Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to review the right of appeal following final ombudsman decisions.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office has no plans to review the existing arrangements for challenging final ombudsman decisions.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85494 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, whether the Government Property Agency informed Westminster City Council that Admiralty House was occupied as a second home before 8 April 2025.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Before the Second Home premium was introduced in Westminster, the Cabinet Office was aware that the former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was occupying Admiralty House (AH) as a second home and that council tax would therefore be payable by Government. In line with long standing precedent under successive administrations, as the property was a second residence the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former DPM. The full amount of tax has been paid.
WCC were notified at the beginning of May that the former DPM was occupying AH as a second home for council tax purposes, and details were provided for WCC to issue a bill accordingly.
GPA wrote to WCC in June to confirm that the second homes premium applied. WCC issued an invoice in July which was paid the same day.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release entitled, Hundreds of quangos to be examined for potential closure as Government takes back control, published on 7 April 2025, if he will provide an update on progress of the review and when it is expected to be completed.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The ALB Review, formally launched on 7th April 2025 is ongoing, its outcomes will be communicated in due course.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 85827 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, for what reason the second homes council tax premium was billed in July 2025.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Before the Second Home premium was introduced in Westminster, the Cabinet Office were aware that the former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was occupying Admiralty House (AH) as a second home and that council tax would therefore be payable by Government. In line with long standing precedent under successive administrations, as the property was a second residence the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former DPM. Similarly, the Cabinet Office is responsible for liaising with Westminster City Council (WCC) for matters concerning residency at Admiralty House.
WCC were notified at the beginning of May that the former DPM was occupying AH as a second home for council tax purposes, and details were provided for WCC to issue a bill accordingly.
GPA wrote to WCC in June to confirm that the second homes premium applied. WCC issued an invoice in July which was paid the same day.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85200 on Admiralty House: Valuation, if he will place the valuation report in the Library.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The valuation report contains information that is commercially sensitive, and it is therefore not our policy to place such reports in the Library or share this information publicly.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the level of net migration in the year ending 2025 on (a) overall population growth and (b) population density in major towns and cities.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 8th of December is attached.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the answer of 28 October 2025 to Question HL10808 on Official Residences, whether his Department paid council tax on the Ministerial residence in Admiralty House between 9 September and 4 November 2024.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Government paid council tax on the Ministerial residence in Admiralty House between 9 September and 4 November 2024. In line with longstanding precedent, where a minister occupies an official residence as a second home, the responsibility for payment of council tax falls to the Government.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the answer of 28 October 2025 to Question HL10808 on Official Residences, for what reason the Defence Secretary was allocated use of Flat 2 of Admiralty House.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Government has a number of official residences that are allocated to ministers to support them to discharge their duties, or on the grounds of security.
Admiralty House has been used as an official residence under successive administrations.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment his Department has made of fertility trends in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 5th of December is attached.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 September 2025 to Question 74947 on Senior Civil Servants: Pay, when he plans to publish a high earner list.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Departments and their partner organisations are currently collecting the data for the next ‘high earner’ list. It will be published when the data set is complete and the personal information being released about individuals has been fully quality assured. As set out in my previous answer, salary information for the Senior Civil Service is already in the public domain.