Employers in the National Health Service offer a broad range of salary sacrifice schemes, which have varying value. The interaction with the national minimum wage (NMW) must be considered for all employees that participate in one or more of these schemes, to ensure that participation does not breach HM Revenue and Customs’ rules. The Department is currently working with employers in the NHS to understand the potential impacts of the NMW increase on access to salary sacrifice schemes for all NHS staff.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Teachers’ and leaders’ pay in England is set based on recommendations from the independent School Teachers’ Review Body. Last year, after following this process, the government announced the largest pay award in three decades, which shows that the department is delivering for teachers. Over the last two years, teachers and leaders have seen pay increases of more than 12% on average. The government also met its manifesto commitment for at least £30,000 starting salaries for teachers across the country.

There are 468,400 teachers in full time employment in England, which is an increase of 2,800 since last year and an increase of 27,000 since 2010 when the school workforce census began.

The department also continues to work closely with trade unions on the issues that matter to the sector, from workload to recruitment and retention.

HMPPS takes the findings of every HMI Prisons inspection seriously and responds to each with a detailed action plan that seeks to address all concerns raised within the inspection report. For privately run prisons, HMPPS works closely with the Prison operator to ensure that the expected standards are met, through the local controller team and contractual escalation route, if required. HMPPS officials meet with HMIP regularly to discuss the general landscape across the prison estate and will continue to do so. HMP and YOI Parc assess all prisoners who transfer into the prison including reviewing all previous information held on the prisoners to inform intelligence.

HMPPS continues to work extensively with G4S and is closely overseeing the prison to improve safety and reduce harm. All establishments are required to have a safety strategy in place, which includes actions to address violence. HMPPS remains committed to providing a safe, decent and secure environment for all committed to our care.

As HMP and YOI Parc is a privately operated prison, HMPPS do not hold data relating to the G4S workforce, and recruitment of healthcare staff is the responsibility of the Local Health Board, therefore, HMPPS are not the data holder for healthcare staffing information.

The information requested on finds in prisons is published at HMPPS annual digest: HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK, specifically in tables 8.2b, 8.3 and 8.4 of this link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c143b41e10bf000e17cf9e/8.__Finds.ods.

Data on assaults are found in tables 8a-8f: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a24fb690acb1c0ba7e57c/Safety-in-custody-summary-q4-2023_final_table.xlsx.

The Ministry of Justice continues to focus on the use technology to disrupt the supply of drugs, mobile phones and other illicit items into prisons, including through assessing the provision of equipment across the prison estate.

Following His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons report published on 11 October 2022, HMP/YOI Parc have worked towards implementing the recommendations identified in the action plan, with a successful bid submitted via G4S for an additional itemiser and X-Ray body scanner.

Across the wider estate our £100 million Security Investment Programme, aimed at reducing crime in prisons, completed in March 2022. It included funding to reduce smuggling of illicit items, including drugs, and our measures are producing results.

This investment delivered 75 additional X-ray body scanners, resulting in full coverage across the closed adult male estate. As of October 2023, we had recorded over 46,900 positive indications, helping tackle the supply of drugs into prisons.

Furthermore, in January of this year we introduced new 400 metre Restricted Fly Zones around all closed prisons and young offender institutions in England and Wales. This makes it easier for prison staff and the police to identify illicit drones and take action to disrupt them, intercept any contraband and pursue prosecution.

Since 2016, HMPPS has helped the police secure more than 75 convictions from criminal drone activity around prisons. Those convicted have been sentenced to a combined total of over 265 years behind bars.

HMPPS is working hard to conduct assessments all across the prison estate to implement a range of physical upgrades and countermeasures to prevent drones from reaching their target destinations.

HMPPS takes the findings of every HMI Prisons inspection seriously and responds to each with a detailed action plan that seeks to address all concerns raised within the inspection report. For privately run prisons, HMPPS works closely with the Prison operator to ensure that the expected standards are met, through the local controller team and contractual escalation route, if required. HMPPS officials meet with HMIP regularly to discuss the general landscape across the prison estate and will continue to do so. HMP and YOI Parc assess all prisoners who transfer into the prison including reviewing all previous information held on the prisoners to inform intelligence.

HMPPS continues to work extensively with G4S and is closely overseeing the prison to improve safety and reduce harm. All establishments are required to have a safety strategy in place, which includes actions to address violence. HMPPS remains committed to providing a safe, decent and secure environment for all committed to our care.

As HMP and YOI Parc is a privately operated prison, HMPPS do not hold data relating to the G4S workforce, and recruitment of healthcare staff is the responsibility of the Local Health Board, therefore, HMPPS are not the data holder for healthcare staffing information.

The information requested on finds in prisons is published at HMPPS annual digest: HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK, specifically in tables 8.2b, 8.3 and 8.4 of this link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c143b41e10bf000e17cf9e/8.__Finds.ods.

Data on assaults are found in tables 8a-8f: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a24fb690acb1c0ba7e57c/Safety-in-custody-summary-q4-2023_final_table.xlsx.

HMPPS takes the findings of every HMI Prisons inspection seriously and responds to each with a detailed action plan that seeks to address all concerns raised within the inspection report. For privately run prisons, HMPPS works closely with the Prison operator to ensure that the expected standards are met, through the local controller team and contractual escalation route, if required. HMPPS officials meet with HMIP regularly to discuss the general landscape across the prison estate and will continue to do so. HMP and YOI Parc assess all prisoners who transfer into the prison including reviewing all previous information held on the prisoners to inform intelligence.

HMPPS continues to work extensively with G4S and is closely overseeing the prison to improve safety and reduce harm. All establishments are required to have a safety strategy in place, which includes actions to address violence. HMPPS remains committed to providing a safe, decent and secure environment for all committed to our care.

As HMP and YOI Parc is a privately operated prison, HMPPS do not hold data relating to the G4S workforce, and recruitment of healthcare staff is the responsibility of the Local Health Board, therefore, HMPPS are not the data holder for healthcare staffing information.

The information requested on finds in prisons is published at HMPPS annual digest: HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK, specifically in tables 8.2b, 8.3 and 8.4 of this link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c143b41e10bf000e17cf9e/8.__Finds.ods.

Data on assaults are found in tables 8a-8f: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a24fb690acb1c0ba7e57c/Safety-in-custody-summary-q4-2023_final_table.xlsx.

HMPPS takes the findings of every HMI Prisons inspection seriously and responds to each with a detailed action plan that seeks to address all concerns raised within the inspection report. For privately run prisons, HMPPS works closely with the Prison operator to ensure that the expected standards are met, through the local controller team and contractual escalation route, if required. HMPPS officials meet with HMIP regularly to discuss the general landscape across the prison estate and will continue to do so. HMP and YOI Parc assess all prisoners who transfer into the prison including reviewing all previous information held on the prisoners to inform intelligence.

HMPPS continues to work extensively with G4S and is closely overseeing the prison to improve safety and reduce harm. All establishments are required to have a safety strategy in place, which includes actions to address violence. HMPPS remains committed to providing a safe, decent and secure environment for all committed to our care.

As HMP and YOI Parc is a privately operated prison, HMPPS do not hold data relating to the G4S workforce, and recruitment of healthcare staff is the responsibility of the Local Health Board, therefore, HMPPS are not the data holder for healthcare staffing information.

The information requested on finds in prisons is published at HMPPS annual digest: HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK, specifically in tables 8.2b, 8.3 and 8.4 of this link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c143b41e10bf000e17cf9e/8.__Finds.ods.

Data on assaults are found in tables 8a-8f: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a24fb690acb1c0ba7e57c/Safety-in-custody-summary-q4-2023_final_table.xlsx.

HMPPS takes the findings of every HMI Prisons inspection seriously and responds to each with a detailed action plan that seeks to address all concerns raised within the inspection report. For privately run prisons, HMPPS works closely with the Prison operator to ensure that the expected standards are met, through the local controller team and contractual escalation route, if required. HMPPS officials meet with HMIP regularly to discuss the general landscape across the prison estate and will continue to do so. HMP and YOI Parc assess all prisoners who transfer into the prison including reviewing all previous information held on the prisoners to inform intelligence.

HMPPS continues to work extensively with G4S and is closely overseeing the prison to improve safety and reduce harm. All establishments are required to have a safety strategy in place, which includes actions to address violence. HMPPS remains committed to providing a safe, decent and secure environment for all committed to our care.

As HMP and YOI Parc is a privately operated prison, HMPPS do not hold data relating to the G4S workforce, and recruitment of healthcare staff is the responsibility of the Local Health Board, therefore, HMPPS are not the data holder for healthcare staffing information.

The information requested on finds in prisons is published at HMPPS annual digest: HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK, specifically in tables 8.2b, 8.3 and 8.4 of this link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c143b41e10bf000e17cf9e/8.__Finds.ods.

Data on assaults are found in tables 8a-8f: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a24fb690acb1c0ba7e57c/Safety-in-custody-summary-q4-2023_final_table.xlsx.

HMPPS takes the findings of every HMI Prisons inspection seriously and responds to each with a detailed action plan that seeks to address all concerns raised within the inspection report. For privately run prisons, HMPPS works closely with the Prison operator to ensure that the expected standards are met, through the local controller team and contractual escalation route, if required. HMPPS officials meet with HMIP regularly to discuss the general landscape across the prison estate and will continue to do so. HMP and YOI Parc assess all prisoners who transfer into the prison including reviewing all previous information held on the prisoners to inform intelligence.

HMPPS continues to work extensively with G4S and is closely overseeing the prison to improve safety and reduce harm. All establishments are required to have a safety strategy in place, which includes actions to address violence. HMPPS remains committed to providing a safe, decent and secure environment for all committed to our care.

As HMP and YOI Parc is a privately operated prison, HMPPS do not hold data relating to the G4S workforce, and recruitment of healthcare staff is the responsibility of the Local Health Board, therefore, HMPPS are not the data holder for healthcare staffing information.

The information requested on finds in prisons is published at HMPPS annual digest: HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK, specifically in tables 8.2b, 8.3 and 8.4 of this link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c143b41e10bf000e17cf9e/8.__Finds.ods.

Data on assaults are found in tables 8a-8f: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a24fb690acb1c0ba7e57c/Safety-in-custody-summary-q4-2023_final_table.xlsx.

HMPPS takes the findings of every HMI Prisons inspection seriously and responds to each with a detailed action plan that seeks to address all concerns raised within the inspection report. For privately run prisons, HMPPS works closely with the Prison operator to ensure that the expected standards are met, through the local controller team and contractual escalation route, if required. HMPPS officials meet with HMIP regularly to discuss the general landscape across the prison estate and will continue to do so. HMP and YOI Parc assess all prisoners who transfer into the prison including reviewing all previous information held on the prisoners to inform intelligence.

HMPPS continues to work extensively with G4S and is closely overseeing the prison to improve safety and reduce harm. All establishments are required to have a safety strategy in place, which includes actions to address violence. HMPPS remains committed to providing a safe, decent and secure environment for all committed to our care.

As HMP and YOI Parc is a privately operated prison, HMPPS do not hold data relating to the G4S workforce, and recruitment of healthcare staff is the responsibility of the Local Health Board, therefore, HMPPS are not the data holder for healthcare staffing information.

The information requested on finds in prisons is published at HMPPS annual digest: HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK, specifically in tables 8.2b, 8.3 and 8.4 of this link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c143b41e10bf000e17cf9e/8.__Finds.ods.

Data on assaults are found in tables 8a-8f: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a24fb690acb1c0ba7e57c/Safety-in-custody-summary-q4-2023_final_table.xlsx.

HMPPS takes the findings of every HMI Prisons inspection seriously and responds to each with a detailed action plan that seeks to address all concerns raised within the inspection report. For privately run prisons, HMPPS works closely with the Prison operator to ensure that the expected standards are met, through the local controller team and contractual escalation route, if required. HMPPS officials meet with HMIP regularly to discuss the general landscape across the prison estate and will continue to do so. HMP and YOI Parc assess all prisoners who transfer into the prison including reviewing all previous information held on the prisoners to inform intelligence.

HMPPS continues to work extensively with G4S and is closely overseeing the prison to improve safety and reduce harm. All establishments are required to have a safety strategy in place, which includes actions to address violence. HMPPS remains committed to providing a safe, decent and secure environment for all committed to our care.

As HMP and YOI Parc is a privately operated prison, HMPPS do not hold data relating to the G4S workforce, and recruitment of healthcare staff is the responsibility of the Local Health Board, therefore, HMPPS are not the data holder for healthcare staffing information.

The information requested on finds in prisons is published at HMPPS annual digest: HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK, specifically in tables 8.2b, 8.3 and 8.4 of this link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c143b41e10bf000e17cf9e/8.__Finds.ods.

Data on assaults are found in tables 8a-8f: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a24fb690acb1c0ba7e57c/Safety-in-custody-summary-q4-2023_final_table.xlsx.

HMPPS takes the findings of every HMI Prisons inspection seriously and responds to each with a detailed action plan that seeks to address all concerns raised within the inspection report. For privately run prisons, HMPPS works closely with the Prison operator to ensure that the expected standards are met, through the local controller team and contractual escalation route, if required. HMPPS officials meet with HMIP regularly to discuss the general landscape across the prison estate and will continue to do so. HMP and YOI Parc assess all prisoners who transfer into the prison including reviewing all previous information held on the prisoners to inform intelligence.

HMPPS continues to work extensively with G4S and is closely overseeing the prison to improve safety and reduce harm. All establishments are required to have a safety strategy in place, which includes actions to address violence. HMPPS remains committed to providing a safe, decent and secure environment for all committed to our care.

As HMP and YOI Parc is a privately operated prison, HMPPS do not hold data relating to the G4S workforce, and recruitment of healthcare staff is the responsibility of the Local Health Board, therefore, HMPPS are not the data holder for healthcare staffing information.

The information requested on finds in prisons is published at HMPPS annual digest: HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2022 to March 2023 - GOV.UK, specifically in tables 8.2b, 8.3 and 8.4 of this link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c143b41e10bf000e17cf9e/8.__Finds.ods.

Data on assaults are found in tables 8a-8f: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a24fb690acb1c0ba7e57c/Safety-in-custody-summary-q4-2023_final_table.xlsx.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) is operationally independent of Government and is responsible for deciding its own inspection programme. Therefore, the Government is not normally notified of inspections in advance, except in rare cases where the Chief Inspector believes a notice period might specifically help promote improvement at a particular institution.

Under HMIP's framework each prison should be inspected at least once every five years and in practice most prisons can expect to be inspected every two to three years. HMI Prisons last inspected HMP Parc in June 2022.

The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) at HMP Parc write two separate reports, one for the Young Person’s Unit (YPU) and one for the adult prison. Publication dates for (a) the YPU report covering 01 March 2021 – 31 March 2023, (b) the adult prison report covering 01 April 2022 – 31 March 2023, and (c) subsequent reports, are all being discussed with Ministry of Justice Officials. It is anticipated that both reports covering periods up to March 2023 will be published in Summer 2024.

The Government take a zero-tolerance approach to drugs in prison, as is reflected in our policy approach, which has seen £100 million-worth of investment into measures to tackle the smuggling of contraband, including drugs, into prisons. In the year ending March 2023, there were 19.7% fewer incidents where drugs were found than in the year to March 2019, reversing that pre-pandemic trend. There remains more to do, but it is important to note that progress has been made.

DWP is committed to strengthening the Disability Confident Scheme to ensure it remains credible, sufficiently challenging, and continues to support the employment of disabled people. Key to this is the implementation of the recommendations from the review including work to strengthen the criteria for all employers and tailoring the scheme for SMEs. On 9 April 2024 DWP published a revised version of the Disability Confident Line Manager’s Guide, in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), providing a range of guidance to support businesses of all sizes. Further changes to the scheme criteria stemming from these recommendations are well underway and we expect to have fully implemented them by the end of March 2025.

The Department is continuing to work with a wide range of stakeholders, including employers, disability charities, and disabled people’s organisations to develop, and grow the scheme to increase the number of inclusive employers in the UK.

We already have a Ministerial Disability Champion in each government department.

At the request of the Prime Minister, the first Ministerial Disability Champions were appointed in summer 2020, to drive the development and delivery of the National Disability Strategy (NDS).

Their role is to:

• ensure disability inclusion is a priority in their department’s work;
• help drive the delivery of the commitments in the National Disability Strategy and the actions in the Disability Action Plan; and
• help deliver the government’s commitment to support disabled people in the UK through creating more opportunities, protecting their rights and ensuring they fully benefit from, and can contribute to, every aspect of our society.

The Ministerial Disability Champions meet regularly throughout the year. The Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work, Mims Davies MP, is the chair.

A full list of Ministerial Disability Champions can be found on Gov.UK here.

In the National Disability Strategy (NDS), the Cabinet Office committed to leading a consultation on workforce reporting on disability for large employers exploring both voluntary and mandated workplace transparency. A formal consultation ran from 16 December 2021 to 25 March 2022. Work on the disability workforce reporting consultation was paused in line with other work deriving from the NDS whilst a legal challenge on the NDS was ongoing. Following a successful appeal, we have now commenced analysis of the consultation responses and will publish the consultation response findings in 2024.

Good work is generally good for health. This is why in the Health and Disability White Paper the Government reaffirmed its commitment to close the disability employment gap and stated its intention to set a new disability employment ambition.

The latest figures, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for October to December 2023, showed that he disability employment gap was 27.9 percentage points. This was a decrease of 1.9 percentage points on the year. However, the ONS have advised caution when interpreting short-term changes due to the recent volatility in the data.

Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. The Government therefore has an ambitious programme of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work. These include:

• The Work and Health Programme providing tailored and personalised support for disabled people;
• Access to Work grants helping towards extra costs of working beyond standard reasonable adjustments;
• Disability Confident encouraging employers to think differently about disability and health, and to take positive action to address the issues disabled employees face in the workplace;
• A digital information service for employers providing better integrated and tailored guidance on supporting health and disability in the workplace;
• Increasing access to Occupational Health, including the testing of financial incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises and the self-employed;
• Additional Work Coach support in Jobcentres for disabled people and people with health conditions to help them move towards and in to work;
• Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres offering advice and expertise on how to help disabled people and people with health conditions into work;
• Work in partnership between the DWP and health systems, including:

o Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, which combines psychological treatment and employment support for people with mental health conditions; and

o The Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care programme, a Supported Employment model (place, train and maintain) delivered in health settings, aimed at people with physical or common mental health disabilities to support them to access paid jobs in the open labour market;

Building on this, we announced significant additional investment during the 2023 fiscal events. Alongside the delivery of our existing initiatives, we are now focused on delivering this package which includes:

• A new voluntary employment programme called Universal Support (US) for 100,000 people per year when fully rolled out in England and Wales. This programme will provide up to a year of ongoing wraparound support for people with health conditions to stay and succeed in work;
• WorkWell, which will bring together the NHS, local authorities and other partners, in collaboration with jobcentres, to provide light touch work and health support for approximately 60,000 people. The WorkWell services will be in place from autumn 2024 and will be delivered in 15 pilot areas;
• Building on the extension of the certification of the fit notes to a wider range of healthcare professions, we are exploring new ways of providing individuals receiving a fit note with timely access to work and health support. Through a Call for Evidence we are currently seeking views from those with lived experiences, healthcare professionals and employers;
• Introducing Employment Advisors to Musculoskeletal Conditions (MSK) services in England, helping individuals with MSK conditions to return to or remain in employment (work in partnership between DWP and health systems); and
• Publishing the Government response to the Occupational Health: Working Better consultation. This included establishing an expert group to support the development of the voluntary national baseline for Occupational Health provision

From 2025, we are reforming the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) to reflect new flexibilities in the labour market and greater employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions, whilst maintaining protections for those with the most significant conditions. Alongside these changes, a new Chance to Work Guarantee will effectively remove the WCA for most existing claimants who have already been assessed without work-related requirements removing the fear of reassessment and giving this group the confidence to try work.

The Government has already increased the rate of SSP this year, in April the rate of SSP was increased by 6.7% to £116.75. This represents a £20 per week increase in the rate of SSP since 2021.

SSP is just one part of our welfare safety net and our wider Government offer to support people in times of need. Anybody who is on a low level of income during the period that they are sick and who requires further financial support may be able to claim Universal Credit, depending on their personal circumstances.