Sep. 02 2025
Source Page: Social Outcomes Partnerships and the Life Chances FundSep. 02 2025
Source Page: Trade and Cooperation Agreement implementation report, 2023-2024Sep. 02 2025
Source Page: Trade and Cooperation Agreement implementation report, 2023-2024Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2025 to Question 63336 on Disaster Relief and Emergencies: Equality, whether there is any other documentation with the Risk Vulnerability Tool.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Information about the Risk Vulnerability Tool (RVT), its purpose and availability to officials in UK and Devolved Governments was published as part of the Resilience Action Plan.
Further information on the RVT methodology will be published as part of a Quality and Methodology Information report once the methodology has been finalised, as is usual for government statistics.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 27 of the National Security Strategy 2025, published on 24 June 2025, who will be responsible for the creating of a Biothreats Radar.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office’s National Situation Centre is responsible for creating the Biothreats Radar. The Radar brings together information on human, animal, and plant health risks to create a powerful, near real-time view of emerging biological threats and the impact they could have.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2025 to Question 63336 on Disaster Relief and Emergencies: Equality, for what reason sex and gender are collated as separate indicators.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Sex and gender reassignment are distinct protected characteristics and, as such, data relating to these characteristics may be collated separately.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the performance of the national test of the UK Emergency Alert System conducted on 23 April 2023; and what lessons will be applied to the test on 7 September 2025.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government is committed to improving the Emergency Alerts system as it serves a crucial purpose helping to save lives in emergency situations by issuing an alert to all compatible mobile phones.
There was an initial 12 month evaluation period (April 2023 - April 2024) during which the government carried out analysis on the effectiveness of the system. This analysis allowed the government to assess the benefit of emergency alerts during life-threatening emergencies. Following this evaluation lessons have been taken after each activation of emergency alerts to ensure any necessary changes or technical improvements are made to improve the system.
Asked by: Elsie Blundell (Labour - Heywood and Middleton North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to assess the potential merits of flexible visa arrangements with the European Union for British nationals who face challenges with the Schengen rules.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The UK and the EU allow for visa-free short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals. UK nationals can travel visa-free within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period; this is standard for third countries travelling visa-free to the EU. There may be opportunities to apply for visas to stay for longer periods of time, in accordance with the rules of individual Member States. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2025 to Question 64065 on National Security Adviser, for what reason the role of secretary to the National Security Council is fulfilled by the Deputy National Security Advisers; and what role the National Security Adviser has within the National Security Secretariat.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The NSA attends the National Security Council and provides advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on national security matters. The relevant Deputy NSA acts as Secretary to the National Security Council as this is a civil service function. The NSA oversees cross-government delivery of the National Security Strategy 2025.