Cabinet Office

The Government Car Service (GCS) provides secure transport for Government Ministers and senior officials. There are currently no GCS vehicles declared as being off the road with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). Some other departments operate their own fleets of vehicles, about which the Cabinet Office does not hold information.

I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the response given on 10 December to PQ 96655.

The 2023 UK Biological Security Strategy (BSS) sets out how the country is strengthening resilience to a spectrum of biological threats. As part of the BSS, DSIT is ensuring the UK is a world leader in responsible innovation in engineering biology – working closely with academia and industry to improve shared awareness of security risks, and ensuring any measures to mitigate risks (including those related to genomic data) remain proportionate.

All organisations holding health data (including genomics data) must comply with GDPR. To comply with GDPR, DSIT and DHSC require safeguards to be in place when health data is transferred outside the UK, including a risk assessment for countries not recognised as offering an equivalent level of data protection by the UK.

On behalf of DSIT, the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), have developed the Trusted Research campaign to advise academia on international collaborations, by informing them of the threat and helping them make decisions about research and research partners. NPSA and NCSC have also developed the Secure Innovation campaign to help new start-ups in the emerging and critical technology sectors think carefully about their partners and investment.

Alongside this work, DSIT’s Research Collaboration Advice Team offers the research sector tailored advice on managing the risks of international research collaboration. DSIT also engages in a two-way dialogue with policymakers, academia and industry on the responsible use of engineering biology and life sciences, through the Responsible Innovation Advisory Panel.

In line with other large employers, The Cabinet Office utilises LinkedIn subscriptions for business purposes including recruitment across government and managing the wider Civil Service talent pipeline.

It is not possible to provide a definitive figure for subscriptions for the last financial year (and to do so would incur disproportionate costs.) Heads of Business Units review all subscriptions and other internal expenditure to ensure value for tax payer money.

The Permanent Secretary model contract sets out the contractual detail on compensation payments for all Permanent Secretaries. This applies to the Cabinet Secretary and there is no separate internal guidance. A copy of the model contract has been placed in the House Library.

The Cabinet Office Facility Time Framework, issued to Civil Service departments, provides guidance on the granting of time off for trade union facility time for civil servants who are trade union representatives. Civil Service staff network activity is separate to trade union activities and duties carried out by trade union representatives in the Civil Service. The Staff Network Policy covers the allocation of time for specific staff network roles and duties.

The Staff Network Policy is an internal Civil Service staff policy. It is not in the public domain and as such a copy will not be placed in the Library.

The property occupied by the Department for Education on Great Smith Street, London is known as Sanctuary Buildings. GPA, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, holds the leasehold interest in the property and pays the rent. The freehold interest is held by Legal and General Assurance (Pensions Management) Limited.

Information on property registered in England and Wales is available to the public by following the following link to HM Land Registry - Search for land and property information

https://www.gov.uk/search-property-information-land-registry

I refer to my answer to 88716, where I confirm a copy of the model contract has been placed in the House Library.

The Cabinet Office provided this information to the National Audit Office. This information was already held under the Redundancy and Compensation Control process.

The £7,395 covered in the response to Question 69278 was part of the £8,500 budget referred to in Question 65788 asked by the same MP on 8 July 2025. Under EDI Expenditure rules that budget was listed in the data published on 30 May 2025 and was the maximum approved budget, a ceiling rather than actual spend. Expenditure within this budget facilitated a presence on behalf of the Civil Service at 26 Pride events across the UK.

Itemising spend across all supplier organisations may breach commercial agreements between the department and suppliers.

As of Monday 1 December, MyCSP is no longer the contracted administrator for the Civil Service pension scheme. The new contract was awarded to Capita. To support the transition, Capita has employed an additional 194 staff over and above the workforce transferred from MyCSP. This has seen a 60% increase in the capacity of the customer contact centre.

The Cabinet Office has secured a robust contract containing strict performance levers; this includes financial penalties should Capita fail to answer calls within agreed timescales. A comprehensive governance structure is fully operational and reporting via oversight groups to ensure performance remains consistent with these contractual requirements.

Before the Second Home premium was introduced in Westminster, the Cabinet Office were aware that the former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was occupying Admiralty House (AH) as a second home and that council tax would therefore be payable by Government. In line with long standing precedent under successive administrations, as the property was a second residence the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former DPM. Similarly, the Cabinet Office is responsible for liaising with Westminster City Council (WCC) for matters concerning residency at Admiralty House.

WCC were notified at the beginning of May that the former DPM was occupying AH as a second home for council tax purposes, and details were provided for WCC to issue a bill accordingly.

The Government Property Agency wrote to WCC in June to confirm that the second home's premium applied. WCC issued an invoice in July which was paid the same day.

This year there are 114 deputy directors taking part in the Senior Leadership Programme established in 2018. The programme is 14 months’ long and costs a total of £1,373,401.91.

The Procurement Act 2023 allows the Government to investigate and, where appropriate, add suppliers to a centrally managed debarment list. Addition to the list impacts on a supplier’s eligibility for public contracts. These decisions can be taken on multiple grounds, including national security. The Government does not routinely comment on debarment investigations under the Procurement Act.

Any suppliers subject to debarment will be listed on gov.uk.

The Procurement Act 2023 allows the Government to investigate and, where appropriate, add suppliers to a centrally managed debarment list. Addition to the list impacts on a supplier’s eligibility for public contracts. These decisions can be taken on multiple grounds, including national security. The Government does not routinely comment on debarment investigations under the Procurement Act.

Any suppliers subject to debarment will be listed on gov.uk.

The Procurement Act 2023 allows the Government to investigate and, where appropriate, add suppliers to a centrally managed debarment list. Addition to the list impacts on a supplier’s eligibility for public contracts. These decisions can be taken on multiple grounds, including national security. The Government does not routinely comment on debarment investigations under the Procurement Act.

Any suppliers subject to debarment will be listed on gov.uk.

This Government is committed to ensuring public procurement drives growth across the UK and supports British businesses.

We have consulted on procurement reforms to further boost domestic supply chains and create more opportunities for businesses across the UK, including across the vehicle manufacturing sector. We will be publishing the consultation outcome - and legislative proposals - soon.

Data on the number of British and non-British made vehicles procured across the Government and its agencies is not held centrally.

The Government is focused on negotiation and implementation of the commitments from the UK-EU Summit. We do not expect an expansive programme of work on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement review clause.

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of the 1st of December is attached.

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of the 1st of December is attached.

There are two additional flats in Admiralty House which can be allocated to ministers as official residences at the Prime Minister’s discretion. Neither flat has been allocated to a minister under the current administration.

The Procurement Act 2023 allows contracting authorities the flexibility to include considerations such as locally and sustainably sourced building materials in contracts. Any criteria adopted must be relevant and proportionate to the contract.

We have consulted on procurement reforms to further boost domestic supply chains and create more opportunities for businesses, in particular SMEs, across the UK. We will be publishing the consultation outcome - and legislative proposals - soon.

I refer the Hon Member to the response provided for PQ 92419 for the headcount size of the Government Communication Service.

Information regarding Civil Service staff working in communications functions who are not part of the Government Communication Service is not held centrally.

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) delivers National Security Vetting services to departments and agencies across government, police and industry. UKSV’s workforce planning is driven by the demand forecasting and operational employment requirements of these departments and agencies. The resourcing of UKSV includes a diverse range of staffing contracts to meet forecast demand.

Since April 2024, United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) has consistently met its agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPI), across each product type.

With the appropriate Ministerial oversight, UKSV works closely with the departments and decision-making authorities they serve to understand their forecasted demand for the provision of vetting services.

The requested information is not held centrally or in the specific categories outlined in the question.

Please refer to departmental transparency data.

It is the responsibility of individual sponsor departments to publish details of the direct ministerial appointments that they make, including their terms of reference. Information about managing conflicts of interest and the public announcements that should be made for Direct Ministerial Appointments is set out in the Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments.

I refer to Hon Member to the answer of 2 December 2025, Official Report, PQ 92608.

I refer the Hon Member to the Liaison Committee's website, which has published that the Prime Minister is due to appear before the Committee on 15 December.

The 2025 data collection is complete.

Any costs in this Spending Review period will be met within existing settlements. The Government will run a public consultation in the new year.

The number was an initial, and early, estimate, spread over a number of years.

We do not recognise it as an accurate cost of the program. Any costs in this Spending Review period will be met within existing settlements. The Government will run a public consultation in the new year.

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of the 2nd December is attached.

The Government’s new digital ID scheme will be rolled out by the end of this Parliament.

The new scheme will be inclusive, secure, and useful. It will give people more control over their data than they have now, and make public services easier to access.

Users will receive clear information about what data is collected, how it is used, retention periods, and their rights. Privacy notices will be accessible and easy to understand, ensuring people remain informed and confident in the system.

We will ensure that the new scheme complies with all data protection legislation, and user privacy will be at the heart of the design of the scheme at every stage of development and delivery.

We are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation. (No final decisions will be made until after the consultation).

The Government’s proposed Digital ID scheme will require primary legislation, ensuring full scrutiny by Parliament.

The Government will consult widely with stakeholders and the public, through a public consultation. The consultation will be open for the public and experts who will be able to share their views on how the scheme is designed and implemented.

For public appointments, the Governance Code on Public Appointments requires that relevant political activity, as defined within the Code, should be publicly disclosed for successful candidates. This is expected to happen at the time that a department or appointing body announces the successful candidate. Or in the case of those appointments subject to pre-appointment hearing by a House of Commons select committee, the preferred candidate.

Direct ministerial appointments are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. This requires declaration of political activity where that is an actual or perceived conflict to their role. This is administered by the appointing body.

The Cabinet Office does not hold data from across government on all direct ministerial appointments.

As set out in the recently published Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments, the Cabinet Office has recently made changes to its public appointments digital platform, which will allow departments to record and track their data on such appointments.

There is an established process in place for the appointment of ministers. Any conversations held take place in confidence. All ministers are expected to adhere to the high standards of conduct set out in the Ministerial Code.

The approach to any discussions between opposition parties and officials of the devolved governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for those governments. The Cabinet Manual sets out that it is for the Prime Minister to authorise contact between UK Government civil servants and opposition parties ahead of a general election.

The Mission Boards are:

• Growth Mission Board;

• Clean Energy Mission Board;

• Safer Streets Mission Board;

• Opportunities Mission Board; and

• Health Mission Board.

All publicly available data related to completions of the training can be found in the Evaluation of One Big Thing 2024, published on 10 October 2025.

A breakdown of the proportion of officials at each Senior Civil Service grade who completed the One Big Thing 2024 Innovation Masterclass from each Department and executive agency is not publicly available.

The table below shows the number of home civil servants on a headcount and FTE basis as at 30 June 2025 by UK central government departments, Scottish Government and Welsh Government. The Northern Ireland Executive is supported by the Northern Ireland Civil Service which is not part of the home civil service.

Source: Public Sector Employment Statistics, ONS

Notes:

Numbers may not sum to total due to rounding

Figures include Diplomatic Service.