{ "format" : "linked-data-api", "version" : "0.2", "result" : {"_about" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Spellar&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Sir+Charles+Walker", "definition" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/meta/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Spellar&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Sir+Charles+Walker", "extendedMetadataVersion" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Spellar&_metadata=all&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Sir+Charles+Walker", "first" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Spellar&_page=0&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Sir+Charles+Walker", "hasPart" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Spellar&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Sir+Charles+Walker", "isPartOf" : "http://eldaddp.azurewebsites.net/answeredquestions.text?tablingMemberPrinted.=John+Spellar&answer.answeringMemberPrinted=Sir+Charles+Walker", "items" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1716927", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "House of Commons Commission"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1716927/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

I am sorry that the right hon. Member and all colleagues continue to experience inconvenience in telephony services which are currently below standard. The latest issue with handsets underlines the need for the solution which the Parliamentary Digital Service is implementing later this year.<\/p>

Polycom devices need to communicate with an external supplier to register the device and make/receive calls. Each device communicates with one of two external servers. One of the servers experienced issues on Thursday 9 May and any device that attempted to connect to this server was impacted by the outage. Polycom phones communicating with the working server did not experience an outage.<\/p>

The first report the Digital Service received of handsets not working was at 12.13pm on Thursday 9 May. The team declared a major incident shortly afterwards and service was restored at 9.46am on 10 May.<\/p>

The Voice Programme is upgrading and replacing the existing telephony infrastructure and when implemented, handsets will have 99.999% reliability of connecting.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1493", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Charles Walker"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxbourne"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Charles Walker"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-15T14:11:41.933Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "18"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "House of Commons Commission"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "House of Commons Commission"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Parliamentary Estate: Telephone Systems"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, for what reason the Polycom phone system malfunctioned on 9 May 2024.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/318", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Spellar"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Warley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John Spellar"} ], "uin" : "25405"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1701365", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "House of Commons Commission"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1701365/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The performance of the current telephony system is not good enough and is falling short of reasonable expectation. The Parliamentary Digital Service is working hard with our suppliers and technology partners to bring the level of service up to an acceptable standard. A new solution has been procured and will be implemented later this year. I apologise to the right hon. Member and all colleagues for the inconvenience they are experiencing.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1493", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Charles Walker"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Broxbourne"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Charles Walker"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-26T15:18:15.107Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "18"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "House of Commons Commission"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "House of Commons Commission"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "House of Commons: Telephone Systems"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment the Commission has made of the level of performance of the Polycom phone system.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/318", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Spellar"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Warley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "John Spellar"} ], "uin" : "21872"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1697795", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1697795/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "

The Speaker\u2019s Committee meets IPSA throughout the year to assess its performance, running costs and effectiveness in handling MPs\u2019 expenses. The Committee last met IPSA on 5 March 2024 and a transcript of that session is available on the Committee\u2019s website: https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/14403/pdf/<\/a><\/p>

In 2023, 65.3 per cent of MPs and their staff rated IPSA\u2019s service as either good or very good, which was up on this measure in 2019 when 25.1 per cent rated the service in that way. The time taken for IPSA to reimburse MPs\u2019 claims has reduced from an average of 8 days in 2020-21 to 2.6 days in 2023-24. Compliance with IPSA\u2019s scheme is currently at 99.9%.<\/p>

Through its scrutiny of IPSA, the Committee is looking at the steps being taken by IPSA to help improve its effectiveness in enabling MPs and their staff to claim for expenses and business costs. IPSA\u2019s ongoing work includes:<\/p>