To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what sanctions are available in cases of departmental staff found to have committed disciplinary offences; and how many times each has been used in each of the last three years. (230208)

The Department has a range of sanctions that can be applied according to the seriousness of the offence. These are:

Oral warning;

Written warning;

Final written warning;

Compulsory transfer;

Financial penalty;

Withdrawal of internet access;

Ban on promotion and temporary duties allowance;

Withdrawal of flexitime;

Demotion; and

Dismissal.

Information on the number of disciplinary penalties issued is provided as follows. The Department introduced a new personnel computer system incrementally from November 2006, being fully implemented by April 2007. Information is not available from this system prior to April 2007.

Information on written warnings and final written warnings is recorded together and cannot be separated.