Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has provided for public health campaigns on HIV for heterosexual (a) women and (b) men in each year since 2018.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
HIV Prevention England (HPE) is the national HIV prevention programme for England and is funded by the Department. The programme aims to support communities who are disproportionately affected by HIV, including gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men and Black African heterosexual men and women. The Department has appointed Terrence Higgins Trust, a national charity who provide services related to sexual heath and HIV, to deliver the programme from 2021/2024. HPE delivers a nationally co-ordinated programme of HIV prevention work, including public campaigns such as National HIV Testing Week, that is designed to complement locally commissioned prevention activities in areas of high HIV prevalence.
The table below shows the funding that has been provided specifically for HIV public health campaigns within the HPE contract:
2018-19 | £484,800 |
2019-20 | £442,000 |
2020-21 | £524,000 |
2021-22 | £500,000 |
2022-23 | £500,000 |
The Department does not provide funding for separate national HIV public health campaigns specifically targeted at women or the black community or heterosexual women and men.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has provided for public health campaigns on HIV aimed at the black community in each year since 2018.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
HIV Prevention England (HPE) is the national HIV prevention programme for England and is funded by the Department. The programme aims to support communities who are disproportionately affected by HIV, including gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men and Black African heterosexual men and women. The Department has appointed Terrence Higgins Trust, a national charity who provide services related to sexual heath and HIV, to deliver the programme from 2021/2024. HPE delivers a nationally co-ordinated programme of HIV prevention work, including public campaigns such as National HIV Testing Week, that is designed to complement locally commissioned prevention activities in areas of high HIV prevalence.
The table below shows the funding that has been provided specifically for HIV public health campaigns within the HPE contract:
2018-19 | £484,800 |
2019-20 | £442,000 |
2020-21 | £524,000 |
2021-22 | £500,000 |
2022-23 | £500,000 |
The Department does not provide funding for separate national HIV public health campaigns specifically targeted at women or the black community or heterosexual women and men.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much funding his Department has provided for public health campaigns on HIV for women in each year since 2018.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
HIV Prevention England (HPE) is the national HIV prevention programme for England and is funded by the Department. The programme aims to support communities who are disproportionately affected by HIV, including gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men and Black African heterosexual men and women. The Department has appointed Terrence Higgins Trust, a national charity who provide services related to sexual heath and HIV, to deliver the programme from 2021/2024. HPE delivers a nationally co-ordinated programme of HIV prevention work, including public campaigns such as National HIV Testing Week, that is designed to complement locally commissioned prevention activities in areas of high HIV prevalence.
The table below shows the funding that has been provided specifically for HIV public health campaigns within the HPE contract:
2018-19 | £484,800 |
2019-20 | £442,000 |
2020-21 | £524,000 |
2021-22 | £500,000 |
2022-23 | £500,000 |
The Department does not provide funding for separate national HIV public health campaigns specifically targeted at women or the black community or heterosexual women and men.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to ensure his Department complies with section 2.1.6 of the Civil Service Management Code; and whether that monitoring data gathered is shared with union representatives.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We have made good progress in recent years in diversifying the Civil Service. The percentage of civil servants from an ethnic minority background is at 15.0% and the percentage of those who declare themselves disabled is at 14.0%. Staff who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or other (LGBO) is 6.1% and the proportion of female civil servants stands at 54.5%. These rates are all at their highest recorded levels. However, we know there is still progress to be made in ensuring we are representative of the citizens we serve across all our grades.
The new Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-2025 recognises our success and builds on this good work to encourage a broader range of people into the Civil Service to give depth to our understanding of contemporary society in the United Kingdom. It provides the necessary framing for diversity and inclusion activity in the Civil Service as part of our wider workforce strategy, and through that, how the Civil Service delivers for its people, the Government and our citizens. A link to the Civil Service statistics can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics.
BEIS routinely collects a wide variety of data relating to its employees; much of this is published and is publicly available on GOV.UK.
BEIS Human Resources teams use this data to review the impact of our policies and procedures in line with the Civil Service Code, and other our statutory obligations, and make recommendations for improvements, as necessary. Data is shared with Departmental Trades Union Side (DTUS) as necessary and on request.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure her Department complies with section 2.1.6 of the Civil Service Management Code; and whether that monitoring data gathered is shared with union representatives.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra Group complies with section 2.1.6 of the Civil Service Management Code and regularly monitors EDI data, as regards all protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010.
This Data is captured via self-declaration via Shared Serves Platform. This data is utilised to monitor all aspects of employee lifecycle, including recruitment, retention, in year award / recognition, performance ratings, L&D / Talent and promotions to ensure equal access of opportunity to all. Furthermore, Equality impact Assessments are conducted at the point of policy creation and revision in order to assess impact and effectiveness of internal policies and action plans across protected characteristics.
All monitoring data collated and analysed by the department is shared with the trade unions representing staff covered by the Departmental Trade Union framework (the core department and Executive Agencies), Natural England and the Environment Agency. Workforce data is published annually via Defra Annual Report.
Please note, that 2.1.6 of the Civil Service Management Code (CSMC) does not place an obligation on departments to share this information with their representative trade unions.
We have made good progress in recent years in diversifying the Civil Service. The percentage of civil servants from an ethnic minority background is at 15.0% and the percentage of those who declare themselves disabled is at 14.0%. Staff who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or other (LGBO) is 6.1% and the proportion of female civil servants stands at 54.5%. These rates are all at their highest recorded levels. However, we know there is still progress to be made in ensuring we are representative of the citizens we serve across all our grades.
The new Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-2025 recognises our success and builds on this good work to encourage a broader range of people into the Civil Service to give depth to our understanding of contemporary society in the United Kingdom. It provides the necessary framing for diversity and inclusion activity in the Civil Service as part of our wider workforce strategy, and through that, how the Civil Service delivers for its people, the Government and our citizens.
A link to the Civil Service statistics can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure her Department complies with section 2.1.6 of the Civil Service Management Code; and whether that monitoring data gathered is shared with union representatives.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Civil Service has made good progress in recent years in diversifying its workforce. The percentage of civil servants from an ethnic minority background is at 15.0% and the percentage of those who declare themselves disabled is at 14.0%. Staff who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or other (LGBO) is 6.1% and the proportion of female civil servants stands at 54.5%. These rates are all at their highest recorded levels. However, we know there is more to be achieved to ensure we are representative of the citizens we serve across all our grades.
The new Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-2025 recognises our success and builds on this good work to encourage a broader range of people into the Civil Service to give depth to our understanding of contemporary society in the United Kingdom. It provides the necessary framing for diversity and inclusion activity in the Civil Service as part of our wider workforce strategy, and through that, how the Civil Service delivers for its people, the government and our citizens.
A link to the Civil Service statistics can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics
The Home Office undertakes the collation of diversity data of our workforce, which includes age, gender, ethnic origin, disability, and (in Northern Ireland) community background of staff and applicants as set out in para 2.1.6 in the civil service management code. This data is used to undertake monitoring and analysis of recruitment, career development including progression, resignations, personal review, salary, performance pay, and access to opportunities for training and personal development. This data is also used to ensure the department discharges its public sector equality duties under s.149 the Equality Act 2010; data is used to routinely inform equality impact assessments where appropriate to effectively consider the different impacts of policies, processes and services across the workforce.
The Home Office also captures data on the professions and job roles which our people undertake. This allows us to understand and monitor the diversity of our workforce in professions and business areas. The Home Office publishes its workforce data annually on GOV.UK
The Home Office is fully committed to the provision of diversity data to its recognised trade unions with available information supplied on a regular basis. However, it should be noted that section 2.1.6 of the Civil Service Management Code (CSMC) does not place an obligation on the department to share the information collected on staff and applicants with their representative trade unions.
Detailed information on the Civil Service workforce is collected and published centrally as part of the Annual Civil Service Employment Statistics.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish the advice given by Defence Police Chief's Council in 2010 to delete records of investigations and dismissals into Armed Forces service people accused of homosexual conduct.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The historic policy prohibiting homosexuality in the armed forces was wrong and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) deeply regrets LGBT+ members serving in Defence suffered injustice as a consequence. The LGBT Veterans Independent Review (IR), co-commissioned by the MOD and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, launched its Call for Evidence (CfE) on 15 July 2022, where it sought testimony from those impacted by the Armed Force’s pre-2000 policy that homosexuality was incompatible with service in the armed forces. As part of this CfE, a testimonial referred to an accusation that in 2010 Service Police records relating to investigations where criminalised homosexuality was a factor had been deleted.
Service Police investigative records are routinely and lawfully destroyed, typically between three and 10 years after the offence is reported, in line with data protection legislation and MOD policy. Once records no longer have an investigative value there is no basis for retaining them, particularly as they contain sensitive personal information. Personal data contained in service records pre-dating 25 May 2018 were protected and processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Data processed subsequent to this date is processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. In 2010 and 2011, in line with Government policy agreed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Home Office (HO), and Ministry of Justice (MOJ), the MOD enacted policy to destroy legacy police investigative records concerning decriminalised sexual offences so that historical decriminalised convictions would not show up on criminal record checks of Service Personnel. This was lawful, fully in line with appropriate Government policy on data protection, and mirrored Government policy in civilian life.
As part of the IR, the MOD have examined historic records and the policies and decisions made in relation to the retention of those records. We have found that the Single Services correctly followed policies and processes concerning the removal of records, in line with data protection legislation and government policy agreed with the ACPO and led by the HO and the MOJ. As the matter has been subject of an investigation within MOD as part of the IR, and to avoid prejudicing any recommendations stemming from the ongoing IR, there are no current plans to publish any documentation related to the decision of the Defence Police Chief’s Forum in 2010 to implement the government policy at the time
As the records no longer exist, it is not possible to quantify how many records have been destroyed. However, whilst Defence cannot give a precise figure for the number of veterans who had their records destroyed, I can advise that almost all such police investigative records concerning gay and lesbian personnel before 2000 have been destroyed.
The question of compensation, admissions of fault, and other such corrective and compensatory measures is a matter for the ongoing IR. Defence will not prejudice the outcome of the IR by speculating on any recommendations it may make. Pensions for Service Personnel are linked to their pay and length of service. Thus, Service Personnel dismissed or discharged in respect of their sexuality retained their accrued pension rights and are, therefore, out of scope of the IR.
The MOD’s priority now is to understand the full impact of the historic ban and find appropriate ways to address the wrongs of the past, where possible.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with officials in his Department on the potential impact of the deletion of records of investigations relating to homosexuality in armed forces will have upon Lord Etherton's review into the treatment of LGBT veterans.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The historic policy prohibiting homosexuality in the armed forces was wrong and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) deeply regrets LGBT+ members serving in Defence suffered injustice as a consequence. The LGBT Veterans Independent Review (IR), co-commissioned by the MOD and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, launched its Call for Evidence (CfE) on 15 July 2022, where it sought testimony from those impacted by the Armed Force’s pre-2000 policy that homosexuality was incompatible with service in the armed forces. As part of this CfE, a testimonial referred to an accusation that in 2010 Service Police records relating to investigations where criminalised homosexuality was a factor had been deleted.
Service Police investigative records are routinely and lawfully destroyed, typically between three and 10 years after the offence is reported, in line with data protection legislation and MOD policy. Once records no longer have an investigative value there is no basis for retaining them, particularly as they contain sensitive personal information. Personal data contained in service records pre-dating 25 May 2018 were protected and processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Data processed subsequent to this date is processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. In 2010 and 2011, in line with Government policy agreed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Home Office (HO), and Ministry of Justice (MOJ), the MOD enacted policy to destroy legacy police investigative records concerning decriminalised sexual offences so that historical decriminalised convictions would not show up on criminal record checks of Service Personnel. This was lawful, fully in line with appropriate Government policy on data protection, and mirrored Government policy in civilian life.
As part of the IR, the MOD have examined historic records and the policies and decisions made in relation to the retention of those records. We have found that the Single Services correctly followed policies and processes concerning the removal of records, in line with data protection legislation and government policy agreed with the ACPO and led by the HO and the MOJ. As the matter has been subject of an investigation within MOD as part of the IR, and to avoid prejudicing any recommendations stemming from the ongoing IR, there are no current plans to publish any documentation related to the decision of the Defence Police Chief’s Forum in 2010 to implement the government policy at the time
As the records no longer exist, it is not possible to quantify how many records have been destroyed. However, whilst Defence cannot give a precise figure for the number of veterans who had their records destroyed, I can advise that almost all such police investigative records concerning gay and lesbian personnel before 2000 have been destroyed.
The question of compensation, admissions of fault, and other such corrective and compensatory measures is a matter for the ongoing IR. Defence will not prejudice the outcome of the IR by speculating on any recommendations it may make. Pensions for Service Personnel are linked to their pay and length of service. Thus, Service Personnel dismissed or discharged in respect of their sexuality retained their accrued pension rights and are, therefore, out of scope of the IR.
The MOD’s priority now is to understand the full impact of the historic ban and find appropriate ways to address the wrongs of the past, where possible.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if will take steps to ensure that previous deletion of records of investigations and dismissals into Armed Forces service people accused of homosexual conduct will not adversely affect (a) potential future claims for compensation, restoration of lost pension entitlements or (b) admissions of fault from his Department.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The historic policy prohibiting homosexuality in the armed forces was wrong and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) deeply regrets LGBT+ members serving in Defence suffered injustice as a consequence. The LGBT Veterans Independent Review (IR), co-commissioned by the MOD and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, launched its Call for Evidence (CfE) on 15 July 2022, where it sought testimony from those impacted by the Armed Force’s pre-2000 policy that homosexuality was incompatible with service in the armed forces. As part of this CfE, a testimonial referred to an accusation that in 2010 Service Police records relating to investigations where criminalised homosexuality was a factor had been deleted.
Service Police investigative records are routinely and lawfully destroyed, typically between three and 10 years after the offence is reported, in line with data protection legislation and MOD policy. Once records no longer have an investigative value there is no basis for retaining them, particularly as they contain sensitive personal information. Personal data contained in service records pre-dating 25 May 2018 were protected and processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Data processed subsequent to this date is processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. In 2010 and 2011, in line with Government policy agreed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Home Office (HO), and Ministry of Justice (MOJ), the MOD enacted policy to destroy legacy police investigative records concerning decriminalised sexual offences so that historical decriminalised convictions would not show up on criminal record checks of Service Personnel. This was lawful, fully in line with appropriate Government policy on data protection, and mirrored Government policy in civilian life.
As part of the IR, the MOD have examined historic records and the policies and decisions made in relation to the retention of those records. We have found that the Single Services correctly followed policies and processes concerning the removal of records, in line with data protection legislation and government policy agreed with the ACPO and led by the HO and the MOJ. As the matter has been subject of an investigation within MOD as part of the IR, and to avoid prejudicing any recommendations stemming from the ongoing IR, there are no current plans to publish any documentation related to the decision of the Defence Police Chief’s Forum in 2010 to implement the government policy at the time
As the records no longer exist, it is not possible to quantify how many records have been destroyed. However, whilst Defence cannot give a precise figure for the number of veterans who had their records destroyed, I can advise that almost all such police investigative records concerning gay and lesbian personnel before 2000 have been destroyed.
The question of compensation, admissions of fault, and other such corrective and compensatory measures is a matter for the ongoing IR. Defence will not prejudice the outcome of the IR by speculating on any recommendations it may make. Pensions for Service Personnel are linked to their pay and length of service. Thus, Service Personnel dismissed or discharged in respect of their sexuality retained their accrued pension rights and are, therefore, out of scope of the IR.
The MOD’s priority now is to understand the full impact of the historic ban and find appropriate ways to address the wrongs of the past, where possible.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will investigate for what reasons records of investigations and dismissals into Armed Forces service people accused of homosexual conduct were deleted in 2010.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The historic policy prohibiting homosexuality in the armed forces was wrong and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) deeply regrets LGBT+ members serving in Defence suffered injustice as a consequence. The LGBT Veterans Independent Review (IR), co-commissioned by the MOD and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, launched its Call for Evidence (CfE) on 15 July 2022, where it sought testimony from those impacted by the Armed Force’s pre-2000 policy that homosexuality was incompatible with service in the armed forces. As part of this CfE, a testimonial referred to an accusation that in 2010 Service Police records relating to investigations where criminalised homosexuality was a factor had been deleted.
Service Police investigative records are routinely and lawfully destroyed, typically between three and 10 years after the offence is reported, in line with data protection legislation and MOD policy. Once records no longer have an investigative value there is no basis for retaining them, particularly as they contain sensitive personal information. Personal data contained in service records pre-dating 25 May 2018 were protected and processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Data processed subsequent to this date is processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. In 2010 and 2011, in line with Government policy agreed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), the Home Office (HO), and Ministry of Justice (MOJ), the MOD enacted policy to destroy legacy police investigative records concerning decriminalised sexual offences so that historical decriminalised convictions would not show up on criminal record checks of Service Personnel. This was lawful, fully in line with appropriate Government policy on data protection, and mirrored Government policy in civilian life.
As part of the IR, the MOD have examined historic records and the policies and decisions made in relation to the retention of those records. We have found that the Single Services correctly followed policies and processes concerning the removal of records, in line with data protection legislation and government policy agreed with the ACPO and led by the HO and the MOJ. As the matter has been subject of an investigation within MOD as part of the IR, and to avoid prejudicing any recommendations stemming from the ongoing IR, there are no current plans to publish any documentation related to the decision of the Defence Police Chief’s Forum in 2010 to implement the government policy at the time
As the records no longer exist, it is not possible to quantify how many records have been destroyed. However, whilst Defence cannot give a precise figure for the number of veterans who had their records destroyed, I can advise that almost all such police investigative records concerning gay and lesbian personnel before 2000 have been destroyed.
The question of compensation, admissions of fault, and other such corrective and compensatory measures is a matter for the ongoing IR. Defence will not prejudice the outcome of the IR by speculating on any recommendations it may make. Pensions for Service Personnel are linked to their pay and length of service. Thus, Service Personnel dismissed or discharged in respect of their sexuality retained their accrued pension rights and are, therefore, out of scope of the IR.
The MOD’s priority now is to understand the full impact of the historic ban and find appropriate ways to address the wrongs of the past, where possible.