Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 29 April 2021 to Question 174153 on Baroness Harding of Winscombe, if he will publish the diary of Baroness Harding of Winscombe, in her role as Executive Chair of Test and Trace for the first month of her appointment.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We have no plans to do so. Information on meetings at Ministerial and Permanent Secretary level only are routinely published at GOV.UK.
Asked by: Jack Dromey (Labour - Birmingham, Erdington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the register of gifts and hospitality relating to Baroness Harding of Winscombe in her role as Executive Chair of Test and Trace.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Baroness Harding undertook an unpaid cross-Government role and was not appointed on civil service terms and conditions. As such, Baroness Harding was not required to maintain such a register. However, we can confirm that she did not receive any gifts or hospitality.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the diary of Baroness Harding of Winscombe, in her role as Executive Chair of Test and Trace from the date of her appointment.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
To obtain the information requested and publish Baroness Harding's complete diary would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the (a) TalkTalk 2015 data breach and (b) TalkTalk poor customer service rating were considered in the due diligence process before the appointment of former CEO Baroness Harding of Winscombe to lead the NHS Test and Trace system.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
Baroness Harding was appointed to lead the programme of testing and tracing as part of the Government’s ongoing response to COVID-19 in line with the long-standing practice that Ministers can directly appoint individuals to undertake short-term pieces of work. Baroness Harding also holds public appointments as the Chair of NHS Improvement and a non-executive director of the Court of the Bank of England. In both cases, her skills and experience were independently assessed prior to appointment.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applicants were interviewed before Baroness Harding of Winscombe was appointed to lead the NHS Test and Trace system.
Answered by Nadine Dorries
Baroness Harding was appointed to lead the programme of testing and tracing as part of the Government’s ongoing response to COVID-19 in line with the long-standing practice that Ministers can directly appoint individuals to undertake short-term pieces of work. Baroness Harding also holds public appointments as the Chair of NHS Improvement and a non-executive director of the Court of the Bank of England. In both cases, her skills and experience were independently assessed prior to appointment.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Interim NHS People Plan, published on 3 June, what steps they are taking to implement the recommendations of the Kark review of the fit and proper persons test, published on 6 February; and when they expect to complete their response to that review.
Answered by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
The Government has accepted in principle recommendations 1 and 2 of the Review by Tom Kark QC into the Fit and Proper Persons test, namely:
- to develop competency standards for all NHS directors; and
- to create a central database of NHS director employment and training data.
The Government has asked Baroness Harding of Winscombe, to take forward implementation of the two accepted recommendations and to engage on the remaining recommendations alongside work to develop the NHS People Plan.
A response is expected later this year.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason he did not publish a sustainable workforce strategy alongside the NHS Long Term Plan.
Answered by Stephen Hammond
The NHS Long Term Plan sets out a vital strategic framework to ensure that over the next 10 years the National Health Service will have the staff it needs so that nurses and doctors have the time they need to care, working in a supportive culture that allows them to provide the expert compassionate care they are committed providing.
My Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has commissioned Baroness Harding of Winscombe, of behalf of the NHS, to lead a rapid and inclusive programme of work to set out a detailed workforce implementation plan. She will report back this spring with detailed proposals to grow the workforce rapidly, build a supportive working culture in the NHS and ensure first rate leadership for NHS staff.