Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if his Department will publish plans for 20, 30 and 40 per cent reductions in civil service posts that it has received from departments that have an associated Select Committee.
Answered by Jacob Rees-Mogg
Given that planning is still underway and no decisions have yet been made, as well as the sensitivities involved, it would not be appropriate to share departmental scenario planning. We are committed to a robust process of scrutiny and challenge in the months ahead, including focusing on impacts on public services, and will engage more broadly at the appropriate time.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make the payment of Living Wage Foundation’s real Living Wage and occupational sick pay a requirement of all contracts let by the Government.
Answered by Jacob Rees-Mogg
The Government awards contracts on the basis of the best value for money for the taxpayer.
Government departments, as Contracting Authorities, are responsible for setting out the terms and conditions of the contracts they enter into with suppliers, and for those suppliers to establish the pay, terms and conditions for their employees.
We insist that employers pay at least the National Minimum Wage, or the National Living Wage for workers over 25. Departments can already require suppliers to pay above these rates, such as the London Living Wage, where it is relevant and proportionate to do so. This is also the case for requiring suppliers to pay above the statutory requirement for sick pay.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to Statement HCWS756 of 31 March 2022, if he will publish the percentage change in real incomes, at each spine point for (a) his Department and (b) each Government Department, in each year since 2010.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Pay below the Senior Civil Service is delegated to departments. It is for departments to decide on their pay award and how it is structured in light of their own affordability and priorities including considering any recruitment and retention challenges, and to negotiate with their trade unions. The impact on recruitment and retention should be considered by departments when determining their pay award. The pay remit guidance is a cost control document and allows departments to seek further flexibility for a pay award above the headline award, as demonstrated by recent pay deals in Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the Ministry of Justice.
This year’s pay remit guidance is framed by the commitment of this Government to deliver on its extensive agenda that will require reform of the capacity and capability of the Civil Service. It is important that public sector pay awards are affordable, as well as fair to both staff and the taxpayer.
The pay remit guidance considers economic conditions while balancing the need for sustainable public finances. The government will continue to prioritise the lowest paid, and has accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations to increase the National Living Wage by 6.6% to £9.50 per hour from April 2022.
The Cabinet Office publishes summary figures on salaries across the Civil Service as part of the Civil Service Statistics publications. Median salaries by grade and department since 2010 can be found in Table 25 of this publication:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics.
The Cabinet Office does not hold complete data on the delegated pay structures across all Departments, such as ‘spine points’. These have previously been part of the Civil Service pay framework, but are no longer a feature of the pay system for most Civil Service organisations.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Written Statement of 3 February 2021, HCWS756 on Billing Authorities Update, what metrics his Department has used to ensure that the Civil Service Pay Remit guidance 2022 to 2023 rewards hard-working staff fairly.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Pay below the Senior Civil Service is delegated to departments. It is for departments to decide on their pay award and how it is structured in light of their own affordability and priorities including considering any recruitment and retention challenges, and to negotiate with their trade unions. The impact on recruitment and retention should be considered by departments when determining their pay award. The pay remit guidance is a cost control document and allows departments to seek further flexibility for a pay award above the headline award, as demonstrated by recent pay deals in Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the Ministry of Justice.
This year’s pay remit guidance is framed by the commitment of this Government to deliver on its extensive agenda that will require reform of the capacity and capability of the Civil Service. It is important that public sector pay awards are affordable, as well as fair to both staff and the taxpayer.
The pay remit guidance considers economic conditions while balancing the need for sustainable public finances. The government will continue to prioritise the lowest paid, and has accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations to increase the National Living Wage by 6.6% to £9.50 per hour from April 2022.
The Cabinet Office publishes summary figures on salaries across the Civil Service as part of the Civil Service Statistics publications. Median salaries by grade and department since 2010 can be found in Table 25 of this publication:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics.
The Cabinet Office does not hold complete data on the delegated pay structures across all Departments, such as ‘spine points’. These have previously been part of the Civil Service pay framework, but are no longer a feature of the pay system for most Civil Service organisations.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Written Statement of 3 February 2021, HCWS756 on Billing Authorities Update, what steps he is taking to measure the impact of the 2 per cent average pay award in the Civil Service Pay Remit guidance 2022 to 2023 on attracting high quality applicants to the Civil Service.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Pay below the Senior Civil Service is delegated to departments. It is for departments to decide on their pay award and how it is structured in light of their own affordability and priorities including considering any recruitment and retention challenges, and to negotiate with their trade unions. The impact on recruitment and retention should be considered by departments when determining their pay award. The pay remit guidance is a cost control document and allows departments to seek further flexibility for a pay award above the headline award, as demonstrated by recent pay deals in Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the Ministry of Justice.
This year’s pay remit guidance is framed by the commitment of this Government to deliver on its extensive agenda that will require reform of the capacity and capability of the Civil Service. It is important that public sector pay awards are affordable, as well as fair to both staff and the taxpayer.
The pay remit guidance considers economic conditions while balancing the need for sustainable public finances. The government will continue to prioritise the lowest paid, and has accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations to increase the National Living Wage by 6.6% to £9.50 per hour from April 2022.
The Cabinet Office publishes summary figures on salaries across the Civil Service as part of the Civil Service Statistics publications. Median salaries by grade and department since 2010 can be found in Table 25 of this publication:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics.
The Cabinet Office does not hold complete data on the delegated pay structures across all Departments, such as ‘spine points’. These have previously been part of the Civil Service pay framework, but are no longer a feature of the pay system for most Civil Service organisations.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of (a) value for money and (b) supplier performance for each Government contract issued in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The private sector has played a vital role in the government’s response to the covid-19 outbreak. Being able to procure at speed has been critical in providing the government's response, however we have been clear that all contracts, including those designed to tackle coronavirus issues, must continue to offer quality public services and achieve value for money for taxpayers.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Government’s policy is on tariffs on goods entering Northern Ireland in the event that the dual UK and EU tariff system is not ready by 1 January 2021.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to PQ 71822 answered on 15 July 2020.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to ensure enhanced monitoring of contracts awarded using the exemptions in Regulation 32(2)(c) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chloe Smith
Details of central government contracts above £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search
The Government has rigorous controls in place to challenge spend robustly and ensure that the actions of central government contracting authorities are open, fair and transparent.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many contracts awarded using the exemptions in Regulation 32(2)(c) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 during the covid-19 outbreak have been published more than 20 days after being awarded.
Answered by Chloe Smith
Details of central government contracts above £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search
The Government has rigorous controls in place to challenge spend robustly and ensure that the actions of central government contracting authorities are open, fair and transparent.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the (a) (i) content and (ii) value was of and (b) process was for contracts awarded to (A) Deloitte, (B) KPMG, (C) Serco, (D) Sodexo, (E) Mitie, (F) Boots and (G) Palantir in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chloe Smith
Details of central government contracts above £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search