Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings

David Simpson
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people in his Department have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last 12 months.

Jonathan Shaw
No officers have been disciplined or dismissed in the last 12 months for either inappropriate use of the internet while at work or for using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers.

The policy on IT misuse is included in the Department’s ‘Golden Rules of Office Working’ which are detailed on the staff intranet. The Department has blocks placed on the telecoms system preventing access to premium rate telephone numbers.