Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication of the Institute for Government report Power with purpose: Final report of the Commission on the Centre of Government, on 10 March, whether (1) the staff at Number 10 have increased to 350 under the Conservative government, and (2) Cabinet Office staff have doubled to over 15,000 during the same period; and if so, what plans they have, if any, to reduce those numbers.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office for both management and staffing purposes and is not a standalone department.
The total of c15,000 includes the UK Statistics Authority which is a non-ministerial department and is a government department in its own right, accountable to parliament through its sponsoring ministers and therefore should not be included in the total Cabinet Office FTE.
Since 2011 the role and remit of the Cabinet Office has expanded significantly. At that point in time, the Department’s role was largely to support the Prime Minister and the operation of Government through the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministers’ Private Offices, Cabinet Secretariats and the Efficiency and Reform Group.
By 2021, the role of the Cabinet Office in managing the Civil Service had grown significantly to incorporate a number of new major delivery responsibilities, including responsibility for UK border plans, UK Security Vetting (UKSV) functions, and functions formerly overseen by the now-closed Department for Exiting the European Union (DEXEU). The creation of the Government Commercial Organisation and the move of the Fast Stream Government Recruitment Service from HMRC also saw a combined c2000+ FTE join the Cabinet Office between 2017 and 2018.
On 2 October 2023, the Chancellor announced an immediate cap on civil servant headcount, reducing the size of the Civil Service to pre-pandemic levels across Whitehall by stopping any further Civil Service expansion, increasing efficiencies and boosting productivity.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government why existing agri-environment schemes such as the Countryside Stewardship scheme are based on the claim deadline of 15 May 2023 while the Rural Payments Agency window runs up until 30 June 2024, resulting in wait times of up to 13 months for farmers and land managers to receive their payments; and whether they have any plans to change this in future.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Within the European Union, policies were set for seven years with limited opportunity to change, however, now that we have left the EU, we are rolling out our new environmental land management schemes and are adopting new approaches, including to our payment frequencies. We have already introduced more frequent payments in our new schemes, to make them work better for farm businesses. For example, SFI offers payments on a quarterly schedule, so that farmers start getting paid in the fourth month of their agreement, and every 3 months after that. Where possible, as we expand the offer, we will offer more frequent payments to more participants.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what explanation they have received from the Sudanese authorities for an air strike on a school in South Kordofan state on 14 March, which resulted in the deaths of 11 children and two teachers and multiple injuries.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our senior diplomats have used meetings with senior decision-makers in the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and other groups to raise concerns about credible reports of human rights violations. The UK continues to urge the warring parties to agree to a ceasefire, engage in a meaningful peace process, and grant immediate humanitarian access. The UK is also funding open-source investigation experts to use satellite imagery and social media to verify and preserve information relating to attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. It is essential that those responsible for human rights violations and abuses are held to account.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the humanitarian situation in the area of Sudan held by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North; and what support has the UK provided to alleviate the severe food security situation in that area, in particular given that half a million internally displaced persons have sought refuge there.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have not made a specific assessment of needs in this area, but we understand humanitarian needs to be very high, as they are across the country. UK humanitarian funding in Sudan aims to reach the most vulnerable wherever they are in the country, but it is not targeted to specific geographic areas. We are providing £42.6 million in humanitarian aid to support people in Sudan in 2023-2024. UK ODA for Sudan (including humanitarian) will also increase to £89 million for the year ahead. Access constraints and insecurity are limiting the ability of partners to deliver in many areas, including the areas held by SPLM-North. We continue to work with the UN, other donors and trusted partners to improve and increase the delivery of aid across Sudan.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of risk of damage to public highways from subsidence caused by global warming; what is the current budget for repairs following subsidence; and what grants are available to private landowners for such repairs.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Chapter 4 of the Third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment Technical Report assesses the climate-related risks and opportunities to infrastructure in the UK. Part 4.8 of that document considers the risks to subterranean and surface infrastructure from subsidence.
National Highways is responsible for the operation, maintenance, renewal and enhancement of the Strategic Road Network, funded by the Government in 5-year roads periods with objectives set out in Road Investment Strategies. The second Road Investment Strategy (2020-2025) includes action to enhance all-weather resilience of the strategic road network, to minimise the risk of incidents and their impact for road users. National Highways also reports under the adaptation reporting power of the Climate Change Act 2008 on what it is doing to check climate resilience against the latest Met Office Climate Projections and undertake actions to improve resilience across its network. The next round of adaptation reporting closes at the end of 2024.
In respect of local roads, the Department is providing over £5.5 billion of highways maintenance funding between 2020/21 – 2024/25 for eligible highway authorities outside London and those receiving City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS). This funding is not ring-fenced, and authorities may choose to use it to maintain their network, including repairs to the highway following subsidence and actions to make networks more resilient to changing weather patterns. The Government has also announced that it will provide an additional £8.3 billion of reallocated HS2 funds over this year and the next decade to help authorities to transform their highway networks.
The Department for Transport does not provide grants to private landowners for repairing subsidence damage.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what impact the UK's suspension of funding for UNRWA had on its performance in delivering aid to Gaza in the last financial year; and what is their forecast of funding in 2024.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK provided £35 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) this financial year, including an uplift of £16 million for the Gaza humanitarian response, all of which was disbursed before the recent allegations came to light. No more British funding is due this financial year and we are pausing any future funding of UNRWA.
Our decision to pause future funding has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to people in Gaza who desperately need it, including through other UN agencies and British charities. On 13 March, the Government announced a further £10 million in aid funding to bring UK support to more than £100 million this financial year. UK funding has supported the work of partners including the British Red Cross, World Food Programme, UNICEF and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to deliver vital supplies.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the continuing role of the UNRWA in aid distribution in Gaza following allegations against some of the staff.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK provided £35 million to UNRWA this financial year, including an uplift of £16 million for the Gaza humanitarian response, all of which was disbursed before the recent allegations came to light. No more British funding is due this financial year and we are pausing any future funding of UNRWA. Our decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has had no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands and we are supporting partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many aid workers from UNRWA and other agencies have (1) died, and (2) been injured, in the course of aid distribution and the provision of essential services in Gaza to date.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A shocking number of Palestinian civilians have been killed or injured. We want Israel to stop harming civilians and destroying homes.
The Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have underlined the need for Israel to ensure effective deconfliction in Gaza, and to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of medical personnel and facilities.
We need the fighting to stop immediately to allow humanitarian actors and Gazans to operate and move safely, and enable hostages to be released.
We need Israel to ensure effective systems to guarantee the safety of aid convoys, humanitarian operations and IDP returns, and facilitate access.