Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Industrial Action: Public Services

Thursday 2 February 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial Departments have well-established contingency arrangements to support public services during industrial action.
  • The Government is proposing the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill to protect service and safety standards on the transport network.
  • The Government aims to ensure a minimum safety level in core public services like ambulance provision during industrial action.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Edward Timpson Con
Immigration Policing & Resources Transport
Context

Public services face disruptions due to ongoing strikes, raising concerns about service continuity and safety.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to support the operation of public services during industrial action. Public services are facing significant disruptions from ongoing strikes, affecting essential operations like border security and emergency response in rural areas.

Answer from Oliver Dowden

All Departments are responsible for their own business continuity plans and have well-established contingency arrangements. The Cabinet Office's Cobra unit has supported Departments to develop those arrangements to minimise the impact on public services. Yesterday, more than 600 military personnel undertook action to support a smooth flow at the border.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific measures for ambulance response times and rural areas were not addressed

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Q2 Elliot Colburn
Transport
Context

London's transport network faces ongoing disruptions due to strikes, raising concerns about safety and overcrowding at bus stops and railway stations.

Question

As if the ultra low emission zone were not bad enough, Carshalton and Wallington residents have had to deal with strikes affecting the transport network. Bus stops and railway stations face dangerous overcrowding during strikes. Can my right hon. Friend assure me that safety will be a key factor when minimum service levels are set?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

My hon. Friend rightly raises a point about minimum service levels, which are at the root of the Government's legislation—the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill—to protect standards of service and safety on our transport network.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address the specific concern about overcrowding and safety during strikes

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Q3 Edward Timpson Con
NHS
Context

Rural areas like Eddisbury face challenges with ambulance response times due to strikes, leading to concerns about patient safety.

Question

Ambulance response times are a persistent issue in rural areas such as Eddisbury. Unions representing ambulance workers refuse to agree on minimum service levels during industrial action. Does my right hon. Friend agree that unions should embrace these measures for the public's sake?

Answer from Oliver Dowden

The public expect a minimum safety level in core public services such as ambulance provision, which is why the Government are bringing forward sensible, straightforward measures to ensure patient safety at times of need.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specifics on current measures or timelines for implementation

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