Asked by: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Leader of the House what plans he has to seek explanations from (1) the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and (2) the Home Office, concerning their failure to respond to Questions for Written Answer tabled in June and July, contrary to the convention that answers should be provided within 10 working days.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
As Leader of the House, I shall take my responsibility to ensure all Ministers provide full, timely and accurate responses to Questions for Written Answers (QWAs) very seriously.
On 7 September 2022 there were four overdue QWAs directed to the Home Office (HO), and one directed to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). As of 28 September 2022, the number of outstanding QWAs from June and July had reduced: the Home Office had two late answers and the FCDO had none.
My office contacted the FCDO who explained that a technical error prevented their response from being uploaded to the website by the deadline. They have confirmed that a response was issued on 20 July 2022 and a copy was sent via email to the Peer.
Similarly, the HO has confirmed their two outstanding QWAs were cleared on 11 July but due to a separate technical error, were not uploaded to the website. This issue is being investigated by the HO to prevent it reoccurring. The tabling Peer has been contacted.
As Leader, I will undertake to remind colleagues of the importance of answering QWAs within the 10 day target, as well as their obligation to the House and Parliament’s important role in scrutinising the Government. My office will continue to work closely with all Departments across Government, and, upon the House’s return, I will write to colleagues to ensure all Ministers in the House of Lords are aware of their duties and what is expected of them in fulfilling their duty to be accountable to your Lordships’ House.
Asked by: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Leader of the House when she last drew the attention of Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to the fact that several Departments have not answered Questions for Written Answer within ten working days; in particular (1) the Department of Health and Social Care, (2) the Home Office, and (3) the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Answered by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
As Leader of the House, I take my responsibility to ensure all Ministers provide full, timely and accurate responses to Questions for Written Answers (QWAs) very seriously.
I regularly remind Front Bench colleagues of their obligation to the House as stipulated in the Companion and of the importance of answering QWAs within the 10 day target. This has been raised regularly at Front Bench meetings and I have previously written to colleagues on the issue.
My office works closely with all departments across Government to ensure prompt responses to all QWAs. This is a process that has been followed with the Department of Health and Social Care, the Home Office, and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Asked by: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what constraints are imposed on ministers who receive no ministerial salary in relation to their capacity to receive non-Parliamentary income.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
All Ministers are subject to the Ministerial Code, which provides guidance to Ministers on how they should act and arrange their affairs in order to uphold the standards set out in the Code.
Under the terms of the Code, Ministers must ensure that no conflict arises or could reasonably be perceived to arise, between their public duties and their private interests, financial or otherwise.
Ministers are personally responsible for deciding how to act and conduct themselves in the light of the Code and for justifying their actions and conduct to Parliament and the public.
Asked by: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask the Leader of the House what assessment she has made of the delay in scheduling debates for Select Committee reports in the House of Lords; and what plans she has to provide for the scheduling of Select Committee report debates on Fridays when the House is not otherwise expected to sit.
Answered by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
We have debated 18 Select Committee reports so far this session, including most recently on 24 January. We have seen an increase in the number of committees, with the number of Sessional Committees doubling over the last decade and six new ones set up since 2020.
The Government Whips Office will continue to work closely with the Usual Channels and the Committee Office to schedule time for debate on reports as regularly as possible. This includes an additional Friday sitting on 25 February to debate committee reports.
Asked by: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many special advisers were engaged with supporting the Prime Minister in 10 Downing Street and the Cabinet Office in (1) 1995, (2) 2005, (3) 2015, and (4) currently.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
Information about special advisers is published on GOV.UK.
To assist the noble Lord:
the 2021 data is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1002880/Annual_Report_on_Special_Advisers_2021_-_Online_Publication.pdf,
the 2015 data is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/486829/List_of_Special_Advisers_in_post_at_17_December_2015.pdf,
the 2005 data is available at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo050721/wmstext/50721m12.htm,
and the 1995 data is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/336889/9th_report.pdf.
Special advisers only represented 0.06 per cent of the Civil Service pay bill in 2021. They protect the integrity and impartiality of the civil service by clearly separating out the provision of political advice to Ministers.
Asked by: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were employed in 10 Downing Street or associated buildings, connected directly to serving the Prime Minister of the day, leaving aside cleaning, maintenance, and security staff in each of the years (a) 1995, (b) 2005, (c) 2015, and (d) 2021; and in each case, how many of those were permanent civil servants.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The information requested is not centrally held or collated, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
10 Downing Street is a constituent part of the Cabinet Office; information on its staffing is provided within the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.
To assist the noble peer:
the 2020-21 accounts are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-annual-report-and-accounts-2020-2021,
The 2015-16 accounts are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-annual-report-and-accounts-2015-to-2016 and
the 2005 accounts are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-annual-report-and-resource-accounts-2005-to-2006.
The Cabinet Office accounts for 1995 were presented to Parliament; the House of Lords Library can assist members in retrieving reference copies from 1995.
Asked by: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 27 October 2021 (HL3353), why there are more unsalaried Ministers in the House of Lords, who are not in receipt of a parliamentary salary, compared to unsalaried Ministers in the House of Commons, who do receive a parliamentary salary; and how many unsalaried ministers are currently members of each House.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Ministerial and other Salaries Act (1975) sets limits on the numbers of salaries that can be paid and for individual offices. Within those statutory limits the organisation of the Executive is a matter for the Prime Minister and at his discretion.
There are currently fourteen unsalaried Ministers, of which eleven are Members of the House of Lords, and three are members of the House of Commons.
Asked by: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 20 October (HL3106), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what criteria are used in deciding which Ministers are not in receipt of a ministerial salary.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The recommendation of Ministerial appointments to the Sovereign is a matter for the Prime Minister, taking into account such factors as the Prime Minister sees fit. The main determinant will be whether or not there are salaries available within the limits set out in the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975.
Asked by: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how many ministers are not in receipt of a ministerial salary from public funds, and (2) in which House they sit.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Prime Minister has overall responsibility for the organisation of the Executive. It is for the Prime Minister alone to advise the Sovereign on the exercise of the Royal Prerogative powers in relation to government, such as the appointment, dismissal and acceptance of resignation of other Ministers.
The Ministerial and other Salaries Act (1975) sets limits on the numbers of salaries that can be paid, and for individual offices. As per the act, there are:
Up to 21 salaries payable to the Cabinet, excluding the Lord Chancellor, available under Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the act
1 salary payable to the Lord Chancellor as per Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the act,
Up to 29 salaries payable under Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the act (non-Cabinet) at Minister of State level, assuming all 21 salaries in the Cabinet are used,
3 salaries payable under Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the act for the Law Officers,
Up to 33 salaries payable to Parliamentary Secretaries (other than the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury) under Part 4 of Schedule 1 to the act, assuming all 50 Cabinet and Minister of State salaries are used,
and 22 salaries payable to office holders other than Parliamentary Secretaries under Part 4 of Schedule 1 to the act
Parliamentary Private Secretaries are not members of the Government and, therefore, are not paid as such.
There are currently thirteen Ministers who do not receive a ministerial salary. Of these, three sit in the House of Commons and ten sit in the House of Lords.
Asked by: Lord Jopling (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many members of the Government, at each level of seniority, can be paid a ministerial salary.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Prime Minister has overall responsibility for the organisation of the Executive. It is for the Prime Minister alone to advise the Sovereign on the exercise of the Royal Prerogative powers in relation to government, such as the appointment, dismissal and acceptance of resignation of other Ministers.
The Ministerial and other Salaries Act (1975) sets limits on the numbers of salaries that can be paid, and for individual offices. As per the act, there are:
Up to 21 salaries payable to the Cabinet, excluding the Lord Chancellor, available under Part 1 of Schedule 1 of the act
1 salary payable to the Lord Chancellor as per Part 2 of Schedule 1 of the act,
Up to 29 salaries payable under Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the act (non-Cabinet) at Minister of State level, assuming all 21 salaries in the Cabinet are used,
3 salaries payable under Part 3 of Schedule 1 to the act for the Law Officers,
Up to 33 salaries payable to Parliamentary Secretaries (other than the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury) under Part 4 of Schedule 1 to the act, assuming all 50 Cabinet and Minister of State salaries are used,
and 22 salaries payable to office holders other than Parliamentary Secretaries under Part 4 of Schedule 1 to the act
Parliamentary Private Secretaries are not members of the Government and, therefore, are not paid as such.
There are currently thirteen Ministers who do not receive a ministerial salary. Of these, three sit in the House of Commons and ten sit in the House of Lords.