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Written Question
General Practitioners: Access
Tuesday 5th March 2024

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

What progress her Department has made on improving access to GP appointments.

Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

  • Thanks to the efforts of superb GPs up and down the country, in England there is now a record additional 50 million appointments per year being made available.

  • Our Primary Care Recovery Plan for England is focussed on improving access for patients and reducing bureaucracy for GPs.

  • Health is devolved to Scotland and I’m sure the honourable lady will use our excellent record to challenge SNP Ministers on their performance.


Written Question
Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
Tuesday 20th February 2024

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps he has taken to ensure pension remediation for public sector workers affected by the McCloud judgement.

Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 provides remedy for discrimination that arose when new public service pensions schemes were introduced between 2014 and 2016. The remedy has two main elements: older “legacy” pension schemes were closed as of 1 April 2022 to equalise future accrual in newer “reformed” schemes; and, from 1 October 2023 all affected members are being given a choice at retirement (or within 18 months of 1 October 2023 for those who have already retired) as to whether to receive legacy or reformed scheme benefits for the remedy period.


Written Question
Police: Pensions
Monday 19th February 2024

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on pension adjustments for police officers affected by the McCloud judgement.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Neither the policy responsibility nor administrative responsibility for police pension scheme falls to the Department of Work and Pensions. There have, therefore, been no such discussions.

The relevant legislation provides that all eligible members will be given a choice to remedy the discrimination set out in the McCloud judgment and that information should be provided to eligible members by 31 March 2025. Adjustments to individual members’ benefits are an administrative matter, and the police pension scheme is locally administered by each of the separate police forces in England and Wales (policing is a devolved matter in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

The Home Office has policy responsibility for the police pension scheme but does not have any role in the administration of police pensions. Information on the progress of forces with the remedy process is therefore not held centrally.


Written Question
Police: Pensions
Monday 19th February 2024

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he expects pension adjustments for police officers affected by the McCloud judgement to be completed.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

Neither the policy responsibility nor administrative responsibility for police pension scheme falls to the Department of Work and Pensions. There have, therefore, been no such discussions.

The relevant legislation provides that all eligible members will be given a choice to remedy the discrimination set out in the McCloud judgment and that information should be provided to eligible members by 31 March 2025. Adjustments to individual members’ benefits are an administrative matter, and the police pension scheme is locally administered by each of the separate police forces in England and Wales (policing is a devolved matter in Scotland and Northern Ireland).

The Home Office has policy responsibility for the police pension scheme but does not have any role in the administration of police pensions. Information on the progress of forces with the remedy process is therefore not held centrally.


Written Question
Active Travel
Thursday 8th February 2024

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with the (a) Secretary of State for Levelling Up and Communities and (b) devolved Administrations on the potential impact of (i) tram and (ii) light rail projects on active travel infrastructure.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport has regular discussions with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, as well as with the devolved administrations. However, no specific discussions have taken place with these bodies regarding the impact of light rail projects on active travel infrastructure.

Local transport authorities are responsible for bringing forward mass transit projects, including developing proposals regarding technology choice, route selection and alignment. The Department encourages authorities to consider how mass transit schemes can provide effective integration with other modes, including active travel.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Scotland
Monday 5th February 2024

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the use of electronic communications during the covid-19 pandemic.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Scottish Government’s use of electronic communications is a matter for the Scottish Government.


Written Question
Government Departments: Sick Leave
Friday 2nd February 2024

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2024 to Question 8810 on Cabinet Office: Sick Leave, if he will make an estimate of the total number staff days lost to long term sick absences in each Department in each year since 2015.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The tables below provide the estimates requested, long term sick days lost per department (Table 1), along with our preferred measure, Average Working Days Lost (AWDL) per staff year which accounts for workforce size and composition (Table 2). Data is provided for the main Ministerial Departments and excludes those that have been most impacted by Machinery of Government changes, for which times series comparisons between 2015 and 2022 are not possible.

Table 1: Long Term Sickness Absence by Main Department, Days Lost, 2015-2022

Long Term Sick Days Lost

Department

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Cabinet Office

5,580

6,510

6,400

5,050

10,550

13,250

13,090

20,750

Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities

8,460

9,270

7,840

7,140

6,710

7,310

6,850

7,670

Department Culture Media and Sport

530

1,810

1,490

3,470

3,710

3,630

2,670

4,110

Department for Environment

18,960

16,690

14,890

14,240

15,490

19,880

19,210

27,070

Department for Education

10,940

7,990

7,890

12,370

13,870

13,810

9,580

20,410

Department for Transport

84,920

67,810

64,430

66,560

72,710

70,130

51,950

71,260

Department for Health and Social Care

27,790

26,270

21,140

23,520

24,950

24,300

20,880

27,770

Department for Work and Pensions

261,960

221,470

234,770

239,720

276,110

311,110

243,230

383,320

HM Customers and Revenue

214,960

232,220

225,420

208,810

205,770

233,750

189,360

243,040

HM Treasury

1,500

2,030

2,870

2,150

3,190

3,050

2,770

3,990

Home Office

95,910

103,870

101,740

114,820

119,990

132,200

109,360

148,080

Ministry of Defence

222,240

203,240

197,180

195,440

185,100

219,600

219,380

149,690

Ministry of Justice

442,840

414,460

403,990

372,220

398,510

434,270

435,690

596,420

Scottish Government

83,580

80,990

88,840

97,660

109,990

123,980

111,300

134,510

Welsh Government

23,160

23,980

22,880

22,630

23,840

17,290

14,590

20,110

Table 2 : Long Term Sickness Absence by Main Department, Average Working Days Lost per Staff Year, 2015-2022

Long Term Average Working Days Lost per Staff Year

Department

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Cabinet Office

1.9

2.2

1.9

1.1

1.7

1.7

1.4

1.9

Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities

3.4

3.8

3.6

3.1

2.4

2.3

2.0

2.0

Department Culture Media and Sport

1.0

1.5

1.4

2.7

2.5

2.1

1.3

1.4

Department for Environment

2.5

2.4

2.2

2.0

1.8

2.1

1.9

2.4

Department for Education

3.2

2.6

2.0

2.2

2.4

2.2

1.3

2.6

Department for Transport

5.3

5.3

4.9

5.0

5.3

5.0

3.6

4.9

Department for Health and Social Care

3.4

3.2

3.2

2.8

3.1

3.0

2.2

2.6

Department for Work and Pensions

3.2

2.9

3.1

3.2

3.7

4.4

3.3

4.5

HM Customers and Revenue

3.6

3.7

3.5

3.3

3.4

3.8

3.2

3.9

HM Treasury

1.2

1.3

1.7

1.1

1.6

1.4

1.1

1.5

Home Office

3.6

3.9

4.0

4.4

4.2

4.2

3.4

4.5

Ministry of Defence

4.4

4.1

4.0

3.9

3.8

4.2

4.1

2.8

Ministry of Justice

6.8

6.4

6.4

5.8

5.7

6.1

6.0

7.4

Scottish Government

5.1

5.0

5.5

5.9

6.4

6.3

5.4

5.9

Welsh Government

4.2

4.5

4.4

4.5

4.7

3.3

2.8

3.7

Notes:

  • Annual Data for year ending 31 March 20xx

  • Source – Management Information

  • Days rounded to nearest 10 days, AWDL rounded to 1 decimal place

  • Ministerial Departments which have been most impacted by Machinery of Government changes over the period, and for which, consistent comparisons are not possible, are not shown.

  • For sickness absence publications see https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence


Written Question
Business: Northern Ireland
Wednesday 17th January 2024

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to support local businesses in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)

This Government is committed to supporting SMEs. The British Business Bank’s £70m Investment Fund for Northern Ireland will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for SMEs in Northern Ireland, and £17m of UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) is delivering advice, business support and grants for SMEs. This is part of a range of measures in place and I should be glad if the hon Member requested an adjournment debate so that I could answer fully.


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Sick Leave
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the total number staff days lost to long term sick absences in each Department in each year since 2021.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office publishes sickness absence data for the Civil Service on an annual basis on gov.uk. Our preferred measure is Average Working Days Lost (AWDL) per staff year which accounts for workforce size and composition. The table below provides the data requested, days lost per department, along with AWDL for context. Data for 2023 are in production for planned publication by end March 2024.

Table: Long Term Sickness Absence by Department 2021 and 2022

Organisation

2021

2022

Days

AWDL

Days

AWDL

Attorney General's Departments

5,250

2.2

7,190

2.9

Crown Prosecution Service

18,530

3.1

23,570

3.7

Serious Fraud Office

830

1.8

940

2.0

Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

34,010

2.1

47,160

2.5

Cabinet Office

13,090

1.4

20,750

1.9

National Savings and Investments

370

1.9

170

0.9

Charity Commission

1,300

2.7

s

s

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

6,850

2.0

7,670

2.0

Competition and Markets Authority

1,100

1.4

870

1.0

Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport

2,670

1.3

4,110

1.4

Ministry of Defence

219,380

4.1

149,690

2.8

Department for International Trade

3,960

0.8

6,820

1.3

Department for Education

9,580

1.3

20,410

2.6

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

19,210

1.9

27,070

2.4

ESTYN

410

3.9

320

3.1

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

16,750

1.9

18,830

2.3

Food Standards Agency

3,850

2.9

4,500

3.4

The Health and Safety Executive

7,440

3.2

10,520

4.2

Department of Health and Social Care

20,880

2.2

27,770

2.6

HM Revenue and Customs

189,360

3.2

243,040

3.9

HM Treasury

2,770

1.1

3,990

1.5

Home Office

109,360

3.4

148,080

4.5

Ministry of Justice

435,690

6.0

596,420

7.4

National Crime Agency

10,640

2.1

15,180

3.3

Northern Ireland Office

140

0.9

420

2.4

Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services & Skills

6,530

3.6

9,270

5.3

Office of Gas and Electricity Markets

2,260

2.1

2,650

2.1

Office of Rail and Road

590

1.9

290

0.9

Scotland Office (incl. Office Advocate General for Scotland)

320

2.8

490

4.2

Scottish Government

111,300

5.4

134,510

5.9

Department for Transport

51,950

3.6

71,260

4.9

United Kingdom Statistics Authority

9,250

2.4

10,070

2.2

UK Export Finance

250

0.7

340

0.8

UK Supreme Court

*

*

280

5.2

Wales Office

230

4.4

190

4.1

Water Services Regulation Authority

570

2.4

250

1.0

Welsh Government

14,590

2.8

20,110

3.7

Department for Work and Pensions

243,230

3.3

383,320

4.5

Notes:

  • Annual Data for year ending 31 March 2021 and 31 March 2022

  • Source – Management Information

  • Days rounded to nearest 10 days, AWDL rounded to 1 decimal place

  • s = suppressed due to data review, * = suppressed due to low counts

  • For sickness absence publications see https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence


Written Question
Visas: Skilled Workers
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential impact of the skilled worker visa application process on businesses.

Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)

Home Office ministers regularly engage with the Department for Business and Trade, and other Whitehall Departments on a range of matters.

This Government is keen to strike the balance between reducing overall net migration and ensuring that businesses have the skills they need to support economic growth.