Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations

This document has been deposited in the House Library.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I can confirm that your letter to Rt Hon Anna Turley MP, dated 10 February 2026, has been passed to me as the Minister responsible for this policy, and I have replied to your letter. Please accept my apologies for the delay. The Government is committed to transparency and accountability, including through clear and timely responses to correspondence.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

A response has been issued here.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

A response has been issued here.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there are any rules and guidance that prevent the sharing of an outcome of a security vetting with another government department for (a) an ambassadorial and (b) a head of mission senior civil servant appointment.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the Statement provided by the Prime Minister on 20 April 2026 titled Security Vetting, Official Report, Column 24-25.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Lord Mandelson's Developed Vetting application was approved by National Security Vetting.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been appointed to national security-vetted government roles against the recommendation of United Kingdom Security Vetting in the last 5 years.

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

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) provides a vetting service to customers. Accountability for individual appointments and the management of associated vetting risks remains with the relevant department. To ensure the continued effectiveness and integrity of the vetting process, on the 20th of April the Prime Minister requested a rapid review led by Sir Adrian Fulford into the entire developed vetting process. This includes instances where UKSV recommendations may have been superseded by employing departments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) the Prime Minister and (b) the Cabinet Office discussed with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office whether Lord Mandelson, as a Privy Councillor, required UKSV security vetting.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the remarks given by the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister on 21 April 2026, Official Report, Column 232.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department holds assessments relating to national security risks arising from the 2016 acquisition of Global Switch by Elegant Jubilee Ltd.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the evidential basis was for the response from Tim Allan to the media on 11 September 2025, that the security vetting of Lord Mandelson was done by the FCDO in the normal way; and whether Tim Allan corresponded with others in Downing Street on this response.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the Statement made by the Prime Minister on Security Vetting on the 20 April 2026, Official Report, Column 23-26

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who first suggested to the Prime Minister that Peter Mandelson should be appointed as Ambassador to the United States.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Cabinet Office: Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - March 2025, published 24 April 2025, for what reason the £811 payment to Women in Product UK was not listed in the Cabinet Office’s list of exempted Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office published all the external expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion provided by departments under the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance on 30 May 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of insourcing the Civil Service Pension Scheme administration.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

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

While the current focus remains on stabilising the service through the intensive recovery plan, the Cabinet Office considers all options for future contracts, including in-house administration. Any future procurement exercise will continue to use all commercial levers and be conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023.

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Capita's compliance with their contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

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

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

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

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

While the current focus remains on stabilising the service through the intensive recovery plan, the Cabinet Office considers all options for future contracts, including in-house administration. Any future procurement exercise will continue to use all commercial levers and be conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023.

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will provide an update on the status of the Royal Mail Statutory Scheme Pension deficit.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The administration of the Royal Mail Statutory Pension Scheme (RMSPS) is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office.

The RMSPS was created in April 2012 when the UK government assumed responsibility for the historic liabilities (accrued before 2012) of the Royal Mail Pension Plan (RMPP).

The scheme is closed to new members and further benefit accrual. It will continue to operate until all members and their beneficiaries have received their entitlements. The scheme holds no investment assets. All liabilities are met by annual parliamentary votes for funding.

The RMSPS’ deficit at 31 March 2025 is £28.2 billion.

This information can be found in the annual report and accounts:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/royal-mail-statutory-pension-scheme-2024-2025

It should be noted that on 22 April 2026, the Government announced the termination of the new Royal Mail Statutory Pension Scheme (RMSPS) contract with Capita. This decision was taken following Capita’s failure to meet critical transition milestones and IT automation requirements over an 18-month planning period. To ensure no member is detrimentally impacted, service delivery will continue under the existing contract while the Government assesses a new delivery model.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 119320 on Cabinet Office: Public Appointments, if he will make it his policy to publish the information on outside individuals in an anonymised or Barnardised format.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer to my answer to PQ 119320, in accordance with data protection regulations, we do not provide information about candidates in Civil Service recruitment processes, and there are no plans to publish in an anonymised or Barnardised format.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when his department plans to answer the named day written questions, A.) UIN 109563, B.) UIN 109560 C.) UIN 109563 tabled in my name on the 29th January.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

A response has been issued here and here.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 9 April (HC116154), and with reference to paragraph 223 of the Guide to Parliamentary Work, and paragraph 1.6(d) of the Ministerial Code, what is the public interest reason for not publishing the internal Civil Service guidance on compressed hours.

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

Whilst Government departments proactively publish certain information as part of transparency requirements and to comply with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Civil Service HR policies relating to the management of employees are developed for internal use and are not published externally.

Terms and conditions of employment for the civil service are set out externally in the Civil Service Management Code.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Government departments and agencies may apply mitigating or risk management measures following an assessment by United Kingdom Security Vetting of (a) clearance approved with risk management, and (b) clearance denied or withdrawn.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on whether the former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister backed up official Government information on his personal phones through the Apple iCloud service.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will set out if a Civil Service Pension Scheme recipient is liable for the repayment of overpayments, including where the the recipient has queried the payment with the scheme administrator, and is repeatedly advised by the scheme administrator that the level of the payment is correct.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The government has a duty to recover overpaid public money to ensure the scheme remains fair and sustainable for all taxpayers. The scheme follows the HM Treasury guidance on “Managing Public Money” which requires the scheme, where possible, to recover any money that a member is not entitled to.

The Civil Service Pension Scheme pays out 732,000 pensions per month. Any potential recovery is carefully considered, including the cost effectiveness of doing so (e.g. the relative costs of recovering very small amounts). Members have the opportunity to submit evidence should they believe that either recovery should not take place or where they might require a longer repayment plan.

We recognise that being asked to repay funds can be stressful. To manage the impact on retired civil servants, the scheme administrator works individually with those affected to create manageable recovery plans. These plans focus on the member's specific ability to pay, often spreading repayments over a long period to ensure that no undue financial hardship is caused.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what dates did Morgan McSweeney obtain (a) Security Check and (b) Developed Vetting clearance when he worked in Downing Street.

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

We do not comment on the details of individual clearances or national security as a matter of course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Sir Oliver Robbins had a verbal conversation with any representative of Downing Street or the Cabinet Office to discuss the failure of Lord Mandelson’s UKSV vetting, or associated qualifications with the vetting.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 20 April, and his answers to the questions raised in response, including his commitment that the Government would continue to comply with the instructions of Parliament in the Humble Address of 4 February.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when his Department plans to respond to the Freedom of Information Act request by the hon. Member for Huntingdon, dated 9 March 2026.

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

The Cabinet Office responded to the Hon. Member's request for information on 21 April.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the completed UKSV tick box vetting form relating to Lord Mandelson.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, the statement made by the Prime Minister on 20 April, and the Government’s response to the debate of 21 April, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether each of their Five Missions remain a priority, or whether they have been downgraded or superseded.

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

Missions remain a priority across Government departments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether sensitive government data was (a) stored in and (b) transmitted through Global Switch data centres following the acquisition of a 49% stake by Elegant Jubilee Ltd in December 2016.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has considered lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic on (a) preparedness, (b) risk mitigation and (c) public communication in the context of its response to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

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

The lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and other events, such as the preparations for Brexit, have played a significant role in the way in which the UK prepares for and responds to crises. The influence of these events can be seen in the revisions to guidance, such as the Amber Book, which provides a framework for how the UK central government collectively responds to crises. The Resilience Action Plan, published in July 2025 following a review into the UK government's resilience, sets out the steps we are taking to make the UK more resilient to a wide range of risks, including international events.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy that the Government’s Volume 2 response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson includes the disclosure of all communications relating to the conclusions of UK Security Vetting's security vetting on Lord Mandelson.

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

I refer you to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 20 April, and his answers to the questions raised in response, including his commitment that the Government would continue to comply with the instructions of Parliament in the Humble Address of 4 February.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil servants in the Cabinet Office are working on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

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

No Cabinet Office officials are currently working on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill beyond minor administrative tasks such as preparing responses to Parliamentary Questions. The Cabinet Office has previously provided some drafting support to ensure that, should Parliament pass the Bill, it will operate as intended.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any (a) civil servant and (b) Minister (i) has occupied and (ii) is occupying any of the official Ministerial residences in Admiralty House since September 2025.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many immigrants took residence in the UK in the latest year for which figures are available; and how many of those came to the UK by small boat crossing of the English Channel.

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.

Please see the letter attached from the Permanent Secretary for the Office of National Statistics.

Darren Tierney | Permanent Secretary

The Rt Hon. the Lord Wigley

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

15 April 2026

Dear Lord Wigley,

As Permanent Secretary of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many immigrants took residence in the UK in the latest year for which figures are available; and how many of those came to the UK by small boat crossing of the English Channel (HL15948).

Based on our latest estimates[1] which look at long-term international migration (long-term is where people change their usual place of residence for a period of 12 months or more). In the year ending June 2025, we estimated that:

• 898,000 people came to the UK for 12 months or more

• 693,000 people left the UK for 12 months or more

• Therefore, net migration was estimated at 204,000[2]

While these figures include those arriving for asylum, the ONS does not produce estimates on the number of arrivals by small boat. However, the Home Office and Border Force provide data on small boat arrivals for the last 7 days[3] and a timeseries updated weekly back to 2018. In year ending June 2025, the Home Office estimates that the number of people recorded as arriving in the UK on small boats was 43,309[4].

Those arriving in small boats who claim asylum would appear in our asylum estimates. In year ending June 2025, the ONS immigration estimate includes a total of 96,000 people that came to the UK for asylum.

Yours sincerely,

Darren Tierney

[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/bulletins/longterminternationalmigrationprovisional/yearendingjune2025

[2] Net migration is calculated by subtracting emigration estimates from immigration estimates. We do this with unrounded estimates so the rounded numbers may not always match this calculation exactly.

[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/migrants-detected-crossing-the-english-channel-in-small-boats/migrants-detected-crossing-the-english-channel-in-small-boats-last-7-days

[4] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2025/how-many-people-come-to-the-uk-irregularly#small-boat-arrivals

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 13 April (HC123652), whether there is a constitutional basis for ministers to be suspended by the Prime Minister, where they remain a Minister of the Crown but without active ministerial responsibilities, while an investigation into their conduct is undertaken.

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

Ministers are appointed and dismissed by the Sovereign on the sole advice of the Prime Minister.

As the Ministerial Code sets out, ministers only remain in office for so long as they retain the confidence of the Prime Minister.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to re-commence the paused Cabinet Office review into Lord Mandelson once the Metropolitan Police has finished its investigation.

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

I refer the Hon Member to my previous answers.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Cabinet Office document Publication regarding events surrounding the granting of Developed Vetting to Peter Mandelson, dated 17 April 2026, if he will place in the Library a copy of the full template form.

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

I refer you to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, the statement made by the Prime Minister on 20 April, and the Government’s response to the debate of 21 April, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2026 to Question 113783 on Cabinet Office: Reviews, whether any staff involved with the Humble Address also undertook due diligence on Lord Mandelson.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department conducted a national security review of the acquisition of Global Switch by Elegant Jubilee Ltd in December 2016.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 4 March (HC110410), whether the 10 Downing Street email address of John Pond belonged to a civil servant or was email alias for the then Prime Minister.

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

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual staffing matters.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when intends to publish an answer to Question 111735, tabled on 9 February 2026, on Morgan McSweeney.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

A response has been issued here.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what key performance indicators and service standards apply to Capita’s administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme; how frequently performance is reviewed by the Department; and whether the Department will publish regular statistics on (a) backlog volumes, (b) average processing times, and (c) the number of cases involving delayed pension payments.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

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

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme. We have implemented regular technical stand-ups between Cabinet Office experts and Capita administrators to monitor recovery velocity. Ministers are also regularly updated on the situation.

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

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

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

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates, although this is only for the recovery period, and can be discontinued at any time. There are currently no other plans to publish regular statistics on Capita’s performance.

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 (HL16076), and with reference to paragraph 1.6(d) of the Ministerial Code, what is the public interest reason for publishing the cost of the Prime Minister's domestic flights in 2024 in deposited paper DEP2025-0353 on 6 June 2025, and not publishing the cost of those flights in 2025 in that Written Answer.

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

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 15 April (HL15659), whether they will now answer the question put: namely, whether the requirement for applicants to the Summer Intelligence Internship to be an ethnic minority, such as White Other, includes White Irish in that definition.

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

For the purposes of the Summer Intelligence Internship, ‘White Other’ ethnic minorities include, for example, Romany Gypsy, Scottish Travellers, or Irish Travellers. This does not include White Irish.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether civil servants in the Cabinet Office have been allowed or instructed to continue working on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill when this parliamentary session ends.

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

As it is no longer possible for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to pass, Cabinet Office civil servants will not continue working on it, beyond minor administrative tasks such as preparing responses to Parliamentary Questions.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 31 March 2026 to Question 113783 on Cabinet Office: Reviews, whether the Propriety and Ethics team provided a substantive report on allegations made about the conduct of the former Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in what circumstances (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants can override a United Kingdom Security Vetting recommendation not to appoint an individual to a civil servant appointment.

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

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) provides a range of independent vetting services designed to identify potential personnel security risks. However, the employing department ultimately owns the risk of any appointment decision. Senior officials with responsibility for personnel security within their department evaluate vetting outcomes alongside the specific requirements of a post and the organisation's risk appetite.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Morgan McSweeney fully passed security clearance and vetting.

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

We do not comment on the details of individual clearances or national security as a matter of course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many phones Morgan McSweeney used for Government business when he was Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister; and how many had disappearing messages turned on.

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

There is established guidance in place for the management and recording of electronic communications on non-corporate communications channels. This can be found on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-corporate-communication-channels-for-government-business/using-non-corporate-communication-channels-eg-whatsapp-private-email-sms-for-government-business-html

Found: May 2024 the Commission’s then Chief Executive met with the PHSO’s Chief Executive, along with Cabinet Office

Found: It has been further updated to ensure it is consistent with the latest HMT and Cabinet Office guidance

Found: 1000=C17+D17Budget Cover Transfers to/from Other Government Departments(Section A) Transfer to Cabinet Office

Found: identified, officials highlight these and where appropriate, seek advice or a decision from the Cabinet Office

Found: for the Debt Relief Order, Application Programme Interface. 0.0 0.6 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.6 BCT from Cabinet Office

Found: We have a monthly meeting with Government officials from the Cabinet Office and the Treasury.

Found: August 2025, the total cost increased to 1.3% of delegated paybill with approval from HMT and the Cabinet Office

Found: Office from Department for Transport 0.263 Transfer in of Integrated Security Fund from Cabinet Office

Found: Cover Transfer: HO £30,000 £70,000 £100,000 Budget Cover Transfer: MOD £5,000 £5,000 £5,000 Cabinet Office

Found: International Investment-143(Section H) Machinery of Government: Integrated Security Fund transfer to Cabinet Office

Found: Cover Transfer: HO £30,000 £70,000 £100,000 Budget Cover Transfer: MOD £5,000 £5,000 £5,000 Cabinet Office

Found: Adults Skills to DWP from 1st April 2026 (27.7) (4,273.5) (4,301.2) (6.5) BCT Out Cabinet Office

Found: A review of Safety Advisory Group guidance is being undertaken by the Cabinet Office-owned UK Resilience

Found: deal about the delivery of organisational and cultural change. 2001–2003: Director General, Cabinet Office

Found: deal about the delivery of organisational and cultural change. 2001–2003: Director General, Cabinet Office

Found: HM Treasury has provided an indemnity to the Cabinet Office in respect of employer contributions payable

Found: Adjustments Sub-total 0.0 50.0 50.0 -50.0 0.0 Other Government Department (OGD) Budget Transfers Cabinet Office

Found: taking the unusual step in this report of making recommendations, not for the Bank, but for the Cabinet Office

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

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

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

Found: It has been refocused; it runs out of the Cabinet Office, as you know.

Found: It has been refocused; it runs out of the Cabinet Office, as you know.

Found: By then, the Cabinet Office had reflected further and they also agreed.

Found: I knew I was moving on to a new phase in my career and from scanning the Cabinet Office public appointments

Found: We work very closely with the Foreign Office, Home Office and Cabinet Office in particular around that

Found: By then, the Cabinet Office had reflected further and they also agreed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Found: , whom I interviewed a couple of weeks ago, confirmed to me that the Government, led by the Cabinet Office

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

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

Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, with reference to HM Government’s submission to the Procedure Committee, WRP0015, published 28 January 2026, paragraph 29, what steps is the Leader of the House taking to address the inconsistencies on the approach to written questions and the Freedom of Information Act in relation to written answers by the Cabinet Office.

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

It is a matter for individual departments to determine how to respond to parliamentary questions from Members.

The Guide to Parliamentary Work (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work), published by my office, sets out the government's position regarding the relationship between the treatment of requests for information through parliamentary questions and the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000. Paragraph 221 states that “if information would be released under FOI, it would also be released in response to a WPQ”.

I have written to all Members of Cabinet and spoken with Departmental Parliamentary Clerks and Permanent Secretaries to remind departments and Ministers about the importance of providing full and helpful responses to WPQs - including their obligations to disclose information in WPQs that would be released under FOI.

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

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many apprentices her Department recruited in 2025, compared to i) 2022 ii) 2023 and iii) 2024.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The Office for Equality and Opportunity (OEO) is part of the Cabinet Office. No external apprentices were recruited specifically into OEO in either 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025.

Although we did not recruit any apprentices, OEO remains committed to professional development; during this period, existing staff members have undertaken apprenticeships alongside their roles to support their career progression and technical expertise.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to item 105 of the letter sent from Lord Strathclyde, Chair of the Constitution Committee to Stephen Doughty MP, Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories regarding the UK-Overseas Joint Declaration, published 17 April 2026, which Ministers have (a) designated responsibility for Overseas Territories matters and (b) attend the cross-governmental Ministerial group on the Territories by Department.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Ministers who currently hold designated responsibility for Overseas Territories matters are: the Cabinet Office Minister of State; Economic Secretary to the Treasury; Ministry of Justice Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sentencing, Youth Justice and International; Home Office Minister of State (House of Lords); Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Climate); Ministry of Defence Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for the Armed Forces); Department of Business and Trade Minister of State (Minister for Trade); Department for Culture Media and Sport Minister of State (Minister for Creative Industries, Media and Arts); Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Minister of State (Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear); Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature); Department of Health and Social Care Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health Innovation and Safety; Department for Transport Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation); Solicitor General; Department for Education Minister of State (Minister for Skills); Secretary of State for Scotland and one of the Wales Office Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State.

All these Ministers are invited to attend the cross-governmental Ministerial Group on the Overseas Territories.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Cabinet Office guidance entitled May 2026 Elections: guidance on conduct for civil servants, updated on 2 March 2026, has affected the timing of the publication of the Defence Investment Plan.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what timetable his Department has set for submitting proposals to the Cabinet Office on arm’s length body reform and accountability.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Cabinet Office press release entitled Call to action for AI companies to work with UK Government on national cyber defence, published on 22 April 2026, what criteria will be used to select AI companies to participate in collaboration on national cyber defence.

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

The Government set out at CYBERUK its ambition to work with frontier AI companies to strengthen national cyber defence. The Government continues to consider a range of options for strengthening AI enabled cyber defence capabilities. As with other areas of policy, the Government engages with a wide range of stakeholders to inform its thinking. Any formal mechanism for cooperation with external partners will be taken forward in line with relevant legal, commercial and national security requirements.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Cabinet Office press release entitled Call to action for AI companies to work with UK Government on national cyber defence, published on 22 April 2026, whether discussions have been entered into with AI companies attending the CYBERUK event.

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

The Government set out at CYBERUK its ambition to work with frontier AI companies to strengthen national cyber defence. The Government continues to consider a range of options for strengthening AI enabled cyber defence capabilities. As with other areas of policy, the Government engages with a wide range of stakeholders to inform its thinking. Any formal mechanism for cooperation with external partners will be taken forward in line with relevant legal, commercial and national security requirements.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Cabinet Office press release entitled Call to action for AI companies to work with UK Government on national cyber defence, published on 22 April 2026, what formal mechanisms are in place to secure cooperation between the Government and AI companies in developing AI-powered cyber defence systems.

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

The Government set out at CYBERUK its ambition to work with frontier AI companies to strengthen national cyber defence. The Government continues to consider a range of options for strengthening AI enabled cyber defence capabilities. As with other areas of policy, the Government engages with a wide range of stakeholders to inform its thinking. Any formal mechanism for cooperation with external partners will be taken forward in line with relevant legal, commercial and national security requirements.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

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

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

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

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

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

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

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

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

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

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

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

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

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

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

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

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

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

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

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

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

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Question to the Attorney General:

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

Answered by Lord Hermer - Attorney General

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

Question to the Attorney General:

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

Answered by Lord Hermer - Attorney General

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

Question to the Attorney General:

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

Answered by Lord Hermer - Attorney General

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

Question

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

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

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

Found: Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment and reappointment processes comply with the Cabinet Office

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Found: ="govuk-table__cell">CCG Commercial Services

Found: class="govuk-table__cell">HR Central Services

Found: govuk-table__cell">DG Corporate Delivery Group

Found: Cover Transfer: HO £30,000 £70,000 £100,000 Budget Cover Transfer: MOD £5,000 £5,000 £5,000 Cabinet Office

Found: Investment -143 (Section H) Machinery of Government: Integrated Security Fund transfer to Cabinet Office

Found: This provision has transferred to the Cabinet Office through a Machinery of Government change.

Found: This provision has transferred to the Cabinet Office through a Machinery of Government change.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Found: who has led GIAA since December 2023, is taking up the role of Chief Operating Officer at the Cabinet Office

Found: Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment and reappointment processes comply with the Cabinet Office

Found: About Crown Representatives The Cabinet Office introduced a new approach for how government engages with

Found: and Cat Little (Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office

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

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

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

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

Found: To support readiness for the new regime, the Cabinet Office have provided a range of information for

Found: Documents may still refer to the Cabinet Office.

Found: Documents may still refer to the Cabinet Office.

Found: commit to the specific wording you’ve proposed, I assure you that my officials have engaged Cabinet Office