Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the commitments set out in the Autumn Budget, by how much the Continuity of Education Allowance will increase.

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

For Academic Year 2023-24, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) paid £88.6 million for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) to support the education of 4,005 children for 2,666 Service personnel. Following the Budget statement by the Chancellor on 30 October, the MOD confirmed that it would carry out an in-year re-rating of CEA. The increased cost of the allowance to MOD is unknown until the exercise completes in early December.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are their plans for the future of the Community Ownership Fund.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the noble Lord to the answer given to Question UIN 11941 on 8 November

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the estimated costs of reversing the policy of the previous government to freeze Civil Service hiring and reduce staff numbers to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

In a public statement on 2 October 2023, the previous Chancellor announced a cap on civil service numbers. This statement includes data on the estimated financial impacts of this policy for the remainder of the SR21 Spending Review period, ending in March 2025. It can be accessed at GOV.UK.

The headcount cap announced by the previous administration was lifted in July in line with taking immediate action to stop all non-essential government consultancy spend in 2024-25 and to halve government spending on consultancy in future years. At Autumn Budget, the government committed to developing a strategic plan for a more efficient and effective civil service through phase two of the multi-year spending review.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 7 November (HL1811), which Chagossian groups or representatives they engaged with to ensure that the agreement to transfer sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius reflects the interests of Chagossians.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

There are a large number of Chagossian groups with a spectrum of views. Ministers and officials have sought to engage a range of Chagossian groups or representatives with an interest on a range of issues, including implementation of the agreement. We will continue to do so. We recognise the importance of the islands to Chagossians and have worked to ensure this agreement reflects their interests.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many staff making decisions on asylum cases are employed by the Home Office; and how many additional staff they plan to recruit by the end of 2025.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

According to the regularly published data available online at Immigration and protection data: Q2 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), there were 2,464 FTE decision makers in place as of June 2024.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consultation process they undertook before announcing the recent reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief for inheritance tax.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government takes into account all representations made ahead of the Budget, and meets with stakeholders on a regular basis.

The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief at www.gov.uk/government/publications/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms.

Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief (or those claiming agricultural property relief and business property relief together) each year are expected to be unaffected by these reforms.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect and support sacred choral music in the UK including by supporting (1) cathedral choirs, and (2) relevant music education.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

HM Government has a strong commitment to all forms of music, including choral music.

Between 2019/20 and 2023/24 Arts Council England funded activity with a choral focus or element by nearly £200 million. This funding has supported the development, touring and promotion of choral music throughout England. Organisations supported by this funding include Ex Cathedra, a nationally recognised choir with a repertoire that reaches from the 12th to the 21st centuries.

Within the Music and Dance Scheme, the Department for Education continues to fund bursaries for training choristers through the Choir Schools’ Association.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they had between Ministers and officials, and Chagossian groups and representatives, between 5 July and 3 October; and what was the outcome of any such discussions.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Minister for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories met with members of the Chagossian community twice between 5 July and 3 October 2024. Officials also routinely speak to Chagossians. Discussions covered a range of issues. There are a large number of Chagossian groups with a wide spectrums of views in the UK and internationally. We will continue efforts to engage all groups or representatives with an interest.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross of 4 November (HL1812), whether they will place in the Library of the House a list of each artwork or portrait that has been (1) removed from, and (2) added to the Downing Street estate, including Number 9, Number 10, Number 11, Number 12 and the two official residences, since 5 July, including any Government Art Collection reference number, according to records held by the Government Art Collection.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, Minister Gould, 31 October 2024, Official Report, PQ 8943.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the objectives, work and structure of any units, teams or groups within the Cabinet Office working on European Union matters, relations or policy, and what is the headcount for those units.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 24 July 2024, the Prime Minister announced via a Written Ministerial Statement that responsibility for the UK’s relationship with the EU, including co-chairing the ministerial structures under the UK’s treaties with the EU, would move to the Cabinet Office.

The EU Relations Secretariat was established in the Cabinet Office to give effect to the Government's manifesto commitments to reset the relationship with the EU, deliver on our commitments in the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement and Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and implement the Windsor Framework in good faith and protect the UK's internal market.

The EU Relations Secretariat brings together civil servants who were already working on EU relations from across the government. The data on this headcount will be published in 2025. The next update to the Cabinet Office organogram with a breakdown of grades will be published on 30 January 2025.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is its timeline for the agreement and ratification of a treaty with Mauritius on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, and whether they still plan to pursue ratification of such a treaty in 2025.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 20 December, the UK and Mauritian governments released a joint statement reiterating their commitment to finalising a treaty as quickly as possible. The timetable for treaty ratification has not yet been confirmed. However, following signature, the Treaty will be laid before Parliament in the usual way, consistent with the Constitutional Reform and Governance (CraG) Act 2010. The Government also intends to bring forward a Bill to implement the Treaty in domestic law.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a current organisational chart of the senior staffing structure of the Cabinet Office and 10 Downing Street, including (1) all organisational units and (2) their headcount.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The latest Cabinet Office organisational chart is due for publication on the 30th of January as part of gov.uk transparency publications. This will contain all organisational units, including 10 Downing Street, and headcount. I will arrange for a copy of the organisational chart to be deposited in the house libraries upon publication.