Alex Burghart

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

As per the statement from the Metropolitan Police on 4th February 2026, they are asking us to refrain from publishing any relevant documents that could prejudice their investigation. We do not comment on ongoing police investigations. The Government stands ready to support the police in whatever way it can.

We need to make sure digital ID works for everyone, and that’s why we’re establishing a People’s Panel on digital ID, which brings together a diverse group of people - selected to be broadly representative of the population of the UK - to consider different perspectives and debate trade-offs.

The People’s Panel will cost approximately £630,000 This will be covered under a pre-existing contract with Ipsos, which is the primary vendor, signed in March 2024. The vendor is a significant long-term government contractor, including under the last administration.

Participants will be recruited through a process called sortition. This is a random postcode lottery. It is a way of selecting individuals to take part in deliberative processes, where everyone is given an equal chance to be invited. No individual can buy their way in or simply turn up at the event. All participants must be 18 or over to join the People’s Panel.

Participants are paid in line with industry standards. Payment recognises the time that people are giving up to take part and ensures that a diverse range of participants (e.g. including those on low-incomes, unemployed, with caring responsibilities, etc.) can participate. Payments are aligned to each workshop they attend, so may vary depending on attendance.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery.

For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication to ensure members receive the support they deserve. While the immediate focus remains on stabilising the service through this intensive recovery plan, we are committed to ensuring all staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Furthermore, any service failures attract penalties which reduce the overall cost of the contract. While the specific financial values of commercial transactions remain confidential, the Cabinet Office has already withheld significant transition milestone payments due to missed deliverables and continues to apply the full mechanism of service credits for performance failures. Capita also remains responsible for any additional expenses incited. The Cabinet Office will continue to use all available commercial levers to hold Capita to account and ensure they deliver the contractual service levels.

As set out in the Recruitment Principles, temporary promotions are an exception to the requirement for fair and open competition.

I refer you to the Oral Statement on the 23rd February and the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

The Government continues to work with the Intelligence and Security Committee and is grateful for its assistance on this matter.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Sir Ian Horobin’s life peerage was announced on 29th March 1962 and he subsequently withdrew his acceptance voluntarily before Letters Patent were sealed and dated. His peerage was therefore never created nor subsequently removed. There is no established precedent of the Government withdrawing a peerage nomination after it has been announced.

There is no established precedent for withdrawing a peerage nomination after it has been announced.

The requirements to conduct appropriate due diligence for regulated public appointments and direct ministerial appointments are set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments and the Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments respectively, both of which are publicly available. The specific due diligence processes undertaken in each case will be those standard processes agreed by the Accounting Officer within each department for all appropriate due diligence undertaken by that department.

As with other civil servants, special advisers are subject to pre-employment checks and declaration of relevant interests. This is set out in the Code of Conduct and Model Contract for Special Advisers.

Satvir Kaur MP was on maternity leave from her role as Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office from 7 September 2025 until 22 February 2026, with a phased return from January 2026.

The advice and the exchange of letters between the Prime Minister and Josh Simons MP are on gov.uk.

The Ministerial Code sets out processes for the investigation of alleged breaches of the Code by ministers serving in the Government and is published on gov.uk.

Paragraph 2.6a of the Code states: “If there is an allegation about a breach of the Code and the Prime Minister, having consulted the Cabinet Secretary, feels that it warrants further investigation, the Prime Minister may ask the Cabinet Office to investigate the facts of the case and/or refer the matter to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards”.

These processes, and further detail on the role of the Independent Adviser, are also included in the Terms of Reference of the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, which forms part of the Ministerial Code at Annex A.

The Ministerial Code applies to serving Ministers. If a Minister is removed from office, there would be no avenue for the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards to investigate.

The Cabinet Manual sets out that the Cabinet Secretary is appointed directly by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister receives advice from the First Civil Service Commissioner, but is the final decision maker.

As set out in the Gov.UK announcement of the Cabinet Secretary appointment, “the Prime Minister and the First Civil Service Commissioner agreed a process to appoint a new Cabinet Secretary”.

Once this process was complete, the First Civil Service Commissioner confirmed that “Dame Antonia Romeo is an exceptional candidate of the highest calibre, having run two of the largest operational departments in Government, and confirmed her track record makes her the right candidate for the role”. The PM appointed her on the 19th February.

The Government is not conducting an investigation into Lord Doyle. An investigation is being carried out by the Labour Party.

I refer the Hon. Gentleman to PQ 103784.

There are currently no plans to publish this guidance.

The review is being conducted by the Government Internal Audit Agency and is looking into cross-government website publishing. The aim is to validate and strengthen the effectiveness and consistency of publication processes on GOV.UK and on non-GOV.UK websites, particularly with respect to sensitive information. As it is not standard practice to publish the terms of reference of GIAA reviews, there are no plans to do so; however, the objectives are as follows:

1. Understand and validate the consistency of application of controls designed to secure appropriate publication on GOV.UK.

2. Understand and validate the consistency of application of controls designed to secure appropriate publication on independent websites.

3. Make observations concerning weaknesses in control design and/or effectiveness identified.

Sir Chris Wormald has entered a settlement agreement with the Cabinet Office, on his departure from the Civil Service. Financial details will be published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

In accordance with data protection regulations, we do not provide information about candidates in Civil Service recruitment processes.

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Permanent Secretaries are responsible for delivering on and cascading their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), as set by Ministers, to their direct reports and subsequently the rest of the SCS cadre.

The Prime Minister and Sir Chris Wormald agreed that Sir Chris would stand down as the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service by mutual agreement.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

I refer you to the Oral Statement on the 23 February in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister which confirms that the Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary is leading this process.

The former Cabinet Secretary was asked to review available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a Minister. After an initial review of some documents, the matter was referred to the police. In light of the ongoing criminal investigation that was announced, that review has now been paused. The government is cooperating fully with the police investigation and providing any assistance required.

The Government is committed to complying with the Humble Address. Departments have been instructed to retain and provide to the Cabinet Office all information that falls in scope of the Humble Address motion.

The former Cabinet Secretary was asked to review available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a Minister. After an initial review of some documents, the matter was referred to the police. In light of the ongoing criminal investigation that was announced, that review has now been paused. The government is cooperating fully with the police investigation and providing any assistance required.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Civil Servants remain bound by the Civil Service Code at all times, and by their departmental policies on managing conflicts of interest.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.