Baroness Neville-Rolfe

Paragraph 6c of the Model Contract for Special Advisers sets out a special adviser's entitlements if they are dismissed during or at the conclusion of their 4-month probationary period, or if they terminate their employment by giving notice during that same period.

16 August 2024.

This Government will introduce a register for ministers’ gifts and hospitality bringing publication of ministerial transparency data on a broadly equivalent basis to the parliamentary register.

Work on the new register is progressing and further details will be published in due course. Transparency data for ministerial meetings and overseas travel, special advisers and senior officials will continue to be published quarterly as it has been under previous administrations.

The UK Integrated Security Fund has been delivering programmes to tackle threats to UK security at home and overseas since it launched on 1 April 2024, building on the work of the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund. The Government will consider the future activity of the Fund as part of the upcoming Spending Review. Programmes are currently delivered across 18 government departments and agencies.

The new National Procurement Policy Statement will set out a mission-led procurement regime which meets the challenge of applying the full potential of public procurement to deliver value for money, economic growth and social value. We are consulting on the policy statement, including on how we encourage and support SMEs bidding for contracts. Vital work on this is now underway with stakeholders, including small businesses and representative organisations in the development of the new NPPS.

The new National Procurement Policy Statement will set out a mission-led procurement regime which meets the challenge of applying the full potential of public procurement to deliver value for money, economic growth and social value. We are consulting on the policy statement, including on how we encourage and support SMEs bidding for contracts. Vital work on this is now underway with stakeholders, including small businesses and representative organisations in the development of the new NPPS.

Government departments publish details of hospitality received by senior civil servants and special advisers in the course of their duties on a quarterly basis on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.

The Cabinet Office does not comment on individuals.

The Ministerial Code sets out that 'It is the personal responsibility of each Minister to decide whether and what action is needed to avoid a conflict or the perception of a conflict, taking account of advice received from their Permanent Secretary and the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ interests.'

The Code also sets out that 'The personal information which Ministers disclose to those who advise them is treated in confidence. However, a statement covering relevant Ministers’ interests will be published twice yearly.'

The Cabinet Office is currently engaging stakeholders to help shape how a new, mission-driven approach to public procurement could support delivery of the Government’s missions alongside local priorities. We expect procurement measures to be beneficial to businesses and contracting authorities.

I refer to the answer given to HL1066 on 4 October. I am confident that the short delay to the implementation of the Procurement Act will allow for a more seamless transition, ensuring a smoother and more effective implementation process for both contracting authorities and suppliers. The NPPS is an essential element of the Procurement Act, and it is crucial that the new regime commences with a statutory NPPS aligned to this Government’s priorities.

All civil servants are expected at all times to carry out their duties in accordance with the values of the Civil Service Code, including impartiality.

Departments and agencies are responsible for the management of their workforce, in accordance with the rules of the Civil Service Management Code.

The Government does not hold this information centrally. Each department is a separate public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and maintains its own records of requests made under the Act.

The Government wants to ensure that public procurement supports delivery of its missions. The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) which sets out the Government’s strategic policy priorities for public procurement is an essential element of the Procurement Act, and it is crucial that the new regime commences with a statutory NPPS aligned to the new Government’s priorities.

Work will now begin on a new NPPS, helping to create a mission-led procurement regime which builds on the transformative powers within the Act, and which meets the challenge of applying the full potential of public procurement to deliver value for money, economic growth and social value. This work will be completed by February and therefore, Ministers have taken the decision to delay the commencement of the new regime until the new NPPS is in place. I am confident that this extra time will allow for a more seamless transition, ensuring a smoother and more effective implementation process for both contracting authorities and suppliers. The NPPS laid by the previous administration, and which would have come into force with the Act, will be withdrawn.

In line with the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, the list of special advisers and their pay bands will be published in the relevant Annual Report on Special Advisers.

The Government wants to ensure that public procurement supports delivery of its missions. The National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) which sets out the Government’s strategic policy priorities for public procurement is an essential element of the Procurement Act, and it is crucial that the new regime commences with a statutory NPPS aligned to the new Government’s priorities.

Work will now begin on a new NPPS, helping to create a mission-led procurement regime which builds on the transformative powers within the Act, and which meets the challenge of applying the full potential of public procurement to deliver value for money, economic growth and social value. This work will be completed by February and therefore, Ministers have taken the decision to delay the commencement of the new regime until the new NPPS is in place. I am confident that this extra time will allow for a more seamless transition, ensuring a smoother and more effective implementation process for both contracting authorities and suppliers. The NPPS laid by the previous administration, and which would have come into force with the Act, will be withdrawn.

Following the 4th July 2024 election, there have been two Written Ministerial Statements outlining several Machinery of Government changes, all of which impact the Cabinet Office. The Written Ministerial Statement laid on 24th July 2024 (HCWS19) announced:

• The Office for Veterans’ Affairs will move from the Cabinet Office to the Ministry of Defence

• Digital functions (i.AI, Government Digital Service, Central Digital and Data Office) will move from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

• Ministerial oversight of the EU relationship (existing agreements and the future relationship) will move from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to the Cabinet Office

• Government Car Service will move from the Department for Transport (DfT) to the Cabinet Office

A later Written Ministerial Statement laid on 5th September set out:

• Responsibility for Union and devolution policy across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is moving from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to the Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office staff are now working on the implementation of the above Machinery of Government Changes, including scoping and impact assessment.

The next List of Ministers’ Interests will be published in due course in line with the established process in place for the declaration and management of private interests held by ministers, which ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest.

There is an established process in place for the declaration and management of ministers’ private interests, which ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest.

There is an established process in place for the declaration and management of private interests held by ministers, which ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest.

There is a well-established process in place for the declaration and management of ministers’ private interests, which has been followed in all instances.

The publication of this data was suspended in line with pre-election guidance for the duration of the Pre-Election Period. We will provide an update on future publication plans in due course.

Data on the work history of those appointed into the Civil Service is not routinely collated.

Previous political activity does not preclude appointment into the Civil Service. All Civil Servants are expected to support the government of the day in accordance with the values of the Civil Service Code, including impartiality. Routine recruitment processes are in place to allow candidates to declare any potential conflicts of interest, and to discuss how these should be handled.

Where appointments are made by exception to the principle of fair and open competition, the employing department must be satisfied that the use of the relevant exceptions route is justified and that the individuals in question can uphold the Civil Service Code values.

It is a long-standing policy not to comment on individuals.

All civil servants are expected to carry out their duties in accordance with the values of the Civil Service Code, including impartiality. Where appointments are made by exception to the principle of fair and open competition, the employing department must be satisfied that the use of the relevant exceptions route is justified and that the individuals in question can uphold the Civil Service Code values.

The Guide to Parliamentary Work is published by the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work.

The Government's position regarding the relationship between the treatment of requests for information under Parliamentary Questions and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is unchanged. It is a routine courtesy and a recognised fundamental right of Parliament that Members receive full and timely responses to parliamentary questions.

The Government is working on reducing frictions at the border as part of the reset of our relationship with the European Union. We look forward to discussing with EU partners, and with UK and EU industry, how best to achieve this.

Work is ongoing on the Border Target Operating Model and the Single Trade Window.

The Procurement Act 2023 is currently expected to come into effect on 28 October 2024.

The Procurement Act 2023 introduces a range of reforms to make it easier for SMEs to access public sector supply-chains, and we will be ensuring that the powers in the Act are utilised to support the new government’s priorities.

All special advisers are subject to the same checks as other civil servants in terms of security vetting, and are contractually obliged to meet the standards set out in both the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, and the Civil Service Code’s values of Honesty and Integrity.

The controls outlined in the Civil Service Equality Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance which was published on 14 May, including those relating to ministerial controls, a presumption against external equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure and centralisation of equality, diversity and inclusion guidance remain in place.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Staff Network time allocation is agreed between networks and departments as the employer. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.

The UK Integrated Security Fund has been delivering programmes to tackle the highest priority threats to UK security at home and overseas since it began on 1 April 2024. The Government will consider the Fund as part of the upcoming Spending Review.