Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of lobbying registers in (a) Canada, (b) the EU and (c) other jurisdictions in improving public trust in the policy-making process.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a statutory code of conduct for lobbyists.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of clause 3(2)(a) of the Public Authority (Accountability) Bill on freedom of speech.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill - known as the ‘Hillsborough Law’ - was introduced in Parliament on 16 September 2025. The Bill includes a new offence of misleading the public. It applies where a public authority or public official acts with the intention of misleading the public (or is reckless as to that possibility) and they know, or ought to know, that their act is seriously improper. This offence has been designed with Hillsborough at the front of mind and is intended to capture the most serious instances of public officials or authorities misleading the public.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2025, to Question 70477, on Cabinet Office: Marketing, how much has been spent on digital influencers by the New Media Unit since its establishment.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The total amount spent on digital influencer marketing by the New Media Unit since its establishment is £114,796.51. This investment has supported multiple campaigns of varying scale and reach. Influencers have proven to be effective in reaching audiences that traditional marketing channels find hard to reach.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date 10 Downing Street became aware of the text messages that led to the resignation of the Prime Minister's Director of Strategy on 15 September 2025.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

It would not be appropriate to comment on individuals.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plan to extend the scope of the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists to include (a) in-house lobbyists, (b) trade bodies, (c) think tanks and (d) campaigning organisations.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will review the VAT threshold exemption under the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to require statutory declarations of lobbying activity.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure that companies involved in major (a) governance and (b) accountability failures are subject to enhanced scrutiny before providing critical public services.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Government efficiency, transparency and accountability are key pillars of the Procurement Act 2023 which came into force this year. The Act establishes a new exclusions framework that makes it easier to exclude suppliers who have underperformed in the delivery of other public contracts or acted improperly in procurement. The Act has also created a debarment list which will publicly list suppliers who must or may be excluded from contracts.

The new Central Digital Platform is also improving accessibility to procurement data, ensuring accountability and enabling the public and stakeholders to scrutinise spending decisions and track procurement outcomes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress is being made on paying compensation to people affected by the Infected Blood Scandal.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). As of 9 September, IBCA has contacted 3,471 people to start their compensation claim, and 3,122 have started the claim process. 1,615 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £1.2 billion, and so far 1,299 people have accepted their offers with more than £897 million paid in compensation. This means, as of 9 September, over 90% of infected people registered with a support scheme have been contacted to begin their claim.

IBCA expects the first claims from the cohort of people who are infected but have never been compensated, as they are not registered with an infected blood support scheme, to begin in October 2025. IBCA will also start the first claims for deceased infected people, and affected people, by December 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the use of X for Government communications is in accordance with the (a) propriety and ethics guidance of the Government Communications Service, (b) Civil Service Code, and (c) Public Sector Equality Duty.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government Communication Service (GCS) SAFE (Safety and suitability, Ads context, Freedom of speech, and Ethics and enforcement) Framework is the single, comprehensive framework that the government uses to regularly provide thorough guidance ensuring use of digital advertising environments is appropriate. SAFE supports the principles of GCS propriety and ethics guidance, the Civil Service Code and the Public Sector Equality Duty.

The platform X is currently used for non-paid communications activity only (also known as 'organic' activity). We review the use of different platforms as needed, to ensure we meet the high standards set out in the SAFE Framework.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many visits by Ministers in his Department took place in constituencies represented by (a) Labour, (b) Conservative and (c) other hon. Members in the period between 4 July 2024 and 2 July 2025.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

This information isn’t centrally held.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister of Cabinet Office, further to the Prime Minister's visit to the offices of Palantir Technologies in Washington with Lord Mandelson on 27 February 2025, whether any minutes were taken at that meeting.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

This was not a formal meeting, therefore we do not hold any minutes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Prime Minister was informed of the content of the files obtained by Bloomberg relating to Lord Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Prime Minister knew the content of the emails obtained by Bloomberg early in the evening of Wednesday 10 September.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the former Deputy Prime Minister’s official residence in Admiralty House will be allocated to another Cabinet Minister.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Prime Minister can allocate official residences gifted to the Government to support Ministers in their official duties. This has been the case under decades of successive governments.

An update on any new allocations will be provided in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to consult on extending the definition of those who can be lobbied to trigger registration to include (a) Members of Parliament, (b) peers, (c) senior civil servants and (d) special advisers.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government continues to keep transparency around lobbying under review, and will factor into consideration any relevant international comparators, and PACAC's post-legislative scrutiny of the 2014 Lobbying Act, as any policy reforms are considered.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who is Chair of the Future of Work Committee.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The full list of Cabinet committees and their membership is available on Gov.uk (List of Cabinet Committees and their membership - GOV.UK).

The Future of Work Committee was chaired by the former Deputy Prime Minister, and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Exact changes are yet to be confirmed. Parliament will be updated on changes to Cabinet committees in the usual way before being published on Gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department's policy is on allowing trade union activities to be funded from trade union facility time at public expense.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office Facility Time Framework states that the default position within the Civil Service is that paid time off will not be given for trade union activities. In exceptional circumstances, should a department wish to provide paid time off for activities, it will need to be agreed by their Secretary of State or Chief Executive.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any information in the files obtained by Bloomberg relating to Jeffrey Epstein and Lord Mandelson was not previously disclosed during the due diligence process.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

I refer the Hon Member to the response of the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, in the Emergency Debate on this topic on 16 September (Volume 772, Columns 1384-1391).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what purposes their Department has used artificial intelligence in the last year.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Over the last year, the Cabinet Office has used artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency, improve productivity, and accelerate operational speed across government.

The Department’s goal has been to use AI - where reasonable and possible to do so - to free up officials to focus on higher value strategic work and delivering on the country’s priorities. There are significant potential gains from safe and responsible AI adoption within the public sector.

Guidance on this can be found in the Government’s AI playbook and strategy.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether she has considered taking legislative steps to ensure that leaders of UK political parties publish their tax returns.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Under the MPs Code of Conduct, the Leaders of UK political parties who are MPs are required to declare any financial interest which might reasonably be thought to influence their actions, however there is no requirement in the parliamentary rules for Leaders, or any other MP, to publish their tax returns. The Government has no plans to introduce requirements for the leaders of UK political parties to publish their tax returns.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the judgement in George Greenwood v The Information Commissioner & Anor, [2025] UKFTT 391 (GRC), whether his Department has issued guidance to government bodies on whether staff who have left a public authority are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has not issued Freedom of Information guidance to departments relating to the judgement in George Greenwood v The Information Commissioner & The Cabinet Office, [2025] UKFTT 391 (GRC).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has made payments to Inter Mediate since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has no record of any payments made to Inter Mediate since 4 July 2024

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of (a) 17 July 2025 to Question 62333 on Cabinet Office: Electronic Purchasing Card Solutio and (b) 15 July 2025, to Question 66656 on Government Hospitality: Wines, for what reason wine was procured from Berry Bros rather than from the Government Wine Cellar.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

A small stock is held to offer to dignitaries and visitors at short notice. This purchase was made when the stock was found to be empty. Any hospitality purchases for these occasions are made with value-for-money for the taxpayer as a priority.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, CP 1337, published on 23 June 2025, what procurement reforms will his Department introduce to improve the process in order to secure government contracts.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The UK’s Procurement Act, introduced by the previous administration, came into force on 24 February 2025 alongside a National Procurement Policy Statement aligning procurement to this Government's missions.

This Government also announced on 26 June 2025 a new 10-week consultation entitled Public Procurement - Growing British industry, jobs and skills.

These reforms aim to go further to strengthen the UK’s economic resilience and support British businesses. Our proposals will protect supply chains, support our businesses, create good local jobs, and deliver greater value for taxpayers.

We will set out our response and further measures shortly.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information (a) his Department and (b) the Crown Commercial Service hold on the fee structures used by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd under the NEPRO3 framework; and what proportion of public contracts awarded through NEPRO3 in the 2024–25 financial year involved an undisclosed intermediary fee.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The price of each individual work order procured through Bloom Procurement Services Ltd for the Cabinet Office includes the 5% Delivery Partner’s Managed Services Fee. No other fees are applied.

The Crown Commercial Service holds no information on the fee structures or intermediary fees used by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd under the NEPRO3 framework.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the SFIA rate card in Annex 5 of the signed Work Order for Project_7114, published on Contracts Finder on 9 July 2025, if he will (a) publish the underlying rate card and (b) disclose any mark-up charged by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd on rates paid to Public Digital Ltd.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

This information is commercially sensitive and therefore cannot be disclosed.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to contract reference Contract_17123 for the Public Sector Reform Test, Learn and Grow Strategic Delivery Partner, how many suppliers were invited to bid for the contract through Bloom Procurement Services Ltd; and whether Public Digital Ltd was directly nominated.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

8 Suppliers were invited to bid for the work order through Bloom Procurement Services Ltd and all 8 of the suppliers were directly nominated.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will commission an investigation by the Government Internal Audit Agency into contracts awarded to Public Digital since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government Internal Audit Agency sits within HM Treasury. The Procurement Review Unit (PRU) sits within Cabinet Office and is responsible for the new oversight powers introduced by the Procurement Act 2023 (PA23) (which commenced on 24 February 2025) which governs the award of public contracts. The PRU has not received a referral to investigate contracts awarded to Public Digital.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will itemise each (a) contract awarded and (b) payment made to Public Digital by his Department since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

All contract award information is available on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk.

All CO spend information above £25,000 is published on a monthly basis and is available on Gov.Uk - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the former Deputy Prime Minister has received a Ministerial severance payment.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

On 21 July 2025, this Government announced reforms to Ministerial severance pay to ensure severance payments are proportionate and fair. These changes came into effect from 13 October. Before this, decisions as to whether a Minister accepted a severance payment were for the outgoing minister, in line with the practice of previous administrations.

Details of ministerial severance payments are published in the relevant department’s annual report and accounts.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 23 September 2025 to Question 73943 on Social media, how much his Department has spent on promotion through social media influencers since July 2024, broken down by influencer.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Ethics and Integrity Commission will be established.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Ethics and Integrity commission was established on 13 October 2025. Further information is in my Written Ministerial Statement, 'Government of Service', published the same day.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what procedures are in place to ensure that money paid to former Prime Ministers under the Public Duty Costs Allowance are properly spent; and whether they have made an assessment of the appropriate use of money received from that allowance by Boris Johnson.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Public Duty Costs Allowance policy states that former Prime Ministers or their staff may only be reimbursed for actual administrative costs incurred in meeting the demands of the former Prime Minister’s public life up to the annual limit.

Invoices are submitted to Cabinet Office Finance by the offices of the former Prime Ministers in order to claim their Public Duty Cost Allowance. Along with the invoice offices provide evidence of what the claim is to be used for.

The PDCA is reviewed by the NAO as part of their audit of the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what overseas visits the Prime Minister’s chief of staff has made, without the Prime Minister and at public expense, since being appointed, and at what cost.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Special Adviser travel expenses are not routinely published, as was the case under previous administrations.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when Tom Kibasi (1) began, and (2) finished, working at 10 Downing Street; and what salary he was paid for his role.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

It would not be appropriate to comment on staffing matters or individuals' remits and responsibilities.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether income levels affect socio-economic classifications and, therefore, whether train drivers earning £80,000 per year should be classed as working class under State of the Nation 2024: Local to national, mapping opportunities for all, published by the Social Mobility Commission in September 2024; and what assessment the Office for National Statistics has made of the classification of train drivers under the national statistics socio-economic classifications.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

Emma Rourke | Acting National Statistician

Lord Jackson of Peterborough

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

30 September 2025

Dear Lord Jackson,

As Acting National Statistician, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking whether income levels affect socio-economic classifications and, therefore, whether train drivers earning £80,000 per year should be classed as working class under State of the Nation 2024: Local to national, mapping opportunities for all, published by the Social Mobility Commission in September 2024; and what assessment the Office for National Statistics has made of the classification of train drivers under the national statistics socio-economic classifications (HL10733).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not incorporate income in the methodology or derivation of the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC).

The ONS classifies Train Drivers to the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2020 code 8231, which corresponds to " Train and tram drivers”. Under the simplified NS-SEC framework, this occupation is classified as analytic class 5: Lower supervisory and technical occupations.

There are 8 analytic classes in the NS-SEC used by the ONS:

· Higher managerial, administrative and professional occupation

· Lower managerial, administrative and professional occupations

· Intermediate occupations

· Small employers and own account workers

· Lower supervisory and technical occupations

· Semi-routine occupations

· Routine occupations

· Never worked, unemployed, and not elsewhere classified

The Social Mobility Commission groups these into 5 categories: ‘higher professional and managerial’, ‘lower professional and managerial’, ‘intermediate’, ‘higher working class’, and ‘lower working class’.

Yours sincerely,

Emma Rourke

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the opportunities to strengthen public procurement policy to incentivise and increase the use of UK-made steel in publicly funded projects.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK steel sector plays a crucial role in our economic security. The public sector is an important buyer of steel, procuring it both directly and indirectly, to build critical infrastructure such as our railways, roads, buildings, defence equipment, schools and hospitals.

Public procurement data published by the Department for Business and Trade shows that where steel procured in FY 2023/24 could be made in the UK, around 97% was actually UK-made.

This Government is developing a steel strategy that will set a long-term vision for a revitalised and sustainable industry. The strategy will articulate what is needed to secure UK steel supply chains and create a competitive business environment in the UK.

The Cabinet Office has recently published new procurement policy measures to require central government departments, their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to consult UK Steel’s Digital Catalogue prior to design and procurement decisions being made; and to apply the national security exemption to relevant steel procurements.

This Government is also considering further options to ensure public procurement supports critical UK industry and can boost jobs and growth.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether public sector contracting authorities are required to adopt scientific tools under the Procurement Act 2023 to assess the presence of forced labour in suppliers’ operations; and if so, how their use is being evaluated and whether such technology is being rolled out for more extensive use.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Abhorrent practices such as modern slavery, human trafficking and human rights abuses have no place in public supply chains or in wider society. This Government is determined to stamp this out. Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 009 ‘Tackling Modern Slavery in Government Supply Chains’ encourages departments to conduct due diligence using a range of tools and approaches to assess risks. The PPN sets out key actions to identify risks and recommends the use of tools such as the Modern Slavery Assessment Tool to support departments in managing risks.

The Procurement Act 2023 also provides contracting authorities with stronger powers to exclude suppliers from public procurements where there is compelling evidence of modern slavery within their supply chains.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what information is passed to the employer once a senior civil servant has undergone developed vetting.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The decision on whether to grant developed vetting will be taken either by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV), the department or police force that requires the individual to hold clearance, or by the sponsoring authority that carries out this task on behalf of departments. Vetting information required for the decision to be made is strictly controlled and access limited to those directly responsible for the decision reached. Upon successful application for clearance, the sponsor, who is often but not always exclusively within the individual’s employer, is notified.

In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the letter of 16 September from the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, why the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office was not asked to contribute to the due diligence process on the appointment of Lord Mandelson as Ambassador to the United States; and whether any other bodies were involved in that due diligence process.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Due diligence was undertaken prior to the appointment of the former Ambassador to the United States, and was part of an established process to collate relevant information as part of the identification and selection of the appointee.

Following the announcement of the appointment, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office started the ambassadorial appointment process, including national security vetting, in the usual way.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the former Ambassador to the United States, Lord Mandelson, provided advice to the Prime Minister's Office during the Cabinet reshuffle on 5 September.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Prime Minister’s Office did not seek or accept any advice from the former Ambassador in respect of the reshuffle on 5 September.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of vehicles used to transport ministers on official business are wholly electric.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government Car Service fleet is currently 39% wholly electric and a further 56% hybrid.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the National Security Advisor discussed the case on Chinese espionage recently dropped by the CPS with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during their meeting in Beijing on 14th July 2025.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Government has a clear and consistent policy to not comment on the NSA’s meetings to protect sensitive information pertaining to this country’s national security. This has been the case under successive governments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether minutes were taken of the meeting between the National Security Advisor and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on 14th July 2025.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Government has a clear and consistent policy to not comment on the NSA’s meetings to protect sensitive information pertaining to this country’s national security. This has been the case under successive governments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to p.382 of the document entitled Central Government Supply Estimates 2024-25, Main Supply Estimates, HC139, published on 17 July 2025, what policy area relates to the Cabinet Office’s contingent liabilities that are subject to legal privilege.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The contingent liabilities referred to are related to a small number of cases and disputes which are subject to legal privilege. Given this, we are unable to disclose any details.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 41254 on Ministers: Aviation, how much his Department has spend on carbon offsetting under the RM6251 Energy Supply Framework since July 2024; and how many tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent have been offset.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

All travel using the GBNI aircraft is offset. This reflects the policy of successive administrations. The total carbon dioxide offset for FY24/25 was 4,582 tCO2e, costing £47,148.78.

The offset for FY25/26 will be calculated at the end of the financial year, reflecting GBNI usage.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Government press release entitled Internship Scheme To Get More Working Class Students Into Civil Service, published on 1 August 2025, whether children of police officers will be eligible to apply for the Summer Internship Programme in her Department in 2026.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

I refer to the answer given to PQs UIN 74202 and 74515.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-09-02/74202

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-09-02/74515

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release entitled Internship Scheme To Get More Working Class Students Into Civil Service, published on 1 August 2025, whether prison wardens are defined as working class, for the purpose of their children applying to the internship scheme.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

As we set out in August, we will be opening our Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme exclusively for undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds for 2026. We will determine eligibility based on parental occupation at age 14 in line with guidance from the Social Mobility Commission and the Office for National Statistics definition.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish FOI reference, FOI2025/09624, dated 16 July 2025.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

A copy of the information released in the response to the referenced Freedom of Information request has been deposited in the Library of the House.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) Ministers and (b) Departments utilise the rooms in 26 Whitehall.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) now occupy 26 Whitehall.

Their Ministers are listed below:

• Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Chair)

• Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation

• Ian Murray MP, Minister of State

• Kanishka Narayan MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

• Liz Lloyd, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Digital Economy)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there is an annual allowance for (a) works, (b) fittings and (c) fixtures for Ministerial residences in (i) Downing Street, (ii) Carlton Gardens and (iii) Admiralty House.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Government Property Agency (GPA) does not have an annual allowance for works, fittings and fixtures for Ministerial residences.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information they hold on the number of workdays that were completed remotely in their Department in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2025 to Question 52864 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, when the Government last undertook a valuation of Admiralty House.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The valuation of Admiralty House was last updated in March 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of staff in his Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions his Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Central data on Civil Service Headquarters (HQ) occupancy is collected and published quarterly on GOV.UK for all HQ buildings of Whitehall Departments.

In Cabinet Office, Line Managers are expected to be aware of, and ensure compliance with, the minimum 60% attendance expectation for their direct reports. Data on workforce attendance is not collated centrally by the department.

Where employees fail to reach or maintain expected attendance levels, beyond what is agreed with their line manager as part of workplace adjustments or caring responsibilities, due consideration is given as to whether it is reasonable to take disciplinary action. The level of sanction will be dependent upon the individual circumstances of the case.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Public Bodies Handbook – Part 2: The Approvals Process for the Creation of New Arm’s-Length Bodies, whether his Department's public bodies team assessed Passenger Standards Authority against the requirement that the creation of a new arm's length body should only be considered as a last resort; whether the Department for Transport provided evidence that alternative delivery models were considered; and which of the three tests in Chapter 2 of that guidance Great British Railways met.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently considering delivery options for the Passenger Watchdog.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many days were lost to sickness absence by civil servants in their Department (a) in total and (b) on average per employee between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns is published annually, and is available here: Sickness absence in the Civil Service - GOV.UK. The next update will be for the year ending 31st March 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department's policy is on whether (a) trade union diversity networks are eligible for trade union facility time and (b) whether staff can claim both diversity network time and facility time.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Trade unions are separate organisations from the Civil Service and they may have their own diversity networks for their members.

In line with the Cabinet Office Facility Time Framework, trade union representatives are entitled to be granted reasonable unpaid time off to participate in trade union activities.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has issued guidance to special advisers on undertaking (a) national and (b) local political activities during working hours when accompanying Ministers in a local election purdah period.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The rules for national and local political activities are set out in the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the National Audit Office's report of 16 June 2025 entitled Investigation into the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Government’s assessment is that the National Audit Office (NAO) report of 16 June 2025 reinforces the need for markedly stronger governance, oversight and performance management over the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

There is a continuing commitment to the forthcoming outsourcing arrangement with Capita, commencing in December 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will set out the appointment process for the Permanent Secretary, Director of Government Communications.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The appointment process for the Director of Government Communications followed the process for Permanent Secretary recruitment set out in the Civil Service Recruitment Principles (here, paragraphs 44 - 47).

The role was advertised on Civil Service Jobs from 19 May to 15 June 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 11 June (HL8373), when they now expect to announce the appointment of the National Armaments Director.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer to the previous answer provided by my colleague Lord Coaker. Rupert Pearce was named as the new National Armaments Director on Tuesday 14 October 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of delays in processing pensions on claimants.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

There are no reported delays of pension processing caused by the ongoing industrial action in MyCSP.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to review the decision to outsource Civil Service Pension Scheme administration, in the context of performance levels under the present contract.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

At present there are no plans to reverse or conduct a formal review of the decision to outsource Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) administration.

The Government remains committed to the forthcoming outsourcing arrangement with Capita, subject to strengthened governance, enhanced oversight and performance management to secure better outcomes for all members.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 42571 on Cabinet Office: Equality, which diversity networks in his Department received network time in the last month for which figures are held; and how much time was given in each case.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Collating and recording network time would present a disproportionate administrative burden on the central HR team as this information is not held centrally.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 3 September 2025 in response to the Rt hon. Member for North West Essex during Prime Minister's Questions, Official Report, Column 281, on what date he was informed that the Deputy Prime Minister had not correctly paid stamp duty.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Prime Minister was kept updated appropriately.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Government's Plan for Change document of December 2024, CP1210, what changes have been made to the Government’s (a) milestones, (b) missions, (c) foundations and (d) mission boards since 1 September 2025.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

No changes have been made to the Government’s Plan for Change.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment his Department has made of trends in the number of Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman complaints which are upheld.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is independent of Government, and the Cabinet Office does not centrally keep records of, or track all, the recommendations made by the PHSO (including those upheld).

The PHSO’s investigation reports and recommendations are directed to relevant departments and Arms Length Bodies. The PHSO however does publish complaints data annually, for 2024-25, please find this here: https://www.ombudsman.org.uk/organisations-we-investigate/annual-data-complaints

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of Baroness Shafik's appointment as Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister, whether her duties will include providing advice on funding of (1) the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, (2) the Victoria and Albert Museum, and (3) other national museums.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to HL10218:

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government whether Baroness Shafik will recuse herself from matters relating to the funding of (1) the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, (2) the Victoria and Albert Museum, and (3) other national museums, in her role as Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister. HL10218

Answer: Baroness Shafik has been appointed to be the Chief Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister as a Direct Ministerial Appointment. This role is therefore subject to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, which sets out requirements on political activity.

The management of relevant outside interests for this role has been agreed in line with relevant guidance and processes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken for civil servants to access the ill health retirement scheme.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Department recognises the importance of timely access to ill health retirement and there is a process in place to ensure that members, employers, the scheme medical advisor and, where appropriate, the pension scheme administrator, all work together to complete this as quickly as possible.

Whilst there are indicative timelines for various steps, timelines may vary due to the complexity of each case and complex cases may take longer when external parties are also required to contribute to the process.

Employers and members have oversight of progress of their own individual cases and the Cabinet Office continues to monitor the contractual performance of the scheme medical advisor and the pension scheme administrator.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) ongoing work items, (b) unallocated cases and queries, (c) cases and queries allocated but not yet in progress and (d) cases and queries in progress but not yet completed were (i) being dealt with and (ii) still to be dealt with by MyCSP on 1 September 2025.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

MyCSP, the Civil Service pension scheme administrator, does not record the data in the format requested. It reports to the Cabinet Office on a monthly basis. As at 31 August 2025, 73,725 new work items were received in August. A work item reflects an individual piece of work or task. There are 46,983 outstanding items - 9,950 cases awaiting a response and 37,033 items assigned for work to be completed.

The outstanding volumes are in line with what we would expect to see based on the differing clearance targets for certain tasks, such as retirements which can take up to 4 months to process. This is what the Cabinet Office expects to see and monitors on a monthly basis.

The Cabinet Office continues to emphasise to MyCSP the importance of meeting contractual performance levels and improving member experience.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the eligibility criteria for the civil service ill health retirement scheme.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme are eligible for ill-health retirement benefits under the Scheme if the Scheme Medical Adviser is of the opinion that they have suffered a permanent breakdown in health involving incapacity for employment. The eligibility criteria was reviewed on the introduction of the Alpha scheme in 2015, and are consistent with those in other public service pension schemes.

The Cabinet Office regularly monitors ill-health retirement cases and currently 99.9% of quotes for ill health retirement are being issued within 10 days by the scheme administrator.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people were employed by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in total in (1) 2015, and (2) 2025; and how many of those people were employed as (a) counsel, and (b) support staff, in each of those years.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The number of staff broken down by grade in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel is provided in the table below for both 2015 and 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to introduce compensation for pension claimants financially impacted by delays in pension processing caused by industrial action among MyCSP staff.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

There are no plans to introduce compensation for members and there are no reported delays of pensions being processed caused by the ongoing industrial action in MyCSP.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the contract awarded by his Department to Korn Ferry for the recruitment of the National Armaments Director has been fulfilled.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

I refer to my answer given on 9 July HC66214. Korn Ferry continue to support the appointment process for the National Armaments Director role.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans his Department has to review the framework for complaints handling by departments.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) - which is independent of Government - launched a new set of cross-Government complaint standards in October 2022, with the aim of making complaint processes quicker, easier and to help organisations learn from complaints.

The Cabinet Office supports the PHSO in disseminating its standards across Government.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the number of civil servants working from home for three days a week or more is increasing or decreasing.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Data on Civil Service Headquarters (HQ) occupancy is collected and published quarterly on GOV.UK for all HQ buildings of Whitehall Departments, Office for Scotland, Office for Wales and Northern Ireland Office.

Data for the latest period for which data is available is copied below. No other information on occupancy data or workforce attendance is gathered centrally.

Departments manage their own arrangements for monitoring workforce attendance. Heads of departments have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the top 10 UK service export destinations were in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

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 10th October is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what were the running costs of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in the first full year of operation following its establishment; what were the annual running costs for the latest year for which figures are available; and what has been the total cost since its inception.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government does not hold information on the running costs of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration which was established in 1967 and was superseded by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) in 1973. Information on the running costs of the PHSO are set out in its published annual reports and accounts. The running costs for the years for which the PHSO holds information are as follows:

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what new measures they are considering (1) to reduce the time for hiring and vetting, and (2) to attract and develop more applicants with STEM skills, in order to improve socio-economic diversity in recruitment to the Civil Service fast stream summer internship programme.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Initiatives are under way to improve time to hire across the Civil Service, which include establishing and benchmarking standardised recruitment metrics and using ‘test and learns’ to find new ways to attract and recruit talent.

UK Security Vetting (UKSV) has made significant progress in improving overall times to process applications for National Security Vetting. Performance continues to track at an all time high and UKSV remains committed to continuous improvement.

Our Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme will be for undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds for 2026. The annual recruitment exercise aligns to the academic year, with vetting and recruitment conducted in time for the students summer start dates.

The Fast Stream, for which the Summer Internship is a feeder route, continues to focus on its 2022 ambition that 50% of hires to the Fast Stream will have a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) qualification. This was exceeded in 2023 and 2024.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 41254 on Ministers: Aviation, whether (a) his Department and (b) the Crown Commercial Service hold information on the (i) locations and (ii) activities undertaken by EDF under that contract.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has used the HMG Crown Commercial Services (CCS) RM6251 Energy Supply Framework (Additional Services) with EDF for offsetting GBNI related emissions.

CCS has no involvement in the contract beyond providing the framework. The Cabinet Office does not hold details of EDF’s activities or locations under the Energy Supply Framework.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of public sector procurement with local suppliers in each English region in each year between 2010 and 2025.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Information on the effectiveness of public sector procurement with local suppliers in each English region is not held centrally.

This Government is determined to ensure public procurement delivers jobs, growth and investment across all regions of the UK. Our National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider how procurement can foster economic growth, support small businesses, strengthen UK supply chains and drive delivery of the Government’s Industrial Strategy and missions.

We are considering additional measures to further assist local suppliers and support British skills and jobs.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework: Joint Statement, 2 October 20255, if he will publish further detail on the significant work that remains to be undertaken to deliver in full the safeguards underpinning the flexibilities for the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government regularly engages with the EU on the Windsor Framework, which it is implementing on an ongoing basis in line with its manifesto commitment to doing so and its commitment to the UK internal market. UK/EU Specialised Committee meetings are conducted in line with the confidentiality obligations set out in Annex VIII of the Withdrawal Agreement, with agendas being released in advance and a statement following the meeting at GOV.UK. Information is provided in the most recent statement of 2 October on the operational activity being undertaken in the areas of SPS and customs to support the smooth operation of the Windsor Framework, and the Government will continue to engage all relevant stakeholders as it moves forward.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework: Joint Statement, 2 October 2025, what the pending issues are that the Committee agreed to make progress on at high pace.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government regularly engages with the EU on the Windsor Framework, which it is implementing on an ongoing basis in line with its manifesto commitment to doing so and its commitment to the UK internal market. UK/EU Specialised Committee meetings are conducted in line with the confidentiality obligations set out in Annex VIII of the Withdrawal Agreement, with agendas being released in advance and a statement following the meeting at GOV.UK. Information is provided in the most recent statement of 2 October on the operational activity being undertaken in the areas of SPS and customs to support the smooth operation of the Windsor Framework, and the Government will continue to engage all relevant stakeholders as it moves forward.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to respond to correspondence dated (a) 5 March 2025, (b) 13 May 2025 and (c) 11 June 2025 from the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge, case reference BS35623.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Government is committed to transparency and accountability, including through clear and timely responses to correspondence. I can confirm that your letter to the then-Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster dated 5 March, and subsequent emails of 13 May and 11 June, have been passed to me as the Minister responsible for this policy, and I have replied to your letter. Please accept my apologies for the delay.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any civil servants in his Department have been granted authorisation to attend the (a) Labour, (b) Conservative, (c) Liberal Democrat, (d) Scottish National Party and (e) Reform party conference in a private capacity in 2025.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

This information is not held centrally within the Cabinet Office.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the value was of the contract awarded by his Department to Korn Ferry for the recruitment of the National Armaments Director.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The competition was supported by Kornferry: details of the contract award and value are available here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/be88f513-c01a-4620-89f9-1cb2cc686895 and here Executive & Non-Executive Recruitment Services - CCS

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to respond to Questions 75061 and 75064 on National Armaments Director: Recruitment.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

A response for both questions has been issued here and here.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the child poverty strategy.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

This Government is determined to bring down child poverty. The Child Poverty Taskforce was established by the Prime Minister to develop an ambitious child poverty strategy to achieve this. The strategy will be published in the autumn.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings the Prime Minister's chief of staff has held with the Center for Countering Digital Hate and Hope not Hate while in post.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Basildon - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

In line with longstanding process, relevant meetings are declared in the Special Advisor transparency publications. The Prime Minister’s chief of staff has not held meetings with the Center for Countering Digital Hate and Hope not Hate.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what data his Department holds on the number of UK-based distilleries that have (a) opened and (b) closed in each of the last five years.

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 lady’s Parliamentary Question of 10th October is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many pubs have closed since 5 July 2024 in Louth and Horncastle 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 10th October is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many pubs have closed since 5 July 2024 in Lincolnshire.

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 10th October is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many ombudsman bodies exist in the United Kingdom; and who is responsible for their funding.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Cabinet Office is responsible for a subset of public bodies administratively classified as Arm's-Length Bodies, which include Executive Agencies, Non-Departmental Public Bodies, and Non-Ministerial Departments.

There is no statutory definition of "ombudsman" in government, and bodies with varying functions can be labelled as ombudsman

Data on which ALBs are ombudsman bodies, or how they are funded, is not held centrally.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much funding he has allocated to the Women Peace and Security Agenda through the Integrated Security Fund for (a) 2025-26, (b) 2027-28 and (c) 2028-29.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) supports UK National Security and as part of that delivers on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in support of UK’s WPS National Action Plan. All projects funded through the ISF consider how their work can benefit gender and social inclusion. ISF projects use marker tools such as the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) indicators to ensure that gender issues are considered from the design stage.

In 2025-26 the Fund has a dedicated allocation for gender and national security work. Funding allocations for 2025/26 are due to be published in the autumn alongside the ISF Annual Report 2024/25 and allocations for future financial years will be announced in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Women, Peace and Security Agenda remains a fund-level outcome for the UK Integrated Security Fund.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Supporting women and girls is a priority for this Government. The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) supports UK National Security and as a part of that delivers on Women, Peace and Security through the UK National Action Plan. The ISF addresses gender and national security threats, both domestically and internationally across the breadth of its work. All ISF programmes consider the impact of gender on their work alongside dedicated projects.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the key drivers behind the emigration of highly skilled UK (a) graduates and (b) other workers.

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 10th October is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many children were victims of (a) all forms of violent assault, (b) battery, (c) actual bodily harm and (d) grievous bodily harm by (i) age and (ii) gender in each year since 2015.

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 10th October is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many new businesses have registered in (a) England, (b) Lancashire and (c) Fylde constituency in each of the last five years.

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 10th October is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the Gross Domestic Product of Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency in (a) July 2024 and (b) October 2025.

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 lady’s Parliamentary Question of 10th October is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Office for National Statistics classifies rolling stock leasing liabilities as part of the public sector balance sheet.

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 10th October is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to improve (a) oversight and (b) enforcement of performance standards in the Civil Service Pension Scheme administration.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The government has taken significant steps to improve both the oversight and enforcement of performance standards in the Civil Service Pension Scheme administration, primarily through the new contract with Capita and enhanced internal controls. Capita has been contracted to assume full administrative responsibilities from 1 December 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to improve oversight of the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The government has taken significant steps to improve both the oversight and enforcement of performance standards in the Civil Service Pension Scheme administration, primarily through the new contract with Capita and enhanced internal controls. Capita has been contracted to assume full administrative responsibilities from 1 December 2025.

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Found: Monday 20 October 2025 Rt Hon Darren Jones MP Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Cabinet Office

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Found: Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, HM Treasury, and DSIT Oral Evidence

Found: the previous Government appears to have overlooked. 28. recommendation We recommend that the Cabinet Office

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Found: The Government Digital Service was warned by the Cabinet Office in 2022 and National Cyber Security

Found: remained with the checkers undermined the purpose of the framework being encouraged by DSIT/Cabinet Office

Found: and efficiencies in return for a higher pay award and is subject to agreement with HMT and Cabinet Office

Found: widening-gap-between-cyber-threats-and-defence-capabilities 47 NCSC, NCSC Annual Review 2024, Op Cit. 48 UK Cabinet Office

Found: The Cabinet Office warned the Government Digital Service in November 2022 about “serious data protection

Found: Cyber-security maturity— current Cabinet Office assessments list “legacy IT” as a major national-security

Found: The last consultation on the matter of digital ID, undertaken by the Cabinet Office during the Conservative

Found: .  Compliance Challenges: A Cabinet Office investigation found unauthorized biometric processing and

Found: That is predicated on quite a lot of enabling work that we are doing, working with the Cabinet Office

Found: DHSC is the department responsible for the delivery of the exercise alongside the Cabinet Office.

Found: BII’s governance framework aligns with Cabinet Office and HM Treasury guidance for managing public finance

Found: Case will be presented to HMPPS including full scrutiny of value for money and then sent to Cabinet Office

Found: Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and Cabinet Office

Found: – senior individuals with private sector business and industry experience, appointed by the Cabinet Office

Found: – senior individuals with private sector business and industry experience, appointed by the Cabinet Office

Found: BRDO, now Regulatory Delivery (RD)) in connection with the Regulators’ Code (BRDO/14/705); the Cabinet Office

Found: SAFETY COMMISSIONER: APPOINTMENT The appointment of the Patient Safety Commissioner is on the Cabinet Office

Found: I am thrilled about the new central team that has been established in the Cabinet Office to provide

Found: Letter to Chief Operating Officer at the Cabinet Office relating to value of Government contract extensions

Found: use, few people have the skills to maintain them, and they have known vulnerabilities”.10 The Cabinet Office

Found: Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and HM Paymaster General on appointment of the

Found: forward to the arrival of our new Director of Human Resources and Estates, Henry Watson, from the Cabinet Office

Found: Letter from Alex Burghart MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on Cabinet Office vetting of

Found: Cabinet Office guidance explains that scrutiny applies to some of the most significant public appointments

Found: As you are maybe aware, a recent Cabinet Office (CO) Arm's Length Body (ALB) Review has focused on public

Found: this instance we recommend consideration be given to establishing a small policy unit within Cabinet Office

Found: The ONS (under a new title) should be an executive agency of the Cabinet Office, headed by a permanent

Found: UKSA0032 - The work of the UK Statistics Authority UK Government - Cabinet Office Written Evidence

Found: UKSA0032 - The work of the UK Statistics Authority UK Government - Cabinet Office Written Evidence

Found: The approval process for setting up new ALBs was set out by the Cabinet Office in May 2024. 4 1 Public

Found: For over a decade, the UK OGN has worked with the UK government - primarily through the Cabinet Office

Found: Background HOLAC is an independent, advisory, non-departmental public body sponsored by the Cabinet Office

Found: It is a joint venture between the Cabinet Office and Ark Data Centres, which is now the largest data

Found: Harry Rich: If you are thinking about machinery of government kind of stuff, it is probably the Cabinet Office

Found: It is a joint venture between the Cabinet Office and Ark Data Centres, which is now the largest data

Found: We have had great discussions with the Cabinet Office, which has been really open about engaging with

Found: Apparently, it is being led by the Cabinet Office (not the Ministry of Defence) and will ‘ensure joined

Found: clarify how the delivery of the NSS will be resourced, as it is owned by the relatively small Cabinet Office

Found: The Cabinet Office could have sought advice from the UK Integrated Security Fund’s own Women, Peace

Found: Cyber security, for example, is split across Cabinet Office, the Department for Science, Innovation

Found: Cross-Departmental Coordination Gaps Current departmental divisions create dangerous blind spots:  Cabinet Office

Found: of UKIC and law enforcement agencies, and of HMG departments including the Home Office, the Cabinet Office

Found: Adoption Leads in every government department, creating an AI Security Coordination Unit in Cabinet Office

Found: Available at: https://tinyurl.com/27z9cuy2 2 IBID. 3 Cabinet Office, National Risk Register 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 91 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, by when he will enable the annual publication of schedule data of (a) in-development and (b) upgrade programmes.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) set out the need for external scrutiny of UK warfighting readiness through annual reporting of key data, as one of a number of possible measures in a wider Defence Readiness Bill. Given its potentially broad scope, a Defence Readiness Bill may be a legislative vehicle for wider Government, not just Defence. We are therefore working closely across Government through the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence programme to shape key requirements, and understand and identify the measures needed. This preliminary work will allow us introduce legislation when parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 91 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, by when he plans to enable the annual publication of percentage availability of in-service programmes.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) set out the need for external scrutiny of UK warfighting readiness through annual reporting of key data, as one of a number of possible measures in a wider Defence Readiness Bill. Given its potentially broad scope, a Defence Readiness Bill may be a legislative vehicle for wider Government, not just Defence. We are therefore working closely across Government through the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence programme to shape key requirements, and understand and identify the measures needed. This preliminary work will allow us introduce legislation when parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 91 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, by when he plans to enable the annual publication of a summary of assessments on programme availability.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) set out the need for external scrutiny of UK warfighting readiness through annual reporting of key data, as one of a number of possible measures in a wider Defence Readiness Bill. Given its potentially broad scope, a Defence Readiness Bill may be a legislative vehicle for wider Government, not just Defence. We are therefore working closely across Government through the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence programme to shape key requirements, and understand and identify the measures needed. This preliminary work will allow us introduce legislation when parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Defence Readiness Bill on balancing fefence mobilisation requirements with current and future industrial demand for specialist personnel working in (a) private sector industries critical to an effective national response to emergencies and (b) critical national infrastructure.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Strategic Defence Review set out the need for Defence Readiness legislation this Parliament to give the Government more robust or additional powers to make the UK safe. This could include measures to improve the preparedness of key industries including nuclear, to better protect our Critical National Infrastructure and to support the mobilisation of wider Defence, including industry reserves. As this Government set out to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy on 30 June, a Defence Readiness Bill is potentially a legislative vehicle for the wider Government, not just Defence. We are therefore working closely across Government through the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence programme to shape our key requirements, and understand and identify the measures needed. This will lay the groundwork to introduce legislation when Parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58980 on Information Commissioner's Office: Remote Working, what the strategic objectives are which the decision to relocate was based on.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

On completion of the Property Control Approval Request (PCAR) process, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. As part of this approval process the Cabinet Office assesses any proposed lease of office space against value for money, efficiency, sustainability and increasing professional skills and expertise. We cannot for reasons of commercial confidentiality reveal real estate costs without the agreement of the landlords but can assure the Right Honourable Member that, in order to gain approval, the relocation represents value for money.

The ICO’s decision to relocate was approved by the Cabinet Office under existing delegated authorities from Cabinet Office Ministers. This enables National Property Controls to provide a cross-department, objective perspective to property transactions to check alignment with the Government Property Strategy and ensure financial and space efficiency.

In response to your question regarding working from home, the ICO offer hybrid working in support of their commitment to attract the best talent, enabling their staff to work where they are most productive, including at one of their five office locations in the UK.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Information Commissioner's Office made a comparative estimate of the cost of office space in (a) Wilmslow and (b) Manchester before deciding to relocate.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

On completion of the Property Control Approval Request (PCAR) process, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. As part of this approval process the Cabinet Office assesses any proposed lease of office space against value for money, efficiency, sustainability and increasing professional skills and expertise. We cannot for reasons of commercial confidentiality reveal real estate costs without the agreement of the landlords but can assure the Right Honourable Member that, in order to gain approval, the relocation represents value for money.

The ICO’s decision to relocate was approved by the Cabinet Office under existing delegated authorities from Cabinet Office Ministers. This enables National Property Controls to provide a cross-department, objective perspective to property transactions to check alignment with the Government Property Strategy and ensure financial and space efficiency.

In response to your question regarding working from home, the ICO offer hybrid working in support of their commitment to attract the best talent, enabling their staff to work where they are most productive, including at one of their five office locations in the UK.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Information Commissioner's Office sought ministerial approval for the decision to approve the move from Wilmslow to Manchester.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

On completion of the Property Control Approval Request (PCAR) process, the Circle Square Manchester option was lowest in cost on a lifecycle basis across the 10 years. As part of this approval process the Cabinet Office assesses any proposed lease of office space against value for money, efficiency, sustainability and increasing professional skills and expertise. We cannot for reasons of commercial confidentiality reveal real estate costs without the agreement of the landlords but can assure the Right Honourable Member that, in order to gain approval, the relocation represents value for money.

The ICO’s decision to relocate was approved by the Cabinet Office under existing delegated authorities from Cabinet Office Ministers. This enables National Property Controls to provide a cross-department, objective perspective to property transactions to check alignment with the Government Property Strategy and ensure financial and space efficiency.

In response to your question regarding working from home, the ICO offer hybrid working in support of their commitment to attract the best talent, enabling their staff to work where they are most productive, including at one of their five office locations in the UK.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to recommendation 29 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what progress he has made on establishing a protected Defence AI Investment Fund.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Good progress has been made in establishing the AI components which will form the basis of the Defence AI Investment Fund. Working in close collaboration with other Government Departments and the Cabinet Office to ensure a joined-up approach, the scope of the Defence AI Investment Fund will be confirmed and announced as part of the Defence Investment Plan in Autumn 2025.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the UK’s food security.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The UK has a resilient food supply chain and is equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption.

Food security is built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. UK consumers have access through international trade to food products that cannot be produced here, or at least not on a year-round basis. This supplements domestic production and also ensures that any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease does not affect the UK's overall security of supply.

The Food Sector is one of the UK's 13 Critical National Infrastructure sectors. Defra and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are joint Lead Government Departments (LGDs), with Defra leading on supply and the FSA on food safety. We work closely with the Cabinet Office and other LGDs ensuring food supply is fully incorporated as part of emergency preparedness, including consideration of dependencies on other sectors.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the level of compliance by government departments with UK General Data Protection Regulation.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

All departments are controllers of the personal data they hold and are individually responsible for demonstrating compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation. Under the same legislation, all departments are required to appoint a data protection officer (DPO), who are responsible to measure compliance. Government is taking concrete action led by the Government Digital Service in DSIT working with the Government Security Group in the Cabinet Office and the National Cyber Security Centre to improve data protection across government in a broad range of areas, including strengthening policies and placing greater emphasis on handling personal data securely in our training and communications.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 27 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what recent progress he has made on meeting the NATO Alliance-wide resilience objectives.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The UK sees national and collective resilience as an essential basis for credible deterrence and defence and is committed to NATO Article 3, which requires Allies to maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack.

The Government's work to deliver against NATO's seven baseline requirements for resilience is being delivered through the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence Programme, in which Defence has a leading role. As set out in the National Security Strategy and the Resilience Action Plan, this coordinates civil and military preparations across the whole of government to ensure that all sectors are prepared for and able to respond to the most catastrophic risks.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 27 of the National Security Strategy 2025, CP 1338, published on 24 June 2025, what recent progress he has made on meeting NATO's seven baseline requirements for resilience.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The UK sees national and collective resilience as an essential basis for credible deterrence and defence and is committed to NATO Article 3, which requires Allies to maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack.

The Government's work to deliver against NATO's seven baseline requirements for resilience is being delivered through the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence Programme, in which Defence has a leading role. As set out in the National Security Strategy and the Resilience Action Plan, this coordinates civil and military preparations across the whole of government to ensure that all sectors are prepared for and able to respond to the most catastrophic risks.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 9 April (HL5959), what progress has been made in identifying and possibly contacting civil servants dismissed from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as a result of the then-ban on homosexuals serving in the Diplomatic Service.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The Cabinet Office is continuing to review this matter, given the wider implications beyond former Foreign & Commonwealth Office staff, and they will update Parliament on the outcome in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Recruitment

As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, MHCLG are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future

Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010 which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition

Going Forward into Employment (GFiE, pronounced gif-ee) accredits life chance recruitment pathways across government. GFiE pathways recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds into the Civil Service, including people from low socio-economic backgrounds, prison leavers, veterans, carers and care leavers. People recruited by GFiE develop skills, gain experience and build a career, contributing to the Opportunity Mission and to the wider economy.

MHCLG participated last year in the Care Leavers GFiE scheme, offering work experience in government to those entitled to a leaving care package.

In February 2025, MHCLG also gained accreditation to deliver Civil Service Masterclasses as a new life-chance pathway. This is a unique two-week face to face programme designed to support candidates aged 19+ from lower socio-economic backgrounds. The programme breaks down barriers and helps participants in a practical learning setting to develop skills and knowledge to access Civil Service roles at AO or EO level. The scheme is available to all departments and supporting bodies based in the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, and County Durham/Darlington areas.

Internships

In this period, MHCLG participated in the following internship schemes with a focus on increasing representation of under-represented groups:

• The Autism Exchange Internship Programme, recruited by Cabinet Office in partnership with Ambitious about Autism, which aims to support young autistic people by providing work experience opportunities that help prepare them to enter the workplace.

• Change 100, recruited by Leonard Cheshire, which offers professional development and mentoring for talented students and graduates with a disability or long-term condition.

• The Summer Internship Programme, recruited by Cabinet Office, which provides work placements for individuals in their final two years at university.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the (a) scale and (b) nature of Russian drone capabilities; and what assessment his Department has made of their potential impact on UK national security.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence keeps all potential threats from hostile states under review to help protect the UK, but we do not comment on any details that could be useful to adversaries. Protecting CNI is an important pillar of work in the Home Defence Programme, which is led by the Cabinet Office and aims to develop a cross-government plan to strengthen the nation's security preparedness and resilience in order to deter threats to and defend the UK homeland. Defence works closely on this with the Cabinet Office.

We maintain robust measures at Defence sites, including counter-drone capabilities.

We constantly monitor UK airspace to identify and respond to any credible threat to its integrity. There are multi-layered and multi-domain measures in place to protect UK airspace, including through 24-hour surveillance and Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon jets.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential threat posed by Russian drone activity on (a) critical national infrastructure and (b) defence installations.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Ministry of Defence keeps all potential threats from hostile states under review to help protect the UK, but we do not comment on any details that could be useful to adversaries. Protecting CNI is an important pillar of work in the Home Defence Programme, which is led by the Cabinet Office and aims to develop a cross-government plan to strengthen the nation's security preparedness and resilience in order to deter threats to and defend the UK homeland. Defence works closely on this with the Cabinet Office.

We maintain robust measures at Defence sites, including counter-drone capabilities.

We constantly monitor UK airspace to identify and respond to any credible threat to its integrity. There are multi-layered and multi-domain measures in place to protect UK airspace, including through 24-hour surveillance and Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon jets.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 90 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what progress he has made on devising a strategy for the protection of critical national infrastructure by the (a) MOD Guard Service and (b) UK intelligence community.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The protection of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) is an important pillar of work in the Home Defence Programme. This work is led by the Cabinet Office and aims to develop a cross-Government plan to strengthen the nation’s security, preparedness, and resilience in order to deter threats to and defend the UK homeland. Defence continues to play a significant contributory role with partners and the private sector to protect CNI from a full spectrum of threats.

The UK already has an existing strategy for protecting CNI which includes a partnership between intelligence agencies, and components of the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC), such as the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) Guard Service (MGS) provides unarmed security services for MOD sites. The MGS are just one of the MOD policing and guarding organisations that could contribute to the protection of CNI under the cross-Government plan.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 90 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what progress he has made on establishing a programme of exercises to test plans for response to an armed attack on (a) the UK and (b) NATO allies.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Government regularly performs exercises on its ability to respond to an armed attack on the United Kingdom and our NATO Allies.

The Ministry of Defence works closely with the Cabinet Office and the Home Office to test and strengthen national resilience and home defence arrangements. These exercises enhance coordination between the Armed Forces, civil authorities and emergency services, ensuring the UK remains prepared to respond swiftly and effectively to any armed threat.

In addition, NATO has an extensive set of plans outlining how to respond to an armed attack on any Ally, including the UK. These exercises enhance Allied interoperability, validate defence and deterrence strategies, and reinforce the credibility of NATO's collective defence posture.

The largest of these exercises is the STEADFAST series, NATO's most extensive and comprehensive exercise programme. Last year, Exercise STEADFAST DEFENDER 2024, the largest NATO exercise since the Cold War, involved around 20,000 UK personnel.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 110 of the Strategic Defence Review 2025, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Army’s contribution to the (a) planning, (b) preparation and (c) delivery of defence support to domestic resilience if it were mobilised for war.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The Army, Royal Navy and RAF all continuously contribute to national resilience and would do so in a time of war. At present personnel are held at very high readiness to respond to domestic crises, and have formed the backbone of domestic resilience efforts over the past several years, including during Covid.

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) and National Security Strategy highlighted the importance of domestic resilience in a time a crisis. Working closely with the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence Programme, we are developing plans and policies in a range of Home Defence related areas, taking the spirit and recommendations of the SDR and applying that to the whole range of policy areas that flow from it, including support to domestic resilience planning and preparation.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Timpson on 22 September (HL10345), whether the positions of Director General of Operations and Chief Operating Officer for Prisons have now been filled on a permanent basis; and what role the Senior Leadership Committee has played in recruitment to these posts.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The roles of Director General of Operations and Chief Operating Officer for Prisons are currently being filled on an interim basis. The recruitment position is unchanged from my reply of 22 September.

Senior Leadership Committee (SLC) membership is currently made up of: Permanent Secretary, Home Office (who serves as the Chair); Permanent Secretary, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; Permanent Secretary, HM Treasury; Chief Executive of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government; Permanent Secretary, Department for Education; Government Chief People Officer (Cabinet Office), Permanent Secretary, Department for Work & Pensions; and Director General, MI5. As set out in the Civil Service Senior Appointments Protocol, the First Civil Service Commissioner also sits on the SLC as a permanent member. There are currently no representatives from the Ministry of Justice on the SLC.

Civil Service Commissioners must chair all permanent competitions for posts at SCS Pay Band 4 (Permanent Secretary) and SCS Pay Band 3 (Director General) level. This requirement applies both to open (external) competitions and to Civil Service-wide (internal) competitions. Commissioners do not have involvement in appointments where an exception is granted, although these are reported to the Commission on a quarterly basis. The current appointments were made under exceptions due to the temporary nature of the arrangements. Any future permanent recruitment will follow the Civil Service Recruitment Principles and be chaired by a Civil Service Commissioner.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Timpson on 22 September (HL10345), whether the Senior Leadership Committee included representatives from the Ministry of Justice; and whether the recruitment process involved the Civil Service Commission or the use of an exception under the Civil Service recruitment principles.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The roles of Director General of Operations and Chief Operating Officer for Prisons are currently being filled on an interim basis. The recruitment position is unchanged from my reply of 22 September.

Senior Leadership Committee (SLC) membership is currently made up of: Permanent Secretary, Home Office (who serves as the Chair); Permanent Secretary, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero; Permanent Secretary, HM Treasury; Chief Executive of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government; Permanent Secretary, Department for Education; Government Chief People Officer (Cabinet Office), Permanent Secretary, Department for Work & Pensions; and Director General, MI5. As set out in the Civil Service Senior Appointments Protocol, the First Civil Service Commissioner also sits on the SLC as a permanent member. There are currently no representatives from the Ministry of Justice on the SLC.

Civil Service Commissioners must chair all permanent competitions for posts at SCS Pay Band 4 (Permanent Secretary) and SCS Pay Band 3 (Director General) level. This requirement applies both to open (external) competitions and to Civil Service-wide (internal) competitions. Commissioners do not have involvement in appointments where an exception is granted, although these are reported to the Commission on a quarterly basis. The current appointments were made under exceptions due to the temporary nature of the arrangements. Any future permanent recruitment will follow the Civil Service Recruitment Principles and be chaired by a Civil Service Commissioner.

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Found: more information, see Library briefing on Home Zones (2010). 2.7 2010 to 2024 In 2014, the Cabinet Office

Found: Cabinet Office estimated that deferring work to address backlogs could multiply costs by over 1.5 times

Found: . • HM Treasury, Cabinet Office and No. 10 are introducing a new planning and performance management

Found: Yet, by 2022, the Cabinet Office estimated that only a quarter of government organisations had met

Found: £142 500 7.02 CEO’s salary increase of 9% was set by Remuneration Committee in accordance with Cabinet Office

Found: We also worked alongside other government agencies, coordinated by the Cabinet Office, to deliver the

Found: remuneration for senior civil servants in the CMA, in accordance with parameters set by the Cabinet Office

Found: response rate of 70%, as advised by the European Human Rights Commission (and endorsed by the Cabinet Office

Found: response rate of 70%, as advised by the European Human Rights Commission (and endorsed by the Cabinet Office

Found: direct contractor Strategic suppliers – the Strategic Partnering Programme is a joint MOD and Cabinet Office

Found: 3.4 Workforce criteria in HMG Procurement and Social Value Model: DESNZ will work with the Cabinet Office

Found: Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006, equivalent statutory transfer schemes, or the Cabinet Office

Found: Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006, equivalent statutory transfer schemes, or the Cabinet Office

Found: Using resources from nature sustainably recommendation 3: The Cabinet Office should catalyse and support

Found: OEP recommendation 26 The Cabinet Office should catalyse and support action to improve the sustainability

Found: guidance and advice set out in MPM and the supporting guidance on spending controls produced by the Cabinet Office

Found: Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006, equivalent statutory transfer schemes, or the Cabinet Office

Found: HM Treasury adheres to Cabinet Office guidelines.

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Found: and Social Care Department of Health and Social Care 13/06/2025 Recruitment Group Operations CABINET OFFICE

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Found: and has had other senior roles in healthcare and constitutional regulators, as well as in the Cabinet Office

Found: Minister for Cabinet Office and Home Office, Dan Jarvis, said:  I urge anyone working in government,

Found: ● A series of recommendations from The Cabinet Office Open Standards Board on how some classes of

Found: Working within the Cabinet Office they ensure that the design, build and usability of services fulfil

Found: Previous Programme of the Year award winners include: — Cop26 Unit by the Cabinet Office (2022) — The

Found: This was revised to align to current Cabinet Office standards in 2023 to 2024 and can be viewed in full

Found: This was revised to align to current Cabinet Office standards in 2023 to 2024 and can be viewed in full

Found: Influenced policy direction through engagement with National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Cabinet Office

Found: Influenced policy direction through engagement with National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), Cabinet Office

Found: guidance and advice set out in MPM and the supporting guidance on spending controls produced by the Cabinet Office

Found: Compliance with government consultation principles 7.8 This consultation is compliant with the latest Cabinet Office

Found: Collins, the Deputy National Security Adviser for Intelligence, Defence and Security within the Cabinet Office

Found: Collins CBE, the Deputy National Security Adviser for Intelligence, Defence and Security in the Cabinet Office

Found: Collins CBE, the Deputy National Security Adviser for Intelligence, Defence and Security in the Cabinet Office

Found: Among the network’s members are: Cabinet Office Ministry of Justice Department for Education Government

Found: Minister for Cabinet Office and Home Office, Dan Jarvis, said:  I urge anyone working in government,

Found: For more information, see the following guidance from the Cabinet Office: PPN 009: Tackling modern slavery

Found: Cameron recommended a new approach with Cabinet Office oversight to ensure all departments rural proof

Found: Q&A – See annexes below for SG and Cabinet Office Q&A CLOSING COMMENTS – Speaking note prompts

Found: Group met for the first time yesterday, attended by SG, Transport Scotland, SE, Scotland Office, Cabinet Office

Found: lace under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) 5 or the Cabinet Office

Found: InSite is a digital asset register developed by Cabinet Office to improve data quality, consistency

Found: consumables) Health Protection (vaccine) 35-39 Wider sector impacts i)Excess deaths (Cabinet Office

Found: Information Act 2000 (FOIA) to the Home Office at 2 Marsham Street, Westminster, London SW1 and the Cabinet Office

Found: Further guidance is available from the Cabinet Office.7 1.13 If a Minister wishes to have a brief for