Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether children and young people will be required to hold an ID card if they work.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
On 26 September 2025, the Prime Minister announced plans for free digital ID to be available to all UK citizens and legal residents. This is not an ID card.
The scope of the digital ID scheme is still in development and we are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop an inclusive, secure, and useful system.
Employers already conduct right to work checks using proof of ID. The new credential will enable these to be fully digitised by the end of this Parliament.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of Digital ID in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government intends to work closely with each of the Devolved Governments.
My colleague, the Minister for Digital Government and Data, Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, was in Northern Ireland on 7 October 2025. He had meetings with representatives across parties in the Northern Ireland Executive, where the issue of the Government's proposed digital ID scheme was discussed.
The Government has made a commitment that the new government-issued digital ID will respect the Good Friday Agreement and the Common Travel Area.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to help prevent data breaches associated with the proposed digital ID cards.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The National Cyber Security Centre is advising the Government on how the new credential is built to the highest standard of security. This would operate a three lines of defence process - this helps ensure data is protected, fraud is deterred and detected, and threats are monitored and responded to.
Ensuring that security arrangements for the proposed digital ID scheme keeps pace with the changing threat landscape will be central to its development.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to help support people who are digitally excluded to work, in the context of the implementation of the proposed digital ID card.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The digital ID scheme will be underpinned by the principle that no one should be left behind. Making this system work for everyone will be a top priority, including those who do not have smartphones, are elderly, or are less digitally confident, so everyone will benefit from simpler, safer access to services.
To support those who are digitally excluded, including those from work, the Government will deliver an ambitious digital inclusion programme across the country to ensure they are able to access the new digital ID scheme, and use public services with ease.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy not to introduce ID cards.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
On 26 September 2025, the Prime Minister announced plans for free digital ID to be available to all UK citizens and legal residents. This is not an ID card.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Freedom of Information requests his Department has received relating to the Government Car Service since 1 April 2025; and how many have been (a) refused and (b) disclosed.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government Car Service (GCS) transferred to the Cabinet Office from the Department for Transport, as a result of a machinery of government change, on 1st April 2025. Freedom of Information (FOI) requests relating to GCS prior to that date were answered by the Department for Transport.
Since 1 April 2025, the Cabinet Office has received 15 FOI requests relating to the GCS. Of the 11 requests that have been closed, five requests were granted in full and one request was refused in full. Other outcomes were that the information was already planned for publication, that the information was not held, or that responding to the request would have exceeded the cost limit.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the net zero targets are for (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s-length bodies; and whether guidance has been issued on adopting net zero targets earlier than 2050.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Net Zero target in the Climate Change Act 2008, is a target for the whole of the UK, not individual departments or arms-length bodies.
Greening Government Commitments are the central framework setting out the actions UK government departments and their agencies will take to reduce their impacts on the environment, including setting targets to reduce emissions, during the framework period.
Defra are reviewing the Greening Government Commitments to ensure that they remain aligned with government priorities.
The Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts (24/25) includes a Sustainability Report which details all relevant metrics
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many full-time equivalent staff in 10 Downing Street have been employed for the purpose of making social media content in each of the last three years.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Communications staff work across social media content as well as broader digital communications. It is therefore not possible to provide exact figures.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he takes steps to ascertain whether Ministers occupy official Ministerial residences as primary residences.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to PQ 95895, PQ 81873, and HL 9337.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what representations the Government made to the European Commission at the Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee meeting on 18 December 2025 regarding the protection of UK nationals’ rights in the EU.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Information on matters discussed at the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights is available here: Citizens’ Rights Specialised Committee meeting, 18 December 2025: joint statement - GOV.UK. The UK and the EU are committed to working cooperatively to ensure full and faithful implementation of the citizens’ rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement.