Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much time off in lieu has been taken by staff in his Department in each of the last five years.
Answered by Michael Ellis
We do not keep a central record of time off in lieu (TOIL) taken through flexible working patterns; this is managed locally.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of freedom of information requests received by HS2 Limited were resolvable requests withheld in full for (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017, (d) 2018 and (e) the first quarter of 2019.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
From 2015 up to the end of first quarter of 2019, HS2 Ltd received 1,224 Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests. Where an exemption (FOI) or an exception (EIR) applied, all of the requested information was withheld on 239 occasions. The proportion of resolvable requests withheld in full for each period is as follows: (a) 2015, 12% (b) 2016, 19% (c) 2017, 25% (d) 2018, 19% and (e) first quarter of 2019, 24%.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage of freedom of information requests received by HS2 Limited were fulfilled within the 20-day deadline in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017, (d) 2018 and (e) the first quarter of 2019.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
From 2015 up to the end of first quarter of 2019, HS2 Ltd responded to 79 per cent of the Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests it received within the 20 working day deadline.
Year | Number of requests | % of FOI received fulfilled within the 20-day deadline |
2015 | 226 | 77% |
2016 | 219 | 95% |
2017 | 284 | 92% |
2018 | 354 | 77% |
In the first quarter of 2019 HS2 Ltd has received 141 FOI request with 40% fulfilled within the 20-day deadline. This is an increase of 83 per cent in the number of requests received, coupled with an increase in complexity, this has led to a number of requests taking longer to process. HS2 Ltd recognises that its performance needs to improve. It is implementing a number of measures, including increasing resources, to alleviate the issue.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many freedom of information requests were received by HS2 Limited in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017, (d) 2018 and (e) the first quarter of 2019.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
From 2015 up to the end of first quarter of 2019, HS2 Ltd responded to 79 per cent of the Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) requests it received within the 20 working day deadline.
Year | Number of requests | % of FOI received fulfilled within the 20-day deadline |
2015 | 226 | 77% |
2016 | 219 | 95% |
2017 | 284 | 92% |
2018 | 354 | 77% |
In the first quarter of 2019 HS2 Ltd has received 141 FOI request with 40% fulfilled within the 20-day deadline. This is an increase of 83 per cent in the number of requests received, coupled with an increase in complexity, this has led to a number of requests taking longer to process. HS2 Ltd recognises that its performance needs to improve. It is implementing a number of measures, including increasing resources, to alleviate the issue.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the amount of unpaid overtime worked by staff in his Department in the last 24 months.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Neither the central department nor its executive agencies hold this information. The Department has a policy in place to support both paid overtime and flexi-time working for grades below Senior Civil Service. Any additional hours that are recorded are either paid via payroll as overtime or taken as time off in lieu. Staff are not required or expected to work unpaid overtime.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the letter of 20 March 2019 from the Prime Minister to Midland Connect, for what reason potential changes are being proposed to phase 2b of the High Speed Two route.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
As part of the process to prepare the legislation for Phase 2b we intend to consult on aspects of the HS2 Phase 2b plans this year to inform our plans. This work is ongoing and as changes are ready, they will be published in consultations where appropriate, during the course of the year.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the letter of 20 March 2019 from the Prime Minister to Midland Connect, what are the scale of the changes proposed in the potential changes to phase 2b of the High Speed Two route.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
As part of the process to prepare the legislation for Phase 2b we intend to consult on aspects of the HS2 Phase 2b plans this year to inform our plans. This work is ongoing and as changes are ready, they will be published in consultations where appropriate, during the course of the year.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people working on the airport capacity programme are (a) contingent labour, (b) supplier resource and (c) civil servants.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Heathrow Expansion Programme (formerly known as the Airport Capacity Programme) has the equivalent of 55.3 full time civil servants currently working on the programme. The programme does not currently employ any contingent labour.
The civil servant team is supported by a number of suppliers that support the Government on a range of legal, commercial and financial matters.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the letter of 20 March 2019 from the Prime Minister to Midland Connect, whether the potential changes to phase 2b of the High Speed Two route will affect the (a) eastern leg and (b) western leg of that route.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
As part of the process to prepare the legislation for Phase 2b we intend to consult on aspects of the HS2 Phase 2b plans this year to inform our plans. This work is ongoing and as changes are ready, they will be published in consultations where appropriate, during the course of the year.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the letter of 20 March 2019 from the Prime Minister to Midland Connect, what are the potential changes to phase 2b of the High Speed Two route.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
As part of the process to prepare the legislation for Phase 2b we intend to consult on aspects of the HS2 Phase 2b plans this year to inform our plans. This work is ongoing and as changes are ready, they will be published in consultations where appropriate, during the course of the year.