Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 May 2025 to Question 52864 on Admiralty House, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of repurposing the two unoccupied flats in Admiralty House.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office of 27 May 2025, Official Report, PQ 43478.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 May 2025 to Question 52864 on Admiralty House, on what date the last assessment of market rent of the building was undertaken.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 27 May 2025, Official Report, PQ 52864.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, Portraits of His Majesty the King for UK public authorities, published on 1 April 2023, how many portraits were provided to public bodies; and what the total cost was of that scheme.

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

I refer the Honourable Member to the information published on GOV.UK on 28 November 2024 which provided a summary of the His Majesty The King Official Portrait Scheme, including the number of portraits provided and the total cost of the scheme: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/conclusion-of-his-majesty-the-kings-free-portrait-scheme

The HMK Portrait scheme was launched on 14th November 2023 and, including two extensions of scope, ran until 15th August 2024. A total of 20,565 orders were received, the cost of which, including delivery, was £2,710,705.50 with an average price of £131.81 per portrait.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department's planned timetable is for the the publication of substantive details on the implementation and configuration of the proposed new duty of candour; and whether he plans to issue a formal consultation.

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

We remain fully committed to bringing in this legislation which will include a legal duty of candour for public servants and criminal sanctions for those who do not comply.

Having consulted with groups and their representatives, more time is required to draft the best version of a Hillsborough Law.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what task forces are funded by each Department.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

This information is not held centrally. Individual departments are responsible for any task forces they establish.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 May 2025 to Question 53546 on House of Lords Appointments Commission, whether the recruitment campaign to appoint the two independent members was re-opened after it originally closed.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The campaign to appoint new Independent Members to the House of Lords Appointments Commission was launched earlier this year and remains active. It has not been re-opened.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure timely responses to ministerial correspondence.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

We are committed to providing timely and high-quality responses to ministerial correspondence. We regularly review our departmental performance and adjust internal processes accordingly. Departmental performance in responding to Ministerial correspondence is published annually on GOV.UK.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what services are provided to the Deputy Prime Minister without charge in relation to her official residence.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Deputy Prime Minister’s flat does not receive any dedicated services without charge. Costs are discharged in the usual way as has been the case for successive governments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 14 January (HC22193), whether cross-government special advisers are deemed to be employed by the Cabinet Office or a department; and whether unionised departmental special advisers who have affiliated to the First Division Association can undertake strike action as a consolidated block across government.

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

All special advisers are employees of their appointing minister's department in line with the terms of the Model Contract for Special Advisers.

Special advisers have the same legal rights as other employees regarding the possibility of undertaking industrial action.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the political balance of the Parliamentary and Political Service honours committee across (a) independent members who hold a party political whip in the House of Lords and (b) official members.

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

The Parliamentary and Political Service Honours Committee (PPS Committee) is one of ten specialist honours committees which assess honours nominations put forward by members of the public, government departments and professional bodies.

Honours committees are made up of individuals with considerable experience of the area covered by the committee. The PPS Committee considers candidates for honours from the UK Parliament, the Devolved Legislatures, the staff of Westminster and other Assemblies, the staff of bodies which report to them, Party workers, councillors and others working for local government.

The current membership of the PPS Committee comprises four independent members, appointed through a public appointments process, and three official members who are the incumbent chief whips from the three largest political parties in the House of Commons. The process to appoint the new independent Chair of the PPS Committee is ongoing and an announcement will be made in due course. The full composition of each honours committee can be found on gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the (a) proposed start date, (b) proposed completion date and (c) allocated budget is for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II in St James's Park.

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

The final winning design for the National Memorial to Queen Elizabeth II, in St. James’s Park, will be unveiled in 2026, to coincide with what would have been Her late Majesty’s Centenary year. Construction will begin subject to approval of the winning design from The Prime Minister and The King and further information will be shared at the time.

The provisional construction budget for the National Memorial in St. James’s Park has been confirmed by HM Government as within the range of £23m-46m excluding VAT. The final budget for the project will depend on the detail of the final design following its formal submission and once it has obtained planning permission, so cannot be given at this stage.

Achieving value for money is a priority objective of the project and will be monitored closely throughout design development and the construction of the memorial.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59412 on Government Departments: Reviews, if his Department will publish the line by line review of its spending conducted for the Spending Review 2025.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office is committed to delivering the 5% savings and efficiency target, with Spending Review funding allocations agreed on this basis.

These funding allocations – informed by the findings of the Zero Based Review – are the first step in a wider plan to finalise budgets for different projects and programmes, with any necessary savings decided through that process. The savings taken forward will be subject to the normal rigorous business planning processes, and in-year financial management.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what formal governance structures underpin the Civil Service Race Forum (CSRF), including whether it operates under a constitution or terms of reference; who is accountable for oversight of the CSRF; which department sponsors or hosts the CSRF; whether the departmental sponsor has changed since the inception of the CSRF; and what formal responsibilities the sponsoring department has in relation to CSRF governance, cost and activity.

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

The Civil Service Race Forum (CSRF) was established in 2016 as a cross-government volunteer network. CSRF has developed their own Terms of Reference which govern their ways of working. These are informed by the Civil Service Code and CSRF’s own Governance Committee.

Cross-Civil Service networks do not have a sponsoring department. All network members are bound by the Civil Service Code. It is the responsibility of their employing department to make sure as civil servants they adhere to the Civil Service Code at all times including whilst conducting network activity.

CSRF does not hold a budget and there has been no cost to the public purse of the CSRF since 2020. We do not hold any records prior to this date.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings of the Civil Service Race Forum's network leaders have taken place in each of the past four years; whether minutes are recorded and published; and how many ministers or Permanent Secretaries participated in those meetings in the past 12 months.

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

Civil Service Race Forum (CSRF) is a cross government volunteer network which is responsible for arranging its own meetings. The network has held a total of 48 meetings over the past four years which have included its network leaders. Due to the informal and often personal nature of these discussions formal minutes are not recorded or published. In the past 12 months, no Ministers or Permanent Secretaries have participated in CSRF network meetings.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the list of Cabinet Committees and their membership updated in October 2024, whether the National Security Adviser is a formal member of any Cabinet Committee or sub-committee.

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

The National Security Adviser is not a member of any Cabinet committees. The full list of Cabinet committees and their membership is available on Gov.uk. Officials and advisers may attend committees with agreement of the Chair.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impartiality of the Civil Service Muslim Network, and whether the principles of Civil Service impartiality are understood and adhered to by that body.

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

All civil servants are bound by the Civil Service Code. All civil servants are expected to follow the standards of behaviour as set out in the Code, including the core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality. It is the responsibility of the employing Department or Agency to make their employees aware of the Code and its values.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what formal governance framework underpins the Civil Service Muslim Network, and whether that network operates under a written constitution, charter or terms of reference agreed with the Cabinet Office.

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

The Civil Service Muslim Network (CSMN) is a cross-government volunteer network. CSMN operates under Terms of Reference that were agreed at Senior Civil Service level by the (then) Faith and Belief Champion.

The Civil Service Code, which is published and available here, sets out the standards of behaviour expected of all civil servants.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what criteria determine eligibility for membership of the Civil Service Muslim Network, and whether membership is open to all Civil Servants regardless of faith or belief.

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

Staff networks are volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department.

The only membership criteria the Civil Service Muslim Network has is for members to be a current civil servant.

The Network openly invites civil servants of all backgrounds, beliefs, and non-beliefs to join the Civil Service Muslim Network.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of moving civil servants to Cheltenham on his Departments staffing costs.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The 2025 Spending Review confirmed £244 million investment supporting the relocation of roles out of Whitehall to complete the development of new hubs in the regions.

Cheltenham will continue to be a vibrant Civil Service location and home to one of GCHQs strategic hubs. The Government Property Agency continues to work closely with departments based in Cheltenham.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much and what proportion of the £244 million to be spent on the development of new government hubs fund will be spent on relocating civil servants to Cheltenham.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The 2025 Spending Review confirmed £244 million investment supporting the relocation of roles out of Whitehall to complete the development of new hubs in the regions.

Cheltenham will continue to be a vibrant Civil Service location and home to one of GCHQs strategic hubs. The Government Property Agency continues to work closely with departments based in Cheltenham.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 60552 on Prime Minister: Social Media, whether large language models are used in the preparation of the Prime Minister's social media posts.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 24 June 2025, Official Report, PQ 60552.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54764 on Cabinet Office: Pay, what the annual wage costs were for the EU relations secretariat in the most recent year for which figures are centrally held.

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

Salary data for the Civil Service is published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics, an Accredited Official Statistics release. Civil Service Statistics 2025 is due to be published on 30 July 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 60822 on Public Buildings: Concrete, whether the Government Property Agency holds this information; and how many buildings in his Department have RAAC.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As at February 2024, there were three Government Property Agency (GPA) buildings with confirmed presence of RAAC. None have been identified post 1st January 2025.

The GPA does not hold information on buildings across the wider public estate.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the transparency data entitled Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - April 2025 (Cabinet Office Core), published on 29 May 2025, for what reason his Department spent £729.99 at Maray Albert Dock.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The referenced cost declared in the Cabinet Office transparency return was associated with the UK-Ireland Summit.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date (a) was the last and (b) is the next meeting of the Honours and Awards Secretariat.

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

The UK Honours and awards system does not comprise a committee or administrative team known as the Honours and Awards Secretariat.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the Federation of Small Businesses Northern Ireland's report entitled Windsor Framework realities - barriers to trade in the UK internal market, published in June 2025.

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

The Government stands by its view that the Windsor Framework is delivering practical benefits in Northern Ireland and we are committed to its implementation alongside protecting the UK internal market.

The Windsor Framework provides a wide range of support for business between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Government will keep working with businesses and organisations like the Federation of Small Businesses as we move forward.

The Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement with the European Union, once agreed and implemented, will make it easier to move goods across the Irish Sea, so Northern Ireland can enjoy the same products as the rest of the UK.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they maintain a central list of all departmental staff networks; if so, how often that list is updated; and whether that list is published or otherwise accessible to staff and the public.

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

Responsibility for, and management of departmental diversity networks is delegated to individual departments as the employer. Lists are not held centrally by the Cabinet Office.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Department is responsible for ensuring that (a) Deliveroo and (b) gig economy platforms monitor users to ensure compliance with usage policies.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Regulatory oversight of gig economy platforms spans multiple departments and agencies depending on the specific aspect being regulated. For example, the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology is responsible for data protection policy and legislation as it relates to personal data, and the Department for Business and Trade has responsibility for the legislative framework on employment rights.

Platform usage policies are contractual matters between the companies and their users, with companies responsible for enforcing their own terms of service within the bounds of applicable laws.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 5 February (HL4297), whether the Prime Minister has a (1) direct, or (2) de facto, power of veto on the recommendations of the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals to the Sovereign to make policy changes on honours, decorations and medals, including changes to (a) the design of medals, and (b) the formal names of orders of chivalry.

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

I refer the Noble Lady to my answer of 20 January 2025, Official Report, PQ HL3881:

On 8th January 2025 Baroness Finn asked: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 27 November 2024 (HC14966), whether the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals advises the Prime Minister or the Sovereign directly; and whether the Prime Minister can veto decisions by the Committee.

To which Baroness Twycross responded: The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals advises the Sovereign directly.

As noted in our answer to HC 14966, the Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary is a member of the committee. This is the mechanism by which the Prime Minister is able to feed into decisions taken by the committee, and the view of the PPS carries equal weight to all other committee members.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Civil Service Muslim Network receives financial support from departments or other public funds; and if so, how that expenditure is recorded, authorised and scrutinised.

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

The Civil Service Muslim Network (CSMN) is a volunteer collaborative group of Civil Service staff. The majority of staff network time is voluntary. The CSMN network does not hold a budget, but a department can choose to provide support where there is a business case to do so. We are not aware of any such financial support and there has been no central funding.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many public inquiries are currently ongoing, what was their total cost last year, and what is their estimated cost for the current year.

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

There are currently 18 ongoing public inquiries.

The Cabinet Office does not hold data on the current or projected costs of each public inquiry. Sponsor departments should hold this information for the inquiries under their remit, and, in some cases, it is published on inquiries' own websites.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 16 September 2024 (HL617) stating that the Government were committed to establishing a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission, when an announcement on this Commission will be made.

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

I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given to PQ HL8292 on 23 June 2025.

Written question from Lord Booth, tabled on 10 June 2025: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 10 April (HL6032), what estimate they have made of the annual cost of the Ethics and Integrity Commission.

Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent, on 23 June: We are restoring confidence in government and the highest standards in public life and have already taken steps to improve probity and transparency, including through issuing a new Ministerial Code which highlights the importance of the principles of public life, by strengthening the terms of reference for the Independent Adviser, and by introducing a new monthly Register of Gifts and Hospitality.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what institutional governance arrangements exist to facilitate dialogue between civil service networks across government departments.

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

Cross Civil Service networks are volunteer-led networks. Representatives from these networks are able to come together periodically as a group to discuss appropriate issues. The arrangements for internal dialogue with and between individual departmental networks is a matter for departments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to make a formal decision on the methodology for the 2031 Census; and what steps he plans to take to hold stakeholder consultation prior to that decision.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The UK Statistics Authority published their recommendation on the next (2031) Census on 17 June. The recommendation outlines the consultation they undertook in order to reach their recommendation.

The Government will publish their response in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether Cabinet Office ministers worked on site at 70 Whitehall during the industrial action by the Public and Commercial Services Union from 3 to 13 February.

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

We do not release location data of Ministers.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance has been issued to departments regarding the ethical and reputational risks of awarding contracts to companies, including Fujitsu, that are subject to ongoing public inquiries into failures of governance and corporate responsibility.

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

The Procurement Act 2023 enables and, where appropriate, requires the exclusion of suppliers where they pose particular risks to public procurement. The Cabinet Office has issued substantial guidance for departments, available on Gov.uk. The exclusions regime provides a framework within which contracting authorities must consider a supplier’s recent past behaviour and circumstances (or their presence on the debarment list) to determine whether it should be allowed to compete for or be awarded a public contract.

In January 2024, Fujitsu said it would withdraw from bidding for contracts with new Government customers until the Post Office Horizon inquiry concludes – it would only bid for work with existing Government customers where it already has a contract with them, or where there is an agreed need for Fujitsu’s skills and capabilities.

Fujitsu's bid approach is detailed in correspondence deposited in the Houses of Parliament libraries on 4 March 2024 (DEP2024-0247).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have considered placing a moratorium on new contracts with Fujitsu until the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal has concluded.

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

The Procurement Act 2023 enables and, where appropriate, requires the exclusion of suppliers where they pose particular risks to public procurement. The Cabinet Office has issued substantial guidance for departments, available on Gov.uk. The exclusions regime provides a framework within which contracting authorities must consider a supplier’s recent past behaviour and circumstances (or their presence on the debarment list) to determine whether it should be allowed to compete for or be awarded a public contract.

In January 2024, Fujitsu said it would withdraw from bidding for contracts with new Government customers until the Post Office Horizon inquiry concludes – it would only bid for work with existing Government customers where it already has a contract with them, or where there is an agreed need for Fujitsu’s skills and capabilities.

Fujitsu's bid approach is detailed in correspondence deposited in the Houses of Parliament libraries on 4 March 2024 (DEP2024-0247).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Government bodies use the Government Car Service; and what the average number of journeys has been in each Department in the last 12 months.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Since April 2012, the Government Car Service has provided a Departmental Pool Car (DPC) service to several Government Departments for their ministerial travel, whereby the official car is contracted to a Department rather than allocated to an individual. The use made of these services based at Departments is therefore not held by the Cabinet Office.

As is longstanding practice for security reasons, specific details regarding the allocation of vehicles are also not disclosed.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse was of the Civil Service Muslim Network in the last three years.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Civil Service Muslim Network (CSMN) is a volunteer collaborative group of Civil Service staff. The majority of staff network time is voluntary. The CSMN network does not hold a budget, but a department can choose to provide support where there is a business case to do so. We are not aware of any such financial support. There has been no centrally funded cost to the public purse of the CSMN network in the last three years.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many non-disclosure agreements have been signed by staff in central government departments in the last 12 months.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Departments are required to report to the Cabinet Office on an annual basis the number of confidentiality clauses used in connection with special severance payments, however full information on the use of non-disclosure agreements is held by individual departments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many government contracts have been awarded without competitive tender since January 2023.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search). The details published online include whether each contract was let through competitive tendering or via direct award.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to reduce the size of the Government Communication Service.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the hon. member to the answer given to PQ25449, given on the 29 January 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date he expects the Infected Blood Compensation Authority to begin inviting relatives of the deceased to submit their claims for compensation.

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

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) as an operationally independent arm's-length body. Going forward, IBCA is aiming to contact an average of 100 people to begin their claim every week. At that rate, they expect to have brought in to claim all those infected people who are registered with a support scheme this calendar year. The Government expects IBCA to begin payments to people who are affected by the end of this year.

As of 17 June, IBCA has contacted 1,707 people to start their compensation claim, and 1,346 have started the claim process. 462 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £395 million, and so far 310 people have accepted their offers with more than £231 million paid in compensation.

In February, IBCA set out their plans to open the compensation service in stages to make sure it is effective and secure for all those claiming. IBCA have provided details of their plans on their website here: https://ibca.org.uk/news/payments-to-be-scaled-up-in-2025

A relative of a deceased infected person may be eligible for compensation on behalf of the estate of the deceased infected person; as an affected person in their own right; or as both.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 41643 on Government Departments: Equality, whether his Department has provided updated internal guidance on diversity networks since 14 May 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

We have not provided internal guidance on diversity networks since 14 May 2024. The Civil Service Code, which is published and available here, sets out the standards of behaviour expected of all civil servants.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether special advisers in his Department have a role in the (a) preparation, (b) clearance and (c) publication of Official Statistics.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out Special Advisers’ role and responsibilities.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent progress he has made on the Places for Growth programme.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

On 14 May, the Government announced it will be:

• Strengthening its presence in 13 cross Government locations across the UK.

• Ensuring that 50% of UK-based SCS are located outside of London by 2030.

• Strengthening the talent pipeline by launching a new apprenticeship programme, setting an ambition for 50% of Fast Stream roles to be based outside London by 2030, and committing to develop and launch a local government interchange programme in partnership with the Local Government Association (LGA).

• Reducing the number of Civil Service buildings in London, closing 11 buildings by 2030 to deliver £94m in savings per year.

• Launching two new thematic campuses, an Energy Campus in Aberdeen and a Digital & AI Innovation Campus in Manchester.

In June, the Government announced that PfG’s existing thematic campuses in Darlington, Sheffield and Leeds will be leading a new approach to bring together policy makers with those on the frontline to support mission delivery.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued about whether, and how, unofficial departmental meetings with trade unions about government business should be declared.

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

Meetings with external organisations and individuals are declared quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include official meetings with trade unions, subject to any exemptions listed in the Guidance.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what was the cost to the public purse of central Government spending on external consultants in each of the last three years.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Individual Central Government departments publish expenditure on external consultants in their annual reports and accounts. The Government is committed to stopping all non-essential expenditure on consultants, and reducing the reliance on contingent labour.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to page 19 of the Government Strategy for Grants Management 2023–2025 published in September 2023, what are (1) the current total budget, (2) staffing level, and (3) key performance indicators, for the Government Grants Managed Service; and which government departments and arm’s-length bodies currently use the Government Grants Managed Service.

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

The current year budget is cost-neutral to the Cabinet Office. Operational costs depend upon the value of grants which go through the pilot, as resources are flexed according to demand. Customer departments and ALBs pay for the administration of these pilot grants.

There is currently a central programme team of 7 FTE, with operations staff numbers variable, according to demand.

A monitoring and evaluation approach and plan was developed in December 2023 and agreed with the Evaluation Task Force (ETF). A set of KPIs was agreed, focused on the cost to serve of grant administration in GGMS, versus departments’ usual approaches to grant and the median baseline cost. There are also KPIs related to the identification of fraud and error through the Spotlight due diligence tool.

Eight departments, arm’s-length bodies or other public bodies are participating in the pilot: the Home Office, the Department for Transport, the Department for Science, Innovation, & Technology, the Money & Pensions Service, the Department for Education, the Northern Ireland Office, UK Space Agency and UK Atomic Energy Authority.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the 2025–26 policy of the Cabinet Office on awarding bonuses for (1) the Senior Civil Service, and (2) lower grades of the Civil Service; and what is the maximum that can be given to any individual in any financial year.

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

As has been the practice in previous administrations, the arrangements for performance-related pay for the Senior Civil Service (SCS) are published in annual SCS pay practitioner guidance. The 2025-26 guidance, including the controls on performance related pay, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-the-senior-civil-service-pay-award-202526

For grades below the SCS, departments have delegated authority to determine their own performance-related pay arrangements.

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 April (HL6032), what estimate they have made of the annual cost of the Ethics and Integrity Commission.

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

We are restoring confidence in government and the highest standards in public life and have already taken steps to improve probity and transparency, including through issuing a new Ministerial Code which highlights the importance of the principles of public life, by strengthening the terms of reference for the Independent Adviser, and by introducing a new monthly Register of Gifts and Hospitality.

An update on the Ethics and Integrity Commission will be provided in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 27 May (HL7225), who authorises exemptions that allow newly created arm's-length bodies to be headquartered in London; what criteria apply to those exemptions; and which bodies have received exemptions in the past 12 months.

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

Places for Growth is supporting thriving civil service communities in locations across the UK. As part of that, no new ALBs will be created in London unless by exception. Cabinet Office Ministers are able to grant exemptions for new ALBs to be headquartered in London based on their workforce and operational requirements and these requests are dealt with on a case by case basis. In the last 12 months no exemptions have been issued to allow new ALBs to be based in London.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government through what mechanism and form of communication are recipients of honours informed of the awarding of their style, dignity or title; what correspondence is sent from (1) His Majesty's Government, (2) the Prime Minister, or (3) the Royal Household; and whether Members of Parliament are (a) asked, or (b) permitted, to handle such correspondence and provide it to recipients.

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

Honours lists are published twice a year at New Year and on the Sovereign’s Official Birthday. There are ten independent committees which assess nominations for the Prime Minister’s List.

Once the final honours list is agreed and The King’s informal approval obtained, sounding letters are sent to all those on the list asking if they are content for the Prime Minister to submit their name to The King for formal approval. Letters are sent in strict confidence from the Honours and Memorialisation Secretariat within the Cabinet Office. On occasion, phonecalls may be made to recipients prior to the letters being sent notifying them of the honour, however honours can only be accepted by recipients in writing following receipt of the official letter from the Secretariat. For the Birthday 2025 List, the sounding process began in early May.

On occasion, and following sounding and acceptance of an honour, letters of congratulation may be sent by the relevant Minister.

Following publication of the List, the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood writes to the recipient to invite them to receive their honours at an Investiture.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the mechanism and form of communication used to inform recipients of honours of the awarding of their style, dignity and title; what correspondence is sent from (1) the Government, (2) the Prime Minister, or (3) the Royal Household; and whether Members of Parliament are asked, or permitted, to handle and provide such correspondence to recipients.

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

Honours lists are published twice a year at New Year and on the Sovereign’s Official Birthday. There are ten independent committees which assess nominations for the Prime Minister’s List.

Once the final honours list is agreed and The King’s informal approval obtained, sounding letters are sent to all those on the list asking if they are content for the Prime Minister to submit their name to The King for formal approval. Letters are sent in strict confidence from the Honours and Memorialisation Secretariat within the Cabinet Office. On occasion, phonecalls may be made to recipients prior to the letters being sent notifying them of the honour, however honours can only be accepted by recipients in writing following receipt of the official letter from the Secretariat. For the Birthday 2025 List, the sounding process began in early May.

On occasion, and following sounding and acceptance of an honour, letters of congratulation may be sent by the relevant Minister.

Following publication of the List, the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood writes to the recipient to invite them to receive their honours at an Investiture.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the net cash requirement for the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme in each year since 2013–14.

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

The net cash requirement for the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme in each year since 2013–14 is available within The Civil Superannuation Annual Report and Accounts which can be found on the Civil Service Pensions website. The information is as follows:

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 April (HL6032), what estimate they have made of the annual cost of the National Centre of Policing.

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

Departments are responsible for assessing the potential costs of proposed new arms length bodies as part of their business case development. The Cabinet Office does not centrally estimate costs for departments’ proposals.

The Government has conducted a full line-by-line Spending Review which covered the costs of proposed and existing ALBs to ensure value for money is being delivered for the taxpayer.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a full review of all ALBs, including new ALB proposals, to drive efficiency and reduce bureaucracy and duplication as part of Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. This review is ongoing. Any future decision to set up any new ALBs would need to follow the joint HMT and Cabinet Office approval process for new bodies.

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 April (HL6032), what estimate they have made of the annual cost of the National Care Service.

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

Departments are responsible for assessing the potential costs of proposed new arms length bodies as part of their business case development. The Cabinet Office does not centrally estimate costs for departments’ proposals.

The Government has conducted a full line-by-line Spending Review which covered the costs of proposed and existing ALBs to ensure value for money is being delivered for the taxpayer.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a full review of all ALBs, including new ALB proposals, to drive efficiency and reduce bureaucracy and duplication as part of Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. This review is ongoing. Any future decision to set up any new ALBs would need to follow the joint HMT and Cabinet Office approval process for new bodies.

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 April (HL6032), what estimate they have made of the annual cost of the Tax Advisory Body.

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

Departments are responsible for assessing the potential costs of proposed new arms length bodies as part of their business case development. The Cabinet Office does not centrally estimate costs for departments’ proposals.

The Government has conducted a full line-by-line Spending Review which covered the costs of proposed and existing ALBs to ensure value for money is being delivered for the taxpayer.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a full review of all ALBs, including new ALB proposals, to drive efficiency and reduce bureaucracy and duplication as part of Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. This review is ongoing. Any future decision to set up any new ALBs would need to follow the joint HMT and Cabinet Office approval process for new bodies.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the length of the visa waivers for UK citizens visiting the EU.

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

HMG officials and Ministers regularly engage the EU and EU Member State counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals. The UK and the EU allow for visa-free, short-term travel in line with their respective arrangements for third country nationals. The UK allows EU citizens visa-free travel for up to six months; the EU allows for visa-free travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of eligible grant schemes were advertised on (1) Find a Grant, and (3) Apply for a Grant, in the past financial year; and whether they set adoption targets for each of those services.

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

In the previous financial year (2024-25), 69 (64%) eligible grant schemes from central government departments were listed on Find a Grant, which translated to 409 separate grant advertisements, as some schemes are disaggregated into smaller funds. Apply for a Grant hosted 25 applications related to 9 schemes or 8% of those eligible.

Adoption targets have been set to drive uptake for both services. Find a Grant is mandated for all central government departments and arm's length bodies for eligible, competed or criteria-based grant schemes, with a target of 100% compliance. While Apply for a Grant is not mandated, it has an adoption target of 30%. The Cabinet Office is working with all departments to increase uptake of these services.

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 April (HL6032), what estimate they have made of the annual cost of the Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme.

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

Departments are responsible for assessing the potential costs of proposed new arms length bodies as part of their business case development. The Cabinet Office does not centrally estimate costs for departments’ proposals.

The Government has conducted a full line-by-line Spending Review which covered the costs of proposed and existing ALBs to ensure value for money is being delivered for the taxpayer.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a full review of all ALBs, including new ALB proposals, to drive efficiency and reduce bureaucracy and duplication as part of Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. This review is ongoing. Any future decision to set up any new ALBs would need to follow the joint HMT and Cabinet Office approval process for new bodies.

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 April (HL6032), what estimate they have made of the annual cost of the Animal Welfare Advisory Body.

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

Departments are responsible for assessing the potential costs of proposed new arms length bodies as part of their business case development. The Cabinet Office does not centrally estimate costs for departments’ proposals.

The Government has conducted a full line-by-line Spending Review which covered the costs of proposed and existing ALBs to ensure value for money is being delivered for the taxpayer.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a full review of all ALBs, including new ALB proposals, to drive efficiency and reduce bureaucracy and duplication as part of Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. This review is ongoing. Any future decision to set up any new ALBs would need to follow the joint HMT and Cabinet Office approval process for new bodies.

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 April (HL6032), what estimate they have made of the annual cost of Ploughshare.

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

Departments are responsible for assessing the potential costs of proposed new arms length bodies as part of their business case development. The Cabinet Office does not centrally estimate costs for departments’ proposals.

The Government has conducted a full line-by-line Spending Review which covered the costs of proposed and existing ALBs to ensure value for money is being delivered for the taxpayer.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a full review of all ALBs, including new ALB proposals, to drive efficiency and reduce bureaucracy and duplication as part of Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. This review is ongoing. Any future decision to set up any new ALBs would need to follow the joint HMT and Cabinet Office approval process for new bodies.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish a list of all accredited national statistics produced by departments about fraud and error in public expenditure, including precise titles, responsible departments, publication frequencies, and most recent dates of publication.

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

The Government is committed to transparency in its efforts to tackle fraud and error against the public sector.

Accredited national statistics are maintained by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR), which provides independent regulation of all official statistics produced in the UK. The OSR publishes a comprehensive list of all official statistics that they have independently reviewed and accredited, including levels of total fraud and computer misuse in England and Wales.

The Public Sector Fraud Authority publishes data in relation to public sector fraud and error through its Cross-Government Fraud Landscape Report. The most recent Report, covering the period of 2021-22, set out levels of detected, prevented and recovered fraud and error, as reported by Departments and public bodies. The next Fraud Landscape Report will be published in Autumn 2025, and will cover two reporting years of 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Furthermore, the National Audit Office produced an ‘Overview of the impact of fraud and error on public funds’ in November 2024 which sets out the total impact of fraud and error on public funds for 2023-24. This overview draws on publicly available sources, including the annual report and accounts of government bodies which are publicly available on GOV.UK

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the service cost for the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme as a percentage of pensionable pay in each year since 2013–14 .

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

The Civil Superannuation Report discloses the service cost for the Scheme, but we do not calculate the pensionable pay for active members of the Scheme. The Civil Superannuation reports are in the public domain and can be accessed via the Civil Service Pensions website.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff network events took place in his Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department. As a result, events are organised by staff themselves, not the department. We are aware of the following events that these networks organised in May 2025.

LGBT+ Network

• CO LGBT Network - Meeting, 13 May 11:30-11:55am

• CO LGBT+ Network - Meeting, 20 May 3:30-4pm

• CO LGBT+ Network - Meeting, 28 May 3-3:30pm

Carers Network

• CO Carers Network - Virtual Coffee Session, 20 May 12-1pm

Menopause Network

• Menopause - Support Group, 20 May 11-12pm

• Menopause - Support Group, 27 May 11-12pm

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many new instances of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in public buildings been identified since 1 January 2025.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office does not maintain a central record of RAAC cases. Each department maintains its own data and progress on RAAC on an individual basis. Some departments publish information about buildings with RAAC which can be found on GOV.UK

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to extend his definition of national security to include (a) airport infrastructure, (b) broadband, (c) food, (d) energy and water infrastructure and (e) climate security.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The National Security Strategy 2025, published on 24 June, sets out the UK’s approach to national security. It states that we will enhance the resilience of our critical national infrastructure, as well as how we continue to address the challenges of a changing climate. The definition of national security used by the Government is necessarily broad to ensure an appropriate response to the evolving threats faced by the British people.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister uses large language model software to help in drafting his social media posts.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

No, the Prime Minister does not use large language model software to help in drafting social media posts.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 5278 on Cabinet Office: Departmental responsibilities, whether he plans to further transfer Cabinet Office functions or agencies to other departments.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In addition to the Machinery of Government changes set out in the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 5278, there have been two further Written Ministerial Statements on changes which affect the Cabinet Office:

• On 17 January 2025, it was announced that responsibility for all of the Infrastructure and Project Authority’s functions and responsibilities, including the Government’s project delivery expertise and functions, and assurance reviews for the Government’s largest projects, will move from the Cabinet Office to HM Treasury.

• On 3 June 2025, it was announced that responsibility for government and public sector cyber security will move from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Any other such changes would be announced in the normal way.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to lay a new Official Statistics Order to include the Passenger Standards Authority.

Answered by Georgia Gould - 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 16th June is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to establish a social value council.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government is determined to ensure the £385 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually delivers economic growth, supports small businesses, champions innovation, creates good jobs and skills opportunities across the country, and maximises social value.

To build on progress made to date and the Government’s new National Procurement Policy Statement, we will consult with stakeholders on further reforms to public procurement to drive economic growth and support jobs and skills.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2025 to Question HL6032 on Arms Length Bodies, what the target date is for each of those bodies listed in the answer to be operational.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office does not centrally estimate, nor hold information on when proposed arm’s-length bodies will be operational. Departments are responsible for setting target dates for the establishment of their proposed new bodies.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Cabinet Secretary plans to respond to the correspondence of 15 May 2025 from the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton on the Prime Minister’s and Home Secretary’s visit to Cambridgeshire.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office responded to this letter on 23rd June.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether he plans to allow cyber security entrepreneurs to have access to a proportion of the additional funding provided to the Single Intelligence Account for research and development.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As has been the policy of successive governments, the government does not comment on matters relating to the intelligence agencies.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions the Office for National Statistics has had with local government stakeholders on the 2031 census.

Answered by Georgia Gould - 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 17th June is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, published on 19 May 2025, whether the UK will have a veto over new EU laws that apply under dynamic alignment provisions.

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

The details of new agreements described in the Common Understanding are subject to negotiation. The Common Understanding is clear that where the UK Government decides to align with EU rules as part of an agreement this will give due regard to the UK’s constitutional and Parliamentary procedures. The UK will be involved, as a sovereign nation outside of the European Union, at an early stage and contribute to the decision-shaping process of European Union legal acts.

The Common Understanding does not provide for oversight of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) within Great Britain or Northern Ireland. Instead it provides that the CJEU will have a limited role in assisting an independent arbitration tribunal responsible for deciding a dispute between the UK and the EU, and only where there is dynamic alignment of laws under any future SPS agreement, ETS linking agreement or an electricity agreement. The CJEU does not rule on the substantive outcome of the dispute - that is a matter for the independent arbitration panel.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impacts of the declining marriage rate and birth rate in the United Kingdom.

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

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 11th June is attached.

Dear Lord Jackson,

As Acting National Statistician, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking what steps are being taken to expedite the timely publication of marriage and divorce statistics by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) (HL8355), and what assessment has been made of the potential impacts of the declining marriage rate and birth rate in the United Kingdom (HL8356).

The latest published statistics on marriages[1] and divorces[2] in England and Wales are for 2022. Divorces and Dissolutions in England and Wales, 2023[3] will be published on 2 July 2025. Marriages in England and Wales, 2023[4] is provisionally scheduled for publication in November 2025, alongside Civil partnerships in England and Wales, 2023[5].

The Marriages, Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Act 2019 (which came into force on 4 May 2021) has resulted in a new electronic registration system replacing the paper marriage register. This has improved the timeliness of the submission of religious marriage entries to the General Register Office (GRO) who in turn supply these to the ONS. Following this change to the way marriages are recorded, the ONS have been working to improve the timeliness of publication of marriage statistics and to consolidate the release of marriage and civil partnership statistics to improve accessibility for users and to bring the reference periods in line.

Marriage, civil partnership and divorce statistics incorporate rates as part of the publication; these rates use population estimates by marital status[6] as denominators so these estimates need to be available prior to calculation. The ONS aims to balance the need for timely legal partnership statistics with the timing of publication, and revisions to, population estimates by marital status in order to provide the most accurate rates possible. Estimates for 2023 and 2024 are provisionally scheduled to be published in November 2025.

The ONS does not assess the potential impacts of the declining marriage rate and birth rate in the United Kingdom.

However, in our National Population Projections[7] we analyse past trends in fertility rates to produce a projection of future fertility for the UK. These projections are widely used to support policy making. The numbers of people in each life stage are important when considering dependency ratios, which inform government financial planning. A common measure is the old-age-dependency ratio (OADR), which is the number of people of pensionable age for every 1,000 people of working age. It is projected that OADR for the UK will increase from 278 in mid-2022 to 289 in mid-2032, reaching 302 by mid-2047.

The ONS has published a UK population projection explorer tool[8] which allows users to vary the assumptions for future fertility, net migration and life expectancy to see the impact on the size and age structure of the UK population over the next 50 years.

The ONS publishes marriage and divorce statistics for England and Wales only. National Records for Scotland (NRS)[9] and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA[10]) are responsible for the publication of marriage and divorce statistics for Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.

Yours sincerely,

Emma Rourke

[1] Marriages in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics

[2] Divorces in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics

[3] Divorces and Dissolutions in England and Wales: 2023 - Office for National Statistics

[4] Marriages in England and Wales: 2023 - Office for National Statistics

[5] Civil partnerships in England and Wales: 2023 - Office for National Statistics

[6] Population estimates by marital status and living arrangements, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics

[7] National population projections - Office for National Statistics

[8] UK population projection explorer - Office for National Statistics

[9] National Records of Scotland (NRS)

[10] Home | Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to expedite the timely publication of marriage and divorce statistics by the Office for National Statistics.

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

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 11th June is attached.

Dear Lord Jackson,

As Acting National Statistician, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking what steps are being taken to expedite the timely publication of marriage and divorce statistics by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) (HL8355), and what assessment has been made of the potential impacts of the declining marriage rate and birth rate in the United Kingdom (HL8356).

The latest published statistics on marriages[1] and divorces[2] in England and Wales are for 2022. Divorces and Dissolutions in England and Wales, 2023[3] will be published on 2 July 2025. Marriages in England and Wales, 2023[4] is provisionally scheduled for publication in November 2025, alongside Civil partnerships in England and Wales, 2023[5].

The Marriages, Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Act 2019 (which came into force on 4 May 2021) has resulted in a new electronic registration system replacing the paper marriage register. This has improved the timeliness of the submission of religious marriage entries to the General Register Office (GRO) who in turn supply these to the ONS. Following this change to the way marriages are recorded, the ONS have been working to improve the timeliness of publication of marriage statistics and to consolidate the release of marriage and civil partnership statistics to improve accessibility for users and to bring the reference periods in line.

Marriage, civil partnership and divorce statistics incorporate rates as part of the publication; these rates use population estimates by marital status[6] as denominators so these estimates need to be available prior to calculation. The ONS aims to balance the need for timely legal partnership statistics with the timing of publication, and revisions to, population estimates by marital status in order to provide the most accurate rates possible. Estimates for 2023 and 2024 are provisionally scheduled to be published in November 2025.

The ONS does not assess the potential impacts of the declining marriage rate and birth rate in the United Kingdom.

However, in our National Population Projections[7] we analyse past trends in fertility rates to produce a projection of future fertility for the UK. These projections are widely used to support policy making. The numbers of people in each life stage are important when considering dependency ratios, which inform government financial planning. A common measure is the old-age-dependency ratio (OADR), which is the number of people of pensionable age for every 1,000 people of working age. It is projected that OADR for the UK will increase from 278 in mid-2022 to 289 in mid-2032, reaching 302 by mid-2047.

The ONS has published a UK population projection explorer tool[8] which allows users to vary the assumptions for future fertility, net migration and life expectancy to see the impact on the size and age structure of the UK population over the next 50 years.

The ONS publishes marriage and divorce statistics for England and Wales only. National Records for Scotland (NRS)[9] and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA[10]) are responsible for the publication of marriage and divorce statistics for Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.

Yours sincerely,

Emma Rourke

[1] Marriages in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics

[2] Divorces in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics

[3] Divorces and Dissolutions in England and Wales: 2023 - Office for National Statistics

[4] Marriages in England and Wales: 2023 - Office for National Statistics

[5] Civil partnerships in England and Wales: 2023 - Office for National Statistics

[6] Population estimates by marital status and living arrangements, England and Wales - Office for National Statistics

[7] National population projections - Office for National Statistics

[8] UK population projection explorer - Office for National Statistics

[9] National Records of Scotland (NRS)

[10] Home | Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the employee activity rates for people aged between 16 and 25 in (1) Wales, (2) England, (3) Scotland, and (4) Northern Ireland.

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

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 11th June is attached.

Dear Lord Wigley,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what are the employee activity rates for people aged between 16 and 25 in (1) Wales, (2) England, (3) Scotland, and (4) Northern Ireland (HL8389).

An employee activity rate measures the amount of time employees spend engaged in productive billable work, versus non-billable activities. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not collect any information from businesses on their estimated employee activity rates.

We can estimate the proportion of the population aged from 16 to 25 years, that are employed as employees, which may be interpreted as an employee activity rate.

The ONS uses the Annual Population Survey (APS), which is a survey of people resident in households in the UK, to estimate the number of employees in the countries of the UK and the proportion of the population aged from 16 to 25 years that this represents.

Table 1 contains APS estimates of the number of employees aged 16 to 25 years and the proportion of the population of that age this represents, for the countries of the UK, for the period January to December 2024, the latest data currently available.

The ongoing challenges with response rates, response levels and weighting approach mean that labour market statistics based on the Annual Population Survey (APS) are subject to increased volatility and are considered ’official statistics in development’ until further review.

Yours sincerely,

Emma Rourke

Table 1: Number of employees aged 16 to 25 years and the proportion of the population of that age that represents, for the countries of the UK, January to December 2024.

Source: Annual Population Survey

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework: Joint Statement, 10 June 2025, what further work is required for the deployment of new facilitations in the customs area for freight and parcel movements.

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

The arrangements for the movement of freight and parcels that were agreed under the Windsor Framework came into effect on May 1, 2025. The UK is now finalising the delivery of certain IT systems and we continue to monitor the progress of the systems to support the functioning of the arrangements as agreed in the Windsor Framework.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Commissioner for Public Appointment’s letter to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar, whether the powers of the Public Appointments Commission to require appointing authorities provide information extends to information held by the No10 Political Office.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The scope of the powers of the Commissioner for Public Appointments to request information relevant to his inquiries are set out in Article 4(6) of the Public Appointments (No. 2) Order in Council 2023.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress he has made in the recruitment process for the National Armaments Director role, announced on 25 October 2024, and what his timeline is for the appointment of a candidate to this position.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

An announcement on the outcome of the recruitment process for the National Armaments Director role will be announced in due course.

Due to candidate confidentiality we are unable to confirm how many candidates are under consideration.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many candidates are under consideration for the National Armaments Director role.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

An announcement on the outcome of the recruitment process for the National Armaments Director role will be announced in due course.

Due to candidate confidentiality we are unable to confirm how many candidates are under consideration.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the (a) cost to the public purse, (b) number and (c) designs for lanyards bought by (i) 10 Downing Street, (ii) the Office for Women and Equalities, (iii) the Civil Service People Group, (iv) the Crown Commercial Service and (v) the Cabinet Office since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has purchased a total of 6,376 lanyards for £5,069.99 since 4 July 2024. This includes those bought for the aforementioned business units and Crown Commercial Service as an executive agency.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. Whilst it was agreed that some expenditure on merchandise items is necessary for operational purposes (security lanyards), all of these orders were made prior to the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise.

In comparison, the Cabinet Office purchased a total of over 18,000 lanyards for £17,322.76 in the 12 months to July 2024.

Staff will continue to be able to wear existing lanyards.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much (a) his Department and (b) the Office for Equality and Opportunity has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; and what designs of lanyards have been purchased.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has purchased a total of 6,376 lanyards for £5,069.99 since 4 July 2024. This includes those bought for the aforementioned business units and Crown Commercial Service as an executive agency.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. Whilst it was agreed that some expenditure on merchandise items is necessary for operational purposes (security lanyards), all of these orders were made prior to the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise.

In comparison, the Cabinet Office purchased a total of over 18,000 lanyards for £17,322.76 in the 12 months to July 2024.

Staff will continue to be able to wear existing lanyards.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to clause 6(a) of the UK-USA Economic and Prosperity Deal, published on 8 May 2025, if he will make it his policy to bar Chinese companies with links to forced labour in Xinjiang from Government procurement contracts.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The UK Government is committed to tackling human rights abuses including modern slavery and human trafficking in public supply chains.

On 24 February 2025 the Procurement Act came into force, providing contracting authorities with stronger powers to exclude suppliers from public procurements where there is compelling evidence of modern slavery within their supply chains. The Act’s new debarment powers will also enable us to take stronger and broader action in relation to supplier misconduct which we will use, where appropriate, to effectively hold organisations to account.

The Cabinet Office has, in addition, published extensive risk-based policy and guidance for commercial teams to tackle labour rights abuses in UK and global supply chains.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing Fujitsu’s access to public sector contract opportunities, in the context of the Horizon IT failures.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In January 2024, Fujitsu said it would withdraw from bidding for contracts with new Government customers until the Post Office Horizon inquiry concludes – it would only bid for work with existing Government customers where it already has a contract with them, or where there is an agreed need for Fujitsu’s skills and capabilities.

Fujitsu's bid approach is detailed in this letter, deposited in Parliament. For more details, please see here.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the recipients of Birthday Honours List 2025 have been recognised in previous honours lists.

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

There are currently 65 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 round is not held. In the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 list, there were 2 Companions of Honour awarded; one to a recipient in the London region, and one in Bradford-on-Avon.

Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.

Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 20 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 List, 3 of which were above OBE level. There were 13 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, 2 of which were above OBE level.

Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 6 individuals received an award above MBE level.

44 recipients of honours in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 have received honours in previous lists.

This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.

Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.

Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many honours above OBE level were awarded to people who were (1) living in, or (2) working or providing service to, the Sheffield City Region at the time of their nomination for an honour in the Birthday Honours List 2025.

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

There are currently 65 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 round is not held. In the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 list, there were 2 Companions of Honour awarded; one to a recipient in the London region, and one in Bradford-on-Avon.

Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.

Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 20 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 List, 3 of which were above OBE level. There were 13 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, 2 of which were above OBE level.

Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 6 individuals received an award above MBE level.

44 recipients of honours in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 have received honours in previous lists.

This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.

Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.

Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many honours, by each award level, were awarded in each region or nation of the UK in the Birthday Honours List 2025; and what percentage of the population of each such region or nation that number represents.

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

There are currently 65 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 round is not held. In the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 list, there were 2 Companions of Honour awarded; one to a recipient in the London region, and one in Bradford-on-Avon.

Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.

Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 20 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 List, 3 of which were above OBE level. There were 13 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, 2 of which were above OBE level.

Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 6 individuals received an award above MBE level.

44 recipients of honours in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 have received honours in previous lists.

This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.

Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.

Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many honours above OBE level were awarded to people who were (1) living in, or (2) working or providing service to, the South Yorkshire area at the time of their nomination for an honour in the Birthday Honours List 2025.

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

There are currently 65 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 round is not held. In the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 list, there were 2 Companions of Honour awarded; one to a recipient in the London region, and one in Bradford-on-Avon.

Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.

Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 20 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 List, 3 of which were above OBE level. There were 13 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, 2 of which were above OBE level.

Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 6 individuals received an award above MBE level.

44 recipients of honours in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 have received honours in previous lists.

This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.

Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.

Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in the combined mayoral authority of South Yorkshire, how many residents received an award above the level of MBE in the Birthday Honours List 2025.

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

There are currently 65 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 round is not held. In the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 list, there were 2 Companions of Honour awarded; one to a recipient in the London region, and one in Bradford-on-Avon.

Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.

Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 20 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 List, 3 of which were above OBE level. There were 13 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, 2 of which were above OBE level.

Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 6 individuals received an award above MBE level.

44 recipients of honours in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 have received honours in previous lists.

This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.

Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.

Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the geographical locations where living recipients of Companions of Honour reside, where known.

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

There are currently 65 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 round is not held. In the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 list, there were 2 Companions of Honour awarded; one to a recipient in the London region, and one in Bradford-on-Avon.

Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.

Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 20 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the King’s Birthday Honours 2025 List, 3 of which were above OBE level. There were 13 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, 2 of which were above OBE level.

Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 6 individuals received an award above MBE level.

44 recipients of honours in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2025 have received honours in previous lists.

This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.

Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.

Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Thousands of Civil Service roles moved out of London in latest reform to the state, published on 14 May 2025, what recent progress his Department has made on moving civil service roles outside of London.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

On 14 May, the Government announced it will be:

• Strengthening its presence in 13 cross Government locations across the UK.

• Ensuring that 50% of UK-based SCS are located outside of London by 2030.

• Strengthening the talent pipeline by launching a new apprenticeship programme, setting an ambition for 50% of Fast Stream roles to be based outside London by 2030, and committing to develop and launch a local government interchange programme in partnership with the Local Government Association (LGA).

• Reducing the number of Civil Service buildings in London, closing 11 buildings by 2030 to deliver £94m in savings per year.

• Launching two new thematic campuses, an Energy Campus in Aberdeen and a Digital & AI Innovation Campus in Manchester.

In June, the Government announced that PfG’s existing thematic campuses in Darlington, Sheffield and Leeds will be leading a new approach to bring together policy makers with those on the frontline to support mission delivery.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether civil servants receiving London weighting have to work in an office within Greater London.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Decisions on pay, including London weighting, are delegated to individual departments for grades below the Senior Civil Service (SCS). The SCS pay framework is managed centrally and only operates a national pay range.

Found: genuinely cross-government international education strategy”, including the Foreign Office and Cabinet Office

Found: subject to cross-government coordination and consideration, including our 2 Primarily Home Office, Cabinet Office

Found: Correspondence from the Minister for the Cabinet Office relating to the UK-EU reset, 15.06.25 HC 857

Found: Northern Ireland Office, and Cabinet Office Oral Evidence

Found: How much did the core functions that exist across Whitehall and in the Cabinet Office—the advice, the

Found: The Cabinet Office had roundtables, bringing the territorial offices together with the other Departments

Found: out by BBB with oversight from a Board, which includes representatives from the Treasury and Cabinet Office

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

Found: We had many discussions with Defra and Cabinet Office Ministers.

Found: ISF0001 - Integrated Security Fund Cabinet Office Written Evidence

Found: The group is co-chaired by senior officials from DEFRA and the Cabinet Office, drawing

Found: There is currently a Cabinet Office investigation into the ONS.

Found: talking about appears on the risk register or the national resilience framework that sits inside Cabinet Office

Found: department to hold responsibility – it was suggested that more central departments like the Cabinet Office

Found: How on earth does the Cabinet Office hold all this together and ensure that different departments deliver

Found: Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland Office, and Cabinet Office Oral Evidence

Found: How on earth does the Cabinet Office hold all this together and ensure that different departments deliver

Found: HM Treasury are working with Cabinet Office to ensure this aligns with the Shared Services Strategy

Found: Letter from the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary and Permanent

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to publish an Outcome Delivery Plan for 2025 to 2026.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Outcome Delivery Plans are co-ordinated through the Cabinet Office and we are awaiting confirmation on whether they will be published for this year and the process and timing of this.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Sikhs are employed in her Department; and whether they are recorded as (a) an ethnic or (b) a religious group.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

According to the latest published Civil Service Statistics, as at 31 March 2024, 140 staff in the department, including associated executive agencies, recorded their religion as Sikh. These figures are published in Table A3 of the Civil Service Statistics 2024, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2024.

Updated data as at 31 March 2025 is due to be published by the Cabinet Office in July 2025.

Those who are recorded as ‘Sikh’ are captured in the department’s HR system under ‘Religion’, not as an ethnic group.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was billed by his Department to the Cabinet Office to reimburse the costs of providing fixed-wing air transport to the Prime Minister for domestic flights on aircraft registered under the marks (a) G-ZABH and (b) G-ZAHS since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

It has been the practice of successive administrations not to publish granular information relating to the official movements of Ministers and those accompanying them within the United Kingdom. Information about official overseas travel is published as part of the Cabinet Office transparency returns and made available on the GOV.UK website.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help improve cyber resilience.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) works closely with the Cabinet Office and wider Government in many areas.

The MOD cyber security function works closely with the Cabinet Office, Government Security, the National Cyber Security Centre and others.

This includes formal boards, governance meetings, reports, returns, collaboration sessions and working groups.

A key work strand is the MOD adopting GovAssure which includes reporting using the Cyber Assurance Framework (CAF), and the new Cyber and Digital Resilience Target Operating Model (TOM) led by Government Security.

As announced in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), Defence will develop a Digital Warfighter Group: a highly skilled workforce that will conceive and develop warfighting capability in a digital age. This workforce will support all other SDR announcements. Our vision is the creation of a new type of operator, whose education, training and equipment supports digital operations across the entire range of Defence activity, from warfighting to Ministerial and strategic data-led decision support. The SDR also announced the establishment and creation of a Cyber and Electromagnetic (CyberEM) Command. This will bring the necessary coherence for Defence and the Armed Forces across the CyberEM Domain – which is highly contested, complex and vital to operational success in all types of operations including warfighting.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to improve resilience to cyberattacks on public services.

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

The Prime Minister announced on 3 June 2025 that responsibility for government and public sector cyber security moved from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to strengthen the resilience of digital public services by better integrating cyber security responsibilities and expertise into the Government Digital Service.

The government is progressing work on an implementation plan to support the delivery of the Government Cyber Security Strategy and is developing a new, more interventionist operating model to clarify, enable, and enforce cross-government responsibilities for cyber and digital resilience.

Additionally, important steps have been taken to understand and mitigate cyber risk through the launch of the GovAssure cyber assurance regime and the Government Cyber Coordination Centre (GC3).

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House copies of any contracts between the Department for Education and the Made Tech Group other than the one concerning the Reception Baseline Assessment.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

The reception baseline assessment (RBA) is a short, interactive assessment of early mathematics, language, literacy and communication. Its purpose is to provide baseline data for primary progress measures.

The department appointed Made Tech Ltd in September 2024 on a four year contract to provide digital and data capabilities with the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) to continue to deliver and build its digital assessment platform, including in relation to the RBA. This followed an open procurement, in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 process, launched in spring 2024. As with all government contracts above a certain value threshold, the contract with Made Tech can be found on the contracts finder website and accessed here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/4723159e-e752-4658-8309-b2db3552d199?origin=SearchResults&p=1.

Additionally, the department has a contract with Made Tech for Technical Architecture Services. This can be found here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/99cb71d8-8df0-498a-b5c2-9712472f8897?origin=SearchResults&p=2.

A copy of these contracts will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The department does not have a central record of all conversations with Made Tech. The department manages the relationship with Made Tech following best practice in supplier management, based on Cabinet Office guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the contract concerning the Reception Baseline Assessment between the Department for Education and the Made Tech Group.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

The reception baseline assessment (RBA) is a short, interactive assessment of early mathematics, language, literacy and communication. Its purpose is to provide baseline data for primary progress measures.

The department appointed Made Tech Ltd in September 2024 on a four year contract to provide digital and data capabilities with the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) to continue to deliver and build its digital assessment platform, including in relation to the RBA. This followed an open procurement, in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 process, launched in spring 2024. As with all government contracts above a certain value threshold, the contract with Made Tech can be found on the contracts finder website and accessed here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/4723159e-e752-4658-8309-b2db3552d199?origin=SearchResults&p=1.

Additionally, the department has a contract with Made Tech for Technical Architecture Services. This can be found here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/99cb71d8-8df0-498a-b5c2-9712472f8897?origin=SearchResults&p=2.

A copy of these contracts will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The department does not have a central record of all conversations with Made Tech. The department manages the relationship with Made Tech following best practice in supplier management, based on Cabinet Office guidance.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Department for Education has had with the Made Tech Group about matters other than the Reception Baseline Assessment.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)

The reception baseline assessment (RBA) is a short, interactive assessment of early mathematics, language, literacy and communication. Its purpose is to provide baseline data for primary progress measures.

The department appointed Made Tech Ltd in September 2024 on a four year contract to provide digital and data capabilities with the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) to continue to deliver and build its digital assessment platform, including in relation to the RBA. This followed an open procurement, in line with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 process, launched in spring 2024. As with all government contracts above a certain value threshold, the contract with Made Tech can be found on the contracts finder website and accessed here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/4723159e-e752-4658-8309-b2db3552d199?origin=SearchResults&p=1.

Additionally, the department has a contract with Made Tech for Technical Architecture Services. This can be found here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/99cb71d8-8df0-498a-b5c2-9712472f8897?origin=SearchResults&p=2.

A copy of these contracts will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The department does not have a central record of all conversations with Made Tech. The department manages the relationship with Made Tech following best practice in supplier management, based on Cabinet Office guidance.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the British Bank Business last underwent a board effectiveness review, and whether they will place a copy of that review in the Library of the House.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The British Business Bank reviews its board in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidance on Board Effectiveness Reviews, which includes an annual review that is externally facilitated every three years. The findings are included in BBB's Annual Report and Accounts, with a copy placed in the Library of the House. The most recent review was carried out in March 2025 and will be reported in BBB's 2025 Annual Report and Accounts, due for publication later in 2025.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the guidance List of Public Bodies for Review in 2023/24, updated on 25 April 2024, whether a reviewer has been appointed for the review of the British Business Bank; and if so, who is that reviewer, what are the terms of reference for that review, and what is the current status of that review.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Under the Cabinet Office review framework, a self-assessment was completed by the Bank and reviewed by the Department for Business and Trade. This did not require a reviewer to be appointed nor specific terms of reference (beyond the self-assessment guidance). The broader Public Bodies Review Programme concluded on 31 March 2025.

Found: current purposes Net resources authorised for capital purposes Net Cash Requirement (£) (£) (£) Cabinet Office

Found: Income and royalties from training.61 Cabinet Office Estimate Net resources authorised for current

Found: photographic identification (see reference 22) (such as those accepted for voting) according to a 2021 Cabinet Office

Found: BEHALF OF PUBLIC AUTHORITIES CHAPTER 1 KEY CONCEPTS 1 Core functions of the Minister for the Cabinet Office

Found: sections of this Act come into force on such day as the Secretary of State or the Minister for the Cabinet Office

Found: At the Supplementary Estimates 2024/25 (last year’s final budget), the Cabinet Office received Resource

Found: Cabinet Office guidance is that departments should aim to publish a response within 12 weeks of the

Found: controls, which require central government bodies to obtain Cabinet Office approval to spend

Found: Budgeting Guidance • The Government Financial Reporting Manual • Spending approvals (for example, Cabinet Office

Found: (e) S taff turnover percentage - applying the Cabinet Office (CO) guidance for calculating turnover

Found: Full name: Smita Rossetti Year Role 2023 to 2025 Language training, Arabic 2021 to 2023 Cabinet Office

Found: have been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office

Found: The Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, Minister for Employment Rights Justin Madders and Cabinet Office

Found: The new facility will join a network of national centres set up by the Cabinet Office under the UK Biological

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

Found: govuk-table__cell">Cross-Government Meetings - Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) Counter Drones Meeting / Cabinet Office

Found: /01/2025 Cross-Government Meetings - Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) Counter Drones Meeting / Cabinet Office

Found: The Framework Document uses the HM Treasury approved template and complies with Cabinet Office guidance

Found:

Found: class="govuk-table__cell">2025-02-25

Found: 02-03 Channel 4 To discuss the future of TV ahead of RTS speech Polly Payne 2025-02-25 No.10, Cabinet office

Found: Data for ministers’ gifts and hospitality is now published by the Cabinet Office.

Found: Standard 95.5 Not applicable Not applicable 95.5 Thomas Waite 11/03/2025 14/03/2025 To attend Cabinet Office

Found: class="govuk-table__cell">14/03/2025

Found: Code, from 5 July 2024 onwards, ministers’ gifts and hospitality data are being published by the Cabinet Office

Found:

Found: class="govuk-table__cell">2025-02-05

Found: understandable language

Found: Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts

Found: Simplified Plain English Title / Case Name in simple understandable language Value approved by Cabinet Office

Found: is not included in this release due to a review of spend control transparency conducted by the Cabinet Office

Found:

Found: £884.80 Julia Sutcliffe 12/03/2025 12/03/2025 Attend a Joint Intelligence Committee meeting at the Cabinet Office

Found: fDIT - DBT - CS - Digital Data and Technology

Found: 2025 IT Hosting Services DBT - Corporate Services fDIT - DBT - CS - Digital, Data and Technology Cabinet Office

Found: for Transport Department for Transport 16/01/2025 Support Services DG Corporate Delivery Group Cabinet Office

Found: govuk-table__cell">DG Corporate Delivery Group

Found: govuk-table__cell">DG Corporate Delivery Group

Found: Transport Department for Transport 04/02/2025 Services prov by OGD DG Corporate Delivery Group Cabinet Office

Found: Standard 224.1 207.09 N/A 431.19 Richard Cornish 2025-02-11 2025-02-11 To attend a CSLG event at the Cabinet office

Found: • No specific Cabinet Office (CO) approvals are required, any CO oversight required will form part

Found: • No specific Cabinet Office (CO) approvals are required, any CO oversight required will form part

Found: Sheffield 2 Analysing the reliability of quantitative impact evaluations In partnership with the Cabinet Office

Found: Coordination Central collaboration between the Cabinet Office, HMT and other government departments

Found: This includes encouraging adoption of best practice principles set out in the suite of Cabinet Office

Found: Director, Commercial Policy Team, Cabinet Office The Government is publishing a Trade Strategy setting

Found: This complements the Cabinet Office review of public bodies to reduce inefficiency.

Found: have been made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office

Found: The Cabinet Office confirmed Lord Booth-Smith’s contact with Anthropic. 12.

Found: The new facility will join a network of national centres set up by the Cabinet Office under the UK Biological

Found: ="govuk-table__cell">Unity Business Services

Found:

Found: Corporate SANDERSON WEATHERALL LLP 59,589.60 5100000474 20/05/2025 Recruitment services Corporate CABINET OFFICE

Found: The Framework Document uses the HM Treasury approved template and complies with Cabinet Office guidance

Found:

Found: Economy/Standard 461.00 13.75 29.99 504.74 Kelly Paterson 2025-03-19 2025-03-19 Cabinet Office

Found: "govuk-table__cell">Human Resources Division

Found: Natural England engages in benchmarking both against other bodies in Defra group and against the Cabinet Office

Found: We have improved our learning and development offer and have worked with the Cabinet Office to ensure

Found: Members are provided detailed guidance on managing conflicts of interest, based on Cabinet Office guidelines

Found: Standard 224.1 207.09 N/A 431.19 Richard Cornish 2025-02-11 2025-02-11 To attend a CSLG event at the Cabinet office

Found: Science Innovation and Growth - DSIT - Space

Found: Science Innovation and Growth - DSIT - Space

Found: 04/2025 R & D ICT Maintenance and Upkeep DSIT - Science, Innovation and Growth - DSIT - Space Cabinet Office

Found: Committee is an independent, advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Cabinet Office

Found: Sheffield 2 Analysing the reliability of quantitative impact evaluations In partnership with the Cabinet Office

Found: National Statistics by Sir Robert Devereux KCB, including the joint UK Statistics Authority - Cabinet Office

Found: Great Britain and Northern Ireland Branding Manual Funded by UK Government first published by the Cabinet Office

Found: The consultation adhered to the principles issued by the Cabinet Office.

Found: The consultation followed the consultation principles guidance issued by Cabinet Office.

Found: Australia, Brazil, Nigeria, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Central Asia. 41 Cabinet Office

Found: taking the time for these discussions. 10) The consultation complied with all aspects of the Cabinet Office

Found: - 9 [Redacted] [Redacted] Senior Talent and Resourcing Team Government People Group Cabinet Office

Found: aDeputy DirectorDG Strategy and External Affairs1Parliamentary Counsel110,000 -114,999 In line with Cabinet Office

Found: the annual UK Civil Service People Survey, which is designed and managed by the UK Government Cabinet Office

Found: The evaluation was co-funded by the Evaluation Task Force (Cabinet Office) through the Evaluation Accelerator

Found: The evaluation was co-funded by the Evaluation Task Force (Cabinet Office) through the Evaluation Accelerator

Found: The evaluation was co-funded by the Evaluation Task Force (Cabinet Office) through the Evaluation Accelerator

Found: The evaluation was co-funded by the Evaluation Task Force (Cabinet Office) through the Evaluation Accelerator

Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37703 by Shona Robison on 30 May 2025, how this data compares with 2016.

Answered by Robison, Shona - Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government

The Scottish Government publish official workforce statistics on a quarterly basis. The figures shown below are for December 2016. The latest data is available at Scottish Government workforce information - gov.scot.

The data presented details workforce by contractual location – and includes staff home location for those on a home working contract. This is in line with the data submitted on a quarterly basis to the cabinet office for the Quarterly location survey of civil service staff.

The following table provides details of the working location of directly employed Scottish Government staff, split by Local authority, Full time/Part time working pattern and Permanent/Temporary status.

Scottish Government - Directly employed workforce headcount, December 2016

Found: contain provision that have regards to devolved matters (to the extent that the Minister for the Cabinet Office