Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the written statement, HCWS1456, on UK Government Response to Covid-19 Inquiry Module 2 Report, of 25 March 2026, what his planned timetable is for the proposed commencement of the socio-economic duty; and whether he plans to respond to the Equality law call for evidence, published on 7 April 2025.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

This Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, can thrive. Therefore, as set out in our response to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 2 report, we agree with the recommendation that commencement of the socio-economic duty could drive the routine consideration of the impact decisions might have on those most at risk in an emergency.

The Government is giving careful consideration to responses to the equality law call for evidence as we consider next steps. We will publish a summary of responses and a Government response in due course on: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/equality-law-call-for-evidence.

The socio-economic duty will require specified public bodies to actively consider how their strategic decisions might help to reduce the inequalities of outcome associated with socio-economic disadvantage.

We are now taking forward work to make sure that commencement of the duty in England is as effective as possible.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has issued guidance on whether accountable grant agreements should be (a) published and (b) subject to (i) tendering and (ii) open competition.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has published guidance on GOV.UK covering the administration of general grants and the requirement to award funding via a competitive process.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which preparedness plans have been scrutinised by the UK Resilience Academy since April 2025.

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

The UK Government is committed to enhancing the provision of independent advice and external challenge to UK preparedness plans. The Government has therefore committed to convene a number of independent panels to scrutinise UK whole-system risks. This was announced in the Resilience Action Plan and forms the Government’s response to the COVID-19 Module 1, Recommendation 10.

The Cabinet Office has now developed an independent assurance programme, covering the most significant risks in the classified National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA). This draws on independent experts from across sectors outside government to ensure impartial, credible assurance, and offer recommendations on improvements that can be made.

In December 2025, the Cabinet Office, working with the UK Resilience Academy, delivered a pilot to help us further refine and strengthen our independent assurance processes ahead of launching the full programme. Lessons learnt from this will inform planning for future whole-system risks, as set out in the internal NSRA.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Cabinet Office news story published on 26 March 2026, Modernising public procurement: backing British businesses and building a fairer economy, if he will publish his new definition of social value.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

On 26 March, the government announced plans for a new definition of social value that will strengthen the importance of community impact, putting it at the heart of future buying decisions. The Cabinet Office is developing this definition with input from businesses, trade unions, community groups and civil society organisations. We plan to publish this new definition shortly.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 115553 on APCO Worldwide and Labour Together, what was the specific allegation and breach of the Ministerial Code that the Independent Adviser was asked by the Prime Minister to consider.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the response to the Urgent Question on 23 February, Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review (Official Report, Column 27), and also to the Terms of Reference for the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards on gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what consideration he has given to the potential merits of introducing a national framework with clear criteria for intervention in major cyber incidents to strengthen economic resilience.

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

Cyber attacks are increasing in scale and impact; they are slowing the UK’s economic growth and damaging our national security. The UK Government has an existing national process to manage the response to major cyber incidents: the national cyber incident categorisation system is published on NCSC.GOV.UK.

The Government, alongside the National Cyber Security Centre, engages with regulators and critical national infrastructure operators to ensure resilience and preparedness to cyber threats, working to better understand and manage cyber risk, and minimise the impact of cyber incidents when they occur.

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will also support this, by boosting UK cyber defences and improving the cyber security of our essential public and digital services.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what cross-government contingency planning is in place for major cyber incidents affecting critical supply chains.

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

Cyber attacks are increasing in scale and impact; they are slowing the UK’s economic growth and damaging our national security. The UK Government has an existing national process to manage the response to major cyber incidents: the national cyber incident categorisation system is published on NCSC.GOV.UK.

The Government, alongside the National Cyber Security Centre, engages with regulators and critical national infrastructure operators to ensure resilience and preparedness to cyber threats, working to better understand and manage cyber risk, and minimise the impact of cyber incidents when they occur.

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will also support this, by boosting UK cyber defences and improving the cyber security of our essential public and digital services.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's news story entitled Modernising public procurement: backing British businesses and building a fairer economy, published 26 March 2026, if he will publish the hyperlinks to the procurement guidance on the (a) new Public Interest Test and (b) publishing insourcing strategies.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

This government is committed to making the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation a reality. To do so, we will introduce a new Public Interest Test, requiring all departments to assess whether a service can be delivered more effectively in-house before any outsourcing decision is made. All departments will be required to also publish insourcing strategies to ensure delivery of this policy is effective.

The Cabinet Office plans to publish detailed guidance on the introduction of this public interest test in the Summer. Guidance on the public interest test and insourcing strategies will be available on gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2025, to Question 63328, on Intelligence and Security Committee: Press Releases, whether the Cabinet Office has now provided (a) additional and (b) independent resource, to the Intelligence and Security Committee and its secretariat; and what the status is of the updating of the Memorandum of Understanding.

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

Cabinet Office officials engage routinely and constructively with the Committee and will continue to do so. The Cabinet Office has agreed to the Committee’s requested uplift on budgeting and resourcing, which should help it to continue to undertake its critical role effectively. Cabinet Office officials are also working with the ISC to identify the best operating model for the future.

The Prime Minister values the independent and robust oversight which the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) provides. Following discussions with the Committee, the Cabinet Office is conducting a review of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Prime Minister and the Committee. Any changes made to the MOU would need to be agreed by both the Prime Minister and the ISC.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse was of advertising the digital ID consultation on a) Spotify, b) Apple Podcasts and c) Audible.

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

Podcasts are not bought at partner level, so we’re not able to provide this information. I refer the Hon Member to PQ126891 for details on costs.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the current budget is for (a) media advertising, (b) marketing and (c) communications on the new Digital ID; which creative agencies have been selected to undertake the work; and what types of media have been commissioned.

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

There is currently no marketing activity around the digital ID itself. All marketing is focused on public participation in the consultation which closes 5 May.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41289 on Arms Length Bodies: Parliamentary Scrutiny, what guidance has been given to non-ministerial departments on how they should provide information to departments to facilitate the answering of written parliamentary questions through their sponsor Minister.

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

The Cabinet Office has not issued guidance to non-ministerial departments on how they should provide information to departments to facilitate the answering of written parliamentary questions by their sponsor Minister.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2026, to Question 116506, on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, for what reason the OCS invoice paid by the Government Property Agency in 12 November 2025 does not appear in the published Cabinet Office Core spending data for November 2025.

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

The OCS invoice paid by the Government Property Agency dated 6th November 2025 and paid on 12th November 2025 does appear in the November 2025 Cabinet Office spend data as published on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 March to Question 123135 on Foreign Investment in UK: West Midlands, if he will set out inward investment into the West Midlands for each of the last 10 years.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

A response to the Rt. Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 10th April is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to Question 108150 answered on 29 January 2026, what progress the cross-departmental team has made on reducing Capita's backlog of Civil Service Pension Scheme Payments.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office is responsible for the management of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the letter included in the Answer of 23 March 2026 to Question 119327 on Census: Gender, what is the timetable for the development of the new harmonised standards by the Government Statistical Service; and whether the standards will relate to (a) sex, (b) sexual orientation, (c) gender reassignment and (d) gender identity.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - 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 April is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing compensation payments to those impacted by delays to the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

Interest will be paid on delayed benefits to avoid financial loss by members. In addition, the existing statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial losses, as well as distress and inconvenience caused, on a case-by-case basis to determine whether compensation is due. This ensures that any retiree who provides evidence of extra costs, such as bank penalties or interest charges caused by the delay, is fairly assessed. This process is run in accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office and its agencies do not offer payroll deductions to staff in order to join a credit union.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government will require No 10 to offer payroll deductions to all its employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office and its agencies do not offer payroll deductions to staff in order to join a credit union.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress he has made in updating the Government War Book.

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

The UK has well-developed contingency plans to respond to a wide range of eventualities. The plans and supporting arrangements have been developed, refined and tested over many years. They are risk-based, built on the principle of generic capabilities able to respond to a wide range of events, augmented by specific, niche capabilities, where needed and warranted by the risk.

Developing plans for civilian assistance to the military in a time of conflict is a key component of the Cabinet Office’s Home Defence Programme (HDP). It is an ongoing programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK. This work is informed by and reflects the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that adequate levels of customer service are maintained by MyCSP during the transfer of the Civil Service Pension Scheme administration to Capita.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to extend Universal Basic Services across government.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Universal Basic Services is not a government policy and is not being explored by the Cabinet Office.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the causes and scale of delays in the administration of Civil Service pensions following the transfer of the contract to Capita on 1 December 2025.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what performance metrics are specified in the contract with Capita to administer the civil service pensions scheme; and whether any service credits or penalties have been applied because of service failures.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what resources Capita has committed to reducing the Civil Service pension processing backlog, including staffing levels and system capacity.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what has been the total public cost to date of the Covid-19 Inquiry.

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

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry publishes a quarterly financial report of its costs. The latest publication for Q3 2025/26 shows that the total cost from when the Inquiry was established on 28 June 2022 to 31 December 2025 was £204m.

Since the financial year 2023/24, the Government has published data on costs incurred by key government departments in responding to the Inquiry. These costs to 30 September 2025 total £111m and are in addition to the Inquiry’s own costs above. A further update to the data will be published in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of claimants to the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme who have less than 12 months to live; and whether they are being prioritised.

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

IBCA are prioritising claims for those who are sadly nearing the end of their lives, followed by older age groups, as recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Based on community feedback, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is prioritising claims for people who have been told by a medical professional that they may have 12 months or less to live. This is regardless of whether they are infected, affected, a beneficiary of an estate of a deceased infected person, or registered with an Infected Blood Support Scheme. IBCA collects information regarding this via their registration service, allowing them to prioritise claims appropriately.

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the IBCA as an operationally independent body. IBCA publishes regular updates on its website of the progress made in delivering compensation, including how many individuals have received compensation payments across all groups. The latest update can be found here: https://ibca.org.uk/statistics/registration-and-compensation-progress-update-9-April-2026.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) capacity of and (b) progress within the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

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

As of 9 April, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) has paid over £2 billion in compensation. As of 1 October 2025, IBCA had asked every living infected person who is registered with a support scheme to come forward and start their claim. IBCA has now opened the service for the first claims from infected people who were never compensated, deceased infected people, and living affected people. This met the Government’s targets for compensation delivery in 2025.

With each new cohort, IBCA are starting small, allowing them to learn what additions to the claim service are needed. This will allow them to open their service to more people as the service is built around specific needs. Whilst the roll out of the scheme is an operational decision for IBCA as an independent body, the Government fully supports its commitment to moving forward as swiftly as possible.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 115555 on Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, if he will make it his policy to review the terms of reference of the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards to allow a review the conduct of a former Minister, including to determine whether there was a serious breach of the Ministerial Code that would trigger the forfeiture of a Ministerial severance payment.

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

The terms of reference for the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards are set out in the Ministerial Code and are a matter for the Prime Minister.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to 18 March 2026, to Question 118534, on Morgan McSweeney, whether (a) Paul Ovenden, (b) Matthew Doyle and (c) Morgan McSweeney were subject to an offboarding procedure in relation official government information held on non-corporate devices; and whether significant information for the public record was transferred to an appropriate official system.

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

There is an established system for Special Advisers in place for the management of official government information held on non-corporate devices during the departure process. The policy covering non-corporate communication channels is published on gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with the Department of Health and Social Care on the governance and accountability of the NHS Business Services Authority.

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

Cabinet Office Ministers have not met with DHSC to discuss the governance and accountability of the NHS Business Services Authority.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether civil servants relocated to Canary Wharf count as having moved out of central London for statistical purposes.

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

Civil servants who have been moved to Canary Wharf do count as having been moved out of Central London. Utilising estate capacity in Outer London reduces pressure on Whitehall estate and ensures that we have accessible working spaces across the capital. However, only roles which move out of London entirely are counted as role relocations under the Places for Growth programme.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what timetable the Cabinet Office has set for considering departmental submissions on arm’s length body reform and accountability following Statement UIN HCWS1467 of 26 March 2026.

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

The ALB review is ongoing and results will be communicated in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the evidence given by Paymaster General at the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee session on 28 January 2026, what the estimated cost is of his Department providing (a) loans and (b) compensation to individuals impacted by delays to the civil service pension scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time. It should be noted that these are loans and expected to be recovered and are provided by the employer and not the Cabinet Office, therefore no estimate is available.

As of 24 March 2026, government employers have reported that 869 of these Transition Support Loans have been distributed, to a total value of £4.58 Million.

Interest will be paid on delayed benefits to avoid financial loss by members. In addition, the existing statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial losses, as well as distress and inconvenience caused, on a case-by-case basis to determine whether compensation is due. This ensures that any retiree who provides evidence of extra costs, such as bank penalties or interest charges caused by the delay, is fairly assessed. This process is run in accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman and no estimate is available.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department is taking steps towards a compensation scheme for delays to first pension payments and lump sums caused by the transition between MyCSP to Capita of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

Interest will be paid on delayed benefits to avoid financial loss by members. In addition, the existing statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial losses, as well as distress and inconvenience caused, on a case-by-case basis to determine whether compensation is due. This ensures that any retiree who provides evidence of extra costs, such as bank penalties or interest charges caused by the delay, is fairly assessed. This process is run in accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued on the use of merit order when using a reserve list for the appointment of a (a) Cabinet Secretary and (b) Permanent Secretary.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles set out rules on reserve list appointments (here, page 5). This applies to all appointments, and there is no separate guidance for appointment of a Cabinet Secretary or Permanent Secretaries.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 120317 on Cabinet Office: Freedom of Information and with reference to the Cabinet Office guidance on Non-corporate communication channels for government business of March 2023, paragraph 27, whether government information that has not been transferred back to the official record following off-boarding, remains subject to and in the scope of the Freedom of Information regime after staff members have left Crown Service.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Freedom of Information requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Reasonable searches are made to identify information within the scope of each request and to ensure compliance with the legislation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of UK GDPR data protection principles on his Department's disclosure of Lord Mandelson's personal information under the humble Address.

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

I refer you to the Oral Statement on the 23rd February, in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, and the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 16th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

All relevant material is being prepared for publication, including the appropriate checks relating to national security, international relations, legal privilege and the protection of personal data.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2026, to Question 111932, on Lord Mandelson, what assessment has been made of why the letter from Lord Glasman to the Prime Minister's Office on the probity of Lord Mandelson was not copied across to the official record.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 9 February 2026, Official Report, PQ 111932.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 116506 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, whether (a) all Government Property Agency spending data is published in the quarterly returns by Cabinet Office, or (b) only recharged spending data is published.

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

As an Executive Agency of the Cabinet Office, all spend by the Government Property Agency which meets the criteria for disclosure in the Cabinet Office spend data is disclosed in the published reports: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data

Spend which is recharged to the Cabinet Office group entities which meets the criteria is also published, and would be shown as income with the GPA accounts

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse is of advertising the Digital ID consultation on podcasts.

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

The digital ID consultation is open to the public, and its success is hinged on open and transparent participation. We have a duty to reach as broad a population as possible and have worked with media partners in order to ensure that the public are aware of the consultation and how to participate. For this campaign, we’ve worked with two podcast partners: Acast and Audioboom, with a combined spend of £62,817 for the duration of the 12 week consultation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 51163 on Prime Minister: Email, whether emails which 10 Downing Street which are automatically removed after 90 days that have not otherwise been saved for long-term storage are still considered to be held for the purposes of Government responses to Humble Addresses.

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

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and the Oral Statement on the 23rd February, in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, which set out an update on the Government's process and that Departments have been instructed to retain material that may be relevant to the motion.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2026, to Question 44467, on Government Departments: Social Media, if he will request that the Ethics and Integrity Commission consider this issue as part of their commissioned review into lobbying and transparency.

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

The Prime Minister's letter to the Ethics and Integrity Commission Chair, dated 11 March 2026 and published on GOV.UK, sets out the policy areas the Commission has been asked to review.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release entitled Conclusion of His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme, of 28 November 2024, what the percentage take-up figure was for principal councils in England.

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

His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme was a voluntary programme offering a free, framed portrait of The King to any eligible public institution that requested one.

Following the conclusion of the scheme, a breakdown of the take up, including percentage take-up figures were published on gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 2 April 2026, to Question 122728, on Cabinet Office: Email, whether John Pond's emails be transferred to the National Archives.

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

The Cabinet Office manages its departmental records in accordance with the provisions of the Public Records Act 1958. Section 3 of the Act sets out the provisions for selecting and preserving public records.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many auctions have taken place since July 2024 in relation to the disposal of gifts given to the Prime Minister and his predecessors that were retained by the department at the time.

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

Hospitality and gifts received by Ministers in their ministerial capacity are declared in accordance with the Ministerial Code on gov.uk

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question HL15173 on Prime Minister: TikTok, whether the Prime Minister has been given permission to install TikTok on his Government phone.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 19 March 2026, Official Report, PQ HL15173.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps are being taken to improve the timeliness of (a) Hon Member and (b) public correspondence replies by the Cabinet Office.

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

The Cabinet Office is committed to providing timely and high-quality responses to correspondence from Parliamenterians and the wider public. The Cabinet Office regularly reviews and refreshes departmental processes, including the use of new digital tools, to ensure it meets these commitments. Annual Government data on response rates to Parliamenterian correspondence will be published in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister had discussions with the Irish Government on the potential transfer of ownership or control of public assets in Northern Ireland to the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.

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

The Prime Minister met the Taoiseach on March 13. A readout of discussions between the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach are made available on gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the 10 Downing Street Events and Tours team holds data on the (a) cost of individual official receptions that take place in Downing Street and (b) the number of attendees or accepted invitations.

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

As under previous administrations, details of official receptions are published in quarterly transparency returns on gov.uk

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report into the review of the vetting process led by Sir Chris Wormald.

Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations

This document has been deposited in the House Library.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 119977 on Proof of Identity: Digital Technology, whether the postcode lottery process will invite (a) named individuals or (b) any householder who lives at a randomly selected address.

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

The People’s Panel for Digital ID is selected via civic lottery to ensure a representative sample of the public. Invitations are not sent to named individuals. Only one person from each household can be selected.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of publishing a Data Protection Impact Assessment on the quality of public responses to the consultation on digital identity.

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

We have completed the DPIA for the digital ID consultation and have published a privacy notice, linked here as per UK GDPR requirements. The design and delivery of the digital ID will be informed by the open consultation which will be open till 5 May; this feedback will be important in designing our policy approach.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has sought to recruit a senior official to lead on trans equality since January 2026.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Based on a ‘senior official’ being a Senior Civil Servant (SCS), there have been no SCS recruitment campaigns to lead on trans equality.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the transparency data, Expenditure Over £25,000 - February 2026 (Cabinet Office Core), published on 26 March 2026, what is the purpose and nature of the expenditure relating to GRS - SURGE CONTRACT via PEREGRINE INTERNATIONAL.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The expenditure relating to "GRS - SURGE CONTRACT via PEREGRINE INTERNATIONAL" in February 2026 refers to the provision of flexible, ad-hoc recruitment support for the Government Recruitment Service (GRS).

This contract enables GRS to scale its capacity to meet fluctuations in customer demand. In February 2026, the expenditure covered 41 unique recruitment actions across 13 government departments. These actions included application sifting, interview scoring, the provision of virtual panel members, and candidate support sessions for reasonable adjustments. This model ensures the timely delivery of essential recruitment services while maintaining financial efficiency.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of people who were employed in the automotive manufacturing sector in each month since September 2025 up to and including the most recent month for which figures are available.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

A response to the Rt. Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 14th April is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the severance payment to the outgoing Cabinet Secretary included a monetary provision for forgone employer pension contributions.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Details of payments made to the former Cabinet Secretary will be published in the Annual Report and Accounts for Cabinet Office for the financial year in which the payment was made.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2026 to Question 113783 on Cabinet Office: Reviews, whether staff previously employed by Labour Together were involved in the fact finding exercise.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

No staff previously employed by Labour Together were involved in the fact finding exercise.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 109554 on Civil Servants: Performance Related Pay, if he will publish the minimum standards for diversity and inclusion in the SCS performance management framework.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The SCS performance management framework, which sets out the full set of SCS minimum standards, is published by Gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many post office branches have (a) opened and (b) closed in Stockport constituency since 2016.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

A response to the Rt. Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 13th April is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when they will respond to the correspondance dated 10/02/2026 regarding the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I can confirm that your letter to Rt Hon Anna Turley MP, dated 10 February 2026, has 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. The Government is committed to transparency and accountability, including through clear and timely responses to correspondence.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will introduce pre-confirmation hearings before relevant select committees for permanent secretary appointments for government departments.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

There are no plans to introduce pre-appointment hearings for Permanent Secretary roles.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that Civil Service workplace policies fully comply with the Equality Act 2010 as interpreted in the ruling of the Supreme Court in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers since 16 April 2025.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

All Civil Service workplace policies are developed, reviewed and appropriately updated to ensure that they follow the law, including the Equality Act 2010.

Departments are taking specialist legal advice where necessary and ensuring that any revisions to existing policies are made in accordance with legal advice or recent rulings.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2026, to Question 122717, on Civil Service: Redundancy, whether the departures of (a) Sir Simon Case, (b) Sir Chris Wormald and (c) Sir Oliver Robbins fall under the classification of Mutually Agreed Exits, as set out in the Annex 6F document.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

It is a longstanding policy not to comment on HR matters.

I refer to my answer for PQ 88716. Details of any payments made to permanent secretaries are published in their relevant Department Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people aged 18 and over immigrated to the UK in each year from 2022 to 2025 from (a) Pakistan, (b) Kuwait, (c) Afghanistan, (d) Qatar, (e) the United Arab Emirates, (f) Sudan, (g) Mauritania, (h) Iraq, (i) Yemen, (j) Iran, (k) Saudi Arabia, (l) Libya, (m) Oman, (n) Syria, (o) Bahrain, (p) Egypt, (q) Jordan, (r) Guinea, (s) Lebanon, (t) Sri Lanka, (u) Algeria, (v) Turkey, (w) Tunisia, (x) Nigeria, (y) Morocco, (z) Bangladesh, (aa) Israel and (ab) India by nationality.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

A response to the Rt. Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 20th April is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has assessed the salary outcomes, promotion rates and role progression of participants in the Beyond Boundaries programme compared to a control group of comparable civil servants who did not participate; and whether his Department has undertaken a cost benefit analysis of the programme, including average time to promotion, changes in performance markings, retention rates and the financial return on investment to the public purse.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Beyond Boundaries is a 12-month cross-government talent programme that launched in 2021 and in October 2025 we welcomed 794 participants. It is designed to help participants develop the knowledge, skills and networks required to build a satisfying and effective career in the Civil Service. There has been no direct comparison of Beyond Boundaries participants against a control group. Current evaluation data is based upon an anonymous, post programme, survey of participants providing an aggregated picture of participant outcomes.

In future, Beyond Boundaries will be part of the National School for Government and Public Services and since October 2025 has been supporting our mission to deliver more training in-house and reduce expenditure on external providers to provide better value for the taxpayer. This provided departments with a reduction in the cost per learner of 37.5%

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what has been the cost to the public purse of staff working in his Department on trans equality and related policy matters since 16 April 2025.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Regarding Cabinet Office roles working on trans equality and ‘related policy matters’, the numbers concerned would relate to five individuals or fewer. We therefore cannot provide details in such cases as the individuals concerned could be identifiable. This is standard statistical reporting. This includes the Office for Equality and Opportunity.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff members are currently working on policy connected to trans equality and related matters.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Regarding Cabinet Office roles working on trans equality and ‘related policy matters’, the numbers concerned would relate to five individuals or fewer. We therefore cannot provide details in such cases as the individuals concerned could be identifiable. This is standard statistical reporting. This includes the Office for Equality and Opportunity.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 122152 on Josh Simmons, in what circumstances does the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards obtain evidence from third parties when conducting a Ministerial conduct investigation.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Independent Adviser provides advice to the Prime Minister in line with his terms of reference which are set out in the Ministerial Code.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 2 June 2025, to Question 52906, on Department of Health and Social Care: Permanent Secretaries, what was the benchmark used to set the salary of the new DHSC Permanent Secretary.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The salary of the DHSC Permanent Secretary was approved in line with the senior pay control process.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the maternal mortality rate was in England in each of the last ten years.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

A response to the Rt. Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 10th April is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his department has made of the adequacy of Capita’s progress towards meeting the June 2026 deadline for clearing the Civil Service Pension Scheme backlog; and whether his Department has contingency plans.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 9,873 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, including those who have been dismissed with compensation, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The Cabinet Office has mandated Capita that they must restore service levels by the end of June 2026. We are using every commercial lever at our disposal, including withholding payments for deliverables that have not been met. We also reserve the right to take further formal action to ensure the service returns to the required standards.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 112179 on Ethics and Integrity Commission and Lobbying, whether conflict of interest (a) restrictions and (b) mitigations were implemented in relation to (i) Jonathan Powell and (ii) Inter Mediate.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

There is an established system in place for the declaration and management of special advisers' interests. As has been the case under successive administrations, interests deemed relevant for publication for special advisers in No10 and the Cabinet Office are published on an annual basis by the Cabinet Office. Mr Powell sought and received advice on his interests. He has followed every element of the advice received.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the exit payment given to Chris Wormald was above the cap of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme used to determine the exit payment to Simon Case.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Details of payments made to the former Cabinet Secretary will be published in the Annual Report and Accounts for Cabinet Office for the financial year in which the payment was made.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of retired civil servants experiencing financial hardship due to them not receiving their Civil Service Pension payments on time; and what funding has been allocated for interim financial support and emergency payments to those civil servants.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

While hardship estimates are not held, Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,979 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time

Interest will be paid on delayed benefits to avoid financial loss by members. In addition, the existing statutory complaints process evaluates claims for financial losses, as well as distress and inconvenience caused, on a case-by-case basis to determine whether compensation is due. This ensures that any retiree who provides evidence of extra costs, such as bank penalties or interest charges caused by the delay, is fairly assessed. This process is run in accordance with the standards set by the Pensions Ombudsman.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many newly retired members of the civil service pension scheme did not receive payments on their due dates in each of the last 3 years.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

The former pension scheme administrator, MyCSP, was responsible for providing management reports to the Cabinet Office. Based on the management information that we hold we can confirm that MyCSP has reported the following average details for members receiving payments.

• Between Jan-Dec 2023: 31,022 members retired with 100% of payments on time.

• Between Jan - Dec 2024: 37,486 members retired - MyCSP reported that 75% of payments were paid on time which meant that 9,372 members did not receive their payments on time. The majority of members received their lump sum within 30 days of retirement alongside the first pension payment.

• Between Jan-Nov 2025 30,825 members retired - MyCSP reported that 99% of payments were paid on time which meant that 308 members did not receive their payment on time. The majority of members received their lump sum within 30 days of retirement alongside the first pension payment.

• These figures are based on MyCSP reporting and do not include work in progress that was transferred to Capita on the 1st December 2025.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,979 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has made a comparative assessment of the salary outcomes, promotion rates and role progression of (a) participants in the Senior Leaders Scheme and (b) civil servants who did not participate; and whether his Department has undertaken cost benefit analysis of that scheme including average time to promotion, changes in performance markings, retention rates and the financial return on investment.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

A feasibility assessment for management evaluations was conducted, concluding that the data necessary was neither timely, easily available nor held centrally.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his speech Move fast. Fix things, delivered on 20 January 2026, by what mechanism Ministers will set KPIs for the Senior Civil Service; and whether those KPIs will be issued in writing.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Secretary is introducing a new accountability and performance framework for Permanent Secretaries, designed to focus on delivering the Prime Minister's priorities and holding people to account for doing so. As part of this, objectives for Permanent Secretaries, underpinned by clear KPIs and expectations, will be agreed with Secretaries of State and reviewed regularly throughout the year. All SCS performance outcomes will be subject to Cabinet Office consistency checking.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his speech entitled Move fast. Fix things, delivered on 20 January 2026, whether Ministers will have the authority to amend KPIs during a performance year.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Secretary is introducing a new accountability and performance framework for Permanent Secretaries, designed to focus on delivering the Prime Minister's priorities and holding people to account for doing so. As part of this, objectives for Permanent Secretaries, underpinned by clear KPIs and expectations, will be agreed with Secretaries of State and reviewed regularly throughout the year. All SCS performance outcomes will be subject to Cabinet Office consistency checking.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his speech entitled Move fast. Fix things, delivered on 20 January 2026, whether KPIs set by Ministers will be subject to consistency checks by his Department.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Secretary is introducing a new accountability and performance framework for Permanent Secretaries, designed to focus on delivering the Prime Minister's priorities and holding people to account for doing so. As part of this, objectives for Permanent Secretaries, underpinned by clear KPIs and expectations, will be agreed with Secretaries of State and reviewed regularly throughout the year. All SCS performance outcomes will be subject to Cabinet Office consistency checking.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to answer Question 112319, tabled on 10 February 2026.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

A response has been issued here.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the speech Move fast. Fix things, delivered on 20 January 2026, whether Ministers will have the authority to prevent Senior Civil Servants subject to performance processes from taking up new posts secured through fair and open competition.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government is clear that issues surrounding underperformance in the Civil Service must be robustly managed and not left unaddressed. Any work undertaken does not conflict with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2026, to Question 108238, on Senior Civil Servants: Redundancy Pay, for what reason his exit payment was a severance payment.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon Member to Minister Turley’s answers on 20 January 2026 (PQs 104805 and 104161). The business case for the Cabinet Secretary’s departure from the Civil Service was calculated on the basis of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government has considered establishing a low-cost, specialist tribunal or ombudsman to handle procurement disputes more quickly and affordably than the current High Court process; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of such a body on (a) improving access so that more SMEs can challenge procurement decisions and (b) deterring unlawful decision-making.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

At present, the Cabinet Office has two free services to address procurement concerns.

The Procurement Compliance Service (PCS) investigates contracting authorities’ compliance with the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 and, where appropriate, may issue recommendations and/or guidance. Generally, the PCS considers potential non-compliance at systemic and institutional levels.

The Public Procurement Review Service (PPRS) helps to protect suppliers, and potential suppliers to the public sector, by providing a free, anonymous, and confidential way to report poor public sector procurement practices, including contract management issues and late payment issues. PPRS considers specific instances of poor practice.

Both services aim to improve access for SMEs by giving them a more accessible route to raise concerns and are intended to improve procurement practices in the long term. Specific PPRS reviews may lead to reconsideration of decisions being made during live procurements only.

As part of the package of reforms I announced on 26th March, the Cabinet Office is reviewing the entire procurement process to find ways to open up more government contracts to SMEs and British Businesses. We will issue new guidance on government procurement reforms shortly.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 121095 on Civil Servants: Dismissal, what is the policy of the Cabinet Office on whether a civil servant (a) can or (b) should be dismissed for dishonesty on their job application or associated job interview and vetting processes.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

All Civil Servants are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service Code and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Applicants for Cabinet Office roles are required to sign a declaration stating that the information they provide during the recruitment process is true and relates to their own experiences. If it is discovered that an applicant or Cabinet Office employee has given false information or withheld relevant details during the recruitment or vetting process, their application may be rejected and/or considered in line with departmental discipline policy. This may result in dismissal and implications for the employee’s security clearance. Internal policies and processes in response to dishonesty will only apply to Cabinet Office staff, with Ministers and other departments out of scope.

The Cabinet Office adheres to the relevant national security vetting policies. A range of considerations related to vetting and honesty may be relevant to a vetting decision. Any indication from employee or contractor records of unreliability in a security context (e.g., disciplinary action related to abuse of trust, carelessness, dishonesty, lack of discretion, or disregard for security controls) may result in an adverse security decision regarding an individual's vetting.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what minimum service levels apply to Capita’s telephone helpline for Civil Service Pension Scheme members.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

The Cabinet Office has mandated Capita that they must restore service levels by the end of June 2026. We are using every commercial lever at our disposal, including withholding payments for deliverables that have not been met. We also reserve the right to take further formal action to ensure the service returns to the required standards.

In the week commencing 20 March 2026, the average wait time was 2 minutes and 3 seconds, with 70% of calls answered in less than 30 seconds. Improvements are still to be made to ensure calls are answered as per the agreed contractual rate.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 10,147 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to respond to Question 109849 of 29 January 2026.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

A response has been issued here.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to 'Public Procurement: Growing British industry, jobs and skills Government response to consultation' on the 26th of March 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of recognising bus manufacturing as an industry critical for National Security.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The package I announced commits the government to publishing new guidance for departments on the appropriate use of the national security exemption in the Procurement Act 2023 when procuring from the AI, steel, shipbuilding and energy infrastructure sectors.

These four pathfinder sectors were selected based on their status as critical industries where disruptions in international markets have exposed vulnerabilities that threaten national interests and overall stability. We are initially focussing on these sectors because we believe that sovereign supply chain resilience is a critical factor in supporting national security.

I want to reassure that while bus manufacturing is not one of the sectors initially envisaged for the national security guidance, the wider package of procurement measures can benefit this sector, including, where relevant, changes to social value and its focus on jobs and communities. You will also be aware that Mayoral Transport Authorities have agreed to a minimum of 10% social value weighting in all future bus procurement tenders and a social value procurement working group has been set up to work with Mayoral Transport Authorities to share best practices on social value.

I am also in discussion with the department for transport on what further steps we can take to support British bus manufacturers.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 9 April 2026 to Question 113778 on Propriety and Constitution Group: Recruitment, for what the reason the recruitment process did not open when Darren Tierney moved to the ONS in August 2025.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Director General for Propriety and Constitution Group is currently filled on an interim basis, a permanent appointment has not been made to date. The recruitment campaign remains in the planning stages and details will be released in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what contractual minimum service levels Capita is required to meet in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme; what penalties apply when those standards are missed; and how often such penalties have been applied in the last 12 months.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

The Cabinet Office has mandated Capita that they must restore service levels by the end of June 2026. We are using every commercial lever at our disposal, including withholding payments for deliverables that have not been met. We also reserve the right to take further formal action to ensure the service returns to the required standards.

In the week commencing 20 March 2026, the average wait time was 2 minutes and 3 seconds, with 70% of calls answered in less than 30 seconds. Improvements are still to be made to ensure calls are answered as per the agreed contractual rate.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 10,147 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the letter from the ONS Permanent Secretary to UK Statistics Authority Interim Chair on ONS prioritisation, of 19 February 2026, what discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics on its reasons for ending its analysis on the night time economy.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As part of their spending review 2025 settlement the ONS agreed to a prioritisation exercise to reduce the number of its outputs to ensure the department can focus on its core remit of producing and publishing high quality and timely economic and population statistics. The Government welcomes this approach.

Ministers have not specifically discussed the analysis on the night time economies with the ONS. Following this PQ, ONS has confirmed that this analysis is not a regular publication and has previously been published on an ad hoc basis only.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the time taken for quotes to be issued to people who are members of the Civil Service pension scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing many civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,979 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will set out the assurances his Department received from Capita on being able to meet their obligations under the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme prior to the contract being awarded.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

The Cabinet Office will continue to use all available commercial levers to hold Capita to account and ensure they deliver the contractual service levels.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what contract penalty clauses relating to delivery failures were included in the Civil Service Pension Scheme administration contract.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

The Cabinet Office will continue to use all available commercial levers to hold Capita to account and ensure they deliver the contractual service levels.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 115555 on Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, whether the Cabinet Office review into Labour Together requested evidence from the journalists who had been included in the APCO Worldwide and Labour Together dossier.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the response given to PQ 116772.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Government's Crown Commercial Service (CCS) agreement with Microsoft.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government keeps the effectiveness of the Strategic Partnership Arrangement 2024 (SPA24) with Microsoft under review. Government Commercial Agency (GCA), formerly Crown Commercial Service (CCS), manages SPA24 with Microsoft, which provides enhanced value and discounted pricing for eligible UK public sector organisations.

The agency reviews Microsoft’s performance against SPA24 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) quarterly, focusing on pricing commitments, financial transparency, social value delivery, and client satisfaction.

Microsoft’s key contracts are assessed by departments against a range of criteria. KPIs are available on gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what percentage payment was made in 2024 (when the annual Pension Increase was 6.7%) to Civil Servants who had retired before 2016, for the Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP/COD) component of their public service pension in respect of each of the following: (a) pre ’88 GMP, (b) post ’88 GMP up to 3%, (c) post ’88 GMP over 3%, (d) and if PI is applied to the GMP part of all public service pension schemes in the same way as above.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) provides for annual Pension Increases (PI) in line with the relevant September to September annual increase, using the relevant Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure for indexation. In April 2024, this increase was 6.7%. The application of this increase to the Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) component for members who retired before 2016 depends on the period in which the GMP was earned and the legislation governing the indexation of "contracted-out" benefits.

For a Civil Servant who retired before 2016 and reached State Pension Age before 6 April 2016:

(a) Pre-1988 GMP: In accordance with statutory requirements, the CSPS does not apply a pension increase to the pre-1988 GMP component. For these members, indexation on this part of the pension is traditionally provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) through the State Pension.

(b) Post-1988 GMP up to 3%: The CSPS is responsible for increasing the post-1988 GMP by the rate of the Pensions Increase Order, capped at 3%. For the 2024 increase, the scheme paid the maximum 3% on this component.

(c) Post-1988 GMP over 3%: The CSPS does not pay the increase on the post-1988 GMP above the 3% cap. For these members, the remaining 3.7% (the difference between the 6.7% CPI and the 3% scheme cap) is typically paid by the DWP as part of the member's State Pension.

Data regarding the specific proportion of a total pension payment that is comprised of GMP for each of the approximately 500,000 pensioners is not held centrally.

(d) Application across Public Service Pension Schemes: The rules for the indexation of GMP described above are derived from the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 and the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 and apply across the main public service pension schemes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the transparency data, Expenditure Over £25,000 - February 2026 (Cabinet Office Core), published on 26 March 2026, what was the purpose of the expenditure relating to (a) Marketing & Communications to Public Group International Limited of £38,040 and (b) Professional Services to Mediasense Communications Limited of £212,863.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

This expenditure was incurred by the Government Commercial Agency (GCA), which transitioned from the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) earlier this year.

The ​payment of £38,040​ to Public Group International Limited covered GCA communication enhancements, including website optimisation, developing the social media strategy, and updating buying guidance to reflect legislative changes introduced by the Transforming Public Procurement programme.

The payment of £212,863 to Mediasense Communications Limited related to audit requirements for the RM6123 Media Services framework. This work provided assurance on financial transparency and contractual compliance, verification of management information and levy payments, and benchmarking to assess value for money against industry rates.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 86239 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, what the value was of that invoice.

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

I refer the Honourable Member to the response to PQ 74185

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 119977 on Proof of Identity: Digital Technology, for what reason the minimum age to join the People’s Panel is 18 years of age.

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

The minimum age agreed with Ipsos for the People’s Panel is 18 due to the requirement and process to stay overnight to attend the sessions.

The perspectives of 16 and 17 year olds remain important and will be captured through the broader consultation process including targeted engagement with these groups to ensure the voices of younger people are heard.

Found: The Challenge to Liberal Democracies https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197744772.001.0001 12 Cabinet Office

Found: I also plan to add both to the list of significant appointments and I have written to the Cabinet Office

Found: Joint PAC-PACAC letter to the Minister for the Cabinet Office relating to the Civil Service Pensions

Found: Response from the Cabinet Office, following oral evidence session with Catherine Little CB on 23 April

Found: by a shift in AUKUS governance within Whitehall, with leadership having transferred from the Cabinet Office

Found: 1501, p.25 Annex 1: Breakdown of Departmental Returns Key to Department/Public Body acronyms CO Cabinet Office

Found: The Foreign Secretary and Cabinet Office have commissioned a retrospective check.

Found: Recommendation 1 asked HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office to set out what steps they will take to hold

Found: history and status as a member of the House of Lords) – either by anyone in the FCDO or by No 10/Cabinet Office

Found: The Cabinet Office has not done enough to take forward its review of public bodies.

Found: The creation of the National Situation Centre within the Cabinet Office drew upon lessons from the Covid

Found: Expectations are not explicit nor 1 Cabinet Office (2025) UK Government Resilience Action Plan, p.17

Found: defined, individuals and organisations may be less confident to act beyond formal mandates (Cabinet Office

Found: Other communities are less able to respond, struggle with everyday life, and therefore 3 Cabinet Office

Found: Designating clear ministerial accountability for national resilience delivery, with a dedicated Cabinet Office

Found: The second role I have is that I am the Cabinet Office permanent secretary and the chief operating officer

Found: and Cooperation Agreement, including at its meeting of 4 October 2023.52 50 Q278 51 Q278 52 Cabinet Office

Found: involves pre- appointment scrutiny from a House of Commons Select Committee, as set out in the Cabinet Office

Found: of taxpayers’ money, and therefore they have to assure themselves through the Treasury, the Cabinet Office

Found: of taxpayers’ money, and therefore they have to assure themselves through the Treasury, the Cabinet Office

Found: I had a career in industry running engineering firms before I joined the Cabinet Office in 2016 as Government

Found: Chancellor and relevant Secretary of State, advised by a panel including HM Treasury, NISTA and Cabinet Office

Found: all its regular mandatory workforce transparency requirements and data returns set out by the Cabinet Office

Found: The first operates through regulatory competition, with 1 Cabinet Office, UK-EU Summit: Common Understanding

Found: However, the decision- making authority would lie with “an independent arbitration panel” (Cabinet Office

Found: Are you aware of any work the Cabinet Office has been doing around this?

Found: CABINET OFFICE Catherine Little CB Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet

Found: zig-zag careers, please note that national security vetting is an HMG-wide process owned by the Cabinet Office

Found: I understand that the Cabinet Office is also looking at this at the moment.

Found: In some ways, I think whether you follow a lead Department model, or whether it is a central Cabinet Office

Found: frameworks agreement to take account of that, but I am sure that all of that been observed by the Cabinet Office

Found: Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent, Baroness in Waiting (Government Whip) and Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office

Found: Who in the Cabinet Office? Do you know? Sir Oliver Robbins: I don’t know for sure.

Found: Who in the Cabinet Office? Do you know? Sir Oliver Robbins: I don’t know for sure.

Found: Secretary of the Foreign Office in The Hague and Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s and Cabinet Office

Found: R7: HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office should develop cross-government guidance on establishing statutory

Found: Any government compensation schemes should be overseen by Cabinet Office led or independent commissions

Found: Letter from the Minister for the Cabinet Office to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee relating

Found: appointments, not least because we are bound by the code on public appointments, which the Cabinet Office

Found: accountability, and comprise senior officials and ministers from all relevant departments—including the Cabinet Office

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many bids were accepted for the contract to provide up to 10,000 sets of protective body armour for prison officers; and whether any provider of new sets of protective body armour for prison officers has previously provided similar equipment for use by police officers.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Ministry of Justice has awarded a contract to Safariland UK LTD for 6,250 sets of Body Armour for Prison Officers. The Ministry of Justice received two bids from suppliers and accepted one.

This contract was tendered via a Bluelight Commercial Framework. This initial opportunity for this Framework was published by BlueLight Commercial on 8 July 2022 [Provision of General Patrol and Firearms Body Armour - Find a Tender] and then awarded on 16 March 2023 [Provision of General Patrol and Firearms Body Armour - Find a Tender]. The Ministry of Justice, following Cabinet Office guidelines to utilise frameworks where appropriate, conducted a further competition via this framework and subsequently published the award on 22 January 2026 [Supply of Protective Body Armour - Find a Tender].

The Bluelight Framework at the initial opportunity was available for all the market to bid for, so therefore open. The Ministry of Justice has followed all the guidelines and published notices in accordance with the regulations. The process was effective as Frameworks offer the shortest route to contract award and in line with Cabinet Office policy.

The requirements of the body armour for prison officers are ballistic, knife and spike and the product sourced meets the Home Office Standard [Body armour standard 2017: [CAST Publication number: 012/17 Body armour standard 2017 - GOV.UK]. The Home Office standard is frequently used by other Government agencies, so in that respect the Police will have similar body armour. For example, Safariland UK Ltd has supplied various Police forces and the Ministry of Defence Police with body armour that meets the Home Office Standard.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that the process of procuring up to 10,000 sets of protective body armour for prison officers is (a) open, (b) transparent, and (c) effective.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Ministry of Justice has awarded a contract to Safariland UK LTD for 6,250 sets of Body Armour for Prison Officers. The Ministry of Justice received two bids from suppliers and accepted one.

This contract was tendered via a Bluelight Commercial Framework. This initial opportunity for this Framework was published by BlueLight Commercial on 8 July 2022 [Provision of General Patrol and Firearms Body Armour - Find a Tender] and then awarded on 16 March 2023 [Provision of General Patrol and Firearms Body Armour - Find a Tender]. The Ministry of Justice, following Cabinet Office guidelines to utilise frameworks where appropriate, conducted a further competition via this framework and subsequently published the award on 22 January 2026 [Supply of Protective Body Armour - Find a Tender].

The Bluelight Framework at the initial opportunity was available for all the market to bid for, so therefore open. The Ministry of Justice has followed all the guidelines and published notices in accordance with the regulations. The process was effective as Frameworks offer the shortest route to contract award and in line with Cabinet Office policy.

The requirements of the body armour for prison officers are ballistic, knife and spike and the product sourced meets the Home Office Standard [Body armour standard 2017: [CAST Publication number: 012/17 Body armour standard 2017 - GOV.UK]. The Home Office standard is frequently used by other Government agencies, so in that respect the Police will have similar body armour. For example, Safariland UK Ltd has supplied various Police forces and the Ministry of Defence Police with body armour that meets the Home Office Standard.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the tender for providing up to 10,000 sets of protective body armour for prison officers was made public, and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Ministry of Justice has awarded a contract to Safariland UK LTD for 6,250 sets of Body Armour for Prison Officers. The Ministry of Justice received two bids from suppliers and accepted one.

This contract was tendered via a Bluelight Commercial Framework. This initial opportunity for this Framework was published by BlueLight Commercial on 8 July 2022 [Provision of General Patrol and Firearms Body Armour - Find a Tender] and then awarded on 16 March 2023 [Provision of General Patrol and Firearms Body Armour - Find a Tender]. The Ministry of Justice, following Cabinet Office guidelines to utilise frameworks where appropriate, conducted a further competition via this framework and subsequently published the award on 22 January 2026 [Supply of Protective Body Armour - Find a Tender].

The Bluelight Framework at the initial opportunity was available for all the market to bid for, so therefore open. The Ministry of Justice has followed all the guidelines and published notices in accordance with the regulations. The process was effective as Frameworks offer the shortest route to contract award and in line with Cabinet Office policy.

The requirements of the body armour for prison officers are ballistic, knife and spike and the product sourced meets the Home Office Standard [Body armour standard 2017: [CAST Publication number: 012/17 Body armour standard 2017 - GOV.UK]. The Home Office standard is frequently used by other Government agencies, so in that respect the Police will have similar body armour. For example, Safariland UK Ltd has supplied various Police forces and the Ministry of Defence Police with body armour that meets the Home Office Standard.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what the Freedom of Information casework budget for the Information Commissioner's Office will be next year; and whether that budget will match the previous year's in real terms.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

While the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)’s sponsor department within government and provide ICO’s Freedom of Information (FOI) funding as a Grant-in-Aid, government policy for Freedom of Information sits with the Cabinet Office.

The government is committed to ensuring sufficient funding for the ICO’s FOI responsibilities. Spending review budget allocations until Financial Year 2028-29 will be finalised by DSIT and will be published in due course.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given in the light of the current geopolitical situation to establishing food stores to be available to feed the population in event of commercial food supplies being unavailable.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is monitoring risks posed by Middle East tensions to the UK’s critical supply chains. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for, and in response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains. Defra works closely with the Cabinet Office and other departments to ensure food supply is fully incorporated as part of emergency preparedness, including consideration of dependencies on other sectors. At present, there are no significant impacts to the supply of food to consumers from the Middle East conflict.

The UK does not have national food stockpiles or plans to create these. The UK has a food supply chain that is well equipped to deal with any potential disruption. The UK’s food security is built on supply from diverse sources including strong domestic production and imports through stable trade routes.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Ministerial Statement by Lord Hermer on 26 March (HLWS1472), which departments will be required to use artificial intelligence to "identify existing disproportionate reporting and consultation duties" in existing legislation; what timeline has been set for completing that work; and what steps will be taken once disproportionate duties are identified.

Answered by Lord Hermer - Attorney General

The AI tool has been developed centrally by Cabinet Office and No.10 to identify consultation and reporting duties. We expect all departments to use the tool to identify existing disproportionate reporting and consultation duties, unless there is a justifiable reason not to. Timelines and next steps will be announced in due course.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Ministerial Statement by Lord Hermer on 26 March (HLWS1472), when the new departmental accountability framework will be introduced; who will assess departmental performance against those new frameworks; and what consequences will follow if the targets and expectations in those frameworks are not met.

Answered by Lord Hermer - Attorney General

The new departmental accountability framework has been launched to permanent secretaries for the year 2026-27 and they have started to set objectives against it. The Cabinet Office, led by the Cabinet Secretary, will be responsible for assessing departmental performance against the new framework.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Ministerial Statement by Lord Hermer on 26 March (HLWS1472), which of the Prime Minster's priorities will be given measurable targets in the new accountability framework.

Answered by Lord Hermer - Attorney General

The new departmental accountability framework has been launched to permanent secretaries for the year 2026-27 and they have started to set objectives against it, taking into account the Prime Minister’s Priorities. The Cabinet Office, led by the Cabinet Secretary, will be responsible for assessing departmental performance against the new framework.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Cabinet Office press release, Ministers rip up consultation culture, of 26 March 2026, if he will publish the revised guidance on Equality Impact Assessments.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government has committed to speeding up decision making and delivery for the British people. As part of this, a proportionate approach is being taken to equalities impact assessments, so that they improve policy and outcomes. Guidance for public authorities is already available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-sector-equality-duty-guidance-for-public-authorities/public-sector-equality-duty-guidance-for-public-authorities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the DHSC annual report and accounts 2024-25, HC1446, what the job titles were of the five civil servants who received exit payments over £200,000.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

In the Department’s annual report and accounts for 2024/25, there were five civil servants who received exit payments over £200,000, all of whom were employees of the Department’s Executive Agency, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

During 2024/25 financial year, the UKHSA embarked on a restructure to streamline operations, optimise resources, enhance strategic decision-making capabilities, and respond to evolving priorities and demands within the health security landscape. The outcome being a more agile, lean, and effective organisation structured to fulfil its mission effectively.

The five roles were removed as part of the restructuring exercise, these included Directors General, Directors and Deputy Directors. More detailed role information, such as job titles, is information that could identify individuals and therefore is not routinely disclosed. All exit payments and approaches followed the Civil Service Compensation Scheme rules and were approved by the Department and Cabinet Office in line with standard approval processes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps they are taking to increase the amount of UK made steel used in procurement contracts overseen by their Department.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government Commercial Function (GCF), based in the Cabinet Office, published its strategy document for 2026 to 2029 on 7 April 2026, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introducing-the-government-commercial-function-gcf-strategy-2026-29/introducing-the-government-commercial-function-gcf-strategy-2026-29-html#pillar-one---people-a-capable-inspired-workforce-whose-talent-is-nurtured

Driving economic growth is a key pillar of this strategy, in line with Government policy, capitalising on the industrial strategy targets to create jobs in the United Kingdom, and a key part of the strategy is market shaping and making use of the collective buying power of the Government to drive UK economic growth and resilience.

One of the first steps will be for the GCF to work with the commercial directors across the Government in four pilot sectors, namely shipbuilding, steel, artificial intelligence, and energy infrastructure, to identify key data requirements, and to pilot underpinning market shaping assessments for each. The Cabinet Office will be publishing a Procurement Policy Notice specifically on UK steel transparency later this year.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of replicating the Australian policy of permitting those non-nationals living in the United Kingdom the opportunity to apply for service in the military after one year of residency in the country.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The UK Armed Forces already accept applications from some nationalities if they are a dual national of a permitted nationality.

Eligible applicants must be either a British Citizen, British Overseas Citizen, British Overseas Territory Citizen, British National (Overseas) Citizen, British Protected Person, British Subject, Irish Citizen or a Citizen of a Commonwealth member country, which includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. This can be as a sole or dual national. The British Army also has the Brigade of Gurkhas who are from Nepal.

There is no UK residency requirement for those who are not British or Irish citizens to be eligible to apply to join the Royal Navy or the British Army, but the Royal Air Force normally require eligible candidates to have lived in the UK for between five and ten years prior to application. Members of the Armed Forces are subject to the National Security Vetting process owned by the Cabinet Office, and clearance levels depend on the rank, role and Service applied for. UK (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) residency and nationality are an integral part of that process, and each application is risk assessed. There are no current plans to change nationality or residency requirements.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether House of Commons officials have used artificial intelligence to assist with drafting legislation in the past 12 months.

Answered by Nick Smith

Government bills are drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, which is part of the Cabinet Office, and secondary legislation is generally drafted by the relevant government department.

The House of Commons Public Bill Office (PBO) provides support to individual Members in the drafting of private Members’ bills and of amendments to bills. These are specialised tasks and a range of online resources, training and guidance is available to staff in the PBO. This includes access to Microsoft’s Copilot Chat tool, which is available to all parliamentary account holders. No record is kept of whether or when Copilot is used.

Where a draft Private Members Bill (PMB) or amendment is produced for a Member, the Member concerned ultimately takes responsibility for it by presenting or tabling it.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Diplomacy Strategy, Keeping Britain Safe: secure at home and strong abroad, page 30, what are the complementary International Security Fund programmes.

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

All of Defence's international security programmes are deliberately designed to be complementary, mutually supportive, and burden sharing, whether funded by the Ministry of Defence or cross-government funding, such as the Integrated Security Fund.

The Cabinet Office publishes the Integrated Security Fund's Annual Reports on the Government's website in which further details can be found.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that publicly funded electric bus procurement schemes support domestic manufacturing supply chains.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

DBT works closely with DfT, the Cabinet Office and Crown Commercial Service to ensure publicly funded electric bus procurement supports UK manufacturing where possible, within procurement and trade rules. This includes through setting up the DfT UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel, the recent publication of a zero emission bus order pipeline and promoting stronger, more consistent use of social value to reflect UK jobs, skills and supply chain resilience.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential risk of interference by the US in UK elections.

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

The UK Government takes attempts by any country to intervene in democratic processes very seriously. It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect our democratic and electoral processes. The Government has renewed the mandate of the Defending Democracy Taskforce (DDTF), which brings together Government Ministers, representatives from law enforcement and the intelligence community, to coordinate work to protect our democratic institutions and processes from threats, including foreign interference.

In April 2023, DDTF created the Joint Election Security and Preparedness (JESP) Unit, which sits jointly between Cabinet Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, as a permanent function dedicated to protecting UK elections and referendums and coordinating work across government to respond to issues of protective security, cyber threats and mis and disinformation, including foreign interference.

In December 2025, the Secretary of State commissioned former permanent secretary Philip Rycroft to lead an independent review into foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics. The review was published on 25 March 2026 and can be found here.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the costs arising from his role as Deputy Prime Minister are being met from the department’s budget.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

As outlined on gov.uk, the Deputy Prime Minister acts on behalf of the department and also deputises for the Prime Minister. Engagements completed on the Prime Minister's behalf, including international visits, are generally paid for by the Cabinet Office.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish the advice they received from the Propriety, Ethics and Constitution team in the Cabinet Office before launching the Family Returns: Reforming Asylum Support and Enforcing Family Returns consultation on 5 March, in line with the Cabinet Office's 2018 Consultation Principles.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office did not receive any advice from the Propriety, Ethics and Constitution team in the Cabinet Office prior to launching the Family Returns: Reforming Asylum Support and Enforcing Family Returns consultation on 5 March. This team provides advice on the interpretation of the Consultation Principles, but not on how to run specific consultations.

The consultation was developed and launched in line with the Cabinet Office’s Consultation Principles, including ensuring clarity of scope, openness to a wide range of views and appropriate duration. The consultation document sets out clearly the proposals under consideration, the questions on which views are sought and how responses will be used.

As no such advice was received, there are no plans to publish it.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding was provided by her Department to the London Borough of Hillingdon for asylum support in 2024-25.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Cabinet Office publish annual grant funding data (Government Grants Data and Statistics) where you can find details of grant levels by local authority area broken down per year. The Home Office does not publish any additional information.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Government is taking to strengthen the United Kingdom’s defence capabilities and improve national readiness.

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

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (Lord Coaker), on 8 April 2026 to Question HL15983 in the House of Lords.

Defence plays an integral role in the Cabinet Office-led Home Defence Programme. This coordinates civil and military preparations across the whole of Government and society for some of the most serious risks we could face, including communicating, empowering and engaging with all tiers of resilience actors to ensure that all sectors are prepared for and able to respond to the most catastrophic of risks. Alongside this, defence is refreshing our own homeland defence plan as a priority for 2026

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what dates the An NHS Fit for the Future Mission Board met since it ceased to be a Cabinet committee in November 2025.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Mission Boards ceased to be Cabinet Office committees at the end of last year. Since then, my ministerial colleagues and I have continued to engage stakeholders through a variety of fora to take forward the 10-Year Health Plan, through which we are delivering our Health Mission. Oversight is maintained by the Departmental Board, chaired by My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, details of which can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, the average time taken for an SME to obtain security clearance to (a) bid for and (b) deliver a defence contract.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

In most instances, it is not necessary for a company or individual to hold security clearance prior to commencing the bidding process for a government contract.

Should access to sensitive information or assets be required either during the bidding phase or for the delivery of the contract, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) project team is responsible for initiating the vetting procedure. Security vetting is conducted by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV), which operates under the Cabinet Office.

The duration of the security vetting process can differ on a case-by-case basis, due to the multiple checks conducted by various agencies. As a result, there is no standard timeframe applicable to all cases.

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) continues to meet its agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across each product type. UKSV KPIs are set and regularly reviewed in consultation with customer groups, governed by ministerial oversight, to ensure demand is balanced whilst maintaining assurance in national security safeguards. In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the accuracy of (a) benchmarking, (b) validation methods and (c) error rates of AI tools used in asylum casework.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

There are two AI tools in use in asylum casework currently; Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) and Asylum Policy Search (APS).

Bench Marking & Validation - Both evaluations used a mixed-methods approach to collect primary data during and after the pilots. All participants in the test and comparison groups were asked to log information for each case undertaken. For the Asylum Case Summarisation pilot, the logging exercise captured data on 334 cases in the test group and 95 cases in the comparison group. For the Asylum Policy Search pilot, the logging exercise captured data on 270 cases in the test group and 214 cases in the comparison group.

The following published research note provides more detail on both pilots and the findings we documented - Evaluation of AI trials in the asylum decision making process - GOV.UK.

Error Rates - Technical specialists reviewed all summaries created by the Asylum Case Summarisation tool for accuracy prior to use in the pilot. A small proportion of summaries produced (9%) were deemed to be inaccurate or had missing information and were therefore removed from the pilot and these cases progressed in the business-as-usual way. Of the summaries that progressed in the pilot, 23% of users reported they were not fully confident in the summary information and would warrant further exploration in a full roll out. The Asylum Case Summarisation Tool has not yet been rolled out operationally.

The methodologies used in the evaluation of our Asylum AI tools were reviewed by and agreed with the Cabinet Office Evaluation Taskforce, and apply to both ACS and APS.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) action plan: 2025 to 2028, published on 24 March 2026, whether his Department will be publishing an SME Action Plan.

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

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published its Small and Medium sized Enterprises Action Plan 2025 to 2028 on 24 March 2026, the same day as the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury published their cross government Small and Medium sized Enterprises Action Plan.

The Action Plan is publicly available on gov.uk here.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2026, to Question 117886, on Election: Campaigns, whether sectarianism is being monitored by the Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit.

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

The Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit (JESP), led by the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Cabinet Office is an enduring election security function, dedicated to coordinating a collective effort across Government to safeguard our elections against the range of threats we face.

Before an election takes place, an ‘Election Cell’ is set up by the Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit (JESP). This brings together government departments, the police, the intelligence agencies, the Devolved Governments, and external partners to monitor and respond to any emerging issues across candidate, cyber and information security. MHCLG's Community Cohesion Unit is also a core part of JESP’s Election Cell; the Community Cohesion Unit works closely during election campaigns with local partners, including the police and local councils to monitor and address issues related to cohesion.

Harassment and intimidation of voters, electoral staff, candidates and campaigners, both online and in person, is totally unacceptable, whatever the driving cause, and has a profoundly detrimental impact on our democratic process.

Government is also working closely with the Electoral Commission to develop an updated Code of Conduct for campaigning to set clear expectations for behaviour during election campaigns. Ahead of the updated Code of Conduct, the Electoral Commission has recently published a set of principles for campaigning respectfully and safely, which are welcomed by this Government.

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Found: the Department under this Agreement for any of the purposes set out in paragraph 22 of the Cabinet Office

Found: processing of the data set out in Schedule 4 (UK GDPR/Data Protection), the requirements of Cabinet Office

Found: and processing of the data set out in Schedule 4: UK GDPR/Data Protection, the requirements of Cabinet Office

Found: and processing of the data set out in Schedule 4: UK GDPR/Data Protection, the requirements of Cabinet Office

Found: processing of the data set out in Schedule 7 (UK GDPR/Data Protection), the requirements of Cabinet Office

Found: processing of the data set out in Schedule 4 ( UK GDPR /Data Protection) , the requirements of Cabinet Office

Found: The ESC brings together partners across government, including the Cabinet Office (Crown Commercial Service

Found: to any third parties any information obtained from a named customer contact, other than to the Cabinet Office

Found: dispersed across four governments and a range of UK government departments and agencies: • the Cabinet Office

Found: Maura’s non-executive roles include positions with the Cabinet Office and more broadly within financial

Found: taxpayer-funded rather than user or consumer 10 ‘Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs) Handbook ’, Cabinet Office

Found: Legal Department 2025-06-20 00:00:00 Training: Top Managmnt Prog Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Legal Department 2025-07-22 00:00:00 Ext Serv:Security Clearances Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Government Legal Department 2025-04-30 00:00:00 Recruitment: Lawyers Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Attorney General's Office 2025-05-22 00:00:00 Maintenance: It Service Attorney General's Office Cabinet Office

Found: Government Legal Department 2025-11-28 00:00:00 Hr: Cshr Services Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Legal Department 2025-08-26 00:00:00 Training: Top Managmnt Prog Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Legal Department 2025-12-16 00:00:00 Ext Serv:Security Clearances Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Government Legal Department 2025-10-09 00:00:00 Gls Training Programme Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Supplier Debit/credit amount Transaction 2026-03-03 00:00:00 Secondment Costs Corporate CABINET OFFICE

Found: supporting Cabinet Office to establish a baseline of fast stream posting locations by the end of 2026

Found: achieving at least 75% satisfaction with SEFS postings, based on end‑of-year feedback supporting Cabinet Office

Found: Attorney General's Office 2025-05-22 00:00:00 Maintenance: It Service Attorney General's Office Cabinet Office

Found: Legal Department 2025-06-20 00:00:00 Training: Top Managmnt Prog Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Government Legal Department 2025-04-30 00:00:00 Recruitment: Lawyers Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Legal Department 2025-12-16 00:00:00 Ext Serv:Security Clearances Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Legal Department 2025-08-26 00:00:00 Training: Top Managmnt Prog Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Government Legal Department 2025-10-09 00:00:00 Gls Training Programme Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Legal Department 2025-07-22 00:00:00 Ext Serv:Security Clearances Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found: Government Legal Department 2025-11-28 00:00:00 Hr: Cshr Services Chief Operating Officer Group Cabinet Office

Found:

Found: Defra receives guidance from the Cabinet Office and formulates the reward strategy for staff equivalent

Found: Housing, Communities & Local Government PINS 08/01/2026 Specialist Technical Support People Unit CABINET OFFICE

Found:

Found: Documents may still refer to the Cabinet Office.

Found: Documents may still refer to the Cabinet Office.

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

Found: fellow Committee members for their wisdom and tireless commitment to this project and to the Cabinet Office

Found: fellow Committee members for their wisdom and tireless commitment to this project and to the Cabinet Office

Found: On 22 April 2026, the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, the Rt Hon.

Found: The figure £3,300 is taken from a Cabinet Office estimate (2015) which found that the cost of bringing

Found: The appointment has been agreed, on the advice of the Chair, by the Minister for the Cabinet Office,

Found: And therefore, last Tuesday… I immediately instructed officials in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office

Found: fellow Committee members for their wisdom and tireless commitment to this project and to the Cabinet Office