Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
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.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
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.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
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 This includes instances where UKSV recommendations may have been superseded by employing departments.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
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.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
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.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
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
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
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.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
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
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
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