Hansard

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Volume 481: debated on Tuesday 21 October 2008

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Mr. Baron

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the five most serious disciplinary breaches in her Department were in the last 12 months; and what steps were taken in response to each breach. (223060)

Mr. Woolas

We cannot identify the five most serious disciplinary breaches as disciplinary offences are not ranked in terms of seriousness. Dismissal is the highest penalty awarded for a discipline breach.

Chris Huhne

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in her Department and its agencies were (a) dismissed and (b) disciplined for their conduct in each of the last 10 years. (227079)

Jacqui Smith

The following table sets out the information available on the number of staff (a) dismissed and (b) disciplined for their conduct within Home Office HQ, the UK Border Agency, the Identity and Passport Service and the Criminal Records Bureau.

Breakdown of disciplinary action across the Home Office

Year1

Dismissed

Disciplined short of dismissal

2005-06

62

132

2006-07

67

150

2007-08

71

193

2008-092

16

55

Total

216

530

1 Information prior to 2005-06 is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

2 2008-09 figures include information up to 30 September 2008 for Home Office HQ, IPS and CRB and information to 30 June 2008 for UKBA. UKBA figures for 1 July-30 September 2008 are currently unavailable due to structural changes being made to the computer system used to record this information.

The Department's disciplinary procedures have a number of stages, some informal and some formal. Information on the procedures is available to staff through the Department's intranet sites, to which all staff have access.