Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department is compliant with the requirement in section 3.1.8 of the Civil Service Management Code that time off with pay for safety representatives will not be set against facility time allowed under existing arrangements.
Answered by Lord Jack of Courance
The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland does not employ staff directly. All staff that join do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other government bodies; principally the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice, who remain the employers.
As such, the requirement in section 3.1.8 of the Civil Service Management Code that time off with pay for safety representatives will not be set against facility time allowed under existing arrangements, is a matter for the parent employers to consider.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation has affected the right of recognised unions in her Department to bargaining information in relation to section 181 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Answered by Lord Jack of Courance
The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland does not employ staff directly. All staff that join do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other government bodies; principally the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice, who remain the employers.
As such, it would be a matter for the employing departments to consider whether the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation has affected the right of recognised unions to bargaining information in relation to section 181 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what meetings (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have had with (a) the Scottish Trades Union Congress and (b) individual affiliated trades unions since he took office; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Jack of Courance
My officials and I regularly meet with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that Scotland has a voice in Westminster. The Government publishes a list of all ministerial meetings with external bodies on departmental business on a quarterly basis and is available at gov.uk.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what plans he has to visit a food bank in the Glasgow South West constituency in October 2019; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Jack of Courance
Work is the most effective route out of poverty and this Government is committed to helping people find work through a wide-range of support, targeted to each individual’s personal circumstances. While food banks represent an impressive response by civil society and faith groups to support vulnerable people, we are also committed to providing a strong safety-net for those who need it; that is why this Government continues to spend over £95 billion a year on welfare benefits which includes a well-established system of hardship payments, benefit advances and budgeting loans as an additional safeguard for those who need them.
I currently have no plans to visit a food bank in my capacity as Secretary of State for Scotland in October 2019.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many staff were employed in his Department on (a) 20 December 2018 and (b) 23 June 2016.
Answered by David Mundell
The Office of the Secretary of Scotland does not hold staffing information at mid-point monthly dates; information is recorded at month end only.
On 30 June 2016, there were 67.0 FTE staff in post, and on 31 December 2018 there were 74.4 FTE staff in post.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the additional staff required by his Department in the event that the UK leaves the EU (a) with and (b) without a deal.
Answered by David Mundell
Work to prepare for a successful EU exit is a key priority for the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland. The Office was allocated additional EU exit funding to create three new posts for this financial year.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of staff in receipt of universal credit; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Mundell
The Office of the Secretary of Scotland does not hold information on the number or proportion of staff in receipt of universal credit. All staff that join do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other government bodies, principally the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish Government, who remain the employers.