Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the methodology used by his Department to determine whether information requested through parliamentary written questions can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is no formal methodology – each Written Parliamentary Question is judged on its own merits, including whether a response can reasonably be provided within the cost limit.
The department follows the guidance produced by the Cabinet Office in the following documents:
Guide to Parliamentary Work
2022-10-11 - Guide to Parliamentary Work (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Guidance on drafting answers to Parliamentary Questions:
drafting-pq-responses.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make available all documents related interactions between Vera Baird and stakeholders representing those involved in the Cammell Laird industrial dispute of 1984.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to PQ 59415 on 20 October by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office, my Right Honourable friend, the member for Croydon South.
Asked by: Steve Reed (Labour (Co-op) - Croydon North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of individuals listed in each complaint about the conduct of the Rt. Hon. Member for Esher and Walton.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the Hon Member to PQ99865. It would not be appropriate to comment on an ongoing independent investigation.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of (a) ordinary and (b) named-day written questions their Department answered on time in 2022.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Our internal records show that for all cases due with Parliament between 01/01/2022 and 31/12/2022 to which Cabinet Office responded, 92% of ordinary written questions were answered on time and 83% of named-day written questions were answered on time.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department provides on the sizes of the audience at (a) his and (b) other official media events that require British Sign Language interpretation under the Equality Act 2010.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the hon. Member to PQ 59318.
There is no minimum audience size for which British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation must be provided. However, BSL interpretation is provided for the vast majority of No.10 press conferences through the BBC. Speeches from the Prime Minister outside of Parliament are also made available in transcript form on GOV.UK.
The Government Communication Service continues to ensure cross-government teams comply with the Equality Act 2010 when undertaking any form of public communication, including making early decisions on reasonable adjustments and the provision of accessible formats such as BSL.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 124 of the Fourth Report of Session 2019-21 from the Women and Equalities Select Committee, HC1050, published on 22 December 2020, if he will bring make an assessment of the potential benefits of making the accessible communication checklist a statutory requirement for government departments.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the hon. Member to PQ 59318.
As outlined in our response to the Fourth Report, the Government Communication Service (GCS) is leading efforts to support departments in enhancing the accessibility of their communications so key messages are available to all audiences.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to make the Prime Minister's (a) press conferences and (b) speeches outside Parliament accessible to British Sign Language users.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the hon. Member to PQ 59318.
The Government is committed to ensuring government communications are available in an accessible format. British Sign Language interpretation is provided for the vast majority of No.10 press conferences through the BBC. In addition, speeches by the Prime Minister outside of Parliament are published on GOV.UK.
Training is provided to members of the Government Communication Service on accessible communications, including digital comms.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 124 of the Fourth Report of Session 2019-21 of the Women and Equalities Committee entitled Unequal impact: Coronavirus, disability and access to services, published on 22 December 2020, HC 1050, whether his Department is taking steps to implement the recommendation that Government communications be subject to an accessibility checklist.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the hon. Member to PQ 59318.
As outlined in our response to the Fourth Report, the Government Communication Service (GCS) is leading efforts to support departments in enhancing the accessibility of their communications so key messages are available to all audiences.
This forms part of the Government’s commitment to ensure all communications are in an accessible format.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make available all documents related interactions between Jack Straw and stakeholders representing those involved in the Cammell Laird industrial dispute of 1984.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to PQ 59415 on 20 October by the then Minister for the Cabinet Office, my Right Honourable friend, the member for Croydon South.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2022 to Question 59556, which Government Ministers currently use for residential purposes the properties at (a) 1 Carlton Gardens, (b) the three flats in Admiralty House, (c) the Dorneywood estate and (d) the Chevening estate.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I would refer the Rt Hon Member to Question 59556.
The Prime Minister allocates official residences to ministers, either on the grounds of security or to allow them to better perform their official duties. Further details will be set out in due course.