Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to negotiate the harmonisation of the amount of time that UK nationals can spend in the EU under the 90 in 180 day Schengen rule with the amount of time that EU nationals can spend in the UK with her EU counterparts.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
HMG officials and Ministers, including myself, regularly engage the EU and EU Member State counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals. The UK and the EU allow for visa-free, short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals.
The UK allows EU citizens visa-free travel for up to six months; the EU allows for visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period which is standard for third nationals travelling visa-free to the EU. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Cabinet Office publication, Public Appointments made by or of interest to the Prime Minister, of 30 October 2025, what does the inclusion of a regulated public appointment in that list entail for the process of that appointment; and whether the No10 Public Appointments Unit is consulted by the sponsor department on the (a) panel members, (b) longlist, (c) shortlist and (d) proposed final appointment by the sponsor department.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
This Government is continuing to ensure the highest standards in the public appointments process.
The process for public appointments is set out on gov.uk, including a transparent list of appointments that by their nature may be of interest to the Prime Minister’s Office.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing prior public notice of visits by members of the Royal Family to Northern Ireland, in the context of practice in other parts of the UK.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As with all Royal visits across the UK, announcement timelines take into account a number of factors, including security advice.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any recruitment, procurement, or system development activity has been initiated or progressed in relation to Digital Identity and the One Login for Government programme.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The GOV.UK One Login system is fully operational. Users can set up an account, sign in and then prove their identity to access an initial set of 122 government services.
Digital Identity policy is in development, with a dedicated team inside the Cabinet Office working to develop the proposals. Any notices relating to public procurement will be accessible via https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what consideration has been made of allocating a Digital Identity Number to children at birth.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
All UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over will be able to get the national digital identity credential, and we will be consulting the public on the minimum age.
We want people to have the option to use the national digital ID to make their lives easier - like smoother access to public services and safer proof of who you are across the economy.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2025 to Question 95644 on Cabinet Office: OCS Group, whether the (a) Cabinet Office and (b) Government Property Agency have access to the information entered onto the Social Value Portal.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office does not have access to the information entered onto the Social Value Portal in relation to OCS Group.
However, The GPA has access to the Social Value Portal in respect of its OCS Group contracts.
Laid - 26 Jan 2026 In Force Not stated
These Regulations make amendments to the Procurement Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/692) (“the 2024 Regulations”), the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1348) (“the PSR Regulations”) and the Procurement Act 2023 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/716) (“the Transitional and Saving Provisions …
Jan. 23 2026
Source Page: Renowned sculptor Karen Newman joins the national Queen Elizabeth II Memorial projectAsked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics to (a) remove and (b) amend questions on gender identity in the next Census.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 14th January is attached.
Jan. 22 2026
Source Page: UK Government Ministers to meet with Northern Ireland schools ahead of East-West Council