§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much has been spent by his Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years; [52734]
(2) how much has been spent by his Department on voice coaching for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years; [52755]
(3) how much has been spent by his Department on training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for Ministers and officials in each of the last five years. [52715]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 26 April 2002]: There are no central data available on how much has been spent by the Home Department on training in leadership skills for Ministers in the last five years.
In the financial year 2001–02, the Cabinet Office provided funds for leadership development for officials as part of the invest to modernise programme. Records available show that £583,967 was spent by the Home Department on training in leadership skills for officials from 1 December 2001 to 31 March 2002 under the excellent leaders scheme. All expenditure under the excellent leaders scheme came from a ring-fenced allocation from the Cabinet Office and not from general Home Office funds.
The aim of the excellent leaders scheme was to grow leadership skills in the senior civil service by developing their competencies. In the period December 2001 to March 2002, 84 senior members of staff received executive coaching sessions; 13 specifically tailored
1058WDirectorate leadership conferences were held for senior Home Office staff, and 40 members of staff attended publicly available leadership programmes and training events.
£316,000 was spent on executive coaching sessions, £197,000 on tailored leadership conferences and £70,967 on leadership training.
Ministers in the Home Department are able to take advantage of the programmes for Ministers organised by the Centre for Management and Policy Studies (CMPS in the Cabinet Office. This programme has not delivered training on voice coaching or training by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Neither have officials received such training in the last five years.