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Written Question
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff
Tuesday 23rd April 2024

Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the ministerial department figures in his Department's workforce management information data for February and March 2023, for what reason the payroll staff numbers are different between the two months but the payroll staff costs are identical.

Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

March 2023 payroll costs were not available in time for inclusion in the March 2023 monthly workforce management information update, so February 2023 data was re-used as an estimate to be revised when the data had been received.

Payroll staff costs for March 2023 have now been revised in the Defra workforce management information collection on GOV.UK to reflect the correct payroll staff costs.

Written Question
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff
Tuesday 19th September 2023

Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many digital, data and technology staff (including contractors) are currently employed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; and what assessment they have made of the adequacy of that number.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As of 31 July 2023 the number of permanent digital, data and technology staff in Defra was 940, and the number of contingent workers was 201. This is the number of staff in our Digital, Data and Technology Services Directorate only, there will be some additional staff working on digital, data and technology activity elsewhere across the rest of Defra group. Our HR systems do not currently allow us to identify staff in this category.

Defra continually keeps its resourcing under review. For digital, data and technology (DDaT) roles, there are particular challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining civil servant staff – as acknowledged by the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports into Defra’s technology, and by the Central Digital and Data Office’s own analysis and roadmap for DDaT in Government more generally. Defra therefore uses a blended model of civil servants, contingent labour and suppliers to deliver DDaT work, and has the resourcing needed to deliver the work required. As market conditions change, Defra regularly reviews the most efficient and effective blend of resourcing to deliver its work.

Select Committee
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Oral Evidence Jan. 23 2024

Committee: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Found: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Select Committee
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Oral Evidence Mar. 26 2024

Inquiry: Work of Defra
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Found: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

 We are the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people’s day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.
Select Committee
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Oral Evidence Nov. 28 2023

Inquiry: Post-pandemic health and welfare concerns of companion animals, including abuse and mutilation
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Found: Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Select Committee
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Business and Trade, and Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Oral Evidence Apr. 23 2024

Inquiry: UK trade policy: food and agriculture
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Found: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Department for Business and Trade, and Department

Select Committee
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Oral Evidence Oct. 24 2023

Inquiry: Work of Defra
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Found: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Select Committee
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Oral Evidence Oct. 24 2023

Inquiry: Work of Defra
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Found: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bill Documents
7 Feb 2024 - Impact Assessments
Impact Assessment from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill 2023-24

Found: Impact Assessment from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs