Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing a tax on companies which benefited from (1) the research conducted on British infected blood victims, and (2) the drugs used to treat infected blood patients; and what assessment they have made of the benefits and risks of taxing those companies.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Infected Blood Inquiry recommended that a compensation scheme be set up as soon as possible, and by centrally funding the scheme, the Government has been able quickly allocate the money necessary.

The Government firmly believes that access to redress is fundamental in upholding justice and fairness in our society. People must have avenues to seek recourse when they have been wronged or harmed. We hope the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme provides some closure to those who have been wronged under some of those most devastating circumstances.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that administrative datasets, including health, justice, education and crime datasets, will collect data on biological sex.

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 lady’s Parliamentary Question of 25th February is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 105252 on Government People Group: Contract, which public body and business unit is the customer under the KPI.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

With regard to the PeopleScout Ltd contract referenced in question 105252, Cabinet Office awarded the contract and the Government Recruitment Service within Cabinet Office is the responsible Customer. Consequently, the Customer referenced within the KPI is Government Recruitment Service, and the Supplier will only accept commissions directly from this entity.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued on pension forfeiture in relation to (a) Civil Service and (b) Ministerial pensions.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

1. Guidance on the forfeiture process for the Civil Service Pension Scheme is provided on the scheme website within the Employer Pension Guide.

2. No guidance has been issued on forfeiture for the Ministerial Pension Scheme.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish a register of senior civil servants' secondary paid employment for 2024 to 2025.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Departments are responsible for publishing the detail of any paid or otherwise remunerated outside employment, held by members of their SCS, annually.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether applicants for civil service roles self-certify their ethnicity.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Yes. Candidates may self-certify their ethnicity when applying for Civil Service roles, though it is optional and is not included in decision making regarding appointments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide compensation for career damage and financial loss for victims in the infected blood scheme who were unable to complete or build on their training or qualifications.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Financial Loss award is designed to compensate for past and future financial losses suffered as a result of infection. For people infected with HIV or chronic Hepatitis infections, this is calculated based on the average anticipated loss of earnings they would have suffered as a result of their infection and subsequent treatment.

In some exceptional cases, infected people will have suffered greater financial losses as a result of their infection than they will be compensated for as part of their core route award. This might be, for example, where they had particularly high earnings prior to their infection. Infected people in this situation can apply for an Exceptional Loss award through the Scheme’s supplementary route, and if eligible, receive additional financial loss compensation to reflect their circumstances.

The Inquiry’s Additional Report included a recommendation to consult on whether these evidence requirements mean that some people who ought to be eligible for the award are prevented from accessing it, and whether there are ways to address this.

The consultation asked respondents to consider forms of evidence for loss of earnings, fairness for applicants to the Scheme, and the types of evidence the Infected Blood Compensation Authority could take into account when someone no longer has documentary evidence to prove they earned beyond what is provided for under the core route. The consultation closed on 22 January. The Minister for the Cabinet Office hopes to update Parliament soon on the changes the Government intends to make to the compensation scheme, as a result of the public consultation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they gave to the treatment of estates in the consultation on the proposed changes to the infected blood compensation scheme which ended on 22 January.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 30 October, the Government launched a public consultation on proposed changes to the infected blood compensation scheme. The Government particularly welcomes responses from those in the infected blood community, including estate representatives, and family members who sadly have lost a loved one due to the use of infected blood, or infected blood products.

Some of the proposals set out in the consultation will have an impact on claims made by estate representatives, on behalf of a deceased infected person. The consultation focused on the areas recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry in its Additional Report. It also asked whether a respondent would like to raise other issues around the compensation scheme that may not have been addressed in the Additional Report.

The Government is carefully considering responses to the consultation, which closed on 22 January. The Minister for the Cabinet Office hopes to update Parliament soon on the changes the Government intends to make to the compensation scheme, as a result of the public consultation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 10 March (HL15172), on what date the guidance on speaking to the media was last updated.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the noble Lady to the answer given in HL15172:

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 3 February (HL13976), and with reference to paragraph 223 of the Cabinet Office Guide to Parliamentary Work and paragraph 1.6(d) of the Ministerial Code, what is the reason why current policy development prevents the publication of the previous guidance to the Civil Service about speaking to the media. HL15172

Answer: This guidance is currently under development in a live policy area. Premature release of this information would inhibit the free and frank provision of advice for policy development.

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 by the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, what proportion of the Senior Civil Service had (a) primary career experience in policy roles, (b) primary career experience in operational delivery roles and (c) prior private sector experience; and what the equivalent figures were in each of the previous five years as of 1 January 2026.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

We are unable to provide a response as this information is not captured centrally at the application stage.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they took to consult the community of infected blood victims as part of the consultation on proposed changes to the infected blood compensation scheme which ended on 22 January.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 30 October, the Government launched a public consultation on proposed changes to the infected blood compensation scheme. In that consultation document, the Government explained that it welcomed responses from all those with an interest in the changes, and especially those in the infected blood community. This consultation has been an important step toward ensuring those impacted are involved in the decision-making process, and I am grateful to all those who took the time to respond. The core purpose of the consultation is to gather views on how the Government intends to implement the Inquiry’s recommendations. Every response to this consultation is being considered carefully and with the seriousness the issue deserves.

The consultation closed on 22 January. The Minister for the Cabinet Office hopes Parliament soon on the changes the Government intends to make to the compensation scheme, as a result of the public consultation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many job advertisements were published on the Civil Service jobs website in 2025 which were (a) available on public website and (b) only available to Civil Services within the passworded website.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In 2025, there were 45,566 job adverts published on Civil Service Jobs. Of these, 24,865 (54.6%) were available to the public. The remaining 20,701 (45.4%) were advised internally and/or cross-government, meaning they were available only to existing civil servants.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 105244 on Senior Civil Service: Training, if he will publish the training material for the content on inclusion in leadership.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Our leadership development materials use internal case studies and sensitive organisational data to address specific system-wide challenges.

To protect the privacy of this information and integrity, we do not publish these materials externally. We do, however, make the programme’s key themes and learning objectives available on the webpage of Accelerated Development Schemes on GOV.UK.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish Chris Wormald’s contract as Cabinet Secretary.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer to Minister Turley’s answer 88716, a copy of the Permanent Secretary model contract has been placed in the House Library. This applies to the Cabinet Secretary.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff within his Department are reliant on a visa for employment.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

39 civil servants are employed through Skilled Worker visas in the Cabinet Office. Before they can be considered for visa sponsorship, all candidates for Cabinet Office posts must meet the Civil Service nationality rules which operate alongside UK immigration rules.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have his Department taken on internship schemes open only to those with certain protected characteristics in each of the last three years.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In each of the last 3 years Cabinet Office has placed less than 5 people on internship schemes open only to those with certain protected characteristics. The exact number has been redacted to avoid identification of individuals.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department was invited by the Office for National Statistics to provide evidence or input into its review of the ethnicity harmonised standard.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

A review of the harmonised standard for ethnicity data collection is underway by the Government Statistical Service Harmonisation team.

A public consultation between October 2025 and February 2026 sought views from a wide range of users, including Government Departments and public bodies, to understand user needs for ethnic group data. This was supplemented by a programme of engagement activity, including with representatives of all government departments.

ONS have committed to providing an initial response to the public consultation in April, and a full report on the consultation in late summer 2026 will include more detailed information on the departments that responded to the consultation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what evidence his Department submitted to the Office for National Statistics' review of the ethnicity harmonised standard, including in relation to the recording of Sikhs and Jewish people as ethnic groups.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

An initial response to the public consultation is due to be published in April, followed by a full report on the consultation in late summer 2026. This report will include all formal responses to the consultation, and the names of the organisations that responded.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Departments submitted evidence to the Office for National Statistics' review of the ethnicity harmonised standard.

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 lady’s Parliamentary Question of 6th March is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Baroness Shafik's contract with his Department stipulates that she may (a) claim House of Lords attendance allowances and (b) speak in the House of Lords.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Baroness Shafik has been on a leave of absence from the House of Lords since 10th September 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Varun Chandra remains employed as a special adviser.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In January, Mr Chandra was appointed as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the United States on Trade and Investment.

Mr Chandra remains employed as a special adviser to the Prime Minister.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when his Department plans to launch the Contingent Decision route for members of the Partnership 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 Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) launched the Contingent Decision process for members who opted out of the scheme in July 2025. However, the process for members who switched to the Partnership pension scheme involves additional complexity, requiring the reconciliation of contributions between defined contribution and defined benefit arrangements. Planning is underway to define the process and timeline, and we aim to open the process later in 2026.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether a permanent Director General for the Proprietary and Constitution Group has been appointed; and recruitment process was for that position.

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. The recruitment campaign is still currently in planning stages and details will be released in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for specific regulatory provisions to compensate the estates of those who died as a result of being given infected blood products for mental health injuries such as (1) suicide, (2) attempted suicide, and (3) other severe impairments; and what plans they have to acknowledge and compensate the estates of the deceased for additional claims for mental injury beyond the core compensation claims route.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme currently provides compensation for psychological harm through both the core and supplementary route, depending on the type and severity of harm. Under the supplementary route, the Severe Health Condition award offers additional compensation where someone has been diagnosed with a severe psychiatric disorder that has caused suffering beyond what is recognised and compensated for as part of their core award. The estates of deceased infected people are eligible for the core route, and to apply for the supplementary route.

The Government has recently consulted on the expansion of eligibility for a Severe Health Condition award for infected people who meet the criteria for the Special Category Mechanism (SCM) or equivalent payments. It also proposes that severe mental health issues not covered in the core route or by the existing Severe Health Condition award are compensated for by this new route. The Government has not proposed that estates of deceased infected people, unless they were receiving SCM or equivalent payments at the time of death, are eligible for this award. The Minister for the Cabinet Office hopes to update Parliament soon on the changes the Government intends to make to the compensation scheme, as a result of the public consultation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the consequences of people who died as a result of infected blood being paid less under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme than those who are still alive.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

An infected person’s compensation (while living or as an estate) is calculated in line with five Categories of Award to recognise and compensate for the impacts of the infected blood scandal in different areas of a person’s life - these are an Injury Award, Social Impact Award, Autonomy Award, Care Award and Financial Loss Award. For the first three (Injury, Social Impact and Autonomy) the award amounts are the same whether someone applies to the scheme for compensation whilst they are still alive, or whether a personal representative of their estate makes an application.

Where an infected person has passed away before they have applied to the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), the estate will be able to make a claim on the infected person’s behalf. In that claim, financial loss from the point of infection to the point of the infected person’s death will be paid to the estate. This recognises the loss of earnings that a person likely suffered because of their illness. Financial loss is not paid to the estate for any years after the year of that person’s death. This is because the person cannot have had reduced earnings after they passed away. Instead, those who were financially dependent on them at the point of their death will have suffered from the reduced earnings caused by their death.

The Cabinet Office has carried out analysis under the Public Sector Equality Duty for all regulations made to establish the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme. The most recent analysis was published in October.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number and proportion of pubs that are (a) independent, (b) owned by public companies and (c) owned by breweries.

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 March is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 6 June 2025 (HC53886), how much was spent on the Prime Minister’s domestic flights in 2025; and whether this includes expenditure on carbon offsetting.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Ministerial travel is undertaken using efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. Security considerations are also taken into account.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the comments of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on LBC on 22 March 2026, whether his Department has been notified of a crime reference number for the theft of the Prime Minister’s former Chief of Staff’s mobile phone.

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

The former Chief of Staff’s phone was stolen, and he reported it at the time to the police and relevant teams in No10. This was before the Humble Address that was passed in February. The Government is committed to complying with the Humble Address in full, while continuing to support the Metropolitan Police with their investigation. I refer the Hon Member to the statement provided by the Metropolitan Police on 25 March and publication of the transcript confirming that the theft was reported.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department's policy is on staff reporting the (a) loss and (b) theft of mobile devices; and whether that policy was followed for the theft of the Prime Minister's former Chief of Staff's mobile phone.

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

The former Chief of Staff’s phone was stolen, and he reported it at the time to the police and relevant teams in No10. This was before the Humble Address that was passed in February. The Government is committed to complying with the Humble Address in full, while continuing to support the Metropolitan Police with their investigation. I refer the Hon Member to the statement provided by the Metropolitan Police on 25 March and publication of the transcript confirming that the theft was reported.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister’s former Chief of Staff reported the theft of his mobile phone to the Cabinet Secretary.

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

The former Chief of Staff’s phone was stolen, and he reported it at the time to the police and relevant teams in No10. This was before the Humble Address that was passed in February. The Government is committed to complying with the Humble Address in full, while continuing to support the Metropolitan Police with their investigation. I refer the Hon Member to the statement provided by the Metropolitan Police on 25 March and publication of the transcript confirming that the theft was reported.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2026, to Question 119894, on Gambling Commission: Managers, which specific public sector regulators (a) are and (b) are not subject to the Business Appointments Applications process.

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

The Business Appointment Rules (BARs) apply to various individuals through specific codes of conduct. For instance, civil servants are subject to them via the Civil Servant Management Code, ministers through the Ministerial Code, and Special Advisers via their Code of Conduct.

Where a public sector organisation, such as an Executive Agency or an Advisory Non-Departmental Public Body, is staffed by civil servants, those individuals will be subject to the BARs.

Even though some individuals operating within the broader government sphere may not fall directly under the BARs, public bodies operating at arm’s length from government are still expected to implement their own equivalent processes to manage potential conflicts of interest, with these being tailored to their specific organisational context.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether all communications on Morgan McSweeney’s mobile phone were uploaded to Government servers.

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

There is established guidance on the management and recording of electronic communications on non-corporate channels. We keep all guidance around the use of non-corporate communications under review to ensure it remains fit for purpose.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Metropolitan Police has asked the Government to not publish any communication between Morgan McSweeney and Peter Mandelson.

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

I refer you to the remarks the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister made to the house in response to the urgent question about the Humble Address on 16 March.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the (a) consultation responses and (b) feedback from impacted people on proposed changes to the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme are taken into account.

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

On 30 October, the Government launched a public consultation on proposed changes to the infected blood compensation scheme. The core purpose of this consultation was to gather views on how the Government intends to implement the Infected Blood Inquiry’s recommendations, and responses from the infected blood community were particularly encouraged.

Every response to this consultation is being considered carefully and with the seriousness the issue deserves. The consultation closed on 22 January, and the Government will publish its response within 12 weeks of this closing date.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime Minister’s evidence to the Liaison Committee on 15 December 2025, whether he has met Christine Flack, Kate and Gerry McCann, and Margaret Aspinall.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 02 February, Official Report, PQ 107285.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making a formal public response to the petition dated September 2025 on the United Kingdom’s historical role in Palestine.

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.

The government does not routinely comment on petitions.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to identify, review and publish departmental records relevant to Government policy in Palestine.

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.

The government does not routinely comment on petitions.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has issued guidance on whether a Minister can be suspended.

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

The Cabinet Office has not issued such guidance.

The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of conduct expected of ministers and how they discharge their duties. As the Code sets out, the Prime Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a minister and the appropriate consequences of a breach of those standards.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2026, to Question 116505, on Disinformation, if he will set out what public narratives have been monitored using the tool in the last month.

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

Storyzy's platform empowers users to detect information manipulation and understand the information environment by analysing large quantities of data points to understand public narratives.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what justification is being applied to changes to the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme, where individuals who suffered long-term health harms of interferon treatment are to receive an uplift in compensation from 2017 onwards rather than from when their treatment began.

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

The Inquiry recommended changes to the infection severity bands to give greater recognition for the suffering caused by interferon treatment. The Government agrees that changes are needed and we have consulted on our proposal to introduce a new infection severity band, referred to as Level 2B, which would increase people’s financial loss and care compensation awards where relevant, to recognise the short-term side-effects that many, but not all, people suffer due to interferon treatment.

The Government proposed that all infected people who have received treatment with interferon will qualify for the proposed Level 2B infection severity band. It will be part of their core compensation award and people will be eligible for it even if they were only able to tolerate interferon treatment for a very short period.

We recognise that some infected people have suffered and continue to suffer debilitating, long-term impacts on their ability to work. We have therefore consulted on a proposal to introduce a new Special Category Mechanism (SCM) Severe Health Condition award which would offer higher awards for financial loss and care based on the enduring impact that people have experienced in relation to their ability to work and their need for care.

The consultation closed on 22 January, and the Government will publish its response within 12 weeks of this closing date.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what considerations have been given to extending the cut-off date for eligibility for the Unethical Research Award in the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme beyond 1984, given the evidence in the Infected Blood Inquiry (Additional Report on Compensation) that experimentation on both adults and children continued beyond this date.

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

The Inquiry, in its Additional Report, made a set of recommendations about the Unethical Research awards. The Government has consulted on these recommendations, including on a proposal to expand eligibility for Unethical Research awards to all infected people who received treatment for a bleeding disorder in the UK before 1985. The Government is now carefully considering the range of responses it received on this issue before determining its final position on eligibility.

The consultation closed on 22 January, and the Government will publish its response within 12 weeks of this closing date.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2026 to Question 120836 on Prime Minister: Ministerial Boxes, whether there is guidance on how (a) oral, (b) written and (c) electronic responses by Ministers to formal advice and submissions should be recorded on the official record.

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

Yes there is. The Guidance for the management of Private Office information and records has been published and can be found on gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what is the current process for (a) Ministers, (b) Senior Civil Servants and (c) Government advisers for reporting the theft of a Government mobile phone containing sensitive information.

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

The former Chief of Staff’s phone was stolen, and he reported it at the time to the police and relevant teams in No10. This was before the Humble Address that was passed in February. The Government is committed to complying with the Humble Address in full, while continuing to support the Metropolitan Police with their investigation. I refer the Hon Member to the statement provided by the Metropolitan Police on 25 March and publication of the transcript confirming that the theft was reported.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department took to help prevent the exploitation of data from the unlocked mobile phone of the former Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister following its theft in October 2024.

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

The former Chief of Staff’s phone was stolen, and he reported it at the time to the police and relevant teams in No10. This was before the Humble Address that was passed in February. The Government is committed to complying with the Humble Address in full, while continuing to support the Metropolitan Police with their investigation. I refer the Hon Member to the statement provided by the Metropolitan Police on 25 March and publication of the transcript confirming that the theft was reported.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps were taken by the former Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister to report the theft of his mobile phone to security services in October 2024.

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

The former Chief of Staff’s phone was stolen, and he reported it at the time to the police and relevant teams in No10. This was before the Humble Address that was passed in February. The Government is committed to complying with the Humble Address in full, while continuing to support the Metropolitan Police with their investigation. I refer the Hon Member to the statement provided by the Metropolitan Police on 25 March and publication of the transcript confirming that the theft was reported.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the written statement of 17 March 2026, HCWS1407, on Online Advertising Taskforce Progress Report 2025, whether the adherence to the Influencer Marketing Code of Conduct will be embedded in to the Government's contracts with creative agencies and social media influencers.

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

Government procedure and contracts with creative agencies and social media influencers align to requirements set out in the ISBA Influencer Marketing Code of Conduct.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office of 12 February 2026, Official Report, Column 925, on Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address Motion, if he will publish the letter on Palantir when sent.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I wrote to the Rt Hon Member for Skipton and Rippon on 25 February 2026.

I also wrote to the Hon Member for Brentwood and Ongar on 25 February 2026, noting he will already be familiar with the Enterprise Agreement given he personally signed off the original spending approval for the contract during his time at the Cabinet Office under the previous Conservative government.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 16 March 2026 to Question 119901 on Lobbying: Finance, whether he holds information on grant funding for lobbying activity in relation to grants from 2024-25 onwards.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Grants statistics for 2024/25 were published on GOV.UK on 24 March 2026.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what data relating to (a) children and (b) schools will be integrated into the Digital ID database.

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

We will design the digital ID system to be secure, with only the minimum amount of data collected and stored. There will be no new single central database storing all government data on a person in one place. Data will primarily remain securely in the parts of the system where it already exists.

Through the public consultation that is now live, we are asking the public what age they think is appropriate to have the digital ID. Whatever the minimum age for eligibility, the system will be designed to operate to international best practice standards for data security and privacy and in line with UK Data Protection Law, to help ensure data is kept safe.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether electronic communications between Lord Mandelson and Morgan McSweeney have been copied to the official record and retained for the Humble Address.

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

I refer you to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th 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 government departments, ministers and relevant individuals have been instructed to retain and provide to the Cabinet Office all information they hold that falls in scope of the Humble Address motion.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date the Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary sent guidance on the transfer of group electronic messages to the Cabinet Office division handling the Humble Address.

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, what is the status of the Cabinet Office fact-finding investigation into Labour Together, separate to the report by the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The fact-finding exercise has concluded. The Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards wrote to the Prime Minister on this issue on 27 February. His letter is available online: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69a32870f534e7e99adaeaf8/Letter_from_the_Independent_Adviser_to_the_Prime_Minister.pdf

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference 23 February 2026, Official Report, Column 29, on Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review, whether the Government is able to appoint an independent KC to investigate a suspended Government Minister.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Honorable Member to UIN HL15093.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what consideration is being given to altering the Hepatitis C Financial Loss Award to reflect people who received older and more harmful treatments; and if he will make a statement.

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

In its Additional Report, the Infected Blood Inquiry recommended changes to the infection severity bands to give greater recognition for the suffering caused particularly by interferon treatment. The Government agrees that changes are needed and has consulted on a proposal to introduce a new infection severity band, referred to as Level 2B, which would increase people’s financial loss and care compensation awards where relevant, to recognise the short-term side-effects that many people suffer due to interferon treatment.

The Government will publish its response to the consultation, which will set out its final decisions on the compensation scheme, within 12 weeks of the closing date. I therefore hope to update Parliament soon on the changes I intend to make to the compensation scheme as a result of the public consultation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department considers that electronic messages held on non-corporate devices relating to official government business held by (a) Ministers and (b) Special Advisers are owned by the Government.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Official information, wherever stored, is considered to be held by the Crown.

I refer the Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire to the Government’s 2023 ‘Guidance on Using Non-Corporate Communication Channels for Government Business’ for further detail that was produced and published under by the previous Government.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he intends to publish an answer to Question 113780, tabled on 20 February 2026, on Labour Together.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to PQ 113780 on 24 March 2026.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the grounds of justification for the reduction in hepatitis C Financial Loss Awards from 2017 due to the introduction of new effective treatments; and if he will make a statement.

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

The compensation scheme assumes that the introduction of effective treatments in 2016 improved most infected people’s ability to effectively manage their infection. This assumption is applied when calculating financial loss for living infected people.

The Government recognises that some people did not receive effective treatment for their particular infection in the year it was introduced, and not everyone was able to continue working for a range of reasons including continued illness, or due to the length of time out of the workforce.

In line with the recommendation made in the Inquiry’s Additional Report, the Compensation Scheme now offers a route through which infected people can show that they were unable to return to work, or unable to work at the assumed level, even after the introduction of effective treatments. The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2025 do this by removing the earnings floor on the supplementary route Exceptional Loss award for Financial Loss, to ensure that a route is available for infected people to present evidence on their actual earnings loss.

This change offers people the ability to demonstrate they had continued financial loss, even after the introduction of effective treatments, so they can be compensated fairly for this under the compensation scheme.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps did Darren Tierney, then the head of the Propriety and Constitution Group, take to ensure that Lord Mandelson was personally interviewed before his appointment as Ambassador.

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

No such interview took place. It is not unusual for political appointments to take place without direct conversations with the Cabinet Office. I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March which sets out the process of appointment and the steps the Government is taking to strengthen the process going forwards.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Whatsapps messages on 10 Downing Street official iPhones are automatically backed up to a cloud or central server.

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

There is established guidance on the management and recording of electronic communications on non-corporate channels. We keep all guidance around the use of non-corporate communications under review to ensure it remains fit for purpose.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2026 to question 113071, whether he plans to bring forward legislation to strip Lord Mandelson of his peerage.

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

The Government is committed to introducing legislation to enable the removal of peerages from disgraced peers. We will announce further details in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Morgan McSweeney, since departing Crown employment, has passed information held on his non-corporate communication devices relating to official government business to the Cabinet Office or the Prime Minister’s Office.

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, whether Downing Street staff are required to inform the No10 Security Team if their (a) official or (b) personal phone has been stolen.

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

It would not be appropriate to detail internal security matters. There are long established and robust processes to manage information security following the theft of No10 work devices

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2026, to Question HL15004, on Government Departments: Communication, whether the Prime Minister approved the new guidance on UK/HM Government branding, or whether it was approved by an official or special adviser.

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

Relevant officials and special advisers reviewed the branding guidance.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government Property Agency has made an estimate of staff time or resource allocated to measuring, collecting, reporting or validating greenhouse gas emissions across the parts of the estate for which it is responsible.

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

I refer to my answer for 116583. The GPA calculates greenhouse gas emissions for office space occupied by GPA staff and provides utility consumption data for departments occupying other buildings within its managed estate. As this activity is performed by staff as part of their wider duties, the exact amount of time allocated to this specific activity is not centrally recorded.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a dedicated Standard Industrial Code classification for public electric vehicle charging.

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 25th is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Government phones were (a) lost and (b) stolen in the Prime Minister’s Office since 4 July 2024.

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

It would not be appropriate to detail internal security matters. There are long established and robust processes to manage information security following the theft of No10 work devices

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many backlog death in service cases remain unresolved by Capita following the Cabinet Office's Recovery Plan Sprint 3.

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.

The highest priority cases for recovery, including death-in-service and ill-health retirements, have been returned to normal service levels, with cases concluded wherever it has been possible to do so.

Capita has processed 407 death-in-service cases, successfully reducing the volume of workable cases from 375 to 75 as of 23 March. Capita has now achieved its target of normalising work in progress to 60 cases, representing a return to steady-state operations. While the backlog has been addressed, this figure is expected to fluctuate slightly as cases currently with third parties are returned to Capita for finalisation.

The Cabinet Office remains committed to ensuring these cases are managed efficiently to provide timely support to beneficiaries.

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 Future 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 comprehensive assessment of salary outcomes, promotion rates, and role progression for Future Leaders Scheme (FLS) participants against a control group (or formal cost-benefit analysis) is not currently feasible.

Two separate evaluations are underway for the FLS: an implementation and process evaluation, and an impact evaluation. Both are due to complete in Autumn 2026.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards’ review into Labour Together is being assisted by the Propriety and Ethics Team.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Prime Minister asked officials in the Cabinet Office to establish the facts in relation to allegations about the conduct of the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State jointly in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Cabinet Office, Josh Simons MP. Following completion of that work, the matter was referred to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards. The Independent Adviser’s subsequent advice to the Prime Minister is published on gov.uk.

The Independent Adviser is independent of government.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Deputy Director of the Constitution Group remains (a) on a fixed term contract and (b) with that job title.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In line with data protection obligations, the Cabinet Office cannot disclose the personal contractual arrangements of individual members of staff

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime Minister's Ministerial direction of 16 February 2026, what the value of the special severance payment was.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Details of any payments made to the previous Cabinet Secretary will be published in the Cabinet Office Annual report and Accounts for 2025-26.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish his Department's Service Level Agreement with Capita regarding the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office maintains rigorous oversight of the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) administration contract with Capita. While the Department does not publish the full, granular Service Level Agreement (SLA) documents as these contain commercially sensitive metrics and proprietary service modelling information, the core requirements regarding payment accuracy, timeliness of processing, and complaint resolution are outlined within the contract’s Statement of Requirements to ensure transparency.

These standards are designed to ensure members receive a high-quality service, with financial deductions (service credits) applied should the provider fail to meet these thresholds.

Further information regarding the contract's scope and performance expectations can be found on GOV.UK Contracts Finder at the following link:

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/f91f69a7-6120-4918-8220-2757e7e51ded?origin=SearchResults&p=2

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 120628, whether any Government department or agency holds documents released to the media in March 2025 in relation to the employment tribunal involving the Drax whistleblower.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office does not hold any documents released to the media in March 2025 in relation to the employment tribunal involving the Drax whistleblower. As this matter related to an employment tribunal at a private company, it is not a matter in which the Department was involved.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential security breach following the theft of the mobile phone of the former Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister, Morgan McSweeney in October 2024.

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

The Government takes matters of national security very seriously, including cyber security, and has robust procedures in place to prevent the loss of sensitive information. However the Government does not routinely comment on the specifics on matters relating to national security.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of women who are employed by companies with more than 250 employees.

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 lady’s Parliamentary Question of 25th March is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 95641 on Permanent Secretaries: Contracts, if he will publish the model Permanent Secretary contract in operation in 2012.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Individual permanent secretary contracts were based on the SCS model contract up until 2013. In relation to answer 88716, the permanent secretary model contract placed in the House Library has been in force since July 2013.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that net migration statistics clarify the distinction between (a) new entrants, (b) visa extensions and (c) visa category switches.

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 lady Parliamentary Question of 17th March is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to change the law or guidance around Freedom of Information requests.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government is committed to Freedom of Information (“FOI”) and continues to monitor the performance and implementation of the FOI Act to ensure it is operating as intended by Parliament.

Any changes to FOI legislation will be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Cabinet Office policy is on the backup and retention of messages on official mobile devices.

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

Civil Servants and ministers are required to follow the Non-Corporate Communications Channels (NCCCs) Guidance when using WhatsApp or similar messaging systems on their mobile device. This can be found on gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to uprate Freedom of Information Act cost thresholds.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The cost thresholds above which public authorities are not obliged to comply with a Freedom of Information request are set out in secondary legislation. Any changes to FOI legislation will be subject to Parliamentary scrutiny.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of Global Counsel in helping their clients to access Government contracts.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Departments are responsible for making their own procurement decisions including conducting supplier due diligence and assessment.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the comments of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on LBC on 22 March 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the theft of the Prime Minister’s former Chief of Staff’s mobile phone on national security.

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

The Government takes matters of national security very seriously, including cyber security, and has robust procedures in place to prevent the loss of sensitive information. However, the Government does not routinely comment on the specifics on matters relating to national security.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2026, to Question 120612, on Government Departments: Vetting, whether individuals joining the Civil Service are advised on giving false or misleading information in any other part of their application and vetting process.

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

Civil Servants applying for NSV Security Vetting (NSV) are advised of their responsibilities throughout the process and through the guidance published on gov.uk. This includes the need for full and complete disclosure.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has issued guidance to special advisers on speaking to the police about stolen Government property.

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

Cabinet Office's Security Breach Policy requires individuals, including SpAds, to follow directions from Cabinet Office Security when there is a security breach, such as theft of Government property. As part of its standard operating procedures Cabinet Office Security will direct individuals to report any stolen Government property to the police and request a crime reference number.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Freedom of Information policy team has given guidance to departments on the use of the mosaic justification.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has not issued Freedom of Information guidance to government departments on the ‘mosaic effect’.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026, to Question 119062, on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, what were the specific (a) Freedom of Information Act and (b) UK GDPR exemptions that were applied to exempt the information from publication.

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

Minor redactions were made to the temporarily withdrawn file, which contained references to a number of individuals, to comply with the following Freedom of Information Act exemptions: section 37(1)(a); section 37(1)(aa); section 37(1)(ab); section 40(2) and section 41.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 121096 on Cabinet Office: Email, whether Lord Mandelson was copied into any of those emails.

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

Lord Mandelson was a copy recipient of some of the emails, one of a number of officials and advisers copied into the emails.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the comments of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on LBC on 22 March 2026, on what date the Prime Minister’s former Chief of Staff reported the theft of his mobile phone to the Cabinet Secretary.

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

The former Chief of Staff’s phone was stolen, and he reported it at the time to the police and relevant teams in No10. This was before the Humble Address that was passed in February. The Government is committed to complying with the Humble Address in full, while continuing to support the Metropolitan Police with their investigation. I refer the Hon Member to the statement provided by the Metropolitan Police on 25 March and publication of the transcript confirming that the theft was reported.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has produced guidance on whether the payment rules set out under Procurement Act 2025 will apply to Strategic Partners participating in the Affordable Homes Programme.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The UK government’s prompt payment policy aims to support UK economic growth and suppliers, including small and medium sized enterprises.

The Procurement Act 2023 mandates 30 day payment terms into all public contracts. Where the Affordable Homes Programme is covered by the Act, these terms are included automatically if not explicitly stated. Additionally, public sector buyers must ensure that this payment term is passed down their supply chain.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government will make payments to the European Union to participate in the Youth Mobility Scheme.

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

We have agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU. This will provide a valuable form of cultural exchange for young Brits and EU citizens with the opportunity to travel, work, study and experience other cultures.

We have agreed that any scheme will be capped, subject to a visa requirement, as well as time-limited. We have been clear that the scheme should be in line with the UK’s existing schemes, such as Australia and New Zealand, but the exact parameters are subject to ongoing negotiation. This will not include financial contributions to the European Union - that is not how youth mobility schemes operate.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2026, to Question 119321, on Cabinet Office: Freedom of Information, what is the timetable of the revisions to the Honours Handbook to be completed.

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

The handbook is currently being updated. An updated version with relevant redactions will be laid in the House Library as soon as is practicable.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent on locksmiths in each of the last five years.

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

The GPA note that for Cabinet Office sites (where the GPA provides services) across the years noted locksmith services cost £58.41.

The GPA does not hold information in respect of Cabinet Office locations that are contained within HMRC Hubs.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate he has made of the backlog of cases at the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

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

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is independent of Government and reports directly to Parliament. The PHSO has confirmed that their unallocated queue of complaints at the end of March 2026 was 3,428.

Found: We are working closely with the Cabinet Office and the Intelligence and Security Committee to ensure

Found: Within the Whitehall system, the move of EU management functions back to the Cabinet Office has been

Found: References + Annex A References [1] Cabinet Office (2025) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding.

Found: Owner: Cabinet Office. Cadence: quarterly.

Found: Sovereign AI 35 Cabinet Office, ‘Find out how algorithmic tools are used in public organisations’, Gov.uk

Found: The Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms (COBR) architecture must be permanently staffed for complex emergencies

Found: NCSR) Available at: National Consortium for Societal Resilience [UK+] | AMBS | Alliance MBS Cabinet Office

Found: ministerial response was received in April 2025 from Abena Oppong- Asare MP, Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office

Found: Some witnesses suggested that the Cabinet Office may be a more appropriate location for the Overseas

Found: Amendment) Regulations 2026 Instruments not reported 6 Annex 6 Appendix 1: Memorandum from the Cabinet Office

Found: These include Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the

Found: This includes mandatory Modern Slavery Risk Assessments and ongoing risk review in line with Cabinet Office

Found: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 3.8.2 Whitehall and Cabinet Office

Found: The Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations Cabinet Office

Found: department intends to launch a fair and open competition, in line with the Governance Code and Cabinet Office

Found: Seema Malhotra MP Minister for Equalities Cabinet Office

Found: I asked him, speaking for the Cabinet Office, whether he thought it was acceptable.

Found: Letter from the Chair to Nick Thomas-Symonds, Minister for the Constitution at the Cabinet Office, Treaty

Found: In addition, the Cabinet Office provides scrutiny of UK Government response capabilities through the

Found: In response, Capita notified the Cabinet Office, suspended ABS functionality on the portal and began

Found: Commercial requests Surge resource Capita recognises that the Cabinet Office has funded the HMRC surge

Found: Letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office relating to the Administration of the Civil

Found: social exclusion across the life course: families with children, Social Exclusion Task Force, Cabinet Office

Found: and rigorous process, with significant input and advice from independent legal counsel, the Cabinet Office

Found: The Cabinet Office is responsible for the negotiation with the European Union, the Treasury has responsibility

Found: Darren Jones MP Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Cabinet Office

Found: financial-resilience-of-dcms-sponsored-museums-and-galleries/ [8] Arm’s length body sponsorship code of good practice, Cabinet Office

Found: Letter from Catherine Little CB, Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary

Found: Letter from Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and His Majesty’s Paymaster

Found: Letter from Chris Ward MP, Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on Intergovernmental Relations Engagement

Found: We work closely with the Cabinet Office who is responsible for the UK-EU relationship, including other

Found: Of course, as you will likely know very well, the FCDO and the Cabinet Office are working on a campaign

Found: I registered that with the Ministers of the Cabinet Office, and they know that we are likely to come

Found: Nick Thomas-Symonds MP Minister for the Cabinet Office His Majesty’s Paymaster General Cabinet

Found: 020 7219 6083 hleuroaffairs@parliament.uk The Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP Minister for the Cabinet Office

Found: oversight of WA rights for UK nationals and their family members living in the EU falls to the Cabinet Office

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of Freedom of Information requests received by his Department were responded to (a) within the statutory 20 working day deadline, (b) between 21 and 40 working days, (c) between 41 and 60 working days, and (d) after 60 working days, in each of the last three calendar years.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Cabinet Office publishes official Freedom of Information (FOI) statistics for all monitored central government bodies, including the Department for Business and Trade, as part of its regular Government FOI Statistics series. These statistics are available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

FOI statistics for 2023 and 2024 are currently available online through this collection. The 2025 FOI statistics are scheduled to be published in April 2026.

Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, what steps he is taking to ensure named day Written Parliamentary Questions are answered in a timely manner.

Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Parliament has a right to scrutinise Ministers, and hold the Government to account. I expect Hon. Members to receive timely and helpful responses to their questions.

I have written to all Members of Cabinet and spoken with Departmental Parliamentary Clerks and Departmental Permanent Secretaries to remind departments and Ministers about the importance of providing full and helpful responses to parliamentary questions.

In addition, the House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental performance in responding to Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs). The Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into WPQs to which the Government has provided written evidence (available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/161782/pdf/), and their sessional reporting continues to be an effective tool to hold Departments to account.

Further to the question the Hon. Member raised with me at Business Questions on 26 March, I have pursued the matter with the Cabinet Office, and have been informed that the Hon. Gentleman has received the response that he sought.

I continue to encourage Hon. Members to raise any specific issues they may have with myself or my office.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled Government to Improve Support for Affordable Debt Repayments, published on 20 March 2026, what additional support will be offered to individuals identified as being in financial difficulty beyond revised repayment schedules.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Some government organisations share information to support debt management, including to help assess an individual’s ability to pay. Where data is shared, it may include information relating to income, employment and benefits, depending on the purpose, the lawful gateway and the specific debt and department involved. This data can be used as a way to distinguish between financial hardship and deliberate non-payment. Departments and ALBs will apply their own policies and statutory frameworks when determining the most appropriate approach to debt recovery, but government guidance on support for those in financial difficulty is available at Public Sector Toolkits - GOV.UK.

Any sharing and use of personal data for debt management purposes is carried out in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. Where data sharing takes place under the Digital Economy Act 2017, it is subject to the Act’s statutory framework and the Digital Economy Act Code of Practice, including requirements and principles on lawful purpose, necessity and proportionality, security and accountability.

Performance against the strategy will be monitored by the GDMF in line with the Cabinet Office functional standards and governance requirements. Where monitoring indicates that intended improvements are not being achieved, the GDMF will use established functional governance to work with departments and ALBs to understand the issues and support improvements, including through guidance, sharing good practice and engagement with relevant organisations.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled Government to Improve Support for Affordable Debt Repayments, published on 20 March 2026, what types of data will be shared between departments to assess individuals’ ability to repay debts under the new strategy.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Some government organisations share information to support debt management, including to help assess an individual’s ability to pay. Where data is shared, it may include information relating to income, employment and benefits, depending on the purpose, the lawful gateway and the specific debt and department involved. This data can be used as a way to distinguish between financial hardship and deliberate non-payment. Departments and ALBs will apply their own policies and statutory frameworks when determining the most appropriate approach to debt recovery, but government guidance on support for those in financial difficulty is available at Public Sector Toolkits - GOV.UK.

Any sharing and use of personal data for debt management purposes is carried out in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. Where data sharing takes place under the Digital Economy Act 2017, it is subject to the Act’s statutory framework and the Digital Economy Act Code of Practice, including requirements and principles on lawful purpose, necessity and proportionality, security and accountability.

Performance against the strategy will be monitored by the GDMF in line with the Cabinet Office functional standards and governance requirements. Where monitoring indicates that intended improvements are not being achieved, the GDMF will use established functional governance to work with departments and ALBs to understand the issues and support improvements, including through guidance, sharing good practice and engagement with relevant organisations.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled Government to Improve Support for Affordable Debt Repayments, published on 20 March 2026, what safeguards will be in place to protect personal data used to determine repayment affordability.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Some government organisations share information to support debt management, including to help assess an individual’s ability to pay. Where data is shared, it may include information relating to income, employment and benefits, depending on the purpose, the lawful gateway and the specific debt and department involved. This data can be used as a way to distinguish between financial hardship and deliberate non-payment. Departments and ALBs will apply their own policies and statutory frameworks when determining the most appropriate approach to debt recovery, but government guidance on support for those in financial difficulty is available at Public Sector Toolkits - GOV.UK.

Any sharing and use of personal data for debt management purposes is carried out in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. Where data sharing takes place under the Digital Economy Act 2017, it is subject to the Act’s statutory framework and the Digital Economy Act Code of Practice, including requirements and principles on lawful purpose, necessity and proportionality, security and accountability.

Performance against the strategy will be monitored by the GDMF in line with the Cabinet Office functional standards and governance requirements. Where monitoring indicates that intended improvements are not being achieved, the GDMF will use established functional governance to work with departments and ALBs to understand the issues and support improvements, including through guidance, sharing good practice and engagement with relevant organisations.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled Government to Improve Support for Affordable Debt Repayments, published on 20 March 2026, whether guidance will be issued to departments to distinguish between deliberate non-payment and financial hardship.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Some government organisations share information to support debt management, including to help assess an individual’s ability to pay. Where data is shared, it may include information relating to income, employment and benefits, depending on the purpose, the lawful gateway and the specific debt and department involved. This data can be used as a way to distinguish between financial hardship and deliberate non-payment. Departments and ALBs will apply their own policies and statutory frameworks when determining the most appropriate approach to debt recovery, but government guidance on support for those in financial difficulty is available at Public Sector Toolkits - GOV.UK.

Any sharing and use of personal data for debt management purposes is carried out in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. Where data sharing takes place under the Digital Economy Act 2017, it is subject to the Act’s statutory framework and the Digital Economy Act Code of Practice, including requirements and principles on lawful purpose, necessity and proportionality, security and accountability.

Performance against the strategy will be monitored by the GDMF in line with the Cabinet Office functional standards and governance requirements. Where monitoring indicates that intended improvements are not being achieved, the GDMF will use established functional governance to work with departments and ALBs to understand the issues and support improvements, including through guidance, sharing good practice and engagement with relevant organisations.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to her Department’s press release entitled Government to Improve Support for Affordable Debt Repayments, published on 20 March 2026, what contingency plans are in place if the strategy does not lead to improved repayment outcomes.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Some government organisations share information to support debt management, including to help assess an individual’s ability to pay. Where data is shared, it may include information relating to income, employment and benefits, depending on the purpose, the lawful gateway and the specific debt and department involved. This data can be used as a way to distinguish between financial hardship and deliberate non-payment. Departments and ALBs will apply their own policies and statutory frameworks when determining the most appropriate approach to debt recovery, but government guidance on support for those in financial difficulty is available at Public Sector Toolkits - GOV.UK.

Any sharing and use of personal data for debt management purposes is carried out in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. Where data sharing takes place under the Digital Economy Act 2017, it is subject to the Act’s statutory framework and the Digital Economy Act Code of Practice, including requirements and principles on lawful purpose, necessity and proportionality, security and accountability.

Performance against the strategy will be monitored by the GDMF in line with the Cabinet Office functional standards and governance requirements. Where monitoring indicates that intended improvements are not being achieved, the GDMF will use established functional governance to work with departments and ALBs to understand the issues and support improvements, including through guidance, sharing good practice and engagement with relevant organisations.

Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, what steps hon. Members can take to seek answers to Named Day parliamentary questions in instances where those questions are not answered by the day named in the question.

Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Parliament has a right to scrutinise Ministers, and hold the Government and public bodies to account. I expect Hon. Members to receive timely and helpful responses to their questions.

The House of Commons Procedure Committee monitors departmental performance in responding to Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs). The Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into WPQs to which the Government has provided written evidence (available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/161782/pdf/), and their sessional reporting continues to be an effective tool to hold Departments to account.

Further to the question the Hon. Member raised with me during the Business Question on Thursday 26 March 2026, I raised the matter with the Cabinet Office and have been informed that the Hon. Member has now received a response.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many civils servants were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.

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

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold Civil Service‑wide data on findings of breaches of the Civil Service Code. Oversight of the Civil Service Code, including centrally held information on its application across government departments, sits with the Cabinet Office.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many departmental employees were on performance management plans in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.

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

Although the Department holds data on performance markings, it does not centrally record the number of employees on performance management plans and therefore cannot provide figures for 2023, 2024, or 2025. Senior Civil Servants (SCS) and delegated grades, non-SCS, operate under different performance management frameworks.

SCS follow the Cabinet Office-prescribed SCS framework and should have at least quarterly performance conversations, at which ratings are provided. If an SCS receives the lowest performance rating for two consecutive quarters, a performance development plan is put in place with appropriate support. If the lowest rating continues, there is an expectation that the individual is placed on formal poor performance measures in line with the SCS framework.

Delegated grades follow the Department’s Performance Health Check policy and receive mid and end of year performance ratings, supported by monthly performance conversations. Where a delegated grade performance falls below the expected standard, managers must take early, supportive action through regular performance conversations, before deciding on whether any informal or formal action is required under the Supporting Performance Improvement policy and procedure.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish a security risk assessment for the use of Chinese drones by UK police.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provided £10.6m to NPAS in FY2025/26. In addition, the Home Office has committed £34.5m to NPAS to support the replacement of 7 helicopters. For further information on annual grant information for NPAS, the Government via the Cabinet Office is committed to publish grant data on an annual basis for schemes and programmes that are funded by the Government, including the NPAS Capital Grant. This can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website under 'Government grant data and statistics'.

The procurement, operational deployment and recording of data on police use of drones and crewed aircraft are operational matters for police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public. The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of drones registered by the CAA.

The Home Office is currently funding and supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Drones Programme, who were allocated £2.3m in FY2025/26. The programme is responsible for standardising and professionalising the use of drones across UK police forces. This includes developing a bespoke training and accreditation pathway for police drone operators as well as working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to provide the necessary oversight on the safety aspects of police drone operations.

Drones and helicopters are complimentary to one another, not interchangeable. Drones are valuable for close‑range, localised tasks, but may not always replace the speed, persistence, capacity and safety assurance of a helicopter. However, this is subject to ongoing research and analysis, continuously evolving as technology advances.

The Home Office is currently working with NPAS and the NPCC Drones Programme to assess, compare and evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of crewed and uncrewed technologies for operational policing and how this will support development of a future blended fleet model for police aviation, in line with the NPCC Aviation Strategy (2025-2035).

In addition, the Government takes national and cyber security extremely seriously and regularly reviews risks, including from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) which includes drones. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have issued guidance for security professionals across public and private sector organisations on the appropriate security measures which should be taken to manage potential security risks via UAS technologies, including drones. In line with existing guidance, the NPCC Drones Programme is currently undertaking a review on the data and security risk implications associated with police use of drones.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what operating procedures exist to prevent (a) police and (b) non-police drones colliding with police helicopters.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provided £10.6m to NPAS in FY2025/26. In addition, the Home Office has committed £34.5m to NPAS to support the replacement of 7 helicopters. For further information on annual grant information for NPAS, the Government via the Cabinet Office is committed to publish grant data on an annual basis for schemes and programmes that are funded by the Government, including the NPAS Capital Grant. This can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website under 'Government grant data and statistics'.

The procurement, operational deployment and recording of data on police use of drones and crewed aircraft are operational matters for police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public. The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of drones registered by the CAA.

The Home Office is currently funding and supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Drones Programme, who were allocated £2.3m in FY2025/26. The programme is responsible for standardising and professionalising the use of drones across UK police forces. This includes developing a bespoke training and accreditation pathway for police drone operators as well as working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to provide the necessary oversight on the safety aspects of police drone operations.

Drones and helicopters are complimentary to one another, not interchangeable. Drones are valuable for close‑range, localised tasks, but may not always replace the speed, persistence, capacity and safety assurance of a helicopter. However, this is subject to ongoing research and analysis, continuously evolving as technology advances.

The Home Office is currently working with NPAS and the NPCC Drones Programme to assess, compare and evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of crewed and uncrewed technologies for operational policing and how this will support development of a future blended fleet model for police aviation, in line with the NPCC Aviation Strategy (2025-2035).

In addition, the Government takes national and cyber security extremely seriously and regularly reviews risks, including from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) which includes drones. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have issued guidance for security professionals across public and private sector organisations on the appropriate security measures which should be taken to manage potential security risks via UAS technologies, including drones. In line with existing guidance, the NPCC Drones Programme is currently undertaking a review on the data and security risk implications associated with police use of drones.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of drones registered by the CAA are operated by the police.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provided £10.6m to NPAS in FY2025/26. In addition, the Home Office has committed £34.5m to NPAS to support the replacement of 7 helicopters. For further information on annual grant information for NPAS, the Government via the Cabinet Office is committed to publish grant data on an annual basis for schemes and programmes that are funded by the Government, including the NPAS Capital Grant. This can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website under 'Government grant data and statistics'.

The procurement, operational deployment and recording of data on police use of drones and crewed aircraft are operational matters for police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public. The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of drones registered by the CAA.

The Home Office is currently funding and supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Drones Programme, who were allocated £2.3m in FY2025/26. The programme is responsible for standardising and professionalising the use of drones across UK police forces. This includes developing a bespoke training and accreditation pathway for police drone operators as well as working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to provide the necessary oversight on the safety aspects of police drone operations.

Drones and helicopters are complimentary to one another, not interchangeable. Drones are valuable for close‑range, localised tasks, but may not always replace the speed, persistence, capacity and safety assurance of a helicopter. However, this is subject to ongoing research and analysis, continuously evolving as technology advances.

The Home Office is currently working with NPAS and the NPCC Drones Programme to assess, compare and evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of crewed and uncrewed technologies for operational policing and how this will support development of a future blended fleet model for police aviation, in line with the NPCC Aviation Strategy (2025-2035).

In addition, the Government takes national and cyber security extremely seriously and regularly reviews risks, including from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) which includes drones. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have issued guidance for security professionals across public and private sector organisations on the appropriate security measures which should be taken to manage potential security risks via UAS technologies, including drones. In line with existing guidance, the NPCC Drones Programme is currently undertaking a review on the data and security risk implications associated with police use of drones.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a comparative assessment of the cost effectiveness of policing with (a) drones and (b) crewed helicopters.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provided £10.6m to NPAS in FY2025/26. In addition, the Home Office has committed £34.5m to NPAS to support the replacement of 7 helicopters. For further information on annual grant information for NPAS, the Government via the Cabinet Office is committed to publish grant data on an annual basis for schemes and programmes that are funded by the Government, including the NPAS Capital Grant. This can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website under 'Government grant data and statistics'.

The procurement, operational deployment and recording of data on police use of drones and crewed aircraft are operational matters for police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public. The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of drones registered by the CAA.

The Home Office is currently funding and supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Drones Programme, who were allocated £2.3m in FY2025/26. The programme is responsible for standardising and professionalising the use of drones across UK police forces. This includes developing a bespoke training and accreditation pathway for police drone operators as well as working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to provide the necessary oversight on the safety aspects of police drone operations.

Drones and helicopters are complimentary to one another, not interchangeable. Drones are valuable for close‑range, localised tasks, but may not always replace the speed, persistence, capacity and safety assurance of a helicopter. However, this is subject to ongoing research and analysis, continuously evolving as technology advances.

The Home Office is currently working with NPAS and the NPCC Drones Programme to assess, compare and evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of crewed and uncrewed technologies for operational policing and how this will support development of a future blended fleet model for police aviation, in line with the NPCC Aviation Strategy (2025-2035).

In addition, the Government takes national and cyber security extremely seriously and regularly reviews risks, including from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) which includes drones. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have issued guidance for security professionals across public and private sector organisations on the appropriate security measures which should be taken to manage potential security risks via UAS technologies, including drones. In line with existing guidance, the NPCC Drones Programme is currently undertaking a review on the data and security risk implications associated with police use of drones.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance she has issued on the merits of drones versus police helicopters.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provided £10.6m to NPAS in FY2025/26. In addition, the Home Office has committed £34.5m to NPAS to support the replacement of 7 helicopters. For further information on annual grant information for NPAS, the Government via the Cabinet Office is committed to publish grant data on an annual basis for schemes and programmes that are funded by the Government, including the NPAS Capital Grant. This can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website under 'Government grant data and statistics'.

The procurement, operational deployment and recording of data on police use of drones and crewed aircraft are operational matters for police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public. The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of drones registered by the CAA.

The Home Office is currently funding and supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Drones Programme, who were allocated £2.3m in FY2025/26. The programme is responsible for standardising and professionalising the use of drones across UK police forces. This includes developing a bespoke training and accreditation pathway for police drone operators as well as working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to provide the necessary oversight on the safety aspects of police drone operations.

Drones and helicopters are complimentary to one another, not interchangeable. Drones are valuable for close‑range, localised tasks, but may not always replace the speed, persistence, capacity and safety assurance of a helicopter. However, this is subject to ongoing research and analysis, continuously evolving as technology advances.

The Home Office is currently working with NPAS and the NPCC Drones Programme to assess, compare and evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of crewed and uncrewed technologies for operational policing and how this will support development of a future blended fleet model for police aviation, in line with the NPCC Aviation Strategy (2025-2035).

In addition, the Government takes national and cyber security extremely seriously and regularly reviews risks, including from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) which includes drones. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have issued guidance for security professionals across public and private sector organisations on the appropriate security measures which should be taken to manage potential security risks via UAS technologies, including drones. In line with existing guidance, the NPCC Drones Programme is currently undertaking a review on the data and security risk implications associated with police use of drones.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) training and (b) certification (i) police drone operators and (ii) drone operators in general are required to undertake.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provided £10.6m to NPAS in FY2025/26. In addition, the Home Office has committed £34.5m to NPAS to support the replacement of 7 helicopters. For further information on annual grant information for NPAS, the Government via the Cabinet Office is committed to publish grant data on an annual basis for schemes and programmes that are funded by the Government, including the NPAS Capital Grant. This can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website under 'Government grant data and statistics'.

The procurement, operational deployment and recording of data on police use of drones and crewed aircraft are operational matters for police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public. The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of drones registered by the CAA.

The Home Office is currently funding and supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Drones Programme, who were allocated £2.3m in FY2025/26. The programme is responsible for standardising and professionalising the use of drones across UK police forces. This includes developing a bespoke training and accreditation pathway for police drone operators as well as working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to provide the necessary oversight on the safety aspects of police drone operations.

Drones and helicopters are complimentary to one another, not interchangeable. Drones are valuable for close‑range, localised tasks, but may not always replace the speed, persistence, capacity and safety assurance of a helicopter. However, this is subject to ongoing research and analysis, continuously evolving as technology advances.

The Home Office is currently working with NPAS and the NPCC Drones Programme to assess, compare and evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of crewed and uncrewed technologies for operational policing and how this will support development of a future blended fleet model for police aviation, in line with the NPCC Aviation Strategy (2025-2035).

In addition, the Government takes national and cyber security extremely seriously and regularly reviews risks, including from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) which includes drones. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have issued guidance for security professionals across public and private sector organisations on the appropriate security measures which should be taken to manage potential security risks via UAS technologies, including drones. In line with existing guidance, the NPCC Drones Programme is currently undertaking a review on the data and security risk implications associated with police use of drones.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police missions were carried out by (a) drone and (b) crewed aircraft in each of the last 10 years.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provided £10.6m to NPAS in FY2025/26. In addition, the Home Office has committed £34.5m to NPAS to support the replacement of 7 helicopters. For further information on annual grant information for NPAS, the Government via the Cabinet Office is committed to publish grant data on an annual basis for schemes and programmes that are funded by the Government, including the NPAS Capital Grant. This can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website under 'Government grant data and statistics'.

The procurement, operational deployment and recording of data on police use of drones and crewed aircraft are operational matters for police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public. The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of drones registered by the CAA.

The Home Office is currently funding and supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Drones Programme, who were allocated £2.3m in FY2025/26. The programme is responsible for standardising and professionalising the use of drones across UK police forces. This includes developing a bespoke training and accreditation pathway for police drone operators as well as working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to provide the necessary oversight on the safety aspects of police drone operations.

Drones and helicopters are complimentary to one another, not interchangeable. Drones are valuable for close‑range, localised tasks, but may not always replace the speed, persistence, capacity and safety assurance of a helicopter. However, this is subject to ongoing research and analysis, continuously evolving as technology advances.

The Home Office is currently working with NPAS and the NPCC Drones Programme to assess, compare and evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of crewed and uncrewed technologies for operational policing and how this will support development of a future blended fleet model for police aviation, in line with the NPCC Aviation Strategy (2025-2035).

In addition, the Government takes national and cyber security extremely seriously and regularly reviews risks, including from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) which includes drones. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have issued guidance for security professionals across public and private sector organisations on the appropriate security measures which should be taken to manage potential security risks via UAS technologies, including drones. In line with existing guidance, the NPCC Drones Programme is currently undertaking a review on the data and security risk implications associated with police use of drones.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the annual budget of the National Police Air Service was in each year for which records are available.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provided £10.6m to NPAS in FY2025/26. In addition, the Home Office has committed £34.5m to NPAS to support the replacement of 7 helicopters. For further information on annual grant information for NPAS, the Government via the Cabinet Office is committed to publish grant data on an annual basis for schemes and programmes that are funded by the Government, including the NPAS Capital Grant. This can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website under 'Government grant data and statistics'.

The procurement, operational deployment and recording of data on police use of drones and crewed aircraft are operational matters for police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public. The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of drones registered by the CAA.

The Home Office is currently funding and supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Drones Programme, who were allocated £2.3m in FY2025/26. The programme is responsible for standardising and professionalising the use of drones across UK police forces. This includes developing a bespoke training and accreditation pathway for police drone operators as well as working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to provide the necessary oversight on the safety aspects of police drone operations.

Drones and helicopters are complimentary to one another, not interchangeable. Drones are valuable for close‑range, localised tasks, but may not always replace the speed, persistence, capacity and safety assurance of a helicopter. However, this is subject to ongoing research and analysis, continuously evolving as technology advances.

The Home Office is currently working with NPAS and the NPCC Drones Programme to assess, compare and evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of crewed and uncrewed technologies for operational policing and how this will support development of a future blended fleet model for police aviation, in line with the NPCC Aviation Strategy (2025-2035).

In addition, the Government takes national and cyber security extremely seriously and regularly reviews risks, including from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) which includes drones. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have issued guidance for security professionals across public and private sector organisations on the appropriate security measures which should be taken to manage potential security risks via UAS technologies, including drones. In line with existing guidance, the NPCC Drones Programme is currently undertaking a review on the data and security risk implications associated with police use of drones.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost was of the National Police Air Service Eurocopter programme.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provided £10.6m to NPAS in FY2025/26. In addition, the Home Office has committed £34.5m to NPAS to support the replacement of 7 helicopters. For further information on annual grant information for NPAS, the Government via the Cabinet Office is committed to publish grant data on an annual basis for schemes and programmes that are funded by the Government, including the NPAS Capital Grant. This can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website under 'Government grant data and statistics'.

The procurement, operational deployment and recording of data on police use of drones and crewed aircraft are operational matters for police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public. The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of drones registered by the CAA.

The Home Office is currently funding and supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Drones Programme, who were allocated £2.3m in FY2025/26. The programme is responsible for standardising and professionalising the use of drones across UK police forces. This includes developing a bespoke training and accreditation pathway for police drone operators as well as working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to provide the necessary oversight on the safety aspects of police drone operations.

Drones and helicopters are complimentary to one another, not interchangeable. Drones are valuable for close‑range, localised tasks, but may not always replace the speed, persistence, capacity and safety assurance of a helicopter. However, this is subject to ongoing research and analysis, continuously evolving as technology advances.

The Home Office is currently working with NPAS and the NPCC Drones Programme to assess, compare and evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of crewed and uncrewed technologies for operational policing and how this will support development of a future blended fleet model for police aviation, in line with the NPCC Aviation Strategy (2025-2035).

In addition, the Government takes national and cyber security extremely seriously and regularly reviews risks, including from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) which includes drones. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have issued guidance for security professionals across public and private sector organisations on the appropriate security measures which should be taken to manage potential security risks via UAS technologies, including drones. In line with existing guidance, the NPCC Drones Programme is currently undertaking a review on the data and security risk implications associated with police use of drones.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what tasks crewed police helicopters can do that drones cannot.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office provided £10.6m to NPAS in FY2025/26. In addition, the Home Office has committed £34.5m to NPAS to support the replacement of 7 helicopters. For further information on annual grant information for NPAS, the Government via the Cabinet Office is committed to publish grant data on an annual basis for schemes and programmes that are funded by the Government, including the NPAS Capital Grant. This can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website under 'Government grant data and statistics'.

The procurement, operational deployment and recording of data on police use of drones and crewed aircraft are operational matters for police forces, who are best placed to assess their own operational needs while ensuring they have the tools necessary to protect the public. The Home Office does not hold information on the proportion of drones registered by the CAA.

The Home Office is currently funding and supporting the work of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) Drones Programme, who were allocated £2.3m in FY2025/26. The programme is responsible for standardising and professionalising the use of drones across UK police forces. This includes developing a bespoke training and accreditation pathway for police drone operators as well as working with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to provide the necessary oversight on the safety aspects of police drone operations.

Drones and helicopters are complimentary to one another, not interchangeable. Drones are valuable for close‑range, localised tasks, but may not always replace the speed, persistence, capacity and safety assurance of a helicopter. However, this is subject to ongoing research and analysis, continuously evolving as technology advances.

The Home Office is currently working with NPAS and the NPCC Drones Programme to assess, compare and evaluate the benefits and cost-effectiveness of crewed and uncrewed technologies for operational policing and how this will support development of a future blended fleet model for police aviation, in line with the NPCC Aviation Strategy (2025-2035).

In addition, the Government takes national and cyber security extremely seriously and regularly reviews risks, including from Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) which includes drones. The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) have issued guidance for security professionals across public and private sector organisations on the appropriate security measures which should be taken to manage potential security risks via UAS technologies, including drones. In line with existing guidance, the NPCC Drones Programme is currently undertaking a review on the data and security risk implications associated with police use of drones.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps HM Treasury has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Treasury keeps legislation under review considering operational readiness, Cabinet Office guidance and wider priorities. Policy teams monitor provisions that have not been commenced and consider when to bring forward commencement orders, drawing on legal and legislative advice where needed. The department remains in regular contact with Parliament to undertake required post-legislative scrutiny, including consideration of measures not yet commenced.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December to Question 93395 on Defence, what recent progress he has made on implementing the national conversation on defence and security.

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

The Ministry of Defence continues to work closely with the Cabinet Office and wider Government Departments, contributing towards cross-Government efforts to increase public awareness and resilience to the most serious risks we face, including conflict scenarios.

This is supported by the Prime Minister’s comments at a recent Liaison Committee Oral evidence session, highlighting the Government’s commitment to bringing both industry and the wider public into the critical conversations needed to enable national readiness.

Found: Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency Maroš Šefčovič and HM Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

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Found: The Minister for the Cabinet Office (Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations) has

Found: or stakeholder pension scheme Travel and subsistence Communication and marketing (subject to cabinet office

Found: Cabinet Office guidance on due diligence in government grants can be found here.Section 1 - Organisation

Found:

Found: class="govuk-table__cell">CFO & Corporate

Found: response to the Ebola crisis, their positive engagement with the Accelerated Access Review and Cabinet Office

Found: Britain and Northern Ireland ‘Funded by UK Government branding manual’ first published by the Cabinet Office

Found: The current GCA was appointed following an open competition in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: addition, you must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HMT delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: Information on these controls can be found here: Cabinet Office controls. 18.

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: you must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: must be mindful of, and act in accordance with, the specific HM Treasury delegated limits and Cabinet Office

Found: If they live in the UK you should use the Cabinet Office nomination form and submit this to the Cabinet

Found: other government departments or bodies in relation to specific types of expenditure, for example Cabinet Office

Found: Fusion Industry Association (FIA), FIA Responds to Japan’s Cabinet Office on the “Basic Approach to

Found: Yours sincerely, Dan Jarvis MBE MP Security Minister Cabinet Office and Home Office

Found: The Minister for the Cabinet Office has overall responsibility for EU relations policy.

Found: • Contacted the Office for the Impact Economy, which is a new team in the Cabinet Office, to guide you

Found: 04-2026 - Readout of Meeting between Prime Minister, Cabinet Secretary, Permanent Secretary Cabinet Office

Found: I am currently at the beginning of my fourth seat, at the Cabinet Office, which has allowed me to develop

Found: Cabinet Office (2021), 100 Days Mission to Respond to Future Pandemic Threats - GOV.UK. 37.

Found: UKDI has launched a new Themed Competition: Biosecurity Frontiers Run on behalf of the Cabinet Office

Found: enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-the-cabinet-office

Found: statement (Environment Agency 2019a) and the government’s published consultation principles (Cabinet office

Found: In July 2025, the Infected Blood Inquiry recommended that IBCA and Cabinet Office create

Found: Fusion Industry Association (FIA), FIA Responds to Japan’s Cabinet Office on the “Basic Approach to

Found: Yours sincerely, Dan Jarvis MBE MP Security Minister Cabinet Office and Home Office

Found: Declaration GIAA confirms that our data has been provided to HM Treasury and calculated by the Cabinet Office

Found: response to the Ebola crisis, their positive engagement with the Accelerated Access Review and Cabinet Office

Found: organisations and charity representatives per roundtable ● Members of the TEG ● Cabinet Office

Found: Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP Minister for the Cabinet Office His

Found: The Minister for the Cabinet Office established an Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Technical Expert

Found: to review the responses of the consultation using analysis from the Cabinet Office

Found: Nick Thomas-Symonds MP Minister for the Cabinet Office His Majesty’s Paymaster General

Found: organisations and charity representatives per roundtable ● Members of the TEG ● Cabinet Office

Found: organisations and charity representatives per roundtable ● Members of the TEG ● Cabinet Office

Found: review the responses of the consultation using early analysis from the Cabinet Office

Found: its Crown Copyright information. 4.4.8 Section 45 of FOIA Requires the Minister for the Cabinet Office

Found: establishments. 1.3 This policy and guidance is a MOD supplement to GovS 007: Security (issued by the Cabinet Office

Found: IBCA and the Cabinet Office have launched a new route to raise any concerns about the design or delivery

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

Found: The current GCA was appointed following an open competition in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines

Found: the terms of MPM and other instructions and guidance issued from time to time by DHSC, HMT and Cabinet Office

Found: • Reporting on Secondments to the Cabinet Office when requested.