Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken since receiving Sir Robert Francis KC's infected blood compensation framework study, published on 7 June 2022.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Following the publication of Sir Robert’s study, and the Inquiry’s subsequent first interim report in July 2022, the Government made interim payments of £100,000 available to chronic infected beneficiaries and bereaved partners registered with existing support schemes from October 2022. These payments continue to be made to eligible beneficiaries upon being accepted onto the schemes. The Government accepted the moral case for compensation in December 2022, and is committed to responding to the Inquiry’s final report as quickly as possible following on from its publication.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings the Minister for Veterans Affairs has with Ministers responsible for Afghan schemes since 2 February 2023.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
I refer the Member for Newport East to the answer given to the Right Honourable Member for Wentworth and Dearne on 16th May 2023 (184567).
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the recommendations of the Second Interim Report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on 5 April 2023, if he will make it his policy to make immediate interim payments to (a) children and (b) bereaved parents of children who were given infected blood and infected blood products.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the honourable Member to the statement made on Wednesday 19 April 2023, in response to the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s Second Interim Report.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2023 to Question 174252 on Civil Servants: Dyslexia, for what reason does the Department not hold data on achievement levels for civil servants with dyslexia.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Department cannot demand nor mandate that an individual discloses a personal protected characteristic (as defined by the Equality Act 2010). However, an individual may disclose that they have dyslexia ahead of an assessment and development centre, for example to discuss the potential for reasonable adjustments to be made. For a reasonable adjustment, the conversation would be filed individually and securely, in line with GDPR regulations. Details are not added to an individual’s profile on Government Commercial College, the data platform that records ADC scores.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Second Interim report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on 5 April, if he will take steps to implement without delay the report's recommendation to provide interim compensation payments to the parents and children of those impacted by the contaminated blood scandal.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the Honourable Lady to the statement made on Wednesday April 19 2023, in response to the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s Second Interim Report.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Government has made of the accessibility of Civil Service commercial function assessments for candidates with (a) dyslexia and (b) other learning difficulties.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Achievement levels for civil servants with dyslexia is not held centrally.
Government Commercial Function (GCF) works with staff networks (for example, the GCF Disability and Neurodivergent Network) to ensure that individuals are treated fairly and empathetically. Where appropriate GCF seeks professional advice, such as occupational health assessments, and encourages the use of the Workplace Adjustment Passports.
The Assessment Development Centre is designed to be as accessible as possible. Participants are encouraged to discuss any adjustments they might need at the assessment centre and adjustments are open for further discussion and amendment if needed.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of civil servants with dyslexia pass the commercial function assessment at any grade with an A.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Achievement levels for civil servants with dyslexia is not held centrally.
Government Commercial Function (GCF) works with staff networks (for example, the GCF Disability and Neurodivergent Network) to ensure that individuals are treated fairly and empathetically. Where appropriate GCF seeks professional advice, such as occupational health assessments, and encourages the use of the Workplace Adjustment Passports.
The Assessment Development Centre is designed to be as accessible as possible. Participants are encouraged to discuss any adjustments they might need at the assessment centre and adjustments are open for further discussion and amendment if needed.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to make interim compensation payments to the estates of (a) people who have died as a result of infected blood products and (b) to people affected whose children or parents have died.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the hon Member to the statement I made in the House on 15 December where I announced that the moral case for compensation was formally accepted. I also set out the work being carried out across government in consideration of the compensation framework study - which included specific reference to those groups who were not able to claim interim compensation.
This work is intended to ensure that the Government is prepared to act swiftly in response to Sir Brian Langstaff’s final report when it is delivered.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of (a) ordinary and (b) named-day written questions their Department answered on time in 2022.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Our internal records show that for all cases due with Parliament between 01/01/2022 and 31/12/2022 to which Cabinet Office responded, 92% of ordinary written questions were answered on time and 83% of named-day written questions were answered on time.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of taking steps to mark the contribution of (a) police officers and (b) other emergency workers killed in the line of duty.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
All lives lost in the line of duty are a tragedy and lives lost in public service should be commemorated. Work is continuing on an appropriate way to do so for those police, emergency workers and other public servants who lose their lives while serving the people of the United Kingdom.