Alex Burghart

It would not be appropriate to comment on staffing matters or individuals’ remits and responsibilities.

As we set out in August, we will be opening our Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme exclusively for undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds for 2026. We will determine eligibility based on parental occupation at age 14 in line with guidance from the Social Mobility Commission and the Office for National Statistics definition.

The Government has published its Plan for Change, which sets out clear and ambitious milestones to reach over this Parliament from each of the Government’s national missions. Detail on wider government commitments will continue to be provided by relevant departments.

The Cabinet Office does not centrally record the total number of metrics captured. Our teams and business units maintain a wide array of dashboards tailored to their specific functions and business requirements. A precise, aggregated figure is not available. The dashboards contain internal management information, and it is not Cabinet Office policy to publish them.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer on 17 February 2025 (PQ HL4631) and on 7 April 2025 (PQ 42819).

We are restoring confidence in government and the highest standards in public life and have already taken steps to improve probity and transparency, including through issuing a new Ministerial Code which highlights the importance of the principles of public life, by strengthening the terms of reference for the Independent Adviser, and by introducing a new monthly Register of Gifts and Hospitality.

An update on the Ethics and Integrity Commission will be provided in due course.

We have a strong and proud tradition over centuries of free trade here in the United Kingdom, and we will continue to make the case for that. With regard to our specific trading relationship with the United States, after conversations between the Prime Minister and the President in the Oval Office in February, we wish to deepen our trading relationship with the United States. We will continue to monitor the impact of any such policy on Northern Ireland and I continue to regularly discuss issues with my European counterpart Maroš Šefčovič.

A response will be sent in due course.

On 9 October 2024, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Eurostat signed an agreement on statistical cooperation. This arrangement is provided for under Article 730 of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The publication of the text is a matter for the UK Statistics Authority, which operates independently as a Non Ministerial Department. I refer the honourable gentleman to Parliamentary Question 13803.

On 9 October 2024, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Eurostat signed an agreement on statistical cooperation. This arrangement is provided for under Article 730 of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The publication of the text is a matter for the UK Statistics Authority, which operates independently as a Non Ministerial Department. I refer the honourable gentleman to Parliamentary Question 13803.

The circumstances have not changed since the Rt Hon Gentleman was a Minister in the department, and can be found at https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/.

The Civil Service Headquarters (HQ) Occupancy statistics are published quarterly on GOV.UK.

A Framework Agreement between the Cabinet Office and the Senior Salaries Review Body will be finalised in due course.

Departments are directed that Contingent labour contracts should only be used in government where better value alternatives are not available and that a justifiable need to use contingent labour has been identified as part of their workforce plans. Cabinet Office manages a spend control for contingent labour for which guidance is set out at gov.uk.

Political party activity is declared by all members of the Senior Salaries Review Body and is publicly available in the Pay Review Body members’ register of interests: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ome-review-body-members-register-of-interests

The Civil Service Commission’s prior approval is required for appointments by exception at SCS PB2 or above. Individual Civil Service departments and organisations have delegated authority to appoint by exception at grades below SCS PB2.

For appointments by exception delegated to departments, the department is responsible for both carrying out background checks on individuals who may be appointed, and addressing any potential propriety matters.

The Government has published its Plan for Change, which sets out clear and ambitious milestones to reach over this Parliament from each of the Government’s national missions. Detail on wider government commitments will continue to be provided by relevant departments.

We are considering the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Review commissioned by the previous Government.

Transparency is a crucial part of the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act, whilst also balancing commercial and reputational considerations.

Information related to publication of final orders is available on GOV.UK. The Government also publishes annual reports to provide information about the transactions that it has been notified about and those it subsequently called in for a national security assessment. The NSI Annual Report 2023-24 was published on 10 September 2024. The period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be covered in next year’s annual report.

The annual reports include the proportion of notifications for each sector, however, cybersecurity falls under the artificial intelligence sector and is not reported separately.

The reports do not specifically include the number or proportion of transactions that relate to links to a company owned in (a) part or (b) whole by a foreign state, however, they include the number of accepted notifications, call-in notices issued, final notifications issued, withdrawals from a called in acquisition and final orders issued by origin of investment.

Transparency is a crucial part of the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act, whilst also balancing commercial and reputational considerations.

Information related to publication of final orders is available on GOV.UK. The Government also publishes annual reports to provide information about the transactions that it has been notified about and those it subsequently called in for a national security assessment. The NSI Annual Report 2023-24 was published on 10 September 2024. The period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be covered in next year’s annual report.

The annual reports include the proportion of notifications for each sector, however, cybersecurity falls under the artificial intelligence sector and is not reported separately.

The reports do not specifically include the number or proportion of transactions that relate to links to a company owned in (a) part or (b) whole by a foreign state, however, they include the number of accepted notifications, call-in notices issued, final notifications issued, withdrawals from a called in acquisition and final orders issued by origin of investment.

Transparency is a crucial part of the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act, whilst also balancing commercial and reputational considerations.

Information related to publication of final orders is available on GOV.UK. The Government also publishes annual reports to provide information about the transactions that it has been notified about and those it subsequently called in for a national security assessment. The NSI Annual Report 2023-24 was published on 10 September 2024. The period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be covered in next year’s annual report.

The annual reports include the proportion of notifications for each sector, however, cybersecurity falls under the artificial intelligence sector and is not reported separately.

The reports do not specifically include the number or proportion of transactions that relate to links to a company owned in (a) part or (b) whole by a foreign state, however, they include the number of accepted notifications, call-in notices issued, final notifications issued, withdrawals from a called in acquisition and final orders issued by origin of investment.

Transparency is a crucial part of the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act, whilst also balancing commercial and reputational considerations.

Information related to publication of final orders is available on GOV.UK. The Government also publishes annual reports to provide information about the transactions that it has been notified about and those it subsequently called in for a national security assessment. The NSI Annual Report 2023-24 was published on 10 September 2024. The period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be covered in next year’s annual report.

The annual reports include the proportion of notifications for each sector, however, cybersecurity falls under the artificial intelligence sector and is not reported separately.

The reports do not specifically include the number or proportion of transactions that relate to links to a company owned in (a) part or (b) whole by a foreign state, however, they include the number of accepted notifications, call-in notices issued, final notifications issued, withdrawals from a called in acquisition and final orders issued by origin of investment.

Transparency is a crucial part of the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act, whilst also balancing commercial and reputational considerations.

Information related to publication of final orders is available on GOV.UK. The Government also publishes annual reports to provide information about the transactions that it has been notified about and those it subsequently called in for a national security assessment. The NSI Annual Report 2023-24 was published on 10 September 2024. The period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be covered in next year’s annual report.

The annual reports include the proportion of notifications for each sector, however, cybersecurity falls under the artificial intelligence sector and is not reported separately.

The reports do not specifically include the number or proportion of transactions that relate to links to a company owned in (a) part or (b) whole by a foreign state, however, they include the number of accepted notifications, call-in notices issued, final notifications issued, withdrawals from a called in acquisition and final orders issued by origin of investment.

Details of official meetings held in a ministerial capacity with external organisations or individuals are published quarterly on GOV.UK

The bodies and offices that are classified as regulated appointments are listed, by department, in Schedules 1 and 2 of the Public Appointments (No. 2) Order in Council 2023. Appointments to the Board of HM Revenue and Customs, as a non-ministerial department, are not classified as regulated public appointments.

Guidance on ministers’, special advisers’, and senior officials’ transparency returns is published on GOV.UK and includes details of who would be considered senior media figures for these purposes.

The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (known as the HD Committee) has one sub-committee, the Advisory Military Sub-Committee. The terms of reference for this committee can be found on gov.uk.

As per the guidance set out by HM Treasury Framework Agreements are agreed between the department and the Arm’s Length Body jointly and then submitted to the Treasury Officer of Accounts.

1. The Cabinet Office holds data of the salary of each civil servant as at the 31st March in each year, through the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey collection.

2. The pension scheme administrator, MyCSP, holds essential contribution, salary and other scheme data which is provided by employers monthly via an electronic monthly interface.

The Committee is chaired by the Government Lead Non-Executive. Membership includes two other Departmental Non-Executive Directors and the Chair of the Senior Salaries Review Body. The Civil Service members are: the Cabinet Secretary/Head of the Civil Service, the Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office, the Chair of the Senior Leadership Committee, and the Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury. The Director of Senior Talent in the Cabinet Office also attends in an advisory capacity.

The House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) is an independent advisory non-departmental body of the Cabinet Office. As was the case when the honourable member was a Minister in the department, there is not currently a Framework Document between HOLAC and the Cabinet Office. As with all independent advisory bodies, the Government keeps its arrangements with HOLAC under review to ensure they reflect current best practice and standards of corporate governance.

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACoBA) is an independent body sponsored and funded by the Cabinet Office. ACoBA is part of the ‘Independent Offices’ and shares a secretariat and Accounting Officer with the Civil Service Commission and the Office for the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Work is well advanced on a new Framework Document for the ‘Independent Offices’ which will be published in due course.

Since 4 July 2024 the Cabinet Office has engaged with the Commissioner for Public Appointments to seek approval of Senior Independent Panel Members for two recruitment campaigns: the Chair of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Public Appointments (ACOBA).

Ministers have direct involvement in approving the strategy, outputs and objectives of Arms Length Bodies (ALBs). This ensures that ALBs remain aligned and can effectively deliver the commitments and objectives of the government. Ministers are responsible for the appointment of the Chair and Board Members, in most circumstances, through open and fair competition. The Board, once appointed, is responsible for maintaining accountability of senior officials to Ministerial objectives.

Framework Agreements are usually approved by the Principal Accounting Officer / Permanent Secretary on behalf of the department. However when revising a Framework Agreement, or establishing a new ALB, the relevant Minister will be engaged on the contents of the document.

The Senior Appointment Protocol is being updated and will be published in due course.

Article 730 of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) negotiated between the UK and EU in 2021 provides that ‘Eurostat and the United Kingdom Statistics Authority may establish an arrangement that enables cooperation on relevant statistical matters’.

The 2024 Lievesley Review of the UK Statistics Authority included a recommendation to prioritise the establishment and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Eurostat in line with Article 730 of the TCA. The Government’s response, led by then Minister Baroness Neville Rolfe, was to agree and stated that: ‘The Cabinet Office supports these recommendations. Given the UKSA’s international standing there should be a continued emphasis on their role as a thought leader among our international peers.’

Following the July election Cabinet Office Ministers have received progress reports on activity to deliver against this recommendation and welcome the new arrangements that are now in place.

The publication of the text is a matter for the Office for National Statistics, which operates independently as a Non Ministerial Department.

The Government’s manifesto set out a number of commitments to reform of the House of Lords. The manifesto was clear that, as an immediate reform, it would introduce legislation to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords. The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill has now completed its passage through the House of Commons and had its first reading in the House of Lords on 13 November 2024.

This is the first step in reform of the House of Lords and it is right that the Government focuses on completing the passage of this Bill.

No money has been spent on new furniture, backdrops, fittings or other refurbishment of the Press Briefing Room in 9 Downing Street since 30 May 2024.

The number of Government procurement cards issued across the Civil Service is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office.

There are 34 members of staff, at multiple grades, who support the seven Cabinet Office ministers.

As at 31 October 2024, there were 588,623 active members of the alpha pension scheme. As well as civil servants, the Civil Service Pension arrangements cover employees of certain non-Civil Service organisations, such as non-Departmental Public Bodies, if they meet the Cabinet Office policy on eligibility for entry and legislative requirements on funding.

As at 30 June 2024 there were 8,748 active members of the partnership scheme.

As at 31 October 2024, a total of 3,894 people had opted out and were not members of either pension scheme.