Neil O'Brien MP: written questions

864 published records · newest first.

Written questions

Home Office: Disciplinary ProceedingsHome OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97197More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the past twelve months, how many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) her Department and (b) its agencies broken down by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegati
Answer: Please find table below outlining disciplinary cases by performance and conduct. Discipline Outcome HeadcountPerformance Dismissal - Poor Performance20Dismissal - Probation50Conduct Dismissals with leaving reason containing Gross Misconduct132Final Writte...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Home Office: Redundancy PayHome OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97195More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff in her Department in the last year.
Answer: The Home Office does not publish specific information on settlement agreements and special severance payments for departing staff.The Home Office does publish the overall payments made to staff exiting the department each year and this is outlined in the ...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Home Office: Performance AppraisalHome OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97194More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of staff in each grade in her Department were rated in the top performance category in the last year.
Answer: The Home Office introduced a no-rating performance management system for delegated grades in 2021 in line with external good practice. Therefore, the department cannot compare progression with performance markings / categories.The performance management f...
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Home Office: Career DevelopmentHome OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97193More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of staff in her Department were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade
Answer: The Home Office introduced a no-rating performance management system for delegated grades in 2021 in line with external good practice. Therefore, the department cannot compare progression with performance markings / categories.For the SCS grade please see...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Home Office: Sick LeaveHome OfficeTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97191More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal
Answer: The current Average Working Days Lost (AWDL) is 8.12. Regarding the number of performance warnings issued to staff, this can only be obtained through disproportionate effort.
Answered 5 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Department for Business and Trade: Disciplinary ProceedingsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96810More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) the Department and (b) its agencies by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegation related to (A) performance and (B) co
Answer: The number of cases concluded against civil servants within the Department for Business and Trade in the previous year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 are as below. Core DBT: PerformanceTimeframeTotal NumberNo Action / Informal ActionWarningResignationDismi...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Department for Business and Trade: Redundancy PayDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96809More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the total cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff in the last year.
Answer: For the last financial year, the total cost to the Department of Business and Trade of payments associated with settlement agreements is set out in Annual Report and Accounts. Where relevant, this includes special severance payments that have associated s...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Department for Business and Trade: Career DevelopmentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96808More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many and what proportion of staff in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.
Answer: The information provided below relates to the recorded ratings on the Department’s HR information system for the period of 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025, in line with the Department’s performance cycle.Delegated grades within the Department have two p...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Department for Business and Trade: Career DevelopmentDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96807More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many and what proportion of staff were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.
Answer: As of 31 March 2025, a total of 576 civil servants, representing approximately 9.7% of those on the payroll, were promoted to higher grades during the previous year. The table below provides a breakdown of these promotions by performance marking (as of 31...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Department for Business and Trade: Sick LeaveDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96806More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal
Answer: A) The table shows the average number of working days lost (AWDL) to sickness absence per staff in DBT and its executive agencies in the last year (between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025) OrganisationAWDLDepartment for Business and Trade3.58 daysExecutive...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Department for Education: Disciplinary ProceedingsDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96805More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in the past twelve months, how many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) her Department and (b) its agencies broken down by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegation related
Answer: The requested information is available in the table below: Disciplinary Cases ConcludedTotals Department of EducationAgencies32<5OutcomesAlternative role<5<5Dismissal<5<5Final Written<5<5Final Written - 24 months<5<5First Writte...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Department for Education: Redundancy PayDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96804More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the total cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff in her Department in the last year.
Answer: For the last financial year, the total cost to the department of payments associated with settlement agreements is set out in annual report and accounts. Where relevant, this includes special severance payments that have associated settlement agreements.
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Department for Education: Performance AppraisalDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96803More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of staff in her Department in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.
Answer: The department does not currently operate a performance management system that includes ratings. However, it is in the process of introducing ratings for its Senior Civil Servants, with ratings for the 2025/26 performance year due to be determined in spri...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Department for Education: Career DevelopmentDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96802More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of staff in her Department were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.
Answer: The table below shows the grade breakdown and proportions of promotions to a higher grade (excluding temporary promotions) between November 2025 and October 2025. Please note: The promotion counts shown are based on internal departmental staff who were pr...
Answered 28 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
Department for Education: Sick LeaveDepartment for EducationTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96801More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal performan
Answer: Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns, is published annually. The data is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence. The next update will be for the year ending 31 March 2025. In th...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Cultural Relations: ExpenditureDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the net expenditure of her Department was on projects related to cultural diplomacy in the last financial year.
Answer: DCMS works with a range of partners and ALBs to deliver on the Government’s cultural diplomacy and soft power objectives, including the FCDO, British Council, and GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland campaign. As such, the department’s direct spending on ...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Freedom of InformationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96738More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2025 to Question 45822 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Equality, if she will publish the Freedom of Information Act response with
Answer: The Freedom of Information Act response has been published and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staff-numbers-in-the-hr-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-edi-team-foi202524724.
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Social Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96204More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional households will become subject to the Household Benefit Cap following the removal of the two-child limit on the Universal Credit child element.
Answer: The requested information is not available.
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Social Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96202More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households are exempt from the Household Benefit Cap solely as a result of receiving (a) Personal Independence Payment and (b) Carer’s Allowance by region.
Answer: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Social Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96201More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households are exempt from the Household Benefit Cap solely as a result of receiving (a) Disability Living Allowance and (b) Attendance Allowance by region.
Answer: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Social Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96200More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of total benefit income received by the average benefit-capped household is accounted for by (a) Universal Credit excluding child elements, (b) the Universal Credit child element, (c) Ho
Answer: The information is not available. This is because, whilst there are different elements in the determination of the gross entitlement, Universal Credit is paid as one single payment. As such it is not possible to quantify the amount of Universal Credit exc...
Answered 8 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Social Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95982More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the impact of each exemption from the Household Benefit Cap on (a) the number of households subject to the cap and (b) overall welfare expenditure.
Answer: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Social Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95981More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households with total benefit entitlement above the level of the Household Benefit Cap have entitlement above (a) £30,000, (b) £40,000 and (c) £50,000 per year, or the equivalent weekly and mon
Answer: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Social Security Benefits: Social Rented HousingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95980More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households currently subject to the Household Benefit Cap are living in (a) council housing and (b) housing association accommodation.
Answer: There were 540 households on Housing Benefit affected by the benefit cap in May 2025. Of these, 40 were living in council housing and 100 were living in housing association accommodation.There were 123,000 households on Universal Credit affected by the be...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Social Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95979More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of additional households that would become subject to the Household Benefit Cap following the removal of the two-child limit on the Universal Credit C
Answer: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Answered 4 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record

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