Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the difference in salaries and fees between different professions on the number of professional engineering and science students choosing to work for government departments and agencies; and whether they intend to revise their policy in the light of that impact.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The government do not currently collect this information and so has not made an assessment of this kind.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what data they collect regarding salaries and fees paid by government departments and agencies to professional engineers and scientists; and what assessment they have made of the comparison between these salaries and fees and those paid by government departments and agencies to financial and legal professionals.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
Data on government scientist and engineer salaries are currently held by departmental HR teams. The data on salaries have not been collated centrally, and no such assessment has been made.
In October 2016, the GSE profession published its five year plan. This includes an action plan on Reward and Recognition that will include comparison between departmental practices which will be taken forward by a cross-government working group. They will be working closely with the Cabinet Office Civil Service Employment & Pay (CSEP) team, who will assist with the data collection involved and any benchmarking against industry and academia.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many references to <i>Pepper v Hart</i> have been made in ministerial statements in the House of Lords.
Answered by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen
The Government does not hold this information. Information on Parliament and Ministerial Statements can be accessed online using the Hansard service.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average training period for graduates newly appointed to the UK civil service, and whether that training includes learning about UK government and history.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The Civil Service graduate programme is known as the Fast Stream and its average training period is up to four years. The Fast Stream core curriculum includes learning about UK Government and history and the central induction for Fast Streamers also has activities relating to this topic. Graduates can also enter the civil service via direct appointment without being part of a formal training scheme. Those who do so have access to a wide range of training options, including how the UK government operates.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what their current plans are to improve and extend the training of entering civil servants following changes to in-house training over the past 10 years; what plans they have to use universities to help provide training for civil servants; and whether they will encourage specialised agencies and departments to provide their own training or to outsource it where appropriate.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
There is a comprehensive induction programme for all new civil servants which was introduced in 2015, as well as department and role specific development provided by each department. Senior external recruits also have opportunities to hear from senior officials, network with their peers and get access to a mentor or buddy as part of their induction. As with every learning and development programme, the content and approach to induction is continually reviewed to ensure that it meets current and future needs.
Civil Service Learning (CSL) provides a core suite of learning for all civil servants, for example on leadership and management. The learning and development providers working with CSL are based around consortia containing universities and their business schools. MIT and Cranfield University are helping to develop the curriculum for the Senior Civil Service, and the Open University is a key partner in delivering learning for all other grades. They have also worked with the London School of Economics on a Policy Masters.
Whilst CSL provides learning that meets the needs of all civil servants, specialised agencies and departments do provide their own training. Examples include the Diplomatic Academy run by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and HMRC’s Tax Academy. Professions also provide their own training – for example through the Commercial College and the Government Finance Academy. This provision represents a mix of internal delivery and outsourcing. CSL provides support and guidance on good practice to departments and professions.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to improve the co-ordination of training of United Kingdom civil servants with those in European Union and European Economic Area countries.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
Civil Service HR co-ordinates training to provide for UK Civil Servants working in, or who need a working knowledge of, the EU and European Economic Area countries.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to introduce co-ordinated training for civil servants at all levels in the central, devolved and regional governments and major government agencies, in order to improve how different branches of government collaborate.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
All civil servants across UK have access to e-learning, online resources and classroom courses via Civil Service Learning. These allow civil servants at all levels in central, devolved and regional governments and major government agencies, to work and learn together.
In addition, for senior leaders, there are several academies within Government such as the Commissioning Academy and the Major Projects Leadership Academy, which bring together leaders from across the public sector and support their collaboration.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, when purchasing vehicles for use by government departments, what criteria they apply regarding whether to purchase petrol- or diesel- fuelled cars.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
Public sector procurers are required to seek value for money through fair and open competition and Government will always award contracts on the basis of the best value for money for the taxpayer.
Crown Commercial Service manages a framework agreement for the supply of diesel, petrol and electric powered vehicles which Government departments use to meet their vehicle requirements.
Departments decide which fuel is most appropriate based on their individual requirements including whole life costs and may access advice and guidance from Crown Commercial Service as appropriate.