Asked by: Lord Wills (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 9 March (HL6179), how many of the whistleblowing cases formally raised and investigated in each of the last three years fell into each of the following categories (or similar categories): (1) financial wrong-doing, (2) sexual misconduct, (3) national security, (4) misleading Parliament or the public, and (5) other.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
CSHR commissions departments annually to provide an overview of cases investigated formally through their whistleblowing procedures.
Data is provided based on a number of categories set out in the Civil Service annual data return and so does not align directly with the categories set out in the question; financial wrongdoing, sexual misconduct, national security, misleading Parliament and other.
Please note the caveat that national security whistleblowing data is a matter for the United Kingdom Security & Vetting team and is therefore not captured in these summaries.
2019/2020 - 383 cases were formally raised and investigated in government departments, with the concern upheld in 33 cases. They fell into the following categories:
Breach of Civil Service code - 23
Breach of security / information policy - 23
Bullying and harassment - 4
Danger to environment/health and safety - 13
Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 2
Discrimination - 11
Failure to comply with legal obligations - 22
Fraud - 148
Frustrating implementation of policy - 7
Influence by improper pressure/personal gain - 14
Misuse of official position - 39
Other/Blank - 77
2020/2021 - 245 cases were formally raised and investigated in government departments, with the concern upheld in 13 cases. They fell into the following categories:
Breach of Civil Service code - 14
Breach of security / information policy - 8
Bullying and harassment - 1
Danger to environment/health and safety - 44
Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 4
Discrimination - 7
Failure to comply with legal obligations - 12
Fraud - 96
Frustrating implementation of policy - 9
Influence by improper pressure/personal gain - 6
Misuse of official position - 19
Other - 25
2021/2022 - 311 cases were formally raised and investigated in government departments, with the concern upheld in 30 cases. They fell into the following categories:
Breach of Civil Service code - 0
Breach of Security / information policy - 14
Bullying and harassment - 4
Danger to environment/health and safety - 23
Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 13
Discrimination - 5
Failure to comply with legal obligations - 19
Fraud - 131
Frustrating implementation of policy - 4
Influence by improper pressure/personal gain -10
Misuse of official position - 38
Other - 50
Asked by: Lord Wills (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 9 March (HL6179), how many of the whistleblowing cases formally raised, investigated and upheld in each of the last three years fell into each of the following categories (or similar categories): (1) financial wrongdoing, (2) sexual misconduct, (3) national security, (4) misleading Parliament or the public, and (5) other.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
CSHR commissions departments annually to provide an overview of cases investigated formally through their whistleblowing procedures.
Data is provided based on a number of categories set out in the Civil Service annual data return and so does not align directly with the categories set out in the question; financial wrongdoing, sexual misconduct, national security, misleading Parliament and other.
Please note the caveat that national security whistleblowing data is a matter for the United Kingdom Security & Vetting team and is therefore not captured in these summaries.
2019/2020 - 33 cases were formally raised, investigated and upheld in government departments, falling into the following categories:
Breach of Civil Service code - 3
Breach of security / information policy - 4
Bullying and harassment - 1
Danger to environment/health and safety - 1
Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 0
Discrimination - 1
Failure to comply with legal obligations - 3
Fraud - 12
Frustrating implementation of policy -0
Influence by improper pressure/personal gain - 1
Misuse of official position - 0
Other/Blank - 7
2020/2021 - 13 cases were formally raised, investigated and upheld in government departments, falling into the following categories:
Breach of Civil Service code - 1
Breach of security / Information Policy - 0
Bullying and harassment - 0
Danger to environment/health and safety - 6
Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 0
Discrimination - 1
Failure to comply with legal obligations - 0
Fraud - 1
Frustrating implementation of policy - 1
Influence by improper pressure/personal gain - 0
Misuse of official position - 1
Other - 2
2021/2022 - 30 cases were formally raised, investigated and upheld in government departments, falling into the following categories:
Breach of Civil Service code - 0
Breach of Security / Information Policy- 2
Bullying and harassment - 0
Danger to environment/health and safety - 3
Deceiving/misleading Ministers, Parliament and others - 3
Discrimination - 1
Failure to comply with legal obligations - 5
Fraud - 6
Frustrating implementation of policy - 1
Influence by improper pressure/personal gain -0
Misuse of official position - 4
Other - 5
Asked by: Lord Wills (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many government departments operate whistleblowing policies.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Government departments have delegated authority for Whistleblowing policies. However, all have confirmed they have policies in place which meet the standards that are set out centrally by Civil Service HR.
Asked by: Lord Wills (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many government department employees or subcontractors have made disclosures and/or allegations of wrongdoing in the last three years; and of those, (1) how many did so using a formal whistleblowing procedure, and (2) how many claims were (a) formally investigated, and (b) upheld.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
We are made aware by departments annually, who also report on behalf of their agencies, of cases raised formally through whistleblowing procedures.
In 2019/20, 383 cases were formally raised and investigated in government departments. The concern was upheld in 33 cases.
In 2020/21, 245 cases were formally raised and investigated in government departments. The concern was upheld in 13 cases.
In 2021/22, 311 cases were formally raised and investigated in government departments. The concern was upheld in 30 cases.
We do not ask departments for reports of informal cases.
Asked by: Lord Wills (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficiency savings that could be achieved from a DVLA database of registered non-GB driving licences which could be accessed by employers.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not hold details of all non-GB driving licence holders and there are no plans for such a database to be created.
Asked by: Lord Wills (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that postal delivery providers, such as Amazon, comply with Ofcom’s (1) new guidance on improving their complaints process, and (2) new regulations improving protections for disabled customers.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Postal Services Act 2011 designates Ofcom as the independent regulator for the postal sector with the powers to impose and enforce regulatory requirements on postal operators to fulfil its functions in relation to postal services.
Ofcom decided to take targeted and proportionate steps to address consumer issues identified in its review of postal regulation in 2022. Ofcom committed to ongoing monitoring of the new provisions and considering enforcement action, or further regulation to protect consumers, if progress is not made.
A Bill to establish a public Advocate to provide advice to, and act as data controller for, representatives of the deceased after major incidents
Asked by: Lord Wills (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Stamp Duty returns to determine the number of house purchases in the last five recorded years by (1) first-time buyers, (2) home owners who are not first-time buyers, and (3) landlords, second home owners and other investors in residential property.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
HMRC publishes quarterly and annual Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) statistics. Between 2016-17 and 2020-21 there were 5,284,000 residential SDLT transactions. The full report can be found on the gov.uk website.
Of these, 4,779,000 were transactions by individuals.
The SDLT relief for first time buyers was introduced in 2017. Since introduction, 576,900 transactions have claimed this relief. The full report can be found on the gov.uk website.
This figure does not accurately represent the number of first-time buyers because the temporary SDLT holiday, which ran from July 2020 until September 2021, meant that it was not necessary for first time buyers to claim this relief. In addition, first time buyers who purchase a property above £500,000 or below £125,000 are unable to claim the relief and will not be reflected in these statistics.
The Higher Rates for Additional Dwellings SDLT Surcharge (HRAD) was introduced in 2016 and applies to transactions where the purchaser already owns property. Between 2016-17 and 2020-21, 1,127,500 transactions were liable to HRAD. This figure includes transactions that would subsequently sell their previous main residence and receive a refund of the surcharge paid. 115,400 transactions were refunded between 2016-17 and 2020-21.
Asked by: Lord Wills (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to promote consumer confidence in buying online; and what assessment they have made of the performance of delivery companies in this regard.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through the Consumer Right Act 2015 and other legislation, the Government ensures that consumers have specified rights when shopping online. Furthermore, the Government has consulted on measures to boost these online rights further, including proposals to prevent consumers being misled by fake reviews and preventing online exploitation of consumer behaviour. The consultation is now closed and the Government response will be published in due course.
Ofcom is the UK’s independent regulator of postal services. It monitors competition and consumer protection in the sector. Ofcom is currently conducting a review of postal regulation so that it remains relevant and fit for purpose in the light of market changes. It intends to publish a consultation later this year before concluding the review next year.
Asked by: Lord Wills (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of home parcel deliveries during the last 18 months to the health and well-being of the UK; what conclusions, if any, they have drawn from any such assessment; and what plans they have to further regulate home parcel deliveries to protect the public interest.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government remains committed to ensuring the universal postal service, through the universal service obligation, remains affordable and accessible to all users.
Ofcom, as the UK’s designated independent regulator of postal services, is carrying out a review of the future regulatory framework for post which it aims to complete in 2022. As part of this review, Ofcom is considering whether extra consumer protections may be required and has sought views on the future regulation of the parcel delivery market. A Call for Inputs was launched on 11 March 2021 and closed on 20 May 2021. Ofcom intends to publish a full consultation on the future regulation of postal services later this year.