Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Government Digital Service or an external IT company have been commissioned to build a new platform for transparency data, as set out in the July 2023 policy paper on “Strengthening Ethics and Integrity in Central Government”.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

This Government is fully committed to transparency and to looking at how the range of information published can be improved and made as useful as possible. As part of this, the government has committed to publishing a new central register of ministers’ gifts and hospitality on a monthly basis. The first register will be published by the Cabinet Office in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to make it their policy to publish agendas and minutes from their mission boards; and whether the mission boards are able to make agreements on government policy.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its committees - including mission boards - is not normally shared publicly.

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 27 November 2024 (HC14966), whether the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals advises the Prime Minister or the Sovereign directly; and whether the Prime Minister can veto decisions by the Committee.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals advises the Sovereign directly.

As noted in our answer to HC 14966, the Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary is a member of the committee. This is the mechanism by which the Prime Minister is able to feed into decisions taken by the committee, and the view of the PPS carries equal weight to all other committee members.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 21 October 2024 (HL1279), whether the gift of clothes to a Minister from a political donor would necessitate a tax charge.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Ministers are employees for the purposes of Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions.

The normal rules for employment-related benefits apply to employment-related gifts, as set out in HMRC’s guidance. [1]

HMRC’s Employment Income Manual, section EIM21715 details the exemption for small gifts costing a total of £250 or less per year to provide. [2]

[1] HMRC Internal Employment Income Manual, Updated 12 December 2024, https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim20020

[2] HMRC Internal Employment Income Manual, Updated 12 December 2024, https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim21715

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 18 December 2024 (HL3603), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the products of the April 2024 review that streamlined Civil Service governance structures and forums.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The review of governance structures was an internal exercise commissioned as part of wider work to inform decisions for ministers. Disclosure would likely prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs and inhibit free and frank advice and discussion. As a result, a copy of the advice will not be placed in the Library of the House.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 18 December 2024 (HL3603), whether the Civil Service Board, People Board, Civil Service Operations Board, Location and Property Board, Data and Digital Board, or Senior Leadership Committee have any formal sub-committees or working groups; and if so, what is their scope and membership.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Civil Service Board (renamed the Operations Board), People Board and Senior Leadership Committee have no subcommittees or working groups. The Civil Service Operations Board, Location and Property Board, Data and Digital Board have ceased operation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 18 December 2024 (HL3603), whether the reported Wednesday Morning Colleagues group still meets, and whether it exercises any management functions in relation to the Civil Service.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Wednesday Morning Colleagues is a regular Permanent Secretary meeting, it is not one of the Civil Service committees that exercise management functions in relation to the Civil Service.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the new Bangladeshi government and on which dates; and if so, if whether they discussed the allegations of embezzlement by ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her family, and the associated laundering of money in the United Kingdom.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Minister for the Indo-Pacific visited Bangladesh in November 2024 and met the Chief Adviser and Foreign Affairs Adviser of the Interim Government. I refer the Noble Lady to the press release of this meeting on the Government website. In October 2024, the Foreign Secretary met the Foreign Affairs Adviser during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. We do not comment on any individual asset recovery cases.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Georgia Gould on 26 November 2024 (HC14635), what Ministerial gifts the Prime Minister has accepted which have since been returned or reimbursed, other than gifts where the Prime Minister has purchased the gift or the gift has been retained by the department.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the Noble Lady to my answer of 26 November 2024, PQ 14635.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 20 January 2025 (HL3881), how is the position that (1) the government committee advises the Sovereign directly, and (2) the view of the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary carries equal weight to all other members on the government committee, compatible with the established constitutional position that the Prime Minister is the principal adviser to the Sovereign and the leader of His Majesty’s Government.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) was established by King George VI to provide objective advice to the Sovereign on the operation of the honours system.

The Sovereign is the fount of all honour and the honours system itself operates under the Royal Prerogative. The HD Committee is an advisory body only. The Committee’s advice does not carry the weight that is accorded to ministerial advice; nor does it have the power to take decisions as Ministers do. The Committee has historically recognised the need to reflect the position of the Government and the membership of the Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary ensures the Prime Minister's views can be properly represented.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 12 November 2024 (HL1945), whether Cabinet Office or Downing Street special advisers participated in campaigning in the recent US elections using annual leave.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the written answer to Baroness Chapman of Darlington which highlighted that special advisers are required to follow the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers. We do not retain records on Special Adviser's use of Annual Leave.

Found: the Council of the Nations and the Regions” House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill 2 LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN

Found: the Council of the Nations and the Regions” House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill 2 LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN

Found: the Council of the Nations and the Regions” House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill 2 LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN

Found: the Council of the Nations and the Regions” House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill 2 LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN

Found: the Council of the Nations and the Regions” House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill 2 LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN

Found: by the House of Lords by a member of the Council of the Nations and the Regions” LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN

Found: by the House of Lords by a member of the Council of the Nations and the Regions” LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN

Found: LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN _ Leave out Clause 1 and insert the following new Clause— “Exclusion of remaining

Found: LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN _ Leave out Clause 1 and insert the following new Clause— “Exclusion of remaining

Found: LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN _ Leave out Clause 1 and insert the following new Clause— “Exclusion of remaining

Found: Letter dated 03/02/2025 from Baroness Smith of Malvern to Baroness Finn regarding a correction to statistics