Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the gov.uk news story of 11 May 2022, Insolvency Service transitions to regional hubs as part of efficiency drive, whether his Department will offer the option of homeworking to mitigate potential redundancies for staff based in Insolvency Service offices that are due to be closed.
Answered by Paul Scully
In order to support employees moving to a new regional centre location, the Insolvency Service will be exploring with each employee what adjustments can be made to their working arrangements to support their move. The Insolvency Service offers a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the gov.uk news story of 11 May 2022, Insolvency Service transitions to regional hubs as part of efficiency drive, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of redundancies as a result of Insolvency Service office closures.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Insolvency Service announced its transforming workplaces strategy on 11 May 2022. It is not the intention of that strategy to reduce workforce numbers either by redundancy or otherwise.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many and what proportion of Insolvency Service staff started but did not complete Insolvency Service Investigator Programme training in each of the last three years; and what the associated costs were.
Answered by Paul Scully
The number of Insolvency Service staff beginning but not completing the investigator programme over the last three years was:
YEAR | NO OF LEARNERS ENROLLED | NO OF LEARNERS LEAVING WITHOUT COMPLETION | % | COST (£) |
2019/20 | 128 | 45 | 35 | 85,131 |
2020/21 | 74 | 9 | 12 | 38,214 |
2021/22 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much his Department has spent on Insolvency Service Investigator Programme training for staff in the Insolvency Service in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Paul Scully
Spending on the Insolvency Service’s investigator programme over the last 3 years was:
YEAR | SPEND (£) |
2019/2020 | 242,151 |
2020/2021 | 314,213 |
2021/2022 | 115,336 |
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the gov.uk news story of 11 May 2022, Insolvency Service transitions to regional hubs as part of efficiency drive, what estimate his Department has made of the potential cost of (a) recruitment, (b) training and (c) development that will be required to replace staff as a result of the decision to close Insolvency Service offices.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Insolvency Service announced its transforming workplaces strategy on 11 May 2022. It is not the intention of that strategy to reduce workforce numbers either by redundancy or otherwise.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he will make an assessment of any factors that may impact LPG supply in Scotland; and if he will take steps to work with all parties to ensure taxi drivers in Scotland have sufficient access to LPG fuel.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The supply of LPG remains sufficient to meet demand across the UK. BEIS works closely with industry to monitor the LPG supply position throughout the year and proactively take steps to mitigate any risks that may affect distribution to customers and essential services.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has plans to transfer shared service matrix cluster (a) staff and (b) work out of (i) UK Shared Business Services and (ii) Shared Services Connected Ltd to a new provider.
Answered by George Freeman
The Matrix shared services cluster will create a single shared service centre with a single technology and a single service provider, in line with the Government Shared Services Strategy. Current plans are that the Matrix shared services cluster will be formed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Trade, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Cabinet Office in a first wave of rapid adopters, followed by the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Attorney General’s Office, and HM Treasury.
A programme team has been put in place to develop a business case and secure a budget for the implementation of the shared service centre for the cluster. Until a budget is secured, and a business case approved, any figures or options are only tentative and subject to finalising the scope and approach for the programme. Current options being considered include in-sourcing, UK Shared Business Services as provider and using a new provider. The business case will explore the merits of the options in line with standard Government practice, so all options remain a possibility, including those listed above.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of in-sourcing shared services within the shared service matrix cluster.
Answered by George Freeman
The Matrix shared services cluster will create a single shared service centre with a single technology and a single service provider, in line with the Government Shared Services Strategy. Current plans are that the Matrix shared services cluster will be formed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Trade, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Cabinet Office in a first wave of rapid adopters, followed by the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Attorney General’s Office, and HM Treasury.
A programme team has been put in place to develop a business case and secure a budget for the implementation of the shared service centre for the cluster. Until a budget is secured, and a business case approved, any figures or options are only tentative and subject to finalising the scope and approach for the programme. Following recent engagement with Trade Unions, we are working with them to discuss the merits of in-sourcing as an option, in line with standard Government practice.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the options available for the future of shared services within the shared service matrix cluster; and whether those proposals are being developed in accordance with the Cabinet Office Sourcing Playbook.
Answered by George Freeman
The Matrix shared service cluster will create a single shared service centre with a single technology and a single service provider, in line with the Government Shared Services Strategy. Current plans are that the Matrix shared services cluster will be formed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Trade, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Cabinet Office in a first wave of rapid adopters, followed by the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Attorney General’s Office. and HM Treasury.
A programme team has been put in place to develop a business case and secure a budget for the implementation of the shared service centre for the cluster. Until a budget is secured and a business case approved, any figures or options are only tentative and subject to finalising the scope and approach for the programme. Current options being considered include in-sourcing, UK Shared Business Services as provider or using a new provider. The preferred option will be determined by its merit in line with standard Government practice, including Cabinet Office Sourcing Playbook when relevant.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which Departments within the shared service matrix cluster does Shared Services Connected Ltd provide shared services for.
Answered by George Freeman
Shared Services Connect Ltd provides services for one department within the Matrix cluster, which is the Cabinet Office.