Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Government launches consultation on making public services quicker, easier and more secure to access with digital ID, published on 10 March 2026, whether Government by app will store all data together for digital IDs.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is committed to the principle of data minimisation, ensuring the new digital ID system only processes the information necessary to provide a specific service.
There will be no new single central database storing all government data on a person in one place.
We are consulting on how we can build on existing infrastructure to provide a modern “Government by App” experience that gives users more control over their data than they have now and reduces reliance on manual paperwork.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Government launches consultation on making public services quicker, easier and more secure to access with digital ID, published on 10 March 2026, what proportion of the People’s Panel will be from Essex.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As per my response to PQ 120739, participants will be recruited through a process called sortition. This is a random postcode lottery. It is a way of selecting individuals to take part in deliberative processes, where everyone is given an equal chance to be invited. No individual can buy their way in or simply turn up at the event.
Our partners at the Sortition Foundation manage this process. Sortition Foundation will mail out to thousands of households, at random, to invite members of the public to take part. Once volunteers have been received, a set of criteria is used to determine a broadly representative sample.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Government launches consultation on making public services quicker, easier and more secure to access with digital ID, published on 10 March 2026, what steps he is taking to ensure no pre-existing bias by members of the People’s Panel.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Participants will be recruited through a process called sortition. This is a random postcode lottery. It is a way of selecting individuals to take part in deliberative processes, where everyone is given an equal chance to be invited. No individual can buy their way in or simply turn up at the event.
Our partners at the Sortition Foundation manage this process. Sortition Foundation will mail out to thousands of households, at random, to invite members of the public to take part. Once volunteers have been received, a set of criteria is used to determine a broadly representative sample.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Government launches consultation on making public services quicker, easier and more secure to access with digital ID, published on 10 March 2026, how many people will be on the People’s Panel.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Participants will be recruited through a process called sortition. This is a random postcode lottery. It is a way of selecting individuals to take part in deliberative processes, where everyone is given an equal chance to be invited. No individual can buy their way in or simply turn up at the event. All participants must be 18 or over to join the People’s Panel.
Our partners at the Sortition Foundation manage this process. Sortition Foundation will mail out to thousands of households, at random, to invite members of the public to take part. Over 100 people will be selected to participate in the People’s Panel on Digital ID.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled Government launches consultation on making public services quicker, easier and more secure to access with digital ID, published on 10 March 2026, what weight will be given to the discussions of the People’s Panel.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The consultation will be open until 5 May 2026. The People’s Panel will convene throughout May and June to hear expert evidence, concluding their work on 21 June 2026. Outputs from the People’s Panel will be weighed alongside the broader consultation feedback to inform the design and delivery of the voluntary digital ID system.
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 ONS Blog entitled Putting the foundations in place to make Census 2031 a success, of 4 March 2026, whether the 2027 Test will include gender identity.
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 March is attached.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the criteria are for the forfeiture of a (a) Ministerial and (b) civil service pension.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Information on the criteria for forfeiture of a Civil Service pension is provided on the scheme website within the Employer Pension Guide.
The Ministerial Pension Scheme is part of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (PCPF) and there is no provision in the scheme rules for the forfeiture of benefits.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Intelligence and Security Committee will have access to independent legal advice for the consideration of the redaction of the material to be released in response to the Humble Address of 4 February 2026.
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: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to amend his Department's guidance to civil servants, Ministers and special advisers on using non-corporate communication devices.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire to my replies to his Parliamentary Questions 112176 and 112653. The current guidance was issued under the previous government. We plan to review the way that non-corporate communication channels are used in Government and to update the accompanying guidance to reflect the changes in the ways we use technology.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his statement of 11 March 2026, Official Report, Column 364, on Lord Mandelson: Response to Humble Address Motion, whether he has consulted lawyers in the Metropolitan Police.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As per the statement from the Metropolitan Police on 4th February 2026, they are asking us to refrain from publishing any relevant documents that could prejudice their investigation. We do not comment on ongoing police investigations. The Government stands ready to support the police in whatever way it can.