Wales Office archive

Under the MoJ’s performance management system, performance-related bonuses can be awarded in recognition of outstanding performance during the year. The scheme also provides for small, one-off rewards to recognise the contributions that staff or teams may make where they have “gone the extra mile”.

During 2009/10, £15,900 in total was awarded to 9 members of staff. Of this, £15,200 was paid to reward an outstanding level of performance over the year; and £700 was to recognise particular additional contributions.

In 2008/09, £6,000 in total was awarded to staff.

Video Conferencing

Wales Office archive — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:03:42 +0000

a) How many video conferencing units does the Wales Office have?The Wales Office has two video conferencing units.

b) On how many occasions has video conferencing technology been used in the Wales Office in each of the last 12 months?

We utilise a booking system for the use of the video conferencing rooms. This shows that the rooms were formally booked as shown in the table below for each of the last twelve complete months. However, the rooms are also very heavily used on an un-booked, ad-hoc basis, and we do not hold information on how frequently this has happened over the past twelve months.

Month	Number of booked occasions
April 2009	18
May 2009	14
June 2009	26
July 2009	26
August 2009	6
September 2009	8
October 2009	16
November 2009	25
December 2009	17
January 2010	21
February 2010	15
March 2010	16

c) What is the current annual spend on travel within the Wales Office, and what was it for each of the last 5 years?

The information is shown in the table below. It includes travel by train, taxi, air, and Underground.

2009/10	£182,338
2008/09	£150,755
2007/08	£135,840
2006/07	£103,312
2005/06	£114,510

d) What steps are being taken within the Wales Office to promote the use of video conferencing as an alternative to travel?

The Wales Office has just published a Sustainable Development Strategy and Action Plan. As a key part of this, we set out ways in which our carbon emissions will be reduced. This includes greater use of video conferencing as an alternative to train travel. When considering travel, staff are asked to also consider whether they could use video conferencing instead.

Stranded Welsh passengers to get help from UK Government, says Peter Hain

Wales Office archive — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:58:20 +0000

Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain said today that supporting Welsh citizens stranded abroad because of volcanic ash was a ‘top priority’ for the Government which would do all it could to help people struggling to return to the UK and limit disruption to those wishing to fly out of the UK.

Following a meeting of the UK Government’s emergency committee, Cobra Mr Hain said people’s safety would remain their top priority.

Mr Hain said: “The disruption we’ve seen to air travel over the past few days has I know caused huge problems for thousands of people trying to return to Wales. I have spoken to the First Minister this morning and both the UK Government and the Welsh Assembly Government are working hard to put plans in place to assist people.

“Already we have greatly increased the capacity across the channel with additional trains running on the railway lines between London, Paris and Brussels. The Prime Minister has also announced this morning that three naval ships – HMS Ark Royal, HMS Ocean and HMS Albion, are heading for Spain and other Channel ports to help bring people home.

“We will also be in discussions with the airlines on further contingency arrangements over and above those which have already been put in place so that more people can get home from destinations further afield. This includes looking at using Spain as a hub if flights aren’t able to return home in the next few days.

“While work continues on helping to get people home I want to reassure everyone that their safety is our top priority. We are working with all the relevant authorities regarding the situation and will update people as the situation changes.”

Notes:

The Foreign Office website (www.fco.gov.uk) has full advice for stranded UK citizens and UK citizens needing consular assistance can contact the embassy in the country they are in.

An emergency number – 020 7008 0000 – is available for relatives of stranded UK citizens who are concerned about the safety or well-being of their loved ones.

Senior Civil Service Hospitality

Wales Office archive — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:02:30 +0000

Information released in response to a Freedom of Information request asking for details of hospitality received by senior civil servants between January 2008 and June 2009.

I can confirm that we hold information relevant to your request. On 1st April 2009 Alan Cogbill, the then Director of the Wales Office, attended a meeting which included dinner, hosted by Saxton Bampfylde.

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Peter Hain calls for unity to tackle homelessness

Wales Office archive — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 08:01:12 +0000

Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain today [Monday 05 March] called for cross-party unity in tackling homelessness in Wales.

Following completion of Parliamentary debates on all outstanding LCOs except Housing Mr Hain urged all parties to back the Housing LCO and stressed how important it was for the National Assembly to get these powers to deliver their commitments on housing.

Mr Hain said: “There is widespread consensus that this wide-ranging LCO is urgently needed to tackle Wales’s housing problems. Although the number of people presenting themselves as homeless fell by 3% to 1,475 in the last reported quarter there are still thousands of ‘hidden homeless’ people in Wales who need urgent help.

“This LCO would not only give the Assembly powers to update and improve the way in which social housing is allocated and regulated in Wales but it would also allow them to increase the supply of affordable housing and to help prevent homelessness.

“If the LCO fell at this late stage, it would be a huge blow for homeless and vulnerable people in Wales. The main housing organisations in Wales – Shelter Cymru, Cymorth Cymru, Community Housing Cymru and the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru have all stressed how important it is for the Assembly to get these powers and we are committed to making that happen.

“This LCO could be agreed in the wash-up negotiations between the parties which will precede the dissolution of this Parliament. But only if it is agreed by all parties. I call on the Conservatives to join the cross-party consensus, listen to the voluntary sector and support the Housing LCO.”

Ministerial Hospitality Oct-Dec 2009

Wales Office archive — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:01:11 +0000

Wales Office, October – December 2009

Secretary of State, Rt Hon Peter Hain MP
Date	Name of Organisation	Type of Hospitality Received (include an asterisk against the entry if accompanied by spouse/partner or other family member or friend)	Value (if known)(hospitality under £140 does not need to be included)
20 – 22 November 2009	British – Spanish Tertulias	Accommodation and food	Not known
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Wayne David MP
9^th September 2009	National Policing Improvement Agency	Dinner and accommodation	Not known

Big savings to NHS possible through complimentary and alternative therapy pilot says Peter Hain

Wales Office archive — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:02:31 +0000

Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain has today [Thursday 1 April] welcomed the announcement by Health Secretary Andy Burnham that a pilot will take place in England on complementary and alternative therapies and encouraged Wales to consider a similar approach.

The planned pilot will assess the feasibility and benefits of complementary and alternative therapies to treat low back pain in the NHS, based on National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance.

Welcoming the announcement, Mr Hain said: “I am a big supporter of integrated health and very much welcome the announcement by the Department of Health that a pilot on the use of complimentary and alternative treatments will take place in England. This follows the complementary Health Pilot I oversaw in Northern Ireland (NI) while Secretary of State which focused on a range of alternative treatments for stress, depression, anxiety and musculoskeletal problems.

“The results of the NI Pilot demonstrated considerable benefits to both patients, who reported improved health, and to the NHS, with reduced patient visits and prescriptions as well as benefits to the wider economy with people taking less time off work. This is further highlighted by the NICE Guidance which suggests that access to complementary and alternative treatments will bring considerable benefits to both patients and the NHS. This suggests the potential for massive cost savings in the NHS drugs bills and overheads, releasing more funds to improve patient care.

“I look forward to the commencement of the pilot in England and will be writing to Wales and Scotland’s First Ministers to ask in view of NI’s success whether they would consider similar pilots.”

Notes

Following the NI pilot, 80% of patients reported an improvement in their symptoms, 64% took less time off work and 55% reduced their use of painkillers.

More information on the Northern Ireland pilot can be found here: http://www.getwelluk.com/