> </p><p>However, we are concerned by the continuing potential for a judicial review to be brought on minor technical points which could not have, or which were highly unlikely to have, substantially affected the outcome for the applicant.</p><p> </p><p>The potential for this type of challenge has been recognised by the courts, which have developed an approach in case law under which, if the outcome would inevitably have been the same even if the alleged defect had not occurred, the court can refuse the remedy sought – see, for example, <em>R v The Chief Constable of the Thames Valley Police, ex parte Cotton</em> [1990] IRLR 344.</p><p> </p><p>However, in the Government’s view the ‘inevitable’ threshold is too high to deal effectively with claims brought on minor technical points. Consequently, in clause 64 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill (as introduced into the House of Lords), the Government is legislating to provide for a ‘highly likely’ threshold.</p>
answering member constituency Hemel Hempstead more like this
answering member printed Mike Penning more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-01-19T16:59:01.447Zmore like thismore than 2015-01-19T16:59:01.447Z
answering member
1528
label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning more like this
tabling member
1516
label Biography information for Andy Slaughter more like this
169013
registered interest false remove filter
date less than 2014-12-09more like thismore than 2014-12-09
answering body
Ministry of Justice more like this
answering dept id 54 more like this
answering dept short name Justice more like this
answering dept sort name Justice more like this
hansard heading Prisons: Civil Disorder more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) charges, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there have been for the offence of prison mutiny in each of the last five years. more like this
tabling member constituency Tooting more like this
tabling member printed
Sadiq Khan more like this
uin 217818 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-01-27more like thismore than 2015-01-27
answer text <p /> <p>Disruptive behaviour has no place in prison and we take swift and robust action against anyone who attempts any kind of disorder. All serious incidents are referred to the police for prosecution.</p><p> </p><p>The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts of offences related to prison mutiny in England and Wales from 2009 to 2013 can be viewed in the table.</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="6">Defendants proceeded against at magistartes courts and found guilty at all courts of offences relating to prison mutiny<sup>(1)</sup>, England and Wales, 2009 to 2013 <sup>(2)(3)</sup></td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Outcome</td><td>2009</td><td>2010</td><td>2011</td><td>2012</td><td>2013</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Proceeded against</td><td>#</td><td>#</td><td>-</td><td>7</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>Found guilty</td><td>-</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>5</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>'-' = Nil</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="6">'#' - prosecution statistics for this offence for these years collected as part of a miscellaneous grouping and can only be separately identified at dispropotionate cost</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">(1) An offence under S1 Prison Security Act 1992</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="6">(2) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="6">(3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="6">Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.</td></tr><tr><td>Ref: PQ 217818</td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Please note, however, that proceedings data for 2009 and 2010 are part of a miscellaneous grouping, which can only be separately identified at disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>Charging data is not held by the Ministry of Justice</p>
answering member constituency South West Bedfordshire more like this
answering member printed Andrew Selous more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-01-27T09:16:38.367Zmore like thismore than 2015-01-27T09:16:38.367Z
answering member
1453
label Biography information for Andrew Selous more like this
tabling member
1577
label Biography information for Sadiq Khan more like this
169050
registered interest false remove filter
date less than 2014-12-09more like thismore than 2014-12-09
answering body
Department for Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept id 29 more like this
answering dept short name Work and Pensions more like this
answering dept sort name Work and Pensions more like this
hansard heading Mesothelioma: Compensation more like this
house id 1 more like this
legislature
25259
pref label House of Commons more like this
question text To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the letter from the Minister for Welfare Reform to the hon. Member for Na h-Eileanan an Iar dated 3 November 2014 regarding the payment of funds to people with mesothelioma, by what process he decided what costs to insurers of compensating those people were fair and appropriate. more like this
tabling member constituency Na h-Eileanan an Iar more like this
tabling member printed
Mr Angus Brendan MacNeil more like this
uin 217982 more like this
answer
answer
is ministerial correction false more like this
date of answer less than 2015-01-16more like thismore than 2015-01-16
answer text <p /> <p>The Mesothelioma Act 2014 currently allows a levy to be applied to the insurance industry to fund a payment scheme for those affected by the failure of the employers’ liability insurance market to maintain adequate records.</p><p> </p><p>Given that the insurers who are paying the levy to fund the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme are not necessarily the same ones who took the premiums that paid for the historical insurance policies, the costs to them must be fair and proportionate.</p><p> </p><p>Each year the levy will be estimated at a level which the Department believes is sufficient to cover the actual costs of running the Scheme. That is, the cost of its administration and the cost of the capital payments that are made to diffuse mesothelioma sufferers or their dependants. In any one year the levy will not exceed 3% of employers’ liability gross written premium as this is the point at which the insurance industry said that it would have to pass on the costs of the levy via increased premiums.</p><p> </p><p>Further information on the costs of the Scheme and information about the levy and how it was calculated will be included in the first annual report on the Scheme which will be published on or before 30<sup>th</sup> November 2015.</p>
answering member constituency Forest of Dean more like this
answering member printed Mr Mark Harper more like this
question first answered
less than 2015-01-16T12:26:00.827Zmore like thismore than 2015-01-16T12:26:00.827Z
answering member
1520
label Biography information for Mr Mark Harper more like this
tabling member
1546
label Biography information for Angus Brendan MacNeil more like this