Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 5577 on Chequers: Official Visits, how many external guests have visited Chequers since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Details of official hospitality at Chequers are published on a quarterly basis and are available via gov.uk
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether framework agreements with Arm’s Length Bodies can be unilaterally changed by Departments.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
As per the guidance set out by HM Treasury Framework Agreements are agreed between the department and the Arm’s Length Body jointly and then submitted to the Treasury Officer of Accounts.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6071 on Prime Minister: Correspondence, if he will publish the Prime Minister’s response.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
It is not routine to publish correspondence between the Prime Minister or former Prime Ministers, and any individual or organisation.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 8125 on Government Departments: Staff, if he will publish an updated organogram for his Department on data.gov.uk.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
We are committed to publishing an updated organogram on data.gov.uk. Work has already begun to do this.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the new Ethics and Integrity Commission will be established on a statutory basis.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 31 July 2024, Official Report, PQ 1251.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued to other departments on the circumstances in which consultant lobbying firms attending (a) meetings and (b) hospitality must be declared on ministerial transparency returns.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Guidance on ministers’ transparency returns is published on GOV.UK at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6604110bf9ab41001aeea39c/2024_04_02-Ministers-Transparency-Guidance.pdf
Departments are required to publish details of ministerial meetings with external organisations and individuals, including meetings with lobbyists registered on the Register of Consultant Lobbyists. Departments are also required to publish details of hospitality above de minimis levels received by ministers in their ministerial capacity.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2024 to Question 12416 on Government Departments: Disclosure of Information, whether it is his policy that Government transparency data should be (a) available and (b) searchable on a new transparency platform.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
This Government is fully committed to transparency and to looking at how the range of information published can be improved and made as useful as possible.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 15 June 2023 to Question 188973 on Civil Servants: Secondment, whether he has taken steps to increase the data available.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Secondments into the Civil Service from other sectors are a key route to bring essential skills and experience into the right roles and teams, enabling talented individuals from outside the Civil Service to contribute to the work of Government by sharing critical capabilities and innovative thinking for a set period of time.
In August 2023 the Government Chief People Office, Fiona Ryland, commissioned all departments, professions and functions to embed secondments as a key part of their resourcing and skills strategies.
A quarterly secondments data commission was reintroduced in April 2023 to provide insight on inward and outward secondments taking place across government. The Cabinet Office has worked closely with departments to increase the amount, detail and quality of the data available. Responses are now received from all ministerial departments.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Government's policy is on paying for advertising on X.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government uses a range of channels to reach and engage the public. Any use of these platforms is assessed against the high standards for digital safety set out in the Government Communication Service (GCS) SAFE framework.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Reform UK - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants were dismissed for poor performance by Department in each of the last five years.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Information on how many civil servants were dismissed for poor performance is not available centrally.