Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will set out the process by which appointments of the Chair and non-executive directors of the Port of London Authority are made.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Under Port of London Authority legislation, the Secretary of State for Transport appoints the Chair and one to three non‑executive directors, typically for terms of up to three years, with reappointment possible subject to performance and need.
Appointments follow the Governance Code on Public Appointments https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/governance-code-for-public-appointments through an open, fair, and transparent process managed by the Department for Transport (DfT). Vacancies are advertised on the Cabinet Office Public Appointments website with a timetable, role description, and person specification. Candidates apply via the portal and are assessed by a panel against published criteria. The panel recommends to Ministers who make the final decision. This process ensures merit-based appointments, and compliance with Ports Good Governance Guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/good-governance-guidance-for-ports .
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with NHS Trusts and clinical directors on ensuring surgical trainees have adequate access to operating theatres.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has held no discussions with National Health Service trusts and clinical directors on surgical trainees’ access to operating theatres.
It is the responsibility of individual employers to ensure their staff have appropriate access to ongoing training and professional development to provide safe and effective care.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the readiness of the replacement digital service for the new Jobs and Careers Service.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is working to ensure the new Jobs and Careers Service is delivered on schedule. The Department continues to engage with stakeholders and will communicate changes in a timely manner.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to use AI-powered job-matching tools developed by the private sector to run the new digital service behind the new Jobs and Careers Service.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to reforming the Jobs and Careers Service to better support jobseekers and employers. The Department continues to monitor market innovations and will leverage the right technology, including AI, to deliver improved outcomes for citizens. Use of AI would be subject to rigorous assessment, procurement in line with government regulations, and alignment with the Department’s responsible AI framework.
Asked by: Ben Coleman (Labour - Chelsea and Fulham)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the level of spending required to develop and run in-house the replacement digital service for the new Jobs and Careers Service.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This information is not available at this time. The Jobs and Careers Service Programme is still being designed.
When the Business Case has His Majesty’s Treasury approval, an executive summary will be published in line with current practice.