Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

There is an online booking tool for Core Defra and arm’s length bodies’ staff to use to book workspaces in advance at some office locations (including desks, meeting rooms, and collaboration spaces). It is not a requirement to have the online booking tool in place at all office locations.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Ministry of Justice staff are able to attend an office location without needing to book a desk. This includes our Department’s Arm’s Length Bodies. This approach does not apply to non-operational staff based in the operational estate, which has separate access conditions and processes, due to the security requirements of these sites.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Cabinet Office staff are encouraged to book desks, but it is not mandatory.

Similarly, of the Cabinet Office's arm's length bodies that directly employ their own staff, none mandate booking a desk in order to attend the office in person.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Desk booking is used at the Department’s offices but is not required for office attendance. There are workspaces which do not require booking.

Desk booking is required at certain Arm’s Length Bodies’ workplaces. Employees are asked to book desks prior to attending the office at the UK Health Security Agency, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the Human Tissue Authority, the Care Quality Commission, the NHS Counter Fraud Authority, and the Health Research Authority.

Desk booking is not required at the offices of NHS England, NHS Resolution, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and NHS Blood and Transplant. Desk booking at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the NHS Business Services Authority is required at some of their offices.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Civil servants who work in the Department’s office locations are asked to book a space to work from the office. In 12 buildings this is a booking for a specific desk, and in 3 buildings it is for an unspecified working space on a particular floor within the building.

Desk booking services for arm’s-length bodies within the Department are not centrally held, and would come at disproportionate cost to the Department in producing this information.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Advance desk reservations are encouraged to secure appropriate workspace within Ministry of Defence (MOD) Main Building. Desk booking services for the wider MOD including arm’s length bodies are not centrally held and would come at disproportionate cost to the Department in producing this information.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Office employs a desk booking system for its offices in London and Belfast. This must be used to book desks in advance of intended attendance, or on the same day. Information on desk booking services for arm’s length bodies, which are not co-located in the department's two main offices, is not centrally held.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

No.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Staff within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) are not currently required to book or schedule attendance at the office, although individual teams may have their own arrangements to meet business needs.

The FCDO does not book desks for arm's length bodies. Desk booking services for these bodies are not centrally held and would come at a disproportionate cost to the department in producing this information.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Civil servants who work in the Department’s office locations are asked to book a space to work from the office. In 16 buildings this is a booking for a specific desk, and in 3 buildings it is for an unspecified working space on a particular floor within the building.

Desk booking services for arm’s-length bodies within the Department are not centrally held, and would come at disproportionate cost to the Department in producing this information.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS staff are encouraged to book a desk to guarantee a work setting whilst working at our London HQ. Other non bookable work settings are also available for staff to use. Desk booking is not currently implemented at any other DCMS office location.

Desk booking services for arm’s length bodies within DCMS are not centrally held and would come at disproportionate cost to the department in producing this information.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Desk booking systems are in use at several DBT’s offices, including its London headquarters. Except for offices at Caxton House, London, it is not compulsory for people to book a desk for them to attend the office in person.

Arms length bodies have their own individual policies and procedures relating to desk booking.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department currently has a formal digital desk booking tool - in a limited number of locations - which allows colleagues to book a desk in advance of attending the office, if they wish to do so. However, there is no requirement for colleagues to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person. There is no formal desk booking tool in place at the remaining DWP locations.

The Department’s ALBs have their own procedures for booking a desk:

• The Pensions Regulator (TPR)’s office has bookable and non-bookable desks, so while staff can book a desk ahead of time if they wish, it is not necessary to do so to attend the office.
• The majority of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE)’s offices have access to a desk booking service but it is not mandated to attend the office, and the use depends upon local arrangements.
• The Money and Pensions Service (MaPs) uses a desk booking system to enable effective use of the desk space in the office. There is flexibility around use of this system, with colleagues able to use available desks if they haven't booked in advance.
• The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) uses a desk booking system.
• Both the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) and the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) are advisory Arm’s Length Bodies sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and have no employees

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department, via the Government Property Agency as its asset manager, leases a total of thirteen sites, in multi-tenanted buildings, for use by its staff. There is no requirement for staff to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person. All the department’s arm length bodies, bar those classed as Executive Agencies, manage their own respective estates. They have advised that they do not require staff to book a desk in advance in order to attend any of their offices.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

No. There are not any requirements for Attorney General's Office staff to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person.

The Government Legal Department (GLD) has staff based in five sites across the country; 102 Petty France, London; 1 Ruskin Square, Croydon; 7-8 Wellington Place, Leeds; 2 Rivergate, Bristol; and Three New Bailey, Manchester. GLD staff in each of these locations are expected to book a desk using the dedicated desk booking system; client-based legal teams follow local protocols.

HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate books desks for staff attending both their offices through systems run by the GLD for London and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (as the major occupier) for the York office.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has staff based in 37 sites across the country, a full list of which is annexed to this answer. CPS staff in each of these locations are expected to book a desk using the dedicated desk booking system; client-based legal teams follow local protocols.

Staff at the Serious Fraud Office are not required to book a desk in advance to attend the office.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

There are no requirements for civil servants in the Wales Office to book a desk in advance when attending the office workplaces. The Office does not have any arm’s length bodies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

There is no requirement for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend a Department for Transport workplace, including the executive agencies (Active Travel England, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Vehicle Certification Agency). A desk booking application is available for staff attending the DfT offices in Birmingham, Hastings, Leeds, London and Swansea, as well as some of the workplaces operated by agencies and Arms Length Bodies, but employees are not required to use them. Touch-down desks and other working spaces are available for staff who attend these locations without booking a desk.

The Arms Length Bodies sponsored by DfT do not employ civil servants and DfT places no requirement on their staff to book desks to attend workplaces.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Andy Slaughter (Chair); Pam Cox; Linsey Farnsworth; Sir Ashley Fox

Found: _NC30 Sir Ashley Fox Mr Peter Bedford Jim Allister Ellie Chowns Robin Swann Nick Timothy Steve

Found: _NC30 Sir Ashley Fox Mr Peter Bedford Jim Allister Ellie Chowns Robin Swann Nick Timothy Steve

Found: _NC30 Sir Ashley Fox Mr Peter Bedford Jim Allister Ellie Chowns Robin Swann Nick Timothy Steve

Found: _NC30 Sir Ashley Fox Mr Peter Bedford Jim Allister Ellie Chowns Robin Swann Nick Timothy .

Found: committee were: • Peter Bedford (Mid Leicestershire) (Con) • Steve Darling (Torbay) (LD) • Sir Ashley Fox

Found: _NC30 Sir Ashley Fox Mr Peter Bedford Jim Allister Ellie Chowns Robin Swann Nick Timothy ★.