House of Commons Commission bulletin – 20 January 2014
21 January 2014
Cloud implementation
The Commission was briefed on the move of some ICT services to “the Cloud” and particular the rollout of Microsoft Office 365, which is currently underway. Office 365 offers significant potential for improved user experience: easier remote access, new services (such as video conferencing) and much larger mailboxes.
Employment matters
The Commission was briefed on recent developments including recent talks with trade union representatives on staff pay and the court case on pay progression. The Commission welcomed progress on achieving full accreditation as a London Living Wage employer; agreed to offer all casual staff in Catering Services guaranteed minimum hours contracts, with a progress report at a future meeting; and asked for further information on the use of casual staff in other parts of the House Service.
Speakers’ Commission on Digital Democracy
The Speaker briefed the Commission on the Digital Democracy Commission that he announced on 27 November.
Diversity and inclusion
The Commission received an update on progress with diversity and inclusion initiatives. In particular, the Commission noted that the House had been ranked 155th in the 2014 Stonewall Workplace Equality Index – a rise of 58 places compared to 2013.
Further information
Observations on matters in the bulletin or other aspects of the House’s administration should be sent to twiggerrj@parliament.uk for the attention of the Commission.