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Written Question
Vetting
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how delays in Developed Vetting clearances are communicated to (a) people and (b) Departments affected; and what steps his Department is taking to help manage the operational impact of such delays.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The National Audit Office (NAO) investigation into the performance of UK Security Vetting published in January 2023 and the subsequent Public Accounts Committee in February 2023 identified that United Kingdom Security Vetting’s (UKSV) performance was affected by a range of issues including rising customer demand. The demand increased as the employment landscape grew following national lockdowns. Societal pressures and wider events (including conflict in Ukraine) also added to the demand impact.

In 2023, UKSV implemented a stabilisation programme which included an increase in headcount. Under Ministerial direction, UKSV prioritised the recovery of initial Developed Vetting turnaround times, followed by Security Check and Counter Terrorist Check turnaround times. These first two targets were met on time and are now being processed within agreed timescales with a focus on supporting recruitment. UKSV is currently focussing efforts to maintain the performance of these and is making good progress to meet the third target to recover the turnaround times of Developed Vetting review cases.

Departments and relevant Ministers receive regular updates on UKSV’s performance through governance boards and from the UKSV Customer Management Team. Sponsored individuals undergoing a clearance application are able to obtain updates relevant to their own application from the UKSV helpdesk.

The security of our people, assets and information is a Government priority. UKSV are working with departments to better forecast demand and working on both efficiency and technology solutions to maintain long term stability. Furthermore, there is a clear and robust policy in place to support departments in ensuring their employees and contractors are security cleared to the appropriate level based on the information they need to access for their role.

Though often concurrent, National Security Vetting (NSV) is distinct from recruitment processes and only required in some roles.

In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters.


Written Question
Vetting
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to support departments to manage (a) workforce planning and (b) recruitment processes affected by the time taken to complete Developed Vetting clearances.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The National Audit Office (NAO) investigation into the performance of UK Security Vetting published in January 2023 and the subsequent Public Accounts Committee in February 2023 identified that United Kingdom Security Vetting’s (UKSV) performance was affected by a range of issues including rising customer demand. The demand increased as the employment landscape grew following national lockdowns. Societal pressures and wider events (including conflict in Ukraine) also added to the demand impact.

In 2023, UKSV implemented a stabilisation programme which included an increase in headcount. Under Ministerial direction, UKSV prioritised the recovery of initial Developed Vetting turnaround times, followed by Security Check and Counter Terrorist Check turnaround times. These first two targets were met on time and are now being processed within agreed timescales with a focus on supporting recruitment. UKSV is currently focussing efforts to maintain the performance of these and is making good progress to meet the third target to recover the turnaround times of Developed Vetting review cases.

Departments and relevant Ministers receive regular updates on UKSV’s performance through governance boards and from the UKSV Customer Management Team. Sponsored individuals undergoing a clearance application are able to obtain updates relevant to their own application from the UKSV helpdesk.

The security of our people, assets and information is a Government priority. UKSV are working with departments to better forecast demand and working on both efficiency and technology solutions to maintain long term stability. Furthermore, there is a clear and robust policy in place to support departments in ensuring their employees and contractors are security cleared to the appropriate level based on the information they need to access for their role.

Though often concurrent, National Security Vetting (NSV) is distinct from recruitment processes and only required in some roles.

In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters.


Written Question
Electronic Government: Proof of Identity
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide an update on their Gov.uk 'One Login' programme; and what is the programme’s plan of work over the next year.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The GOV.UK One Login system is fully operational providing a simple and secure way for people to access government services online.

Users can create an account, login and prove (and then reuse) their identity - through either a web-based journey, smartphone app or in-person route - to access an initial set of 30 government services. This includes important services such as ‘Request a Disclosure and Barring Service Basic Check’ and ‘Apply for an HM Armed Forces Veteran Card’. More than 3.8 million people have so far proven their identity through GOV.UK One Login, while its app has been downloaded more than 5 million times. GOV.UK One Login’s customer contact centre and technical service desk are now live.

Further government services - from HMRC to DWP and DVLA - are due to come on board over the next year. GDS will also continue to optimise GOV.UK One Login’s user journeys, for example by broadening the range of documents and evidence that people can use to prove who they are online.


Written Question
Civil Servants: Veterans
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Steve McCabe (Labour - Birmingham, Selly Oak)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what improvements he plans to make to the Veterans’ Gateway.

Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)

This Government has conducted extensive research with veterans and charities to improve the offer to the veteran community.

As a result of this feedback, we will improve access to guides and information by working with the Ministry of Defence and stakeholders to dramatically improve the information on GOV.UK. This will make content more accessible and easier to understand.

We also plan to improve referrals and signposting so veterans can make a more informed decision about where to go to seek help. This will take account of the offers available from both statutory and charitable providers.

A joint assessment with the Ministry of Defence is also underway to consider offline support, ensuring veterans receive the right help as effectively as possible.


Written Question
Foreign Investment in UK: GREAT
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the level of UK investment generated by the GREAT campaign since its re-launch in 2021.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign is the UK’s international brand marketing campaign, which works closely with UK businesses, not-for-profit organisations and high-profile figures to promote the best of the UK abroad. Since 2021/22, the GREAT campaign has had an annual overall budget of circa £60m (2021/22: £60m; 2022/23: £57.12m; and 2023/24: £57.12m). The results of individual GREAT campaigns vary but, on average, externally verified analysis shows £1 of GREAT spend on marketing generates £15 for the UK by encouraging people to visit, study, trade, invest, live and work in the UK.

Encouraging prospective international students to choose to study in UK higher education institutions brings strong return on investment. For example, the GREAT Study UK campaign generated £407m in 2021/22 and £548m in 2022/23 (specifically from international students studying for up to three years in the UK). The 2023/24 results are currently being verified and are expected by June 2024.


Written Question
Foreign Investment in UK: GREAT
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his latest estimate is of the amount of investment that will be generated by the GREAT Study UK campaign.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign is the UK’s international brand marketing campaign, which works closely with UK businesses, not-for-profit organisations and high-profile figures to promote the best of the UK abroad. Since 2021/22, the GREAT campaign has had an annual overall budget of circa £60m (2021/22: £60m; 2022/23: £57.12m; and 2023/24: £57.12m). The results of individual GREAT campaigns vary but, on average, externally verified analysis shows £1 of GREAT spend on marketing generates £15 for the UK by encouraging people to visit, study, trade, invest, live and work in the UK.

Encouraging prospective international students to choose to study in UK higher education institutions brings strong return on investment. For example, the GREAT Study UK campaign generated £407m in 2021/22 and £548m in 2022/23 (specifically from international students studying for up to three years in the UK). The 2023/24 results are currently being verified and are expected by June 2024.


Written Question
GREAT: Costs
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse has been of the GREAT campaign since its re-launch in 2021.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign is the UK’s international brand marketing campaign, which works closely with UK businesses, not-for-profit organisations and high-profile figures to promote the best of the UK abroad. Since 2021/22, the GREAT campaign has had an annual overall budget of circa £60m (2021/22: £60m; 2022/23: £57.12m; and 2023/24: £57.12m). The results of individual GREAT campaigns vary but, on average, externally verified analysis shows £1 of GREAT spend on marketing generates £15 for the UK by encouraging people to visit, study, trade, invest, live and work in the UK.

Encouraging prospective international students to choose to study in UK higher education institutions brings strong return on investment. For example, the GREAT Study UK campaign generated £407m in 2021/22 and £548m in 2022/23 (specifically from international students studying for up to three years in the UK). The 2023/24 results are currently being verified and are expected by June 2024.


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Defamation
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraphs 7.16 and 7.17 of the Ministerial Code, on how many occasions have ministers in his department informed the Law Officers that they are the defendants in a libel action in (a) their personal capacity, (b) their official position and (c) both since 19 December 2019.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As set out in paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code: “The fact that the Law Officers have advised or have not advised and the content of their advice must not be disclosed outside Government without their authority”. As a result, the Government is unable to provide the details requested.


Written Question
Vetting
Monday 18th March 2024

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average wait time for each of the eight levels of security vetting by United Kingdom Security Vetting, from 'Baseline Personnel Security Standard' to 'Enhanced Developed Vetting'.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

As Minister for State at the Cabinet Office I am able to provide a response in relation to National Security Vetting (NSV). UKSV acts as the service provider for NSV across His Majesty’s Government (HMG). NSV remains a separate and distinct process to recruitment and onboarding processes and provides an additional personnel assurance within both public and private sector for roles and projects that require access to the sensitive assets and Protectively Marked Materials (PMM).

The government does not comment on the workings of the NSV process at the strategic or tactical level for security reasons and thereby details of numbers awaiting NSV cannot be shared. However the following information may be useful.

The Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is not a level of NSV, nor conducted by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV); it is a separate pre-employment check conducted locally by recruiting departments. As this is a localised departmental element, no central record of data for BPSS is held within HMG at this time.

Following a stabilisation programme initiated in 2023, there have been sustained and stable improvements in performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPI) across all service levels of National Security Vetting clearances which includes Counter Terrorist Check (CTC), Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV). Across core services:

  • Accreditation Checks (AC), a level of NSV, primarily used by the aviation industry, are being completed in five days or less.

  • The KPIs for both CTC and SC are 25 days, on 29th February 2024 96% of cases were being processed within that time frame.

  • The KPI for DV is 95 days; on 29th February 2024 93.48% of initial DV cases were being processed within that time frame.The Performance Indicator for DV Renewals is also 95 days; on 29th February 2024 13.78% of these cases were being processed within that time frame. However we expect that DV renewals submitted from 1st April 2024 will be delivered within the KPI of 95 days.

The requirements for security cleared roles across HMG vary and are set by individual department and partner agencies dependent on duties and level of access to Protectively Marked Materials (PMM). It is, therefore, not possible to provide confirmation of the performance of NSV in relation to specific roles. In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters, including average actual processing times.


Written Question
Private Sector: Vetting
Monday 18th March 2024

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people employed by the private sector are currently awaiting security vetting by United Kingdom Security Vetting.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

As Minister for State at the Cabinet Office I am able to provide a response in relation to National Security Vetting (NSV). UKSV acts as the service provider for NSV across His Majesty’s Government (HMG). NSV remains a separate and distinct process to recruitment and onboarding processes and provides an additional personnel assurance within both public and private sector for roles and projects that require access to the sensitive assets and Protectively Marked Materials (PMM).

The government does not comment on the workings of the NSV process at the strategic or tactical level for security reasons and thereby details of numbers awaiting NSV cannot be shared. However the following information may be useful.

The Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is not a level of NSV, nor conducted by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV); it is a separate pre-employment check conducted locally by recruiting departments. As this is a localised departmental element, no central record of data for BPSS is held within HMG at this time.

Following a stabilisation programme initiated in 2023, there have been sustained and stable improvements in performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPI) across all service levels of National Security Vetting clearances which includes Counter Terrorist Check (CTC), Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV). Across core services:

  • Accreditation Checks (AC), a level of NSV, primarily used by the aviation industry, are being completed in five days or less.

  • The KPIs for both CTC and SC are 25 days, on 29th February 2024 96% of cases were being processed within that time frame.

  • The KPI for DV is 95 days; on 29th February 2024 93.48% of initial DV cases were being processed within that time frame.The Performance Indicator for DV Renewals is also 95 days; on 29th February 2024 13.78% of these cases were being processed within that time frame. However we expect that DV renewals submitted from 1st April 2024 will be delivered within the KPI of 95 days.

The requirements for security cleared roles across HMG vary and are set by individual department and partner agencies dependent on duties and level of access to Protectively Marked Materials (PMM). It is, therefore, not possible to provide confirmation of the performance of NSV in relation to specific roles. In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters, including average actual processing times.