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Written Question
Public Sector: Mutual Societies
Wednesday 25th March 2015

Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of mutuals in the public sector.

Answered by Lord Maude of Horsham

In 2013, we commissioned the Boston Consulting Group to analyse the financial market for public service mutuals. They found that mutuals can operate effectively across the public sector, improving service quality and driving innovation. In particular, they found mutuals create significant productivity gains: for instance, absenteeism and staff turnover fell by 20% and 16% respectively.


Written Question

Question Link

Monday 10th March 2014

Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have reported phishing emails purporting to be from a Government department in each year of the last five years; how many such people have been so defrauded; and how many times action has successfully been taken against the sender of such emails.

Answered by Nick Hurd

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my Rt Hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office gave to the hon. Member for Bradford West on Friday 28 February 2014 (Official Report) Column Ref: 586W.

Government Digital Service now works cross-government to track the activity of misleading websites or phishing attempts.

We share this information with Google so that it can identify and take action against websites that add little or no value to existing online Government services. Google will continue to support us by removing those misleading adverts and by closing the accounts of repeat offenders. We are also engaging with other search engine providers.

We will increasingly be working with BIS, the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and key trading standards bodies to ensure enforcement action is taken where appropriate.


Written Question

Question Link

Monday 10th March 2014

Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions his Department has had with internet service providers on removing fake or misleading websites for government services.

Answered by Nick Hurd

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my Rt Hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office gave to the hon. Member for Bradford West on Friday 28 February 2014 (Official Report) Column Ref: 586W.

Government Digital Service now works cross-government to track the activity of misleading websites or phishing attempts.

We share this information with Google so that it can identify and take action against websites that add little or no value to existing online Government services. Google will continue to support us by removing those misleading adverts and by closing the accounts of repeat offenders. We are also engaging with other search engine providers.

We will increasingly be working with BIS, the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and key trading standards bodies to ensure enforcement action is taken where appropriate.


Written Question

Question Link

Monday 10th March 2014

Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to identify and remove misleading or fake websites for government services.

Answered by Nick Hurd

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my Rt Hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office gave to the hon. Member for Bradford West on Friday 28 February 2014 (Official Report) Column Ref: 586W.

Government Digital Service now works cross-government to track the activity of misleading websites or phishing attempts.

We share this information with Google so that it can identify and take action against websites that add little or no value to existing online Government services. Google will continue to support us by removing those misleading adverts and by closing the accounts of repeat offenders. We are also engaging with other search engine providers.

We will increasingly be working with BIS, the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and key trading standards bodies to ensure enforcement action is taken where appropriate.


Written Question

Question Link

Monday 10th March 2014

Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what action his Department is taking against companies or individuals who set up and profit from fake and or misleading websites for government services.

Answered by Nick Hurd

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my Rt Hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office gave to the hon. Member for Bradford West on Friday 28 February 2014 (Official Report) Column Ref: 586W.

Government Digital Service now works cross-government to track the activity of misleading websites or phishing attempts.

We share this information with Google so that it can identify and take action against websites that add little or no value to existing online Government services. Google will continue to support us by removing those misleading adverts and by closing the accounts of repeat offenders. We are also engaging with other search engine providers.

We will increasingly be working with BIS, the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) and key trading standards bodies to ensure enforcement action is taken where appropriate.