Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, how many departmental employees were on performance management plans in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The AGO is committed to thorough performance management and has in place robust processes to ensure that those who fall below the expected standards are supported to improve in a timely manner.
Data has been withheld where disclosure could risk identifying individuals, and rigorous suppression rules have been applied to each year’s figures, including suppressing any proportions based on fewer than five employees. As a result, no disclosable proportions can be published for these years.
The AGO places strong emphasis on early intervention, regular feedback and development, with formal performance management processes used only where necessary and, on a case ‑by ‑case basis.
Where performance does not improve despite this additional support, dismissal may ultimately be considered.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, how many civil servants in their Department were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
No civil servant in the AGO was found to have broken the Civil Service Code in 2024 or 2025.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, how many permanent civil servants had their contract of employment terminated as a result of poor performance in the (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25 financial years.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
In the Attorney General’s Office, no permanent civil servants had their contract of employment terminated as a result of poor performance in the (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25 financial years.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, whether she has made representations to the Court of Appeal on the unduly lenient sentencing of those convicted of causing the death of Bhim Kohli.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Law Officers have 28 days from the date of sentence to consider any requests received under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme for referral of a sentence to the Court of Appeal. I can confirm my department has received such referral requests in relation to the sentencing of two youths responsible for causing the death of Bhim Kohli. The deadline for any referral to the Court of Appeal is 3 July 2025. The hon. Member will be informed in due course of the Law Officers’ decision.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
No, the Attorney General's Office has not used AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, how many employee settlement agreements there were in her Department in each year since 2020; and what the total value of such agreements is.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Attorney General’s Office has not entered into any employee settlement agreements since 2020.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, whether he has made an assessment of the compatibility of the introduction of VAT on independent school fees with the Government's obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code states: ‘the fact that the Law Officers have advised or have not advised and the content of their advice must not be disclosed outside Government without their authority’. This is known as the Law Officers’ Convention. Authority to make such disclosures is rarely given.