Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with arm’s-length bodies regarding civil action being taken against their staff due to gender-critical views.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government cannot comment on individual cases of civil action within arm’s length bodies.
Sponsor departments are responsible for maintaining the relationship between the government and its arm’s length bodies. This includes ensuring appropriate discussions about ongoing issues are held.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether government departments give equal consideration and status to staff sex equality and equity networks as they do to LGBT+ and other diversity groupings.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
All formally recognised cross-government equality, diversity and inclusion networks are given equal consideration. The Cabinet Office oversees cross-government equality, diversity and inclusion networks. Management of departmental equality, diversity and inclusion networks is delegated to departments.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their policy on Civil Service and other Government staff adding membership or support logos to their official email or correspondence signatures.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There is no central policy on email signatures in the Civil Service. Individual departments may choose to provide their civil servants with guidance on this matter. Civil servants should of course be mindful of the core values in the Civil Service Code, including ensuring anything included in their signatures maintains their commitment to impartiality.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are planning to amend the terms of reference of (1) the House of Lords Appointments Commission, (2) the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, (3) the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests, or (4) the Committee on Standards in Public Life.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is a government of service and it is committed to restoring trust and confidence in public life. We will establish a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission, with its own independent Chair. We will ensure that this Commission has the powers and remit necessary to fulfil its responsibilities. The terms of reference of other public bodies are kept under review and updated in line with good practice.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make regulations under section 2(5) of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 to amend section 2(3) of that Act to cover communications to a special adviser, as defined in that Act.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
With reference to PQ 1250 and PQ 1251 from 23rd July of this year, the Government is committed to establishing a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission. As part of that, the government will consider whether any changes are required to improve transparency around lobbying and will update Parliament as necessary.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to revise the Ministerial Code.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As the Prime Minister has made clear, public service is a privilege. When meeting with his new Cabinet for the first time, the Prime Minister was clear about the standards he expects of all ministers.
The Prime Minister will issue a Ministerial Code in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many overseas electors are (1) on electoral rolls in the United Kingdom, (2) apply for a postal vote, and (3) voted in the 2019 general election.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
There were 233,000 overseas electors registered in Great Britain for the 2019 general election. The Government does not hold data on the number of overseas electors who submitted a postal vote application or how many voted.
The Office for National Statistics also publishes electoral statistic bulletins with some information on overseas electors. This can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/elections/electoralregistration/bulletins/electoralstatisticsforuk/previousReleases.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the EU about the establishment of the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, as provided for in the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement; and what has been the outcome of any such discussions.
Answered by Lord Frost
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides for a Civil Society Forum - composed of a balanced representation of UK and EU business and civil society groups - to discuss the implementation of aspects of the Agreement.
We are in contact with the EU about the operational guidelines for the conduct of this Forum and will work to facilitate its first meeting this year.
We will, of course, continue to engage with business and civil society in the usual way, including on issues relating to TCA implementation.
As for the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, it is a matter for Parliament to consider the potential shape of the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, within the framework set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to establish the Civil Society Forum as provided for in the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Lord Frost
The Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides for a Civil Society Forum - composed of a balanced representation of UK and EU business and civil society groups - to discuss the implementation of aspects of the Agreement.
We are in contact with the EU about the operational guidelines for the conduct of this Forum and will work to facilitate its first meeting this year.
We will, of course, continue to engage with business and civil society in the usual way, including on issues relating to TCA implementation.
As for the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, it is a matter for Parliament to consider the potential shape of the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, within the framework set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for establishing the domestic advisory group or groups described in Article INST.7 of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Government is carefully considering how it provides for the necessary institutions provided for in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The Government consults with a wide range of businesses and civil society groups on an ongoing basis, including on the issues covered by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.