Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests has finished reviewing Ministers’ declared interests, whether all Ministers have now declared their interests, and when they intend to publish the List of Ministers' Interests.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to transfer Cabinet Office-sponsored (1) functions, and (2) agencies, to other Government departments.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made regarding whether the third stage of the Border Operating Model is on schedule to operate effectively and efficiently and without causing disruption; and what representations they have received from businesses on the third stage commencement and implementation of the Border Operating Model.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK currently applies a waiver for goods coming from the EU from Safety & Security (ENS) declarations. The Government will provide an update in due course on the plans for safety and security requirements and HMRC will carry out technical engagement accordingly.
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 the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office of 30 July (HC923), whether paragraphs 207–208 of the Cabinet Office's Guide to Parliamentary Work (November 2022) on the relationship between the treatment of requests for information under Parliamentary Questions and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 remain their policy when answering Parliamentary Questions.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 4 September (HL Deb col 1157), and to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 4 September (HC2317), whether Nick Thomas–Symonds declared, as a political donation in kind, the reported use of a seconded member of staff from Labour Together to (1) the Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office, or (2) to the Cabinet Secretary, before that member of staff, Jessica Sargeant, was appointed as a Deputy Director at the Cabinet Office by exception; whether they considered recusal; and whether Cabinet Office officials were informed of any political donations when they considered the delegated Recruitment Principles exception request for Miss Sargeant’s appointment to the Cabinet Office’s Propriety and Constitution Group.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government which Ministers (1) requested, and (2) approved, the appointment of Ian Corfield as a civil servant in July 2024; and which Minister and/or senior official authorised the Recruitment Principles exception application to the Civil Service Commission.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Ian Corfield was appointed on a short-term basis to carry out urgent work in support of the government’s International Investment Summit in October. A full recruitment process could not have been completed in the time available. He has since been appointed, unpaid, as a direct ministerial appointment.
The Treasury does not comment on the individual contractual arrangements.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will confirm if Ian Corfield received any payments in relation to his initial appointment as a civil servant in July 2024, prior to his subsequent conversion to a direct Ministerial appointment.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Ian Corfield was appointed on a short-term basis to carry out urgent work in support of the government’s International Investment Summit in October. A full recruitment process could not have been completed in the time available. He has since been appointed, unpaid, as a direct ministerial appointment.
The Treasury does not comment on the individual contractual arrangements.
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 the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 4 September (HC2317), whether a Minister is required to declare a political donation as an interest to their Department if they make a Government decision that directly and personally financially benefits the donor; and what guidance (1) the Cabinet Office, and (2) the Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests, have issued on such requirements, and on recusal processes in the event of conflicts of interest.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 4 September (HL Deb col 1157), and to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 4 September (HC2317), whether Peter Kyle declared as a political donation in kind the reported use of a seconded member of staff from Public Digital to the departmental Permanent Secretary before that member of staff, Emily Middleton, was appointed as a Director-General for Digital Centre Design in the department by exception; whether they considered recusal; and whether the Civil Service Commission was informed of any previous donations before they considered the Recruitment Principles exception request from the department for Ms Middleton’s appointment to the Senior Civil Service.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The secondment from Public Digital was listed by the Secretary of State in his Register of Members' Financial Interests in January and in April. Conflicts of interest have been managed by the Department in line with usual practice. The Civil Service Commission was provided with the relevant background information requested, including the proposed candidate’s full employment history, when approving this temporary appointment.
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 remarks by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 9 September (HC Deb col 578), whether Alan Milburn declared his financial interests to the Permanent Secretary; what steps have been taken to mitigate conflicts of interest in the advice from Mr Milburn; whether they will place a copy of any such declaration in the Library of the House; and whether Mr Milburn has signed a confidentiality agreement with the Department.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care stated in Parliament on 9 September 2024, it is absolutely right that people appointed to roles in public life declare their conflicts of interest so that they can be assessed when taking decisions or exercising powers to ensure that they are doing so in a way that manages those conflicts of interest and no conflict arises. Alan Milburn does not have a role in the Department of Health and Social Care.
It is also entirely legitimate for Government Departments to invite people with a wide range of experience and insight to advise on policy debates and discussions. We do not ask them all to declare their interests.