3. At the point my career break commenced (1st September 2011), how many personnel (broken down by police and civilian) were on career breaks?

Transcription

1 Freedom of Information Request Reference No: I note you seek access to the following information: 1. At the point my career break commenced (1st September 2011), how many personnel (broken down by police, civilian, ethnicity and gender) did the MPS employ? 2. At the point my career break commenced (1st September 2011), how many civilian contractors did the MPS employ (please break the answer down by departments)? 3. At the point my career break commenced (1st September 2011), how many personnel (broken down by police and civilian) were on career breaks? 4. As of 31st December 2014, how many personnel (broken down by police and civilian) remain on career break? Please indicate those who have commenced career breaks after 1st September Out of those personnel (both police and civilian) that were on career breaks between 1st September st December 2014, how many have left the service? Please break down the answer by year ( ; ; ; ). 6. During the yearly periods stated at question 5, please indicate separately those personnel (both police and civilian) that left the MPS due to voluntary exit, early retirement and other ("other" does not need to be specified). 7. In relation to the "Keep In Touch Scheme", and concerning personnel who are/have been on career breaks between 1st September st December 2014, has any contact been maintained with this specific group or has it been a general practice in the MPS to exclude these personnel from the information loop? 8. If contact has been made, at what frequency has contact been maintained and who was/is responsible for maintaining that contact? You will need to indicate if this responsibility has changed hands and to who between 1st September st December Have any changes in the responsibilities indicated at 8 been communicated to those on career breaks and if so, when was this communicated and how? 10. What this means has been utilised to maintain contact: (a) telephone call/s (b) Mail (c) electronic mail

2 (d) a personal visit (under particular circumstances under the sickness management policy, such visits are encouraged) or (e) a mixture of all four? 11. Please confirm if the "Keep In Touch Policy" is still in operation? If not, when was it stopped and why was I not informed? 12. If the "Keep In touch Policy" is still in operation, or was in operation for any part of my on-going career break, why was the policy not followed in my case? 13. If the "Keep In Touch Policy" is no longer in operation, has anyone else (on a career break) been informed of this change? 14. If the "Keep In Touch Policy" is no longer in operation, have the MPS employees on a whole, been informed of the change and if so, how? (If written communication of any form was deployed, please supply a copy of what was written to the general work population and any variant that was supplied to those on career breaks). 15. How many civilian personnel (in total) were employed by the MPS at 31st December 2014? Please break this figure down by ethnicity and gender? 16. How many civilian personnel were employed by the MPS specifically within HR and Finance (Separate these figures) as of 1st September 2011? Please break this figure down by ethnicity and gender. 17. How many civilian personnel were employed by the MPS, specifically within HR and Finance (separate these figures), as of 31st December 2014? Please break this figure down by ethnicity and gender. 18. Within the apparent HR, Finance & Procurement restructuring process, how many civilian staff had to apply and were successful in securing a post and how many failed to secure any role and found themselves in the redeployment pool. Please break down this data into ethnicity, gender, grade and department. 19. How many police staff that ended up in the redeployment pool as a result of these change programmes were eventually made redundant or exited the organisation via the voluntary exit scheme? Please break down this data into, department, grade, ethnicity and gender? 20. How many police staff from HR, Finance & Procurement did not have to participate in a formal interview or application process but managed to secure a role (either in the post that they currently occupied or another role) within the restructuring processes over the past three years? Please breakdown the data into department, rank, ethnicity and gender.

3 21. Between 1st September st December 2014, what departments (if any) have been outsourced? 22. Of the departments that have been outsourced, what were their ethnic and gender breakdown (please separate the stated categories)? 23. How many staff (in total) have been TUPE transferred? Please break down the answer by ethnicity and gender. 24. If TUPE has been utilised, what are the terms? Please include all variants if applicable and to which departments these arrangements were assigned? 25. Have any other department/s been privatised since the date of this letter? If the answer is yes, please indicate which department/s, the number of staff involved, ethnicity and gender breakdown. 26. Are there any other departments targeted for outsourcing in the preceding 12 months from the date of this letter? 27. What was the number of police officers employed by the MPS at 1st September 2011? 28. What was the number of police officers employed by the MPS at 31st December 2014? 29. What was the total MPS budget on 1st April 2011? 30. What was the MPS total budget on 1st April 2014? 31. Are there any further cuts to the MPS budget proposed over the next 18 months? DECISION I have today decided to: disclose records numbered 1 to 11 and in full; fully exempt records number 12 pursuant to the provisions of section 40 (5)of the Act. REASON FOR DECISION A Freedom of Information Act request is not a private transaction. Both the request itself, and any information disclosed, are considered suitable for open publication. This is because, under Freedom of Information, any information disclosed is released into the wider public domain, effectively to the world and not just to one individual.

4 In most cases Personal Data is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act as I will explain below. Where an individual is requesting his or her own personal data the information is always exempt. Such information can be requested under other legislation (please see the advice and assistance section below). Where an individual is requesting third party personal data the MPS must ensure that any action taken adheres to the principles of the Data Protection Act To clarify, the Freedom of Information Act only allows disclosure of personal data if that disclosure would be compliant with the Data Protection Act. DECISION In this instance the MPS have decided to exercise our right to "Neither Confirm Nor Deny" (NCND) whether or not any information is held in relation to question 12 of your request. To confirm or deny whether personal information exists in response to your request could publicly reveal information about an individual or individuals, thereby breaching the right to privacy afforded to persons under the Data Protection Act. The Metropolitan Police Service neither confirms nor denies that it holds the information you have requested as the duty in Section 1(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not apply by virtue of the Section 40(5) exemption. This response therefore represents a Refusal Notice in accordance with Section 17(1) of the Act. Please see the legal annex for the sections of the Act that are referred to in this letter. ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE Please note: If the information requested relates to you (for example if you are seeking a crime report where you were the victim/witness/suspect) then you are able to request it via a Subject Access Request. In order to make a Subject Access Request please complete form 3019 (available from any MPS Station, or from or by calling ). Please note that a fee of and proof of identification is required to process a request. This process may also take up to 40 days from receipt of your completed application. This notice does not confirm or deny that the MPS holds the information that you have requested. Please find below and attached your copies of records numbered 1 to 11 and 13 to 31

5 1. At the point my career break commenced (1st September 2011), how many personnel (broken down police, civilian, ethnicity and gender) did the MPS employ. 2. At the point my career break commenced (1st September 2011), how many civilian contractors did the MPS employ (please break the answer down by departments) Please see below the number of Reed temporary agency workers as at 1 September At the point my career break commenced (1st September 2011), how many personnel (broken down by police & civilian) were on career breaks. 4. As of 31st December 2014, how many personnel (broken down by police and civilian) remain on career break? Please indicate those who have commenced career breaks after 1st September 2011

6 5. Out of those personnel (both police and civilian) that were on career breaks between 1st September st December how many have left the service? Please break this down by year ( ; ; ; ). 6. During the yearly periods stated at question 5, please indicate separately those personnel (both police and civilian) that left the MPS due to voluntary exit, early retirement and other (other does not need to be specified) 7. In relation to the keep in touch scheme, and concerning personnel who are/ have been on career breaks between 1st September st December 2014, has any contact been maintained with this specific group or has it been a general practice in the MPS to exclude these personnel from the information loop?

7 The keep in touch scheme (KITS) is an internet based service offering. Use of the KITS is optional for those staff taking the decision to go on a career break from their role in the MPS recognising that individual preference is a key consideration often linked to the rationale for the career break and plans for that period. However up to 6 months prior to an individual s scheduled return, the keep in touch process becomes a standard one that is applied to all individuals. At this time the HR Advisory Centre (HRAC) will make contact with the individual about their anticipated return. Prior to October 2014 the HRAC would liaise with the line managers and / or SHRA s to support the return process. However, since October 2014, the HRAC now liaise with the Career Transition Service to undertake this function once it is confirmed that an individual wishes to return. All individuals on a career break away from the MPS have access to the KITS website in line with the corporate Keep in Touch arrangements. No information is held in relation to the numbers who have utilised the KITS during the specified period. 8. If contact has been made, at what frequency has contact been maintained and who was/is responsible for maintaining that contact? You will need to indicate if this responsibility has changed hands and to who between 1st September st December The MPS does not hold information regarding the utilisation rates of the KITS either at a group or individual level. The KITS is an optional service for those staff who are on a career break and the choice to engage or not with the website rests with the individual. 9. Have any changes in the responsibilities indicated at 8 been communicated to those on career breaks and if so, when was this communicated and how? The letters that are sent to individual when they apply for their career break and when a request to go on a career break is approved make them aware of the KITS website and how to access it during their absence should they wish. Once it is confirmed that an individual wishes to return, the HRAC notify the Career Transition Service in HR who then undertake the on boarding process. The role of the Career Transition Service is communicated to individuals at the point that they confirm their intention to return to the MPS. 10. What means has been utilised to maintain contact: (a) telephone calls (b) mail (c) electronic mail (d) a personal visit (under particular circumstances under the sickness management policy, such visits are encouraged) or (e) a mixture of all four?

8 The MPS does not hold information regarding the utilisation rates of the KITS either at a group or individual level. Contact for those staff on long term sickness is covered under the Attendance Management Policy and as part of this policy contact personal visits are encouraged at appropriate points; however the requirements of the AMP do not extend to staff on Career Break. 11. Please confirm if the keep in touch scheme is still in operation Yes - the KITS is still in operation based on a web based service. 13. If the keep in touch policy is no longer in operation, has anyone else (on a career break) been informed of this change? The KITS is still in operation. Question 9 outlines the role of the Career Transition Service in contacting those on a career break who return to the MPS at the end of their career break. There are also full details of the KITS on PeoplePages for staff to access prior to the commencement of their career break. 14. If the keep in touch policy is no longer in operation, have the MPS employees on a whole, been informed of the change and if so, how? The KIT scheme is still available. Detail regarding the specifics of this provision is explained on PeoplePages and a copy of the relevant material has been attached for ease of reference. 15. How many civilian personnel (in total) were employed by the MPS at 31st December 2014? Please break this down by ethnicity and gender 16. How many civilian personnel were employed by the MPS specifically within HR & Finance (separate these figures) as of 1st September please break this figure down by ethnicity and gender. 17. How many civilian personnel were employed by the MPS, specifically within HR & Finance (separate these figures), as of 31st December 2014? Please break this figure down by ethnicity and gender.

9 The data required for Q16 & 17 is collated on a quarterly basis and the above dates are the closest available to the requested periods. Unfortunately there is no gender or ethnicity data available in these historic returns. (Please note that HR refers to HR Business Group, as at the initial time point the Director HR also had responsibility for Customer & Commercial Services). 18. Within the apparent HR, Finance & Procurement restructuring process, how many civilian staff had to apply and were successful in securing a post and how many failed to secure any role and found themselves in the redeployment pool. Please breakdown this data into ethnicity, gender, grade and department 19. How many police staff that ended up in the redeployment pool as a result of these change programmes were eventually made redundant or exited the organisation via the voluntary exit scheme? Please breakdown this data into department, grade, ethnicity and gender? 20. How many police staff from HR, Finance and Procurement did not have to participate in a formal interview or application process but managed to secure a role (either in the post that they currently occupied or another role) within the restructuring processes over the past three years? Please breakdown the data into department, rank, ethnicity and gender. Please see attached PDF Document for Q18, 19 & Between 1st September st December 2014, what departments (if any) have been outsourced? The SCO9 (Police ecrime Unit) was 'outsourced' to the National Crime Agency (NCA) in October The transfer included 9 police staff members of the Unit. The transfer was in accordance with the Crime and Court Act and in line with the decision of the Home Secretary. 22. Of the departments that have been outsourced, what were their ethnic and gender breakdown (please separate the stated categories) The breakdown of the 9 police staff from SCO9 is as follows 3 female / 5 male / 1 Unknown 8 / 1 Non

10 23. How many staff (in total) have been TUPE transferred? Please breakdown the answer by ethnicity and gender. Between the period, 01/09/11 and 31/12/14 the total of staff who have been transferred in a TUPE-type transfer in accordance with the Cabinet Office Statement regarding Staff Transferring in the Public Sector (relevant to the date of the transfer) was 9 (see responses to questions 21 & 22) 24. If TUPE had been utilised, what are the terms? Please include all variants if applicable and to which departments these arrangements were assigned? The terms of the transfer were that, with the exception of certain 'measures' all staff transferred with their MPS contractual terms and conditions of employment 'protected' at the point of transfer - in accordance with the Cabinet Office Statement and TUPE Regulations. 25. Have any other departments been privatised since the date of this letter (12th Jan 2015)? If the answer is yes, please indicate which departments, the number of staff involved, ethnicity and gender breakdown. No departments have been privatised since 12 January Are there any other departments targeted for outsourcing in the preceding 12 months from the date of this letter. No departments are "targeted for outsourcing". In 2013 MPS shared its' intent to 'compete' some of our services. This means comparing the cost and quality of a service we provide in house to the service which could be provided by an external supplier. There is no programme to automatically outsource departments or services. Outsourcing is an option which is evaluated during any process of evaluation alongside retaining services in house or alternative options such as joint ventures where the service in question lends itself to such discussions. 27. What was the number of police officers employed by the MPS at 1st September 2011? As at 1 September 2011 the Police Officer strength was 31,677

11 28. What was the number of police officers employed by the MPS at 31st December 2014? As at 31 December 2014 the Police Officer strength was 31, What was the MPS total budget on 1st April 2011? The approved annual gross revenue budget for 2011/12 was 3.54bn 30. What was the MPS total budget on 1st April 2014? The approved annual gross revenue budget for 2014/15 is 3.25bn 31. Are any further cuts to the MPS budget proposed over the next 18 months? The MPS budget for 2015/2016 includes new savings of 206m. Further reductions will be required in 2016/2017 and this is currently being assessed. Met HQ - Human Resources

12 The Wave 2 restructure centred on implementing our new target operating models across both the whole of Shared Support Services and Met HQ. The Wave 2 process constituted a redundancy process at the Band A and Band B level (including relevant shadow bands). Staff were aligned to professional groupings which determined what roles they were eligible to apply for in the first instance. Across the Wave 2 process (for which all Band A and B staff - including equivalent pay grades - were in scope), 242 staff were in scope of the re-structuring selection process. Of the 242, 40 staff elected not to engage in the process and therefore they did not apply for anything. 102 staff were selected for roles in the new SSS / Met HQ Target Operating Model through a combination of application form and interview methodology. PAY BAND BAND A LEVEL Total Male Fem Eth U In scope Failed to engage with process Not selected total Selected total Non- Total Male Fem Eth U Non- Total Male Fem Eth U Non- Total Male Fem Eth U Band A Band H Band S/S+ BAND A LEVEL OVERALL BAND B LEVEL Band B Band L Band U BAND B LEVEL OVERALL A/B overall Key: Eth U Ethnicity unidentified All those who were not selected and who did not elect to apply were at risk of subsequent redundancy. Accordingly they were offered the opportunity to express an interest in Voluntary Redundancy. Those who did not elect to take Voluntary Redundancy were provided with notice of selection for Compulsory Redundancy. During their notice periods for redundancy, all displaced staff were provided with services from the Career Transition Service; including career coaching, outplacement support and priority access to available opportunities at their substantive pay band. Individual decisions regarding compulsory and voluntary redundancy are tracked but the associated rationale for these decisions are not. Similarly any individual securing a role within the organisation during their notice period is not directly tracked as part of the restructuring process as these roles sit outside of the restructure. Individual aims and objectives are diverse and therefore a successful outcome will be different for each individual. As a result, reporting on different outcomes (VR, CR, securing alternative employment within the MPS) must be considered alongside individual rationales. For Wave 2, 128 staff were invited to express an interest in departure under Voluntary Redundancy terms; 83 elected to depart under VR, 32 did not and were therefore put under notice of CR. 12 staff have been successfully redeployed and 1 member of staff resigned, therefore VR / CR were no longer relevant. Non-

13 Keep in touch scheme Toolkit The Keep in Touch Scheme ensures that all staff are supported in their return to work/duty by providing a communication link and support for those who are away from the workplace. 1. Who is covered by the Keep in Touch Scheme? Staff absent for the following reasons will be covered by the Keep in Touch Scheme: Sick leave (not optional, unless medical opinion advises against this), but see FAQ. 3 Maternity leave (not optional) Attachments (6 months or less) outside of the MPS (not optional) Secondments (specific arrangements apply) Career breaks (optional), except staff on last 6 months of a career break (not optional) Paid/unpaid special leave (varies according to circumstances) Suspension (not optional) Leave of absence (not optional and applicable to Special Constables only) 2. If I am on a career break although travelling abroad, can I still take part in the Keep in Touch Scheme? If you are abroad you will still have access to all corporately advertised job roles via For job roles within your B/OCU you should make contact with your last Line Manager. The Scheme is optional up to six months before you return to work, at which point it becomes compulsory. 3. Who is responsible for managing the Keep in Touch Scheme on my behalf? As the line manager, you are responsible for keeping in touch with those off work due to sickness absence and bringing to attention any job roles that it is felt they may be interested in. For all other absences, the HR Advisory Centre will be responsible for operating the scheme in conjunction with the HR Operational Support Central Team. 4. How will job opportunities be published for colleagues away from the workplace? Colleagues away from the workplace who are eligible for the Keep in Touch Scheme will be able to access corporate job opportunities and details of OSPRE processes within the MPS remotely via an external web link: 5. How will eligible individuals be notified of how to access this address? Staff who are due to be away from the Service for any length of time for example to commence periods of maternity leave, career break, unpaid special leave, or those who are long- term sick or on suspension, will be notified in writing of this web link.

14 6. What if I forget to access the web link and miss out on an opportunity? You have a personal responsibility to review the web link regularly. The Keep in Touch Scheme is a two way process requiring a level of commitment from the Service and the individual. 7. What if individuals do not have access to the internet? The web link is accessible to anyone that has internet access either at home or via local libraries/internet cafes etc. Where staff do not have access to this information, they should contact the HR Advisory Centre who will organise an alternative arrangement. 8. What is the benefit for me as an individual? Historically, information was posted out to individuals on a monthly basis. This often meant that by the time job opportunities were delivered to individuals at home, the opportunities published would be out of date. This is a much quicker way for individuals to establish opportunities available. 9. What if I want further information about the opportunities on the site? You can contact the HR Advisory Centre by to HRAC.PeopleServicesExternal@met.police.uk who will be able to furnish you with full details of the jobs you are interested in. 10. Does this change the way in which employees apply for roles published? No, the corporate process for individuals applying for roles remains unchanged. 11. Who do I contact to find out about local vacancies? For details of vacancies available within the last B/OCU you worked you should contact your most recent line manager who will be able to provide you with this information. If you are on a career break you should make contact with the Senior HR Advisor at your last B/OCU who will be able to advise you accordingly. However, if you are on secondment to another organisation you can obtain this information from the Workforce Deployment Unit. The content on this page is a brief overview. For more information, and before you take any action, please refer to the documents in the toolkit below. If having read the contents of this page you require further information, please contact the HR Advisory Centre on and choose option 1 (external: ).