Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the retendering of Facilities Management contracts in the Mitie Affiliate Cluster, what steps he has taken to ensure that the Government Property Agency complies with its public sector equality duty to evaluate the potential impact of the proposed changes to the (a) terms and conditions and (b) general working arrangements on staff with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Employment Terms and Conditions are a matter for Employers and their Employees.
However, the Government Property Agency (GPA) has supported the employee representatives, notably the PCS Trade Union, in discussions with the GPA's new suppliers. All suppliers have listened to the concerns expressed by the PCS trade union and have provided both assurance and solutions to ensure that any affected member of staff is not directly or indirectly affected by the change of their employer. This includes financial assistance via ex gratia payments and interest-free loans and advice and support to mitigate against issues surrounding the claiming of "in work" benefits.
The GPA is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination. Throughout the workplace services transformation programme the GPA has continued to give PSED due consideration and will continue the completion of the impact assessment following the recent award of contracts. This will be shared with trade unions upon completion. The successful bidders have been tested for this requirement at Framework creation stage and will be required to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the Equalities Act 2010 and the GPA’s aspirations during delivery of the contract.
Whilst the GPA has an active interest in the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) transfer of supplier employees, TUPE transfers are a matter for both the outgoing and incoming contractors and both the outgoing and incoming suppliers are experienced in this area. The employee rights are set out by the TUPE regulations and reinforced in the Crown Commercial Services framework which this contract is let on. The Government Property Agency will act upon any breach of this legislation if it occurs and holds its supply chain to the legislative requirements. The GPA continues to encourage both their current and their new suppliers to exchange information quickly to enable consultations to be effective and to resolve queries quickly where they arise.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the retendering of Facilities Management contracts in the Mitie Affiliate Cluster, what steps he has taken to ensure continuity of payment of (a) pay and (b) in-work benefits.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Employment Terms and Conditions are a matter for Employers and their Employees.
However, the Government Property Agency (GPA) has supported the employee representatives, notably the PCS Trade Union, in discussions with the GPA's new suppliers. All suppliers have listened to the concerns expressed by the PCS trade union and have provided both assurance and solutions to ensure that any affected member of staff is not directly or indirectly affected by the change of their employer. This includes financial assistance via ex gratia payments and interest-free loans and advice and support to mitigate against issues surrounding the claiming of "in work" benefits.
The GPA is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination. Throughout the workplace services transformation programme the GPA has continued to give PSED due consideration and will continue the completion of the impact assessment following the recent award of contracts. This will be shared with trade unions upon completion. The successful bidders have been tested for this requirement at Framework creation stage and will be required to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the Equalities Act 2010 and the GPA’s aspirations during delivery of the contract.
Whilst the GPA has an active interest in the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) transfer of supplier employees, TUPE transfers are a matter for both the outgoing and incoming contractors and both the outgoing and incoming suppliers are experienced in this area. The employee rights are set out by the TUPE regulations and reinforced in the Crown Commercial Services framework which this contract is let on. The Government Property Agency will act upon any breach of this legislation if it occurs and holds its supply chain to the legislative requirements. The GPA continues to encourage both their current and their new suppliers to exchange information quickly to enable consultations to be effective and to resolve queries quickly where they arise.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the retendering of Facilities Management contracts in the Mitie Affiliate Cluster, what recent meetings he has held with (a) the Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service, (b) the Chief Executive of the Government Property Agency and (c) civil service trade unions.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Employment Terms and Conditions are a matter for Employers and their Employees.
However, the Government Property Agency (GPA) has supported the employee representatives, notably the PCS Trade Union, in discussions with the GPA's new suppliers. All suppliers have listened to the concerns expressed by the PCS trade union and have provided both assurance and solutions to ensure that any affected member of staff is not directly or indirectly affected by the change of their employer. This includes financial assistance via ex gratia payments and interest-free loans and advice and support to mitigate against issues surrounding the claiming of "in work" benefits.
The GPA is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination. Throughout the workplace services transformation programme the GPA has continued to give PSED due consideration and will continue the completion of the impact assessment following the recent award of contracts. This will be shared with trade unions upon completion. The successful bidders have been tested for this requirement at Framework creation stage and will be required to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the Equalities Act 2010 and the GPA’s aspirations during delivery of the contract.
Whilst the GPA has an active interest in the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) transfer of supplier employees, TUPE transfers are a matter for both the outgoing and incoming contractors and both the outgoing and incoming suppliers are experienced in this area. The employee rights are set out by the TUPE regulations and reinforced in the Crown Commercial Services framework which this contract is let on. The Government Property Agency will act upon any breach of this legislation if it occurs and holds its supply chain to the legislative requirements. The GPA continues to encourage both their current and their new suppliers to exchange information quickly to enable consultations to be effective and to resolve queries quickly where they arise.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the retendering of Facilities Management contracts in the Mitie Affiliate Cluster, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of TUPE transfer provisions for (a) corporately employed and (b) privately contracted staff.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Employment Terms and Conditions are a matter for Employers and their Employees.
However, the Government Property Agency (GPA) has supported the employee representatives, notably the PCS Trade Union, in discussions with the GPA's new suppliers. All suppliers have listened to the concerns expressed by the PCS trade union and have provided both assurance and solutions to ensure that any affected member of staff is not directly or indirectly affected by the change of their employer. This includes financial assistance via ex gratia payments and interest-free loans and advice and support to mitigate against issues surrounding the claiming of "in work" benefits.
The GPA is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination. Throughout the workplace services transformation programme the GPA has continued to give PSED due consideration and will continue the completion of the impact assessment following the recent award of contracts. This will be shared with trade unions upon completion. The successful bidders have been tested for this requirement at Framework creation stage and will be required to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the Equalities Act 2010 and the GPA’s aspirations during delivery of the contract.
Whilst the GPA has an active interest in the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) transfer of supplier employees, TUPE transfers are a matter for both the outgoing and incoming contractors and both the outgoing and incoming suppliers are experienced in this area. The employee rights are set out by the TUPE regulations and reinforced in the Crown Commercial Services framework which this contract is let on. The Government Property Agency will act upon any breach of this legislation if it occurs and holds its supply chain to the legislative requirements. The GPA continues to encourage both their current and their new suppliers to exchange information quickly to enable consultations to be effective and to resolve queries quickly where they arise.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the average number of sick days taken by people in each grade of the Civil Service.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Civil Service has a range of measures in place to support the health and wellbeing of civil servants. These include access to advice from Occupational Health practitioners on how they can be supported to stay in or return to work as well as to counselling and support for a range of issues which may include the impacts of ill-health. The Civil Service proactively ensures that its policies reflect best practice on health and wellbeing by monitoring the latest research and emerging trends.
The letter from PCS of 22 February 2021 was discussed during one of the regular discussions Cabinet Office has with the National Trade Union Committee - which includes PCS - on our policies to support the health, wellbeing and attendance of civil servants.
The Cabinet Office publishes sickness absence management information for the Civil Service on an annual basis, including breakdowns by grade. The latest data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-sickness-absence
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what response his Department made to the PCS union’s letter of 22 February 2021 regarding Whitehall Studies, Sick Leave and Sick Trigger Points.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Civil Service has a range of measures in place to support the health and wellbeing of civil servants. These include access to advice from Occupational Health practitioners on how they can be supported to stay in or return to work as well as to counselling and support for a range of issues which may include the impacts of ill-health. The Civil Service proactively ensures that its policies reflect best practice on health and wellbeing by monitoring the latest research and emerging trends.
The letter from PCS of 22 February 2021 was discussed during one of the regular discussions Cabinet Office has with the National Trade Union Committee - which includes PCS - on our policies to support the health, wellbeing and attendance of civil servants.
The Cabinet Office publishes sickness absence management information for the Civil Service on an annual basis, including breakdowns by grade. The latest data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-sickness-absence
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the potential policy implications for the Civil Service of the Whitehall I and II longitudinal health surveys of civil servants.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Civil Service has a range of measures in place to support the health and wellbeing of civil servants. These include access to advice from Occupational Health practitioners on how they can be supported to stay in or return to work as well as to counselling and support for a range of issues which may include the impacts of ill-health. The Civil Service proactively ensures that its policies reflect best practice on health and wellbeing by monitoring the latest research and emerging trends.
The letter from PCS of 22 February 2021 was discussed during one of the regular discussions Cabinet Office has with the National Trade Union Committee - which includes PCS - on our policies to support the health, wellbeing and attendance of civil servants.
The Cabinet Office publishes sickness absence management information for the Civil Service on an annual basis, including breakdowns by grade. The latest data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-sickness-absence