Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the North Sea Forties pipeline shutdown, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that privately owned gas transport infrastructure is adequately inspected and maintained.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The safety and integrity of Great Britain’s gas transport infrastructure is governed by the Pipelines Safety Regulations 1996 (PSR) and the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations 1996 (GSMR), made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Under these regulations, there is a duty on a pipeline operator to ensure that a pipeline is designed and constructed to appropriate standards and operated, managed and maintained safely.
In addition, the Health and Safety Executive develops inspection and intervention plans, based on the risk profile of work activities, and works closely with pipeline operators to ensure the risks from pipelines remain adequately controlled.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many violent incidents involving knives there have been at jobcentres in (a) the UK and (b) Nottinghamshire in the last (i) one (ii) three and (iii) five years.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
In the year to March 2018 incidents reported through the Department’s Serious Incident (Fast Track) Reporting process identified 11 incidences where knives were brought into our offices, whether to threaten, harm or self-harm. For the three year period April 2015 to March 2018 there were 28 identified and for the five year period April 2013 to March 2018 the total is 49.
No Nottinghamshire sites are included in the figures above.
Robust controls are in place to mitigate the risk of unacceptable customer behaviour (UCB) and eliminate violent incidents as far as reasonably practicable; including security presence, risk assessments and training for our staff. We review outcomes of our most serious incidents and consider any lessons learned to make improvements to our processes and training when necessary to help prevent reoccurrence.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to re-evaluate the security of staff in jobcentres as a result of recent trends in the level of knife crime.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Department takes the safety of our staff and customers extremely seriously. All of our security control measures are under constant review, and every incident is carefully analysed to identify any weaknesses exposed. We are very aware of the increased threat of knife crime, and the staff of our security partners G4S are trained to recognise the potential threats and respond accordingly.
Asked by: Alex Norris (Labour (Co-op) - Nottingham North and Kimberley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many violent incidents leading to arrests there have been at jobcentres in (a) the UK and (b) Nottinghamshire in the last (i) one, (ii) three and (iii) five years.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Department for Work and Pensions takes any form of abuse and harassment of its staff by customers and claimants very seriously. Where necessary the police are called to aid in the management of a situation. However, the Department does not routinely record whether this subsequently leads to arrest.