Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the rise in the yields on 30-year gilts to 5.38 per cent on whether they will be able to meet their fiscal rules in future.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government does not comment on specific financial market movements. Gilt yields are determined by a wide range of international and domestic factors, and it is normal for the yields of gilts to fluctuate when there are wider movements in the global financial markets.
The Chancellor has commissioned the Office for Budget Responsibility for an updated economic and fiscal forecast for the 26th of March, which will incorporate the latest data.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the rise in the yields on 30-year gilts to 5.38 per cent on future changes to taxation and public expenditure.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government does not comment on specific financial market movements. Gilt yields are determined by a wide range of international and domestic factors, and it is normal for the yields of gilts to fluctuate when there are wider movements in the global financial markets.
The Chancellor has commissioned the Office for Budget Responsibility for an updated economic and fiscal forecast for the 26th of March, which will incorporate the latest data.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the rise in the yields on 30-year gilts to 5.38 per cent, their highest point since 1998, and of the effect of this on sterling.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government does not comment on specific financial market movements. Gilt yields and the value of sterling are determined by a wide range of international and domestic factors, and it is normal for the price of sterling and the yields of gilts to fluctuate when there are wider movements in the global financial markets.
The Chancellor has commissioned the Office for Budget Responsibility for an updated economic and fiscal forecast for the 26th of March, which will incorporate the latest data.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether and how they expect the plans for NHS reform announced by the Prime Minister on 6 January to improve per capita productivity in the health sector; and from which local examples of good practice these plans draw.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has now published its plan, Reforming elective care for patients, to tackle the National Health Service waiting lists. This plan sets out the reform and productivity efforts needed to ensure that patients are seen on time and have the best possible experience during their care, so that we can return to the NHS constitutional standard that 92% of patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral. A copy of the plan is attached.
It prioritises reforms that help deliver a system which is not just better for patients but also more productive in every pound spent, for example, through cutting down on missed or unnecessary appointments.
The plan focusses on learning from best practice already in the system and includes a number of case studies that display examples of where trusts have made services more productive to improve the outcomes and experiences of their patients, for example, South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre’s use of surgical hubs or the use of primary and secondary care interface working at Berkshire West.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what has been the total cost of the Department for Work and Pensions' pension credit advertising campaigns since 5 July.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Paid marketing activity to promote Pension Credit across Great Britain began on 16 September and has included TV and video on demand; radio; national and regional press; paid social media and website adverts; GP and Post Office screens; train panels; digital street displays; podcasts; and a partnership with ITV regional weather. The most recent phase of the activity is aimed at friends and family who can encourage and support older relatives and friends to apply.
Since 5 July, the total spent on the Pension Credit campaign is £3.3m.
This activity is alongside our continuing work with key stakeholders such as voluntary organisations, energy companies, pension providers, the Money and Pensions Service, other UK Government departments, the Devolved Governments, local councils, housing associations, community groups, local libraries, and influencers.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 September (HC4696), which efficiency savings for the financial years 2024–25 and 2025–26 announced before the 2024 general election have been discontinued since that time, and what was the previously estimated value of each such saving.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Departments are responsible for managing their budgets and delivering efficiency savings, both those in plans from the previous government, and those announced by the new government. Departments are not currently mandated to publish their efficiency savings.
The previous government did not publish a line by line breakdown of specific efficiency savings for 24-25 or 25-26.
The government has secured £5.5 billion of savings in 2024-25 rising to £8.1 billion in 2025-26. That means it has already managed down the £21.9 billion spending pressure to £16.4 billion.
At the recent Spending Review for 2025-26 the government set a 2% target for efficiency, productivity and savings for all departments. The Government will set out its further plans on efficiencies in the multi-year Spending Review that will conclude Spring 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the proposed eight consolidated Local Government Pension Scheme megafunds, announced in the Chancellor’s Mansion House speech, will be able to invest overseas; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposals on UK infrastructure.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 14 November, we published a consultation on proposals to strengthen Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) pooling arrangements, including by mandating pooling of all LGPS assets and minimum standards for LGPS asset pools, in line with international best practice. The consultation does not include proposals to consolidate or merge LGPS funds. LGPS administering authorities would remain responsible for setting a high-level investment strategy, with the implementation of that strategy delegated to their asset pool.
The government believes that completing the consolidation of LGPS assets will enable delivery of the full benefits of scale and support UK growth, including through greater capacity and expertise to invest in alternative asset classes such as UK infrastructure. LGPS members’ pensions and benefits are not affected by the proposals as they are protected and guaranteed in statute and are not affected by the performance of investments.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria will be used to decide how 86 Local Government Pension Scheme funds will be consolidated, as announced in the Chancellor’s Mansion House speech; and how the interests of pensioners will be protected when doing so.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 14 November, we published a consultation on proposals to strengthen Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) pooling arrangements, including by mandating pooling of all LGPS assets and minimum standards for LGPS asset pools, in line with international best practice. The consultation does not include proposals to consolidate or merge LGPS funds. LGPS administering authorities would remain responsible for setting a high-level investment strategy, with the implementation of that strategy delegated to their asset pool.
The government believes that completing the consolidation of LGPS assets will enable delivery of the full benefits of scale and support UK growth, including through greater capacity and expertise to invest in alternative asset classes such as UK infrastructure. LGPS members’ pensions and benefits are not affected by the proposals as they are protected and guaranteed in statute and are not affected by the performance of investments.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to request an updated Financial Stability Report from the Financial Policy Committee which would assess the cost of servicing the UK’s Government debt following the Autumn 2024 Budget.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
At the Budget, the Government took tough decisions on tax, spending and welfare to repair the public finances and restore Britain’s economic stability. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts borrowing to fall every year of the forecast, from 4.5% of GDP in 2024-25 to 2.1% of GDP in 2029-30. The Government has confirmed robust fiscal rules to put the public finances on a sustainable path.
The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) is the UK’s macroprudential authority. Twice per year, the FPC publishes a Financial Stability Report (FSR) setting out its view on the stability of the UK financial system and what it is doing to remove or reduce any risks to it. The latest FSR, published on 29 November 2024, covers developments since June.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 21 October (HL1278), what is the most recent estimate of how many days a week Office for National Statistics (ONS) staff attend the office on average, expressed as percentage of staff attending their assigned workplace over an average working week, or closest equivalent metric; and what plans ONS has to increase that average attendance rate.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.
The Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
1 November 2024
Dear Baroness Neville-Rolfe,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 21 October (HL1278), what is the most recent estimate of how many days a week Office for National Statistics (ONS) staff attend the office on average, expressed as percentage of staff attending their assigned workplace over an average working week, or closest equivalent metric; and what plans ONS has to increase that average attendance rate (HL2117).
The ONS collects attendance data for each of our sites on a weekly basis. Table 1 shows the average daily number of individuals as a percentage against our headcount who have attended each office in the last four weeks for which data are available. Individuals who attend regularly will appear in this data on each day they attend an office.
It should be noted that, while our general office attendance expectation is 40% of working time in line with our estate’s capacity, this is currently set at 20% in Manchester and Darlington and has only recently been increased to 40% in Edinburgh. Additional flexibilities have been extended to colleagues where genuinely required, including a period of further adjustment which ended in October.
In addition, PCS has entered into formal dispute with the ONS in relation to these attendance expectations, taking action short of strike in the form of non-compliance with the requirements. There are currently 1161 PCS members employed by the ONS.
The ONS remains committed to office attendance and various initiatives are underway to increase the diversity and value of in-person interactions. Following our announcement in November 2023, we launched events scheduled throughout 2024 with a greater focus on in-person events. This has included an increase in the number of face-to-face ‘in conversation with the National Statistician’ events, leadership events with the Grade 6 and Grade 7 community, and the start of new site-focused events that aim to bring colleagues together and create a better community across our office locations.
With our extended flexibility provisions period ending, we would naturally expect to see some increase in office attendance. However, as trade unions have achieved a mandate to prolong action short of a strike this could continue to impact office attendance for a further period.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Sir Ian Diamond
Table 1: Average daily ONS office location attendance as a rounded percentage by week, from week beginning 16 September 2024[1].
| Newport | Titchfield | London | Darlington | Manchester | Edinburgh |
Week beginning 16/09/2024 | 17% | 17% | 18% | 8% | 5% | Less than 5% |
Week beginning 23/09/2024 | 16% | 19% | 17% | 7% | Less than 5% | 12% |
Week beginning 30/09/2024 | 17% | 17% | 18% | 7% | 6% | Less than 5% |
Week beginning 07/10/2024 | 16% | 18% | 20% | Less than 5% | 5% | Less than 5% |
Source: Office for National Statistics
[1]Where figures are less than 5% or not available, the specific number has been suppressed to protect the confidentiality of colleagues in line with our data policy.