Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cumulative nominal and real-terms state pension expenditure savings in (1) 2025–26, and (2) 2044–45, under the uprating scenario of (a) consumer price index (CPI) only, (b) earnings only, (c) CPI or earnings ('double lock'), and (d) the existing 'triple lock'.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

An estimate of cumulative nominal and real-terms state pension expenditure savings in 1) 2025-26 and 2) 2044-45, under the uprating scenarios of a) consumer price index, b) earnings only, c) CPI or earnings and d) Triple Lock are not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

The Office for Budget Responsibility assume long-term annual growth rates for the following economic determinants: Consumer Price Index (2.0%), Average Earnings (3.8%) and ‘Triple Lock’ (4.4%).

Source: OBR September 2024 Fiscal risks and sustainability – charts and tables: supplementary tables, Table 1.1

The Government have made a commitment to the Triple Lock for the entirety of this Parliament which will mean annual spending on people’s State Pensions is forecast to rise by around £31 billion between 2024-25 and 2029-30.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Cabinet Office exercises oversight or control over the location of arm’s-length bodies; and if so, what form that oversight or control takes.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As part of the Places for Growth programme, the Cabinet Office engages with departments that have arm's-length bodies (ALBs) based in London, to encourage them to be located outside of London, increasing the geographic diversity of the Civil Service. In addition, newly created bodies are not headquartered in London, unless there are exceptional circumstances which mean this is necessary.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the grants awarded by Innovate UK since 1 January 2018 have been (1) formally terminated prior to full completion, (2) suspended or places on hold due to non-performance, non-compliance, or suspected misuse of funds, and (3) subject to financial recovery or clawback proceedings; what is the total value of those grants; and what is the total number of those grants.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Innovate UK has robust processes in place for monitoring its grants and ensuring that only eligible costs are supported. It centralised the process for the suspension, withdrawal, and termination of grants from 1st April 23 to provide a consistent record for continuous improvement. Data is presented from then until 31st March 25. The value of grants paid for this period was £2.78 billion.

• Grants that were formally terminated prior to completion: 90 grants (£81.1million award value), 2.92% of total grant value.
• Suspended/placed on hold due to non-performance, non-compliance, or suspected misuse of funds: 68 grants (£106.7million award value), 3.85% of total grant value.
• After investigation, 21 of the above 158 terminated and suspended grants were found to have some amount of ineligible costs subject to cost recovery to a total of £429,487.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many arm’s-length bodies are sponsored by more than one department; and for each such body, what is the name and sponsoring department.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

An arm’s-length body (ALB) is formally sponsored by a single department, with accountability provided through a responsible Accounting Officer. While some ALBs maintain important policy relationships with multiple government departments, this is typically governed by Memoranda of Understanding or defined in their Framework Documents. The Cabinet Office does not keep a central record of these relationships.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to page 15 of the report Great British Railways: The William-Shapps Plan for Rail, published on 20 May 2021 (CP 423), whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the adjudication by the Delay Attribution Board regarding responsibility for delays caused by a train hitting a pheasant.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail was published by the previous administration, and we are unable to comment on the specific editorial choices or illustrative examples contained within it. The department is focused on current implementation of rail reform.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government why the Cabinet Office has not yet published updated lists of senior civil servants and senior officials earning £150,000 and above, which was due as of 30 September 2023; and when this information will be made available.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The previous administration did not update this list prior to the General Election. The Cabinet Office will publish a new 2025 list in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the time commitments for the posts (1) Advisory Committee on Business Appointments Chair, (2) First Civil Service Commissioner, (3) Commissioner for Public Appointments, (4) Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests, (5) Chair of the Senior Salaries Review Body, and (6) Chair of the Security Vetting Appeals Panel.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The anticipated time commitments for the various posts are as follows:

• Chair of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments - two to three days per month

• First Civil Service Commissioner - three days per week

• Commissioner for Public Appointments - two days per week

• Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards - the time commitment is unspecified and varies according to workload

• Chair of the Senior Salaries Review Body - on average, 25 days per year

• Chair of the Security Vetting Appeals Panel - 40 days per year

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of contracts for consulting services awarded by departments and arm's-length bodies in each of the past five years were (1) let through competitive tendering processes, and (2) were direct awards.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. The details published online include whether each contract was let through competitive tendering or via direct award.

Conducting a detailed analysis of contracts awarded, specifically tailored to the parameters requested, would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether any permanent secretaries have break clauses in their contracts; and whether the inclusion of a break clause within a civil service contract is compatible with the civil service management code.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As with standard Senior Civil Service contracts, the employer and/or the employee can terminate employment by giving notice. This is compatible with the civil service management code.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many Royal Navy vessels are currently equipped with the naval strike missile; when they expect the naval strike missile to equip the type 23 frigate and type 45 destroyer fleets; and whether any Royal Navy vessels equipped with the naval strike missile have deployed alongside HMS Queen Elizabeth or HMS Prince of Wales.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Navy is in the process of outfitting Naval Strike Missile (NSM) to eleven of its Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers in collaboration with the Norwegian Government. These missiles will provide a potent new surface-to-surface maritime and land strike capability for the Surface Fleet.

HMS SOMERSET, PORTLAND and RICHMOND are now fitted with NSM. HMS RICHMOND is part of Operation HIGHMAST, accompanying HMS PRINCE OF WALES as part of the Carrier Strike Group deployment to the Indo-Pacific region.

The Strategic Defence Review will determine the roles, capabilities and reforms required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the twenty-first century. Outfitting further ships with NSM will be progressed according to SDR outcomes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 13 May (HL6920), what estimate the Infected Blood Compensation Authority has made of the projected fraud rate for the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme; and what assumptions underpin that estimate.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

IBCA continues to work closely with the Public Sector Fraud Authority to undertake Fraud Risk Assessments and then to implement appropriate counter-fraud mitigations and controls. I refer noble Lords to my answer (HL5057) on 6 March.

Found: LORD AGNEW OF OULTON LORD FARMER 82_ Clause 6, page 11, line 32, at end insert— “(7) All children

Found: LORD AGNEW OF OULTON LORD FARMER 82_ Clause 6, page 11, line 32, at end insert— “(7) All children

Found: LORD AGNEW OF OULTON LORD FARMER 82_ Clause 6, page 11, line 32, at end insert— “(7) All children

Found: After Clause 35 LORD AGNEW OF OULTON This amendment replaces Amendment 139 _ After Clause 35, insert

Fair Banking APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Lord Agnew of Oulton, 2023 9APPG on Anti-Corruption & Responsible Tax APPG on Fair Business Banking

Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Lord Agnew of Oulton, 2023 9APPG on Anti-Corruption & Responsible Tax APPG on Fair Business Banking

Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Osbourne MP Sir Roger Gale MP Peter Grant MP Sarah Olney MP Sir Christopher Chope MP Lord Agnew of Oulton

Global Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Relationships and Sex Education, 19th July 2018 Lord Agnew of Oulton, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary