Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
What assessment he has made of the preparedness of (a) businesses and (b) communities for the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Robin Walker
It is essential that businesses and the wider public continue to take steps to prepare for the end of the transition period. We are working closely with businesses and communities to ensure that action is taken now.
As well as regular meetings of the Business Engagement Forum, led by my department, we are in constant contact with communities in Northern Ireland. Last month the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland chaired a roundtable with civic leaders from across Northern Ireland, facilitating a really valuable two-way dialogue on readiness. We will continue that dialogue to ensure that Northern Ireland is ready on 1 January 2021.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff in her Department that work (a) inside and (b) outside Greater London are paid at a rate below the Real Living Wage.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
No staff working for the Northern Ireland Office inside or outside Greater London is paid at a rate below the Real Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff in her Department that work (a) inside and (b) outside Greater London are paid at a rate below the London Living Wage.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
I can confirm that no members of staff in the Northern Ireland Office either inside or outside Greater London are paid at a rate below the London Living Wage.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the contracted hours are for the highest paid member of staff in her Department.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
The highest paid member of staff in the Northern Ireland Office is contracted to work a minimum (over a 5 day week) of 41 hours per week.
Senior Civil Servants are contracted to work a minimum (over a 5 day week) of either 41 or 42 hours, including daily meal breaks for one hour. The new model contract was introduced on the 1st July 2013, which standardise the working hours to 42 hours which was applicable to all new staff as well as those staff being promoted into or within SCS, from that date forward.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff (a) are employed directly by (b) are seconded to and (c) work under contract to his Department.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
The Northern Ireland Office employs 119 staff directly, 34 staff on secondment and fewer than 5 staff are working under contract.