Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of full-time equivalent civil service roles other than Senior Civil Service were located outside London in each quarter from Q2 2020 to Q3 2023.
Answered by John Glen - Shadow Paymaster General
Information on the number of roles, including those vacant, is not available centrally. Only the number of employees ‘in post’ is available.
The number and proportion of full-time equivalent civil servants employed and located in London and outside London between Q1 (March) 2020 and Q3 (September) 2023 is available in Table 1 below, and the number excluding ‘SCS level’ employees can be found in Table 2 below. This data refers to the number of employees ‘in post’ at each reference date. Information for Q2 (June) 2020 is not centrally available. Data has, therefore, been provided for Q1 (March) and Q3 (September) 2020.
Table 1: Number of Civil Servants in London and Outside London, Q1 (Mar) 2020 to Q3 (Sep) 2023
Period | London (FTE) | Outside London (FTE) | Location not reported/ Known (FTE) | Total (FTE) | % FTE Outside London (where location known) |
Q1 (Mar) 2020 | 87,815 | 332,525 | 3,430 | 423,775 | 79.1% |
Q3 (Sep) 2020 | 89,680 | 335,665 | 5,445 | 430,785 | 78.9% |
Q4 (Dec) 2020 | 95,460 | 342,480 | 3,465 | 441,405 | 78.2% |
Q1 (Mar) 2021 | 98,000 | 351,185 | 3,645 | 452,830 | 78.2% |
Q2 (Jun) 2021 | 99,550 | 355,210 | 10,260 | 465,015 | 78.1% |
Q3 (Sep) 2021 | 100,015 | 362,635 | 9,880 | 472,530 | 78.4% |
Q4 (Dec) 2021 | 101,840 | 369,550 | 4,085 | 475,475 | 78.4% |
Q1 (Mar) 2022 | 100,955 | 373,895 | 3,235 | 478,085 | 78.7% |
Q2 (Jun) 2022 | 100,130 | 375,215 | 3,235 | 478,580 | 78.9% |
Q3 (Sep) 2022 | 99,800 | 378,160 | 2,950 | 480,915 | 79.1% |
Q4 (Dec) 2022 | 100,230 | 380,550 | 2,825 | 483,610 | 79.2% |
Q1 (Mar) 2023 | 99,790 | 385,220 | 2,660 | 487,665 | 79.4% |
Q2 (Jun) 2023 | 99,405 | 387,500 | 2,505 | 489,410 | 79.6% |
Q3 (Sep) 2023 | 100.570 | 392,955 | 2,585 | 496,110 | 79.6% |
Sources and notes:
March 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023: Annual Civil Service Employment Survey, Cabinet Office
September/December/June 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023: Quarterly Location Survey, Cabinet Office
Figures include where grade is unknown/unreported
Outside London includes civil servants located overseas.
The increase in unreported location at Q2 and Q3 2021 is mainly attributable to around 7,000 Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) staff being transferred into MOJ (HMPPS) in late June 2021, with the majority being reported with an unknown location at Q2 and Q3 2021.
Table 2: Number of Civil Servants (excluding SCS level) in London and Outside London, Q1 (Mar) 2020 to Q3 (Sep) 2023
Period | London (FTE) | Outside London (FTE) | Location not reported/ Known (FTE) | Total (FTE) | % FTE Outside London (where location known) |
Q1 (Mar) 2020 | 83,810 | 330,320 | 3,415 | 417,545 | 79.8% |
Q3 (Sep) 2020 | 85,585 | 333,510 | 5,165 | 424,255 | 79.6% |
Q4 (Dec) 2020 | 91,065 | 340,075 | 3,450 | 434,590 | 78.9% |
Q1 (Mar) 2021 | 93,475 | 348,680 | 3,620 | 445,775 | 78.9% |
Q2 (Jun) 2021 | 95,185 | 352,810 | 10,240 | 458,235 | 78.8% |
Q3 (Sep) 2021 | 95,630 | 360,130 | 9,850 | 465,610 | 79.0% |
Q4 (Dec) 2021 | 97,445 | 366.765 | 4,045 | 468,250 | 79.0% |
Q1 (Mar) 2022 | 96,625 | 371,250 | 3,215 | 471,090 | 79.3% |
Q2 (Jun) 2022 | 95,840 | 372,525 | 3,210 | 471,580 | 79.5% |
Q3 (Sep) 2022 | 95,355 | 375,315 | 2,925 | 473,600 | 79.7% |
Q4 (Dec) 2022 | 96,000 | 377,780 | 2,810 | 476,590 | 79.7% |
Q1 (Mar) 2023 | 95,530 | 382,355 | 2,645 | 480,525 | 80.0% |
Q2 (Jun) 2023 | 95,200 | 384,615 | 2,490 | 482,305 | 80.2% |
Q3 (Sep) 2023 | 96,335 | 390,070 | 2,570 | 488,980 | 80.2% |
Sources and notes:
March 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023: Annual Civil Service Employment Survey, Cabinet Office
September/December/June 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023: Quarterly Location Survey, Cabinet Office
Figures include where grade is unknown/unreported.
Outside London includes civil servants located overseas.
The increase in unreported location at Q2 and Q3 2021 is mainly attributable to around 7,000 Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) staff being transferred into MOJ (HMPPS) in late June 2021 and with the majority of them not being reported with a known location at Q2 and Q3 2021.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of full-time equivalent civil service roles were located outside London in each quarter from Q2 2020 to Q3 2023.
Answered by John Glen - Shadow Paymaster General
Information on the number of roles, including those vacant, is not available centrally. Only the number of employees ‘in post’ is available.
The number and proportion of full-time equivalent civil servants employed and located in London and outside London between Q1 (March) 2020 and Q3 (September) 2023 is available in Table 1 below, and the number excluding ‘SCS level’ employees can be found in Table 2 below. This data refers to the number of employees ‘in post’ at each reference date. Information for Q2 (June) 2020 is not centrally available. Data has, therefore, been provided for Q1 (March) and Q3 (September) 2020.
Table 1: Number of Civil Servants in London and Outside London, Q1 (Mar) 2020 to Q3 (Sep) 2023
Period | London (FTE) | Outside London (FTE) | Location not reported/ Known (FTE) | Total (FTE) | % FTE Outside London (where location known) |
Q1 (Mar) 2020 | 87,815 | 332,525 | 3,430 | 423,775 | 79.1% |
Q3 (Sep) 2020 | 89,680 | 335,665 | 5,445 | 430,785 | 78.9% |
Q4 (Dec) 2020 | 95,460 | 342,480 | 3,465 | 441,405 | 78.2% |
Q1 (Mar) 2021 | 98,000 | 351,185 | 3,645 | 452,830 | 78.2% |
Q2 (Jun) 2021 | 99,550 | 355,210 | 10,260 | 465,015 | 78.1% |
Q3 (Sep) 2021 | 100,015 | 362,635 | 9,880 | 472,530 | 78.4% |
Q4 (Dec) 2021 | 101,840 | 369,550 | 4,085 | 475,475 | 78.4% |
Q1 (Mar) 2022 | 100,955 | 373,895 | 3,235 | 478,085 | 78.7% |
Q2 (Jun) 2022 | 100,130 | 375,215 | 3,235 | 478,580 | 78.9% |
Q3 (Sep) 2022 | 99,800 | 378,160 | 2,950 | 480,915 | 79.1% |
Q4 (Dec) 2022 | 100,230 | 380,550 | 2,825 | 483,610 | 79.2% |
Q1 (Mar) 2023 | 99,790 | 385,220 | 2,660 | 487,665 | 79.4% |
Q2 (Jun) 2023 | 99,405 | 387,500 | 2,505 | 489,410 | 79.6% |
Q3 (Sep) 2023 | 100.570 | 392,955 | 2,585 | 496,110 | 79.6% |
Sources and notes:
March 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023: Annual Civil Service Employment Survey, Cabinet Office
September/December/June 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023: Quarterly Location Survey, Cabinet Office
Figures include where grade is unknown/unreported
Outside London includes civil servants located overseas.
The increase in unreported location at Q2 and Q3 2021 is mainly attributable to around 7,000 Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) staff being transferred into MOJ (HMPPS) in late June 2021, with the majority being reported with an unknown location at Q2 and Q3 2021.
Table 2: Number of Civil Servants (excluding SCS level) in London and Outside London, Q1 (Mar) 2020 to Q3 (Sep) 2023
Period | London (FTE) | Outside London (FTE) | Location not reported/ Known (FTE) | Total (FTE) | % FTE Outside London (where location known) |
Q1 (Mar) 2020 | 83,810 | 330,320 | 3,415 | 417,545 | 79.8% |
Q3 (Sep) 2020 | 85,585 | 333,510 | 5,165 | 424,255 | 79.6% |
Q4 (Dec) 2020 | 91,065 | 340,075 | 3,450 | 434,590 | 78.9% |
Q1 (Mar) 2021 | 93,475 | 348,680 | 3,620 | 445,775 | 78.9% |
Q2 (Jun) 2021 | 95,185 | 352,810 | 10,240 | 458,235 | 78.8% |
Q3 (Sep) 2021 | 95,630 | 360,130 | 9,850 | 465,610 | 79.0% |
Q4 (Dec) 2021 | 97,445 | 366.765 | 4,045 | 468,250 | 79.0% |
Q1 (Mar) 2022 | 96,625 | 371,250 | 3,215 | 471,090 | 79.3% |
Q2 (Jun) 2022 | 95,840 | 372,525 | 3,210 | 471,580 | 79.5% |
Q3 (Sep) 2022 | 95,355 | 375,315 | 2,925 | 473,600 | 79.7% |
Q4 (Dec) 2022 | 96,000 | 377,780 | 2,810 | 476,590 | 79.7% |
Q1 (Mar) 2023 | 95,530 | 382,355 | 2,645 | 480,525 | 80.0% |
Q2 (Jun) 2023 | 95,200 | 384,615 | 2,490 | 482,305 | 80.2% |
Q3 (Sep) 2023 | 96,335 | 390,070 | 2,570 | 488,980 | 80.2% |
Sources and notes:
March 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023: Annual Civil Service Employment Survey, Cabinet Office
September/December/June 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023: Quarterly Location Survey, Cabinet Office
Figures include where grade is unknown/unreported.
Outside London includes civil servants located overseas.
The increase in unreported location at Q2 and Q3 2021 is mainly attributable to around 7,000 Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) staff being transferred into MOJ (HMPPS) in late June 2021 and with the majority of them not being reported with a known location at Q2 and Q3 2021.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which legacy IT systems across Government were identified as red-rated by the Central Digital and Data Office.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
It would be inappropriate to release sensitive information held about specific red-rated systems within departmental IT estates, or information that could allow the assumption of which systems are at risk, as it could highlight potential security weaknesses.
The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), in the Cabinet Office, has established a programme to support departments in treating legacy. CDDO has agreed a framework to identify ‘red-rated’ systems, indicating high levels of risk surrounding assets. Departments have committed to have remediation plans in place for these systems by next year.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people verified their identity for GOV.UK One Login by (a) using the GOV.UK ID Check app, (b) answering security questions online and (c) visiting a Post Office in each month between August 2023 and March 2024.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Between 1 August 2023 and 26 March 2024, the number of users who successfully verified their identity through GOV.UK One Login is as follows:
| Aug ‘23 | Sep ‘23 | Oct ‘23 | Nov ‘23 | Dec ‘23 | Jan ‘24 | Feb ‘24 | Mar ‘24 | Total |
GOV.UK ID Check App | 205,864 | 204,652 | 217,962 | 214,731 | 183,075 | 342,315 | 258,010 | 217,006 | 1,843,615 |
Web browser route, with security questions | 7,009 | 5,938 | 6,687 | 9,297 | 5,944 | 12,116 | 4,174 | 2,636 | 53,801 |
In-person at the Post Office | 124 | 511 | 544 | 1,008 | 775 | 1,700 | 2,274 | 1,620 | 8,556 |
The public expects quick, secure and user-friendly access to government services. Previously, UK citizens and residents needed to grapple with multiple sign-in methods and identity verification routes when using government services online.
GOV.UK One Login is replacing these duplicative systems across government with a single account and identity checking system. This will make it easier for users to access the services they need, reduce costs to government, and provide stronger protections against fraud.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government has spent on in-person identity checks for GOV.UK One Login identity verification as of 26 March 2024.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
GOV.UK One Login’s face-to-face identity verification route went live on 25 July 2023. The Government Digital Service has, as of 26 March 2024, spent £778,064 on the contract with the Post Office to set up and undertake in-person identity checks.
The public expects quick, secure and user-friendly access to government services. Previously, UK citizens and residents needed to grapple with multiple sign-in methods and identity verification routes when using government services online.
GOV.UK One Login is replacing these duplicative systems across government with a single account and identity checking system. This will make it easier for users to access the services they need, reduce costs to government, and provide stronger protections against fraud.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have contacted the gov.uk One Login customer support centre (a) by phone and (b) via the online contact form in the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The GOV.UK One Login customer support centre went live on 31 October 2023. Between that date and 25 March 2024 (inclusive), it has handled a total of 21,623 support calls and managed 12,585 support requests via online forms and emails.
From 16 April 2024, users will also have the option of using WebChat to seek support.
The public expects quick, secure and user-friendly access to government services. Previously, UK citizens and residents needed to grapple with multiple sign-in methods and identity verification routes when using government services online.
GOV.UK One Login is replacing these duplicative systems across government with a single account and identity checking system. This will make it easier for users to access the services they need, reduce costs to government, and provide stronger protections against fraud.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government has spent on the GOV.UK One Login customer support centre in the 2023-24 financial year, as of 26 March 2024.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
GOV.UK One Login’s customer support centre went live on 31 October 2023. The Government Digital Service has, as of 26 March 2024, spent £926,443 to set up and operate this contact centre.
The public expects quick, secure and user-friendly access to government services. Previously, UK citizens and residents needed to grapple with multiple sign-in methods and identity verification routes when using government services online.
GOV.UK One Login is replacing these duplicative systems across government with a single account and identity checking system. This will make it easier for users to access the services they need, reduce costs to government, and provide stronger protections against fraud.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what subscriptions to (a) newspapers, (b) magazines and (c) online journals his Department has paid for in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Mark Spencer
The following is a combined list of subscriptions that the Defra Library and Communications have paid for over the last three financial years. Some are in print and some are online. Not everything on the list was purchased in all three years – subscriptions change on demand and to reflect usage. Information on any subscriptions from other team budgets is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.
Defra Library purchases magazines and journals for Defra, Animal and Plant Health Agency and Natural England staff to support them in their role. The Communications team purchases newspapers for monitoring the media coverage of issues in Defra’s remit.
Angling Times magazine | Environmental Finance | Lyell Collection |
Animal Health Research Reviews | Estates Gazette | Materials Recycling World |
Argus Fertilizer Europe | Ethical Consumer | Microbiology Society |
Avian Pathology | Executive Support magazine | New Zealand Veterinary |
BioOne | Farmers Guardian | Planning Resource |
Bird Study Pack | Farmers Weekly | Privacy and Data Protection |
Bloomberg | Financial Times | Professional Update |
British Archaeology magazine | Fishing News Weekly | Responsible Investor |
British Poultry Science | Freedom of Information Journal | Royal Forestry Society |
British Wildlife Magazine | Fresh Produce | Sunday Times |
Conservation Land Management | Geoheritage | Telegraph |
Daily Express | Goat Veterinary Journal | The Economist |
Daily Mail | Guardian | The Grocer Magazine |
Daily Mirror | Habitats Regulations Assessment | The Sun |
Daily Telegraph | Harvard Business Review | The Times |
Dairy Industry Newsletter | Horticulture Week | UK Livestock magazine |
Dods People and Monitoring | I | Veterinary Pathology |
Econlit | ICES Journal of Marine Science | Washington Trade Daily |
Elsevier Freedom Collection | iNews | Water Report |
Ends Europe | Inside Housing | Wiley STM Collection |
Ends Report | Insurance Post | Yorkshire Post |
Ends Waste & Bioenergy | Nature.com |
|
Environment Complete | Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation |
|
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on how many occasions Ministers from his Department have visited (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Mark Spencer
The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.
Across the UK Government we are committed to delivering the best possible outcomes for all citizens, no matter where in the country they call home. All citizens contribute to the strength of the United Kingdom which is the most successful political and economic union the world has ever seen.
Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many occasions Ministers from his Department have visited (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Anthony Browne
DfT ministers regularly visit places across the UK. In the 2023/24 financial year, DfT ministers made 7 visits to Wales, 6 to Scotland and 2 to Northern Ireland.