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Written Question
Department for Education: Health and Safety
Thursday 29th February 2024

Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to comply with principle (d) of schedule 1 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

The department is an inclusive employer that is committed to ensuring that any employee requiring an adjustment is treated fairly and has equal opportunities.

The department’s provision of workplace adjustments includes assessing individual needs on a case-by-case basis. These assessments lead to the provision of physical adjustments, such as chairs or desks, to neurodiversity adjustments such as coaching, to the provision of transport and to varying assessments that recommend tools or adjustments that can support individuals in their roles. In addition, the department provides flexible working approaches and encourages employees to utilise the department’s occupational health provider where required.

Where recommendations are received as a result of occupational health or other medical providers, the department works with employees and line managers to put in place all reasonable adjustments. In addition, the department follows the Government Workplace Guide where possible.


Written Question
Department for Education: Health and Safety
Wednesday 21st February 2024

Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether all (a) buildings and (b) workplaces staff from their Department occupy have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment under Section 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)

All buildings occupied by the department have suitable and sufficient risk assessments in place as per the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requirements.

Where the Government Property Agency are the asset owners, they also maintain building risk assessments.


Written Question
Department for Education: Access to Work Programme
Thursday 22nd June 2023

Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether an Access to Work scheme has been implemented in their Department.

Answered by Nick Gibb

In common with all Civil Service Departments, the Department has equivalent arrangements in place of the Access to Work scheme.


Written Question
Department for Education: Holiday Leave
Monday 15th May 2023

Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications of the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling in the 2017 case of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council v Willetts & Ors for the calculation of holiday pay entitlement for staff in her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department has assessed the potential implications, for staff in the department, of the 2017 Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling in the case of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council v Willetts & Others for the calculation of holiday pay entitlement and is compliant.


Written Question
Department for Education: Disability
Friday 3rd March 2023

Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps they have taken in their Department to operate the Disability Confident employer scheme for those seeking a lateral transfer; and how many and what proportion of candidates who declared themselves as having a disability and who applied under that scheme where (a) interviewed and (b) laterally transferred in (i) 2021 and (ii) 2022.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) leader, achieved through participating in a range of actions to support staff who have disabilities. This includes programmes to help support career progression, such as ‘Beyond Boundaries’, a cross-Government development programme ‘Power of Choice’, an internal development programme, and actions specific to recruitment, such as guidance to ensure the language in job adverts avoids creating extra barriers and automatic interviews for those who reach the minimum pass mark at sift.

Data on the number of internal candidates who have declared a disability and progressed in a recruitment round is below.

2021

2022

Number of internal applicants who applied under DCS on lateral transfer and who were invited to interview

41 (44%)

66 (51%)

Number of internal applicants who applied under DCS on lateral transfer and who were successful

12 (30%)

22 (33%)


Written Question
Department for Education: Disability
Thursday 2nd March 2023

Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps they have taken to operate a disability confident scheme for those seeking promotion in their Department; and how many and what proportion of those candidates who declared themselves as having a disability and who applied under the scheme were (a) interviewed and (b) promoted in (i) 2021 and (ii) 2022.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) leader, achieved through investment in a range of actions to support staff who have disabilities.

This includes programmes to help support career progression (including ‘Beyond Boundaries’, a cross-government development programme and ‘Power of Choice’, an internal development programme) and actions specific to recruitment, (such as guidance to ensure the language in job adverts avoids creating extra barriers and automatic interviews for those who reach the minimum pass mark at sift).

Data on the number of internal candidates who have applied under the scheme and progressed in a recruitment is below.

2021

2022

Number of internal applicants who applied under DCS

414

702

Number of internal applicants who applied under DCS and on promotion who were invited to interview

162 (39%)

199 (28%)

Number of internal applicants who applied under DCS and on promotion who were promoted

64 (15%)

68 (10%)


Written Question
Department for Education: Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992
Tuesday 7th February 2023

Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps their Department takes to comply with section 181 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992; and if they will make a statement.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department meets with its recognised Trade Unions, PCS, Prospect and FDA, on a monthly basis. The Department shares a range of information and data, where appropriate and in line with privacy statements. This is in addition to any information published on GOV.UK. This approach helps to inform decision making through formal negotiation, meaningful consultation, and engagement. This also ensures the Department is fully compliant with Section 181 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.


Written Question
Department for Education: Conditions of Employment
Friday 3rd February 2023

Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if they will take steps to (a) publish an equality impact assessment and (b) consult with trade unions when proposing new HR policies for their Department; and if they will make a statement.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department conducts an equality impact assessment and consults with its recognised trade unions for all new HR policies and amendments to existing HR policies.


Written Question
Department for Education: Holiday Leave
Friday 3rd February 2023

Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has notified staff to (a) tell or (b) remind them that they can sell annual leave in the last four months.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department’s current annual leave policy does not include the option to buy and sell annual leave.


Written Question
Department for Education: Equality
Monday 30th January 2023

Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure her Department complies with section 2.1.6 of the Civil Service Management Code; and whether that monitoring data gathered is shared with union representatives.

Answered by Nick Gibb

The Department considers the impact of its workforce policies and processes by routinely carrying out Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs). The Department discusses the impact of changes to internal policies with the Departmental Trade Union Side (DTUS), and considers their comments when finalising EQIAs. 2.1.6 of the Civil Service Management Code does not place an obligation on Departments to share this information with their representative trade unions.

The Department has data dashboards, including a Diversity and Inclusion Dashboard updated quarterly, to facilitate monitoring of trends regarding Human Resources activity and protected characteristics.

The Diversity and Inclusion Dashboard is available to all Departmental staff, including trade union representatives.

The Department shares data with DTUS which is relevant to the areas being discussed with them each month, or following ad hoc requests.