Written Statements

Wednesday 28th June 2023 Written Statements

Wednesday 28 June 2023

Civil Service Live Training Events

Wednesday 28th June 2023 Written Statements

[The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Jeremy Quin)]

I am pleased to update the House on Civil Service Live, the Government’s annual, cross-Department series of training events to improve the skills available to public servants. These conferences give civil servants professional development opportunities to meet, learn from each other and share that learning across the civil service.

The threefold aim of Civil Service Live is to “educate, engage, and empower” staff in order that they can better support the Government’s work to deliver services for communities across the UK, for instance by sharing innovative ways of working, learning new skills including in the use of data and developing digital public services or developing a better understanding of the way in which the system of government functions. We work with the Scottish Government and Welsh Government on these events.

Having begun on 7 June in Newcastle, Civil Service Live events have taken place or are due to take place across the United Kingdom. Over 5,000 officials of all kinds who work for the Government have gathered in dedicated events in Newcastle on 7 June, Glasgow on 15 June, in Belfast on 22 June, and in Exeter yesterday.

This year’s programme of events will conclude with sessions in Manchester on 11 July, Cardiff on 13 July, and London on 18 and 19 July.

By the time all the sessions are concluded, I expect that as many as 20,000 civil servants will have taken part. We believe it is one of the largest learning events in Europe. As part of the evaluation measures we use, over 80% of attendees to date have said that they will do something differently with the information they have gained at the event, making a tangible difference to how our civil servants deliver public services.

[HCWS892]

Astute Replacement Programme: Contingent Liability

Wednesday 28th June 2023 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Ben Wallace)]

I am today laying a departmental minute to advise that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has received approval from His Majesty’s Treasury to recognise new contingent liabilities associated with the detailed design and long lead items contract with BAE Systems for the ship submersible nuclear AUKUS (known as “SSN-A”).

The departmental minute describes the contingent liabilities that the MOD will hold as part of the SSN-A programme. Negotiations are ongoing and the contingent liabilities will come into force on signature of the contract.

Our key industry partner for submarine construction, BAE Systems (BAES), has requested indemnities in addition to those set out within pre-approved Defence contractual conditions to provide financial provision should the MOD decide to terminate the detailed design and long lead items contract or not award a follow-on contract with BAES. Both scenarios are highly remote as they would adversely impact support to the continuous at-sea deterrent, a top Defence strategic priority.

The attachment can be viewed online at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2023-06-28/HCWS887/.

[HCWS887]

Armed Forces Personal Accident Insurance Scheme: Contingent Liability

Wednesday 28th June 2023 Written Statements

[The Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families (Dr Andrew Murrison)]

I have today laid a departmental minute to advise that the Department has entered into an agreement with its subcontracted personal accident insurer to enable continuation of personal accident insurance cover for around 60,000 policyholders before the expiry of the existing arrangement on 31 May 2023. This has ensured that our armed forces and civil servants deployed on operations continue to be able to take out personal accident insurance at reasonable premiums under the personal accident and optional life and critical illness insurance scheme (PAL Protect).

There have been times when service personnel have experienced difficulty in obtaining commercial personal accident or life insurance cover similar to that available to the general public due to the nature of their employment and the war risks associated with conflict situations. In keeping with the armed forces covenant, the Ministry of Defence is committed to ensuring that service personnel are not disadvantaged in their ability to access privately arranged personal accident and life insurance due to their employment. That is why this contract is so important; to make sure that our people have that option available to them.

The contingent liability would be for those injuries resulting from war or terrorism which are beyond the scheme provider’s contractual responsibilities. The PAL Protect scheme will ensure that Government intervention is minimised to only addressing the specific gaps in market cover arising from the potential large-scale risks resulting from war or terrorism. The contingent liability will be required for the duration of the contract.



The attachment can be viewed online at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2023-06-28/HCWS890/.

[HCWS890]

Local Government Pension Scheme: Academy Guarantee Extension

Wednesday 28th June 2023 Written Statements

[The Minister for Schools (Nick Gibb)]

The Department for Education has extended the local government pension scheme academy guarantee to include academy trust outsourced contracts—for example, outsourced catering services.

This extension will help academy trusts by reducing the costs of their outsourced contracts—for example, by lowering set-up costs, simplifying administrative processes and removing the requirement for a bond.

Detailed guidance on the extension has been published on gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-and-local-government-pension-scheme-liabilities/dfe-local-government-pension-scheme-guarantee-for-academy-trusts-pensions-policy-for-outsourcing-arrangements

[HCWS888]

Mental Health In-patient Services: Improving Safety

Wednesday 28th June 2023 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Steve Barclay)]

I refer hon. Members to the oral statement I will make in the House today, 28 June 2023, on improving safety in mental health in-patient services.

[HCWS889]

Holocaust Memorial: Forecast Cost

Wednesday 28th June 2023 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (Felicity Buchan)]

On 23 February, the Holocaust Memorial Bill had its First Reading in the House of Commons. Subject to Parliament’s approval of the Bill, and subject also to the granting of planning consent, the Government will proceed to construct a fitting memorial to the 6 million Jewish men, women and children murdered in the holocaust and all other victims of the Nazis and their collaborators.

Ahead of Second Reading of the Bill, I wish to update the House on the forecast costs for completion of the proposed holocaust memorial. Delays to the programme arising from the High Court challenge, together with the effects of construction price inflation, mean that forecast costs have increased since the estimates made in July 2021. Our current estimate of total costs to completion (excluding contingency) is set out in the table below. We expect that charitable donations will cover at least £25 million of these costs.

The memorial at Victoria Tower Gardens will help the whole nation to reflect on the importance of the holocaust and the lessons it holds for us today.