Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 21 October (HL1279), whether HMRC considers that being a Minister constitutes employment for the purpose of determining whether a political gift is an employment-related benefit.
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 4 November 2024, https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim20020
[2] HMRC Internal Employment Income Manual, Updated 21 August 2024, https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/employment-income-manual/eim21715
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much Sue Gray will be paid as a severance payment for leaving her role as Chief of Staff; whether the severance will include a pension contribution; and whether the severance payment needs to be paid back, in whole or part, if Sue Gray rejoins Government as a direct ministerial appointment.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
It is not appropriate to comment on individuals. The Model Contract for Special Advisors is published online.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the 2 per cent productivity, efficiencies and savings target mentioned in the Autumn Budget is the same as, or additional to, the reduction in administration budgets by 2 per cent announced in Fixing the foundations: public spending audit 2024–25 (CP 1133) in July; and whether they expect that these savings will be sufficient to fund public sector pay settlements in 2025–26, or whether any above-inflation pay rises will require separate and additional improvements in efficiency and productivity.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
In the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor set a 2 per cent productivity, efficiencies, and savings target for all departments for 2025-26. This builds on plans to bear down and reprioritise administrative budgets to help fund 2024-25 pay pressures announced in Fixing the foundations: public spending audit 2024-25. Administration budgets cover the costs of all central government administration other than the costs of direct frontline service provision.
As set out in the Autumn Budget, departmental settlements for 2025-26 will need to fund the next round of public sector pay awards, and departments will set out their affordability evidence to the Pay Review Bodies (PRBs) in the usual way, taking account of expected inflation over the next financial year, forecast by the OBR to be 2.6%. If the PRBs recommend pay awards above the level departments have budgeted for, the government will have to consider the justification – for example where there are especially acute recruitment and retention demands, or where productivity improvements can unlock further funding.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 6 November (HL1944), which paragraph of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers provides guidance on campaigning in foreign elections.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Paragraph 20 sets out that where a special adviser wishes to undertake work for a political party, they may do this in their own time.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the Cabinet Office press release of 24 October 2024, “Civil Service continues commitment to minimum 60% office attendance”, whether the Monthly Average HQ Building Occupancy percentage statistics are based on (a) the average occupancy of desk capacity in the HQ building, or (b) the average workplace attendance of civil servants assigned to work in the HQ building.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As was the case under the last administration, of which the Right Honourable Lady was a member, the monthly average HQ building occupancy percentage statistics are based on the percentage of employees working in a departmental HQ building compared to its capacity.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 17 September (HL1069), whether Alan Milburn's commercial interests in healthcare were declared to the department when he provided advice to Ministers and officials; and whether the discussions with Ministers and officials included topics which touched on private sector involvement in healthcare.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care said in the House of Commons on 9 September 2024, “The right honourable Alan Milburn is a former Member of this House, a member of the Privy Council and a former Health Secretary. There is a clear distinction between inviting people with a wide range of experience and perspectives into the Department to have policy debates and to generate ideas, and having meetings that are about transacting Government business. I can assure the House that nothing commercially sensitive has been shared with Alan Milburn.”
He also said that “transparency matters. That is why meetings in my Department, and their attendees, will be published in the right and proper way on a quarterly basis.” As part of this quarterly return, and in line with guidance, we will be listing the purpose of the meetings.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Autumn Budget 2024 (HC 295), whether public corporations will be classified as public sector organisations for the purposes of receiving the allowance to compensate for increases to employer National Insurance contributions; and whether (1) the BBC, and (2) Channel 4, will receive the allowance.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way.
The Government plans to set out allocations by department as soon as possible.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Autumn Budget 2024 (HC 295), what classification of public sector organisations will receive the allowance of around £5 billion per year to compensate for the increase to employer National Insurance contributions; and how that allowance will be distributed to public bodies.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way.
The Government plans to set out allocations by department as soon as possible.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Autumn Budget 2024 (HC 295), whether the Chair of the Office for Value for Money was selected by open competition; what is his remuneration; and whether he is a civil servant, a public appointment or a direct ministerial appointment.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The appointment of independent Chair of the Office for Value for Money is a Direct Ministerial Appointment. The remuneration was published in the Terms of Reference on gov.uk.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Autumn Budget 2024 (HC 295), what areas of spending the Office for Value for Money will first assess.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Office for Value for Money (OVfM) was launched as part of the Budget. This confirmed that the OVfM will advise the Chancellor and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on decisions for Phase 2 of the Spending Review. This will include conducting an assessment of where and how to root out waste and inefficiency, undertaking value for money studies in specific high-risk areas of cross-departmental spending, and scrutinising investment proposals to ensure they offer value for money.