Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many civil servants in her Department have a criminal conviction.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology does not hold central records of criminal convictions. When joining the department all candidates undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check which checks for unspent criminal convictions. Where a candidate does have unspent criminal convictions, these are shared with the individual vacancy holder for them to consider as this is likely to have impact on individuals’ suitability for the role. The department is looking at how it can engage with the across government Going Forward into Employment (GFIE) schemes, including for prison leavers.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many and what proportion of (a) board members and (b) employees of Ofcom have previous experience in the industry that they regulate.
Answered by John Whittingdale
Ofcom’s board has ten members, bringing together executive and non-executive members who have the expertise relevant for providing strategic direction to Ofcom. Of its ten members, five (50%) have experience working in the industries for which Ofcom is the regulator. Ofcom hires people from a range of professional backgrounds, including its regulated sectors, but does not hold data relating to employees’ previous work experience.