Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to reduce the gender pay gap in the civil service.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Civil Service is committed to being an inclusive employer. Departments report annually on their gender pay gap producing action plans to specifically target drivers of GPG and pay disparities within their respective organisations. 2025 data shows the lowest recorded gender pay gaps since overall Civil Service reporting began in 2020.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108237 on Trade unions, what the recognition of the FDA entails; whether the FDA is consulted on (a) exit payments and (b) pay rises for special advisers; and whether there is facility time for special advisers’ union representation.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office recognises the FDA for collective bargaining on the terms of the annual pay award for special advisers. The Cabinet Office does not consult the FDA on individual pay rises or exit payments for special advisers.
There is no facility time agreement in place specifically for special advisers, but any arrangements would follow the Cabinet Office’s centrally issued facility time framework.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent engagement the Prime Minister has had with his European counterparts on the war in Ukraine.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to the Joint E3 Leaders’ Statement with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine from 7 June 2026, available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish Cabinet Office Freedom of Information Act response, reference FOI2026/04975, dated 13 April 2026.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Responses to Freedom of Information requests are considered to be public. The requester can share the response if they so wish.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the answer of 10 April 2026, to Question 115548, on Diplomatic Service: USA, whether all the internal government evidence and papers relating to the investigation into the Consul General to New York have been destroyed or retained for the purposes of public records legislation.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
HR documents are retained in line with the Cabinet Office Information and Records Policy. The Cabinet Office Records Selection Policy sets out which records the Cabinet Office will select for permanent preservation.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to align Government policy with the EU’s higher air quality standards as part of the European Partnership Bill.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The European Partnership Bill will provide the necessary powers to deliver treaties with the European Union now and in the future. Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise the Bill when it is introduced to Parliament in the usual way.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the European Partnership Bill will include provisions on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) standards.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The European Partnership Bill will provide the necessary powers to deliver treaties with the European Union now and in the future. Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise the Bill when it is introduced to Parliament in the usual way.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Morgan McSweeney, whilst Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, backed up official information on his government-issued iPhone through the Apple iCloud service, and whether the Advanced Data Protection facility was used.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 13 April 2026, Official Report, PQ 123637.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the proposed annual budget and headcount is for the Government Media Unit in the 2026-2027 financial year.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is currently finalising the operational requirements of the Government Media Unit.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 113919 on Equality: Gender and Intersex, what the timetable is for the Gender Identity and Intersex Policy Package review following the publication of the Equality Act 2010: Draft Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
New model Policy and Guidance: Supporting Trans and Non-binary Employees was issued to departments on 22 May 2026. These may be used by departments as templates for their own departmental guidance.