Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what change there has been in staffing levels in his Department since June 2016.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
As part of this Government’s commitment to transparency, my Department publishes workforce statistics each month. Information about staffing levels since June 2016 are available at
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/payroll-costs-and-non-consolidated-pay-data
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to publish his Department's preparations for no deal.
Answered by David Lidington
We firmly believe it is in the interests of both the EU and the UK to strike a deal. That remains the goal on both sides and we are confident that this will be achieved. But it is the job of a responsible Government to prepare for all scenarios, so we have already carried out very significant ‘no deal’ preparations for the unlikely event that we reach March 2019 without agreeing a deal. The Government has already published over 100 technical notices so that businesses and citizens have time to prepare in the event of a 'no deal' scenario. These are available on gov.uk in a centralised location that is easy for people to access and use.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the proportion of the population who own shares in (a) the UK and (b) Feltham and Heston constituency.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the draft Public Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 with the Equality Act 2010 so that all Schedule 19 public authorities are defined as public bodies for the purposes of the regulations; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The main obligations on public sector bodies in the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (“the Regulations”) are to comply with the accessibility requirement, provided it does not impose a disproportionate burden on that body. This is aligned with the reasonable adjustment duties in the Equality Act 2010, which require a public authority or service-provider to make reasonable adjustments for persons with particular protected characteristics, including disability.
The authorities subject to the Regulations set out in the Web Accessibility Directive are narrower than those subject to the Equality Act 2010, including the list of public authorities in Schedule 19. In particular, the duty to make reasonable adjustments in the Equality Act 2010 also applies to service-providers and those exercising public functions.
The Regulations do not supersede any of the duties in the Equality Act 2010. Bodies who are subject to both the Regulations and the Equality Act will be required to meet their obligations under both. Government will be publishing guidance to support the implementation of the directive which will make clear that even if organisations or content are not subject to the Regulations, there may still be a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people under the Equality Act 2010 or the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Government Digital Service (GDS) have produced a first iteration of guidance that can be accessed here : https://www.gov.uk/guidance/accessibility-requirements-for-public-sector-websites-and-apps. GDS are continuing to develop this guidance over the summer, working with end users and accessibility specialists.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to consult with representatives of disabled people's organisations on the digital accessibility implications of the draft Public Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
A public consultation on the draft Public Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 and the Government’s plans for implementation ran for four weeks from 30 April to 29 May 2018. A number of disabled people's organisations responded to the consultation and the Government will be publishing its response shortly.
Since November 2017, one-to-one meetings have been held with delegates from Leonard Cheshire, Mencap and Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
A roundtable consultation discussion was held on 17 May 2018 with representatives from major disability charities in the UK. 17 delegates attended this meeting from Mencap, Thomas Pocklington Trust, British Deaf Association, RNIB, Sense, Scope and the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group. Seven representatives from disability charities (Thomas Pocklington Trust, RNIB, Sense, Scope) also attended a follow-up roundtable on 21 June on the subject of how we work together to create useful guidance to help the public sector deliver accessible websites, mobile apps and services.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which disabled people's organisations have taken part in face-to-face stakeholder meetings convened with regard to the digital accessibility implications of the Public Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
A public consultation on the draft Public Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 and the Government’s plans for implementation ran for four weeks from 30 April to 29 May 2018. A number of disabled people's organisations responded to the consultation and the Government will be publishing its response shortly.
Since November 2017, one-to-one meetings have been held with delegates from Leonard Cheshire, Mencap and Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
A roundtable consultation discussion was held on 17 May 2018 with representatives from major disability charities in the UK. 17 delegates attended this meeting from Mencap, Thomas Pocklington Trust, British Deaf Association, RNIB, Sense, Scope and the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group. Seven representatives from disability charities (Thomas Pocklington Trust, RNIB, Sense, Scope) also attended a follow-up roundtable on 21 June on the subject of how we work together to create useful guidance to help the public sector deliver accessible websites, mobile apps and services.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which disabled people's organisations are represented in the stakeholder group he is consulting as the Government prepares guidance for public sector bodies on the draft Public Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
A public consultation on the draft Public Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 and the Government’s plans for implementation ran for four weeks from 30 April to 29 May 2018. A number of disabled people's organisations responded to the consultation and the Government will be publishing its response shortly.
Since November 2017, one-to-one meetings have been held with delegates from Leonard Cheshire, Mencap and Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).
A roundtable consultation discussion was held on 17 May 2018 with representatives from major disability charities in the UK. 17 delegates attended this meeting from Mencap, Thomas Pocklington Trust, British Deaf Association, RNIB, Sense, Scope and the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group. Seven representatives from disability charities (Thomas Pocklington Trust, RNIB, Sense, Scope) also attended a follow-up roundtable on 21 June on the subject of how we work together to create useful guidance to help the public sector deliver accessible websites, mobile apps and services.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many project and programme managers have been recruited by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority to work on projects relating to the UK leaving the EU; and how many of those managers' contracts are of a duration that is (a) permanent, (b) less than 12 months and (c) greater than 12 months.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Infrastructure and Projects Authority supports departments by running centralised recruitment campaigns for project delivery professionals. We are unable to provide details of how many of these individuals have been matched to roles linked to EU Exit, or to specify details of individual contracts.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the (a) number of officials to be employed by 10 Downing Street and (b) that office's payroll in (i) 2018, (ii) 2019, (iii) 2020, (iv) 2021 and (v) 2022 as a result of the UK leaving EU.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Tottenham on 24th October 2017, Official Report, C.106568.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the (a) number of officials to be employed by his Department and (b) his Department's payroll in (i) 2018, (ii) 2019, (iii) 2020, (iv) 2021 and (v) 2022 as a result of the UK leaving EU.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Tottenham on 24th October 2017, Official Report, C.106568.