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Written Question
Armed Forces: Discharges
Wednesday 25th May 2022

Asked by: James Gray (Conservative - North Wiltshire)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether recompense has been made to those who lost their pensions, medals and status as a result of being dishonourably discharged due to their sexual orientation during 1980-2000.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Ministry of Defence and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs within the Cabinet Office are jointly commissioning an independent review to better understand the impacts and implications of the pre 2000 ban on homosexuals serving in the Armed Forces. The review underlines Defence’s unwavering commitment to understanding how best to support its veteran and LGBT+ community. Defence recognises and accepts that its historic policies were unacceptable and that its LGBT+ veteran community suffered as a consequence.

The scope of those dishonourably discharged due to their sexual orientation is currently unknown and a cross-departmental programme of work is underway to better understand the size of the affected cohort. Defence expects the review will provide further context and insights into the lived experience of our veteran community and allow us to take effective and genuine steps towards a more inclusive future for all.

Work is currently underway to appoint an independent review chair and the independent review is expected to commence in the near future following their appointment. The independent review chair and the terms of reference for the review will be announced in due course. The independent review team can be contacted via email: Lgbtveteransreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Defence is proactively working with the Home Office to enable more veterans to apply for a disregard of service convictions relating to sexuality. We have also introduced policy allowing veterans to apply for restoration of medals forfeited upon dismissal based on sexuality. To date, seven applications have been received and one veteran has had their medals restored. The other cases remain under review in light of the recent Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. Every case has required careful consideration of the circumstances and reference to contemporary records – some from several decades ago. We invite any personnel who were discharged from service due to their sexuality, to apply to have their forfeited medals restored by visiting: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/military-awards-commemorations

We take the wellbeing of all those who have served extremely seriously and are determined that the Armed Forces Covenant is upheld, meaning those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly and all veterans, irrespective of when they served and how they left the Services are entitled to access the provisions of the Covenant. Former service personnel can access specialist medical care from the NHS, and every part of the UK now has a dedicated mental health service for veterans. Veterans can also call the Defence-funded 24-hour helpline, the Veterans’ Gateway, in times of need: https://www.veteransgateway.org.uk (0808 802 1212)



Written Question
Department for Work and Pensions: Powers
Wednesday 25th May 2022

Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans to give powers of arrest to some officials in her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As set out in both our Fighting Fraud Against the Welfare System publication, published on 19 May (link below) and the supporting Written Ministerial Statement, when parliamentary time allows, we propose to introduce legislation to take new powers of arrest which will be conferred on a team of suitably trained and experienced criminal investigators. Where appropriate we will continue to work in partnership with the Police.

This legislation would broadly align DWP powers with those already in place in both HMRC and GLAA (Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority)

Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)


Written Question
Police: Pensions
Tuesday 24th May 2022

Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of provisions in the new Police Pensions Scheme on protected pension rights and potential sex discrimination claims.

Answered by Kit Malthouse

The Government is taking steps to remove discrimination on the grounds of age, associated with the transitional protection arrangements linked to the 2015 pension reforms, which was identified by the courts.

The Home Office undertook an equality analysis of its amendments to the Police Pension Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2015, and this included careful consideration of the impact on women, including part-time workers. Since 1 April, all active members are in the career average reformed scheme and accrue future pension benefits on the same basis irrespective of sex.


Written Question
Police: Pensions
Wednesday 18th May 2022

Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when will she publish the guidance necessary for calculating the correct pension entitlement for retiring police officers.

Answered by Kit Malthouse

The Government is taking steps to remove discrimination on the grounds of age, associated with the transitional protection arrangements linked to the 2015 pension reforms, which was subsequently identified by the courts.

The Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act (PSPJOA) received Royal Assent on 10 March, establishing the legal framework to provide this remedy. The Police and Firefighters’ Pension Schemes (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (‘the Regulations’) provided the first, prospective, element of the remedy in respect of police pensions.

The second, retrospective, part of the remedy is more complex and will require further detailed changes to scheme regulations using the powers in the PSPJOA. These changes will be in force by 1 October 2023, in line with the Government’s commitments under that Act.

The Home Office and the National Police Chiefs’ Council are developing supporting material that will allow scheme members to make an informed choice about their pension options at the point they retire.


Written Question
Home Office: Social Media
Friday 11th March 2022

Asked by: Geraint Davies (Independent - Swansea West)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department spent on social media advertising in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021 and (d) 2022 up to and including 28 February; and on which platforms that money was spent.

Answered by Kit Malthouse

Digital advertising is a cost-effective way for the government to recruit nurses, promote blood donations, find out about pensions and all the other important information the public needs to be aware of. The Home Office has used social media as one of many channels and approaches to deliver crime prevention and public awareness communications campaigns. For example, social media adverts have been successfully used as part of police recruitment campaigns as a way to reach a diverse audience raising awareness, relevance and consideration of a career in the police.

The Home Office has spent £6,013,011 on promoted activity across a variety of social media platforms since January 2019.

The table below sets out the Home Office’s spend on social media advertising by year and company through media buying agency Manning Gottlieb OMD since January 2019 until 28 February 2022.

2019

Supplier Name

Sum of Client Cost (Curr)

FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM

£888,807.00

LINKEDIN IRELAND LIMITED (GBP)

£43,606.00

SNAPCHAT

£254,310.00

TWITTER UK LTD

£221,701.00

2020

Supplier Name

Sum of Client Cost (Curr)

FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM

£1,635,297.00

LINKEDIN IRELAND LIMITED (GBP)

£108,856.00

SNAPCHAT

£95,858.00

TWITTER UK LTD

£265,814.00

PINTEREST

£17,282.00

FY 19 20

2021

Supplier Name

Sum of Client Cost (Curr)

FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM

£1,393.832.00

LINKEDIN IRELAND LIMITED (GBP)

£122,427.00

SNAPCHAT

£206,584.00

TWITTER UK LTD

£181,982.00

PINTEREST

£29,830.00

FY 19 20

2022

Supplier Name

Sum of Client Cost (Curr)

FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM

£181,336.00

LINKEDIN IRELAND LIMITED (GBP)

£6,042.00

SNAPCHAT

£48,850.00

TWITTER UK LTD

£85,805.00

PINTEREST

£1,967.00

REDDIT INC (GBP)

£5,836.00


Written Question
Police: Pensions
Monday 7th February 2022

Asked by: Robert Largan (Conservative - High Peak)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to issue guidance to Chief Constables on police pensions following the High Court’s ruling in December 2021 on legacy public sector pension schemes.

Answered by Kit Malthouse

The Government welcomes the Court’s decision to dismiss this Judicial Review and remains convinced that the policy set out in the response to the consultation and currently going through Parliament in the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill is the right one.

There are therefore no plans to issue guidance to Chief Constables about this case.


Written Question
Social Security Benefits
Tuesday 1st February 2022

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what changes have been implemented by the Department of Work and Pensions in response to the 289 Internal Process Reviews into (1) the death, or (2) serious harm, of claimants related to the actions of that department since 2012.

Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott

Recommendations from Internal Process Reviews (IPRs) are a critical source of insight and learning.

Improvements the Department has made following the completion of IPRs in the last few years include:

  • Introducing a holistic check of a customer’s circumstances prior to issuing them with a large payment.
  • Improving staff guidance to ensure vulnerable customers’ benefits are not automatically stopped when they cease engaging with the Department.
  • Following two unanswered visits to a claimant’s address - where there remains concern for their vulnerability - the claim will now not automatically be closed and payments will not cease. Instead, the case will be escalated to a manager to convene a case conference to ensure consideration of all the circumstances. Where applicable, the case can be further escalated to the area Advanced Customer Support Senior Leader (if not yet involved) who could then liaise with relevant external agencies such as the Police or social services to assure the customer’s safety as appropriate.

Written Question
Didcot Power Station
Tuesday 1st February 2022

Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will publish a timeframe for the remainder of the joint HSE and Thames Valley Police investigation into the partial collapse at Didcot Power Station on 23 February 2016.

Answered by Chloe Smith

As the lead investigatory body under the Work-Related Deaths Protocol, Thames Valley Police (TVP) have primacy over the investigation following the partial collapse at Didcot Power Station on 23 February 2016. They continue to investigate corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter and health and safety offences jointly with Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

TVP and HSE and remain committed to this challenging investigation. The dedicated team of investigators continue to work diligently to complete it and the results are clearly eagerly awaited by all involved, not least the families of those men who lost their lives. The size and complex nature of the investigation means it is impossible to provide any reliable timeline for completion.

Preliminary reports are not provided as part of a criminal investigation. HSE to date has not needed to issue a safety alert in relation to the partial collapse at Didcot. When appropriate, HSE has and will continue to undertake proactive communications around demolition to inform and educate industry without explicitly mentioning the ongoing Didcot investigation.


Written Question
Didcot Power Station
Tuesday 1st February 2022

Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will require the HSE to publish preliminary advice or guidance for the demolition industry based on its joint investigation with Thames Valley Police into the partial collapse at Didcot Power Station on 23 February 2016.

Answered by Chloe Smith

As the lead investigatory body under the Work-Related Deaths Protocol, Thames Valley Police (TVP) have primacy over the investigation following the partial collapse at Didcot Power Station on 23 February 2016. They continue to investigate corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter and health and safety offences jointly with Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

TVP and HSE and remain committed to this challenging investigation. The dedicated team of investigators continue to work diligently to complete it and the results are clearly eagerly awaited by all involved, not least the families of those men who lost their lives. The size and complex nature of the investigation means it is impossible to provide any reliable timeline for completion.

Preliminary reports are not provided as part of a criminal investigation. HSE to date has not needed to issue a safety alert in relation to the partial collapse at Didcot. When appropriate, HSE has and will continue to undertake proactive communications around demolition to inform and educate industry without explicitly mentioning the ongoing Didcot investigation.


Written Question
Didcot Power Station
Tuesday 1st February 2022

Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will require the HSE to publish a preliminary report from its joint investigation with Thames Valley Police into the partial collapse at Didcot Power Station on 23 February 2016 to provide closure for the families of the four men who died in that collapse and guidance for the demolition industry.

Answered by Chloe Smith

As the lead investigatory body under the Work-Related Deaths Protocol, Thames Valley Police (TVP) have primacy over the investigation following the partial collapse at Didcot Power Station on 23 February 2016. They continue to investigate corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter and health and safety offences jointly with Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

TVP and HSE and remain committed to this challenging investigation. The dedicated team of investigators continue to work diligently to complete it and the results are clearly eagerly awaited by all involved, not least the families of those men who lost their lives. The size and complex nature of the investigation means it is impossible to provide any reliable timeline for completion.

Preliminary reports are not provided as part of a criminal investigation. HSE to date has not needed to issue a safety alert in relation to the partial collapse at Didcot. When appropriate, HSE has and will continue to undertake proactive communications around demolition to inform and educate industry without explicitly mentioning the ongoing Didcot investigation.