Kevan Jones

Grades across the Civil Service are defined by job weight, which is a measure of a job’s complexity and responsibilities. Job weight in the Department of Energy and Climate Change is determined by a job evaluation system called JESP (Job Evaluation for Senior Posts) for the senior Civil Service (SCS) and JEGS (Job Evaluation & Grading Support) at grades below SCS.

A formal JESP evaluation should be undertaken where:

· a new post is created and the pay band is not obvious

· an existing post changes significantly, raising doubt about the pay band

· posts are on the boundary of different pay bands

· posts are subject to a grading review

• a pay banding decision is disputed.

DECC has not undertaken any formal JESP assessments in the past 12 months.

Grade boundaries and job roles for staff below the SCS are initially assessed by reference to the Department’s grading guidance. Before advertising a new or existing post the recruiting manager should assess the grade of a post using the guidance. Any changes to the grade of a job role must be authorised in local business area by senior managers.

JEGS is only formally used when the appropriate grade cannot be clearly determined by reference to the grading guidance. In most cases, roles will fall readily into a grade on this basis.

No central records are held of local grading assessments. One formal JEGS assessment has been carried out within the last 12 months.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) uses grading guidance as a tool to help managers and job holders determine the grading of a post. The guidance applies to all BIS staff, except the Senior Civil Service (SCS) and Fast Streamers, who have central grading structures.

Job evaluation is used when the grading guidance alone is insufficient for the manager and job holder to determine the grade of a post. BIS uses a systematic job evaluation system called JEGS (Job Evaluation and Grading Support) for non-SCS staff and JESP (Job Evaluation for Senior Posts) for SCS staff. These have been developed specifically for the Civil Service. It is a systematic process for defining the relative worth or size of jobs in order to establish internal relativities.

The procedure for assessing grade boundaries using job evaluation are:

1. Form a clear picture of the job

2. Refer to grading guidance and where possible allocate to a grade

3. If not, a trained evaluator will evaluate the post

4. The evaluator’s conclusions are quality assured by an appropriate panel which includes trade union representatives

5. HR will communicate the outcome to the line manager

We do not keep records of how often the grading guidance are used or when job evaluations have taken place. Possible reasons for formal job evaluation might include:

· the recruiting manager, Independent Panel Member (IPM) and Deputy Director cannot agree on the appropriate grade using the BIS grading guidance;

· a new post has arisen and there are limited comparator posts within which to agree the grading;

· a substantial and material change has been made to the weighting and responsibilities of the post;

· an area has been restructured and the boundaries for responsibility and weighting have changed significantly;

· there is sufficient doubt of grading when similar roles are compared across the Department; or

· the Department is undergoing a full grading review.

The response relates to formal personal improvement plans under DECC poor performance policy. The response to your question is in the table below, and the figures are out of 1579 civil servants working in DECC:

In relation to (a), the grades of such staff are: Grade 6, Grade 7, Higher Executive Officer (HEO) and Executive Officer (EO).

At present the Department does not hold any central data on the number of staff on personal improvement plans, as these are handled within the line management chain.

DECC has defined team as a directorate for the purpose of this response. Currently there are 2 directorates that have more than one member of staff on a personal improvement plan. The response relates to formal personal improvement plans under DECC poor performance policy.

At present the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) does not hold any central data on the number of staff on personal improvement plans, as these are handled within the line management chain.

BIS currently has over 200 internal mentors; however, mentor relationships are confidential and therefore no data is held on how many of these are involved in mentoring staff on personal improvement plans.

All individuals on personal improvement plans are supported and coached by their line manager.

At present the Department does not hold any central data on the number of staff on personal improvement plans, as these are handled within the line management chain.

Information on Apprenticeship starts by age is published in a supplementary table, entitled Breakdown by geography, equality & diversity and sector subject area: starts 2002/03 to 2013/14, to a Statistical First Release (SFR).

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/324021/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.xls

The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills has spent £56,250.49 refurbishing the entrance hall in the last year (rolling 12 month period). The following is a breakdown of this expenditure:

The reception area has been reconfigured in order to maximise the opportunities for exhibitions and displays to showcase UK businesses.

In December 2023, United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) processed 91.22% of routine initial Developed Vetting cases in 95 days and 8.62% of Developed Vetting review cases. For routine Security Check (SC)/Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearances UKSV completed 95.1% of routine cases within 25 days.

In 2023, UKSV implemented a stabilisation programme which included an increase in headcount. Under Ministerial direction, UKSV prioritised the recovery of initial Developed Vetting turnaround times, followed by Security Check and Counter Terrorist Check turnaround times. These first two targets were met on time. UKSV is currently focussing efforts to maintain the performance of these and is making good progress to meet the third target to recover the turnaround times of Developed Vetting review cases by the end of March 2024.

In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters.

The Office for Government Property (OGP) conducted a data capture exercise to bring together the information we hold about the Government estate into one place, which we have since used in conjunction with individual departments to encourage them to conclude their identification stage. This has aided in identifying a list of confirmed Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete across individual department’s estates.

Each department owns the data relating to specific locations, identification and remediation plans within their estate.

Op FORTITUDE is the dedicated referral pathway to support veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness secure housing.

Through Op FORTITUDE, the Government has ensured that no veteran should be facing the need to sleep rough due to lack of provision.

As part of the Government’s efforts to end veteran rough sleeping, we recently launched Op FORTITUDE. This is a first of its kind, central referral pathway which links veterans experiencing or facing homelessness with Local Authorities, housing providers and charities across the country.

This is supported by up to £8 million in the ‘Reducing Veterans Homelessness Programme’ which has made funding available to organisations across the UK. Providers are making available dedicated wrap-around support on health & wellbeing, recovery and employability in veteran supported housing.

An additional £20 million will go towards providing extra housing for veterans through the development of new builds and the refurbishment of existing social and charitable housing. An initial £2 million refurbishment and development grant has now been opened for applications via the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

Veterans and anyone else facing homelessness or rough sleeping, are also supported by the Government's ‘Ending Rough Sleeping for Good’ strategy which is backed by £2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping across the country.

We do not routinely publish this data, as has been the case under successive administrations. All Business Units within the Cabinet Office have a responsibility to keep official hospitality costs as low as possible and demonstrate good value for money.

The draft Border Target Operating Model covers the commercial import of live animals. It would apply to these species if they were commercially imported, for example for onward sale. However, non-commercial imports of these species as pets are out of scope and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs will confirm the policy in due course.

Statistics on the composition of the Civil Service workforce, including regional, diversity and earnings data, are published every year on gov.uk, the last updated version was published in March 2023. On 15 May 2023, there were 4 members of private office staff to support the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs.

The two digital media officers are full time civil servants and are currently employed at HEO grade.

Please see below for the salary bands for HEOs within the Cabinet Office.

• London - £35,241 - £39,352

• National - £32,640 - £36,510

As of 22 June 2023 there were 23 Full Time Employees (FTE) in the Office of Veterans’ Affairs (OVA). In order to increase support to veterans, the Government is providing an additional £33 million to the OVA over the next three years.

It is optional for employees to disclose their ethnicity and sexual orientation and disclosing this data could breach the confidentiality of the individuals working in the OVA due to the size of the unit.

As of 22 June 2023 there were 23 Full Time Employees (FTE) in the Office of Veterans’ Affairs (OVA). In order to increase support to veterans, the Government is providing an additional £33 million to the OVA over the next three years.

It is optional for employees to disclose their ethnicity and sexual orientation and disclosing this data could breach the confidentiality of the individuals working in the OVA due to the size of the unit.

Details of the Minister for Veterans' Affairs meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Details of meetings for the period of January - March 2023 will be available shortly.

After digital content is published online it may be shared and reproduced by anyone.

All material produced by civil servants, ministers, government departments and agencies in the course of their work belongs to the Crown and is Crown copyright. The Cabinet Office digital team would not create bespoke content related to a Minister’s constituency work, their personal life or any party political events. In line with the civil service code, Cabinet Office officials do not work on Ministerial events that are deemed to be political or personal in nature.

We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government, helping inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests.

It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this helps drive wider engagement from the public.

a) The following list provides the business units that make up the Cabinet Office at the time of answering the question. This is limited to the core department and does not reflect any arms length bodies or executive agencies. The makeup of the department is subject to change following shifts in ministerial priorities and objectives. This has changed over the course of the four years in scope of this question.

• Prime Minister's Office

• Propriety and Constitution Group

• Government in Parliament

• Economic and Domestic Secretariat

• Intelligence and Security Committee

• National Security Secretariat

• Joint Intelligence Organisation

• Cabinet Secretary Group

• Government Digital Service

• Central Digital and Data Office

• Government Communication Service

• Office of Government Property

• Infrastructure and Projects Authority

• Civil Service Human Resources

• Government Business Services

• Government Commercial Function

• Government Security Group (Includes UKSV)

• Borders

• Geospatial Commission (MOG Pending)

• Public Sector Fraud Authority

• Equality Hub

• Commercial Models (GCF)

• COP Presidency

• Chief Operating Officer's Office

• People and Places

• Strategy, Finance, and Performance

• Central Budgets

• CO Commercial

• CO Digital

• Public Bodies and Priority Projects Unit

• Public Inquiry Response Unit

• Modernisation and Reform Unit

• Office for Veterans' Affairs

• Delivery Group

• CO HMT Commercial

• Infected Blood Inquiry

• Grenfell Inquiry

• Covid Inquiry

b) We do not routinely publish this financial data, as has been the case under successive administrations.

My Private Office currently has six staff to support me in my role as Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, attending Cabinet.

In line with Cabinet Office policy, it is permissible for Business Units to provide hospitality for meetings with external partners such as industry or foreign governments.

All Business Units within the Cabinet Office have a responsibility to keep official hospitality costs as low as possible and demonstrate good value for money.

The Cabinet Office’s hospitality spend is published on GOV.UK in the usual way.

Digital officers' work is allocated in discussion between the Cabinet Office Communications team, policy teams and ministerial private offices. Allocation depends on a range of factors including subject, location and staff availability.

As a result, digital media officers attend various events with Ministers as and when needed.

Digital officers' work is allocated in discussion between the Cabinet Office Communications team, policy teams and ministerial private offices. Allocation depends on a range of factors including subject, location and staff availability.

As a result, digital media officers attend various events with Ministers as and when needed.

Digital officers' work is allocated in discussion between the Cabinet Office Communications team, policy teams and ministerial private offices. Allocation depends on a range of factors including subject, location and staff availability.

As a result, digital media officers attend various events with Ministers as and when needed.

Governments and ministers of all political parties have always used a wide variety of media to help inform the public about issues which may affect their lives.

We are now in a digital age, and social media channels are therefore an important part of government, ministers’ and parliamentarians’ communications.

In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance .

Statistics on the composition of the Civil Service workforce, including regional, diversity and earnings data, are published in the usual way to ensure they meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and public value.

Setting out the budget may lead to inaccurate figures due to in-year budget changes. Instead, I can provide the actual spend.

The Cabinet Office Communications team employs two Digital Media Officers who support all Ministers in the Department. This is an essential part of helping to explain the Department's policies and priorities to a wider audience, such budgets have existed under successive administrations.

The budget for Communications team staff, including the two Digital Media Officers, is held by the Director of Communications and is accounted for in line with Cabinet Office personnel budget management processes.

The total actual expenditure for the Cabinet Office Communications cost centre, for the periods in question is as follows:

The Cabinet Office Communications team employs two Digital Media Officers who support all Ministers in the Department. This is an essential part of helping to explain the Department's policies and priorities to a wider audience.

The budget for Communications team staff, including the two Digital Media Officers, is held by the Director of Communications and is accounted for in line with Cabinet Office personnel budget management processes.

The Cabinet Office Communications team employs two Digital Media Officers who support all Ministers in the Department. This is an essential part of helping to explain the Department's policies and priorities to a wider audience.

The budget for Communications team staff, including the two Digital Media Officers, is held by the Director of Communications and is accounted for in line with Cabinet Office personnel budget management processes.

The Office for Veterans’ Affairs does not have a dedicated photographer and draws on resources from the Cabinet Office Communications team who support all Ministers in the Department.

The Cabinet Office Communications team employs two Digital Media Officers who support all Ministers in the Department. This is an essential part of helping to explain the Department's policies and priorities to a wider audience.