Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the formula and methodology used to calculate the severance payment of the former Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Details of payments made to the former Cabinet Secretary will be published in the Annual Report and Accounts for Cabinet Office for the financial year in which the payment was made.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government why the severance payment to the former Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald required a Ministerial Direction but the severance payment to his predecessor Lord Case did not; and whether this was due to the amount paid.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Details of any payments made to the previous Cabinet Secretary will be published in the Cabinet Office Annual report and Accounts for 2025-26.

The necessary approvals were given for payments made to Sir Chris Wormald and Lord Case, as set out in the Guidance on Public Sector Exit Payments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 23 March (HC120374), what assessment they have made of any potential conflict of interest of Cabinet Office staff who produced briefing or advised on the due diligence regarding Lord Mandelson's appointment being involved in the selection, scoping and redaction of documentation released to Parliament for the Humble Address of 4 February; and who advises the Propriety and Constitution Group about the mitigation of any conflicts of interests about the actions of the group.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Staff from across the Cabinet Office including but not limited to the Public Inquiry Response Unit and the Propriety and Constitution Group are involved in compliance with the Humble Address motion as necessary, under the leadership of the Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary.

As set out in the Civil Service Code, all civil servants are expected to carry out their roles with dedication and a commitment to core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister without Portfolio on 2 December 2025 (HC94697), whether the appointment of the current Director General of the Propriety, Ethics and Constitution Group was a level move or temporary promotion; and whether a Minister approved the appointment without open and fair competition.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The appointment of the current DG Propriety, Ethics and Constitution Group is a temporary promotion. Interim arrangements do not usually require ministerial approval. A recruitment campaign will be launched in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 18 March (HC119335), and with regard to Ministers' overseas travel and meetings: Publication Guidance, published on 30 January 2025, why the Palantir meeting did not meet the threshold for inclusion in the Prime Minister's quarterly transparency return in line with paragraphs 3(a), 3(b) and 16 of that guidance.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the Noble Lady to the answer given on 5 March, Official Report, PQ HC110411:

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77563 on Palantir, whether there is a record of who the Prime Minister (a) met and (b) spoke to during that visit.

Answer: The visit was part of the Prime Minister's trip to Washington. During this visit the Prime Minister listened to a short presentation about Palantir’s work, followed by a tour of the premises and an introduction to members of staff.

In December 2025, the MOD signed an extension to the Enterprise Agreement with Palantir that had been initially awarded in November 2022, by the previous Government, and via a direct award. This extension covered existing services and ensured there was no drop-off in MOD capability in critical areas.

This contract - and all other contracts for any firm - go through the usual rigorous departmental processes and their decision makers.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 9 April (HL15974), whether they plan to amend Ministerial Pension Scheme legislation to allow for pension forfeiture in cases where a minister is found guilty of (1) misconduct in public life, and (2) improper performance under the Bribery Act 2010, relating to their ministerial conduct.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the response already provided to HL 15974:

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office on 23 March (HC120630), what consideration they have given to amending primary legislation to provide for the Ministerial Pension Scheme to be in scope of forfeiture for situations where a former minister is convicted for a criminal offence in relation to their activities while serving as a minister.

Answer: The government does not currently have any plans to amend the Ministerial Pension Scheme.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 9 April (HL16073), in what manner the disclosure of the publication date of the most recent version of the guidance to the Civil Service on speaking to the media inhibits the future policy development of changes to that guidance.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The guidance on speaking to the media is subject to ongoing policy development. Disclosing the publication date of the most recent version of the guidance could, in conjunction with other information already in the public domain, reveal the stage and direction of that development, which in turn could inhibit the free and frank provision of advice necessary for the policy process to operate effectively.

Found: Letter dated 31/03/2026 from Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent to Baroness Finn regarding the draft