Cabinet Office

Under the Procurement Act 2023, central government departments are required to publish a pipeline notice which sets out what they are intending to procure over an eighteen month period- this will cover the re-procurement of some current services. This is available in the public domain on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. The Cabinet Office does not hold this information centrally beyond what is set out on the platform.

The Cabinet Office does not centrally collate all delivery assessments that inform the decision to outsource the highest-value contracts awarded by central government.

Under the Procurement Act 2023, central government departments are required to publish a pipeline notice which sets out what they are intending to procure over an eighteen month period- this will cover the re-procurement of some current services. This is available in the public domain on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. The Cabinet Office does not hold this information centrally beyond what is set out on the platform.

The Cabinet Office does not centrally collate all delivery assessments that inform the decision to outsource the highest-value contracts awarded by central government.

The Cabinet Office has not awarded any contracts to WPI Strategy. Central Government departments are responsible for their own procurement and contract awards within their departments. Details of central government contracts above £12,000 and public sector contracts above £30,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023, which came into force on 24 February 2025, are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes the names of winning suppliers.

The Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) is a participant in an annual benchmarking of both public and private sector pension schemes, provided by an external supplier for schemes willing to participate in the benchmarking survey.

The benchmarking outlines the CSPS administration, compared to a peer group of 11 schemes of similar size and nature , including those mentioned in the question.

The benchmarking report contains information on the ‘per member costs’ associated with the CSPS, benchmarked against the 11 peer groups.

As was the case under the previous administration, these annual benchmarking reports are not published.

The government is committed to creating a productive and agile state. This means reducing bureaucracy through adoption of digital technology and AI tools; stripping back duplication and inefficiency in arms-length bodies; streamlining approval processes; and improving accountability for Civil Service performance. The Cabinet Office will drive and track delivery of this important programme of work.

The Register of Ministers’ Gifts and Hospitality is a declaration of hospitality received and gifts given and received in a ministerial capacity, in line with ministers’ obligations under the Ministerial Code.

The Cabinet Office publishes guidance setting out the process that departments should follow to complete the publication of the Register of Ministers’ Gifts and Hospitality:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministers-gifts-and-hospitality-publication-guidance/ministers-gifts-and-hospitality-publication-guidance.

The Director of the Policy Unit is the lead policy civil servant in the Prime Minister’s Office.

We have agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU. We have agreed that any scheme will be capped as well as time-limited. We have also been clear that it should be in line with the UK’s existing schemes with countries like Australia and New Zealand. The exact parameters will be subject to negotiation, but any scheme will need to be in the UK’s national interests.

The Strategic Defence Review was announced in Parliament on June 2 by my Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence.

As set out in paragraph 219 of the guide to Parliamentary work, the disproportionate cost threshold is set at 140% of the Freedom of Information cost limit for central government, which is currently £600. The Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 set out that costs for these purposes are to be estimated at a rate of £25 per hour.

The Commissioner for Public Appointments is a statutory office holder and provides independent assurance that public appointments are made in accordance with the government’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The Governance Code is built on the principles of ministerial responsibility, selflessness, integrity, merit, openness, diversity, assurance and fairness.

The Commissioner’s functions are set out in the Public Appointments Order in Council. Under the Order in Council, the Commissioner must publish an annual report on public appointments. All annual reports, as well as the outcome of complaints and investigations, are published on the Commissioner’s website.

None of the listed flags have been flown from a Government Property Agency managed Government Building since 4 July 2024. We do not hold information relating to buildings not managed by the Government Property Agency.

The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of ministers. Ministers are personally responsible for deciding how to act and conduct themselves in the light of the Code and for justifying their actions and conduct to Parliament and the public.

The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of ministers. Ministers are personally responsible for deciding how to act and conduct themselves in the light of the Code and for justifying their actions and conduct to Parliament and the public.

The Director of Policy, Delivery and Innovation is a special adviser. A list of special advisers is published as part of the Annual Report on Special Advisers by the Cabinet Office on gov.uk. The next report will be published in due course.

There are no plans of this kind.

Admiralty House residences are valued in Council Tax Band H.

Admiralty House residences are valued in Council Tax Band H.

The Cabinet Office centrally does not provide any lectures, reading lists or other training on Critical Race Theory for staff.

The government is conducting a full line-by-line Spending Review which will cover the costs of proposed and existing ALBs to ensure value for money is being delivered for the taxpayer.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a full review of all UK government arm’s length bodies to drive efficiency and reduce bureaucracy and duplication as part of Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.The review is ongoing. I have not held any ministerial discussions with my devolved counterparts about this review.

The Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Review, which was commissioned by the previous administration, asked for consultancy expenditure. It did not collect specific information regarding consultancy providers.

At this time, no such estimate has been made, as that code remains in draft and is currently subject to consultation.

Decisions on pay, including London weighting, are delegated to individual departments for grades below the Senior Civil Service (SCS). The SCS pay framework is managed centrally and only operates a national pay range.

An update will be provided in due course.

IBCA continues to work closely with the Public Sector Fraud Authority to undertake Fraud Risk Assessments and then to implement appropriate counter-fraud mitigations and controls. I refer noble Lords to my answer (HL5057) on 6 March.

Our policy on engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain has not changed.

As set out in the Ministerial Code, there is an established process in place for the declaration and management of private interests held by ministers. This ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest. Any advice given to ministers as part of this process would be in confidence.

This Government is strongly committed to making our communications accessible and inclusive, and to reducing the barriers Deaf people face in their everyday lives.

Since we have come into power, we have endeavoured to ensure as many of the Prime Minister's speeches as possible have BSL interpretation in vision during live streams. This can be found on the Prime Minister’s social media channels - X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube. Where speeches do not have political content, the interpretation is also made available afterwards on gov.uk.

I pay tribute to the outstanding work of the Government’s BSL Advisory Board. We will continue to work with them, and with other members of the Deaf community, on how we can improve further the accessibility of our communications.

Cabinet Office non-statutory guidance sets out that emergency planning should consider groups that require special consideration, including those who are dependent on others, such as children. All education, childcare, and children’s social care settings should have emergency plans in place. Plans should explain how to respond and take any temporary actions in the event of an emergency. This expectation is set out in DfE’s (non-statutory) emergency planning guidance for education, childcare and children’s social care settings. The guidance includes an expectation to evaluate and test plans. DfE also publishes statutory guidance for schools and colleges on safeguarding children and safer recruitment.

The House of Lords Appointments Commission is an independent, advisory non-departmental public body. The Commission publishes an Annual Report on its website, the most recent of which was published on 14 May, along with other information about the Commission’s activity and processes.

Special advisers are bound by the Special Adviser Code of Conduct which states they should not be involved in the line management of civil servants or in matters affecting a civil servant’s career such as recruitment, promotion, reward and discipline. The commission ensures the integrity of recruitment, including in the NSS, in the usual way.

The Trustees of the Consolidated Fund provide details of pension scheme liabilities for the European Parliamentary (United Kingdom Representatives) Pension Scheme, which was open to UK Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) elected up to 2009. This information is in the public domain.

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Lobbying Act 2014 was undertaken by the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and has concluded. Their report, Lobbying and Influence, was published on Parliament's website here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/44541/documents/221331/default/

A business case was not required.

As was the case under the previous administration, it would not be appropriate to provide a list of individual teams within 10 Downing Street.

I refer to the statement made to the House by the Leader of the House of Commons on 2 June 2025.

As per GCS Propriety guidance, content created by the civil service should always be used as part of official government communications before being repurposed by Special Advisers or Ministers for political purposes.

The Cabinet Office holds frequent discussions with Civil Service trade unions on a number of topics.

As of June 2025, 10 Downing Street held 34 Government Procurement Cards. The number of cards held has decreased under this administration since July 2024. In line with the guidance, only staff with an operational need, including travel, maintain a card.

The majority of roles moved from London will occur through natural churn. Departments have delegated responsibility for managing relocations in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code. Civil Servants can voluntarily relocate in line with their department’s relocation policy.

For departments, external equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure for financial year 2024/2025 has recently been published on Gov.uk. Delegated authority from a minister to a Permanent Secretary has been reported to the Cabinet Office for the following departments:

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

HM Treasury

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Department for Business and Trade

Cabinet Office

Home Office

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Transport

The exemption requirement does not apply to arm’s-length bodies. As stated in paragraph four of the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance, for arm’s-length bodies, the Principal Accounting Officer, in consultation with the Board, must authorise the expenditure.

Central data on Civil Service Headquarters (HQ) occupancy is collected and published quarterly on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data for all HQ buildings of Whitehall Departments, Office for Scotland, Office for Wales and Northern Ireland Office. This includes data for the Cabinet Office.

As was the case under the previous administration, no other information on workforce attendance is gathered centrally.

Heads of department have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.

I refer the honourable gentleman to the answer given to HC51159. As was the case under the previous administration, the Cabinet Office collects data for departmental HQ attendance only. No other information on occupancy data or workforce attendance is gathered centrally.

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.

A further update will be provided in due course.