Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, which (a) Departments, (b) arms length bodies and (c) Government programmes have (i) migrated to and (ii) plan to migrate to One Login.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
All major government departments have committed to onboarding their services to GOV.UK One Login, and are actively developing delivery plans. They are supported by our Onboarding and Engagement team who share best practices and provide advice and assets to enable technical service teams to onboard their services smoothly.
As of December 2024, users can access over 50 government services across multiple government Departments, within GOV.UK One Login. The list of public-facing services can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/using-your-gov-uk-one-login/services.
Some services are still in an early testing phase and are currently available to only a select group of users, therefore not listed in the service list.
We expect to have onboard over 100 services next year, with more to follow. Future services to include those from HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions, Companies House, Office for Public Guardian, and the Department for Education.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) he and (b) the Paymaster General has met the Ulster Farmers Union since the general election.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Details of official meetings held in a ministerial capacity with external organisations or individuals are published quarterly on GOV.UK
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason his Department's About Us web page lists the Government's priorities for 2021-22.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
This page has been amended and will be updated further in due course.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October to Question 6418 on Further Education: VAT, for what reason further education colleges do not meet the rationale for admission to either refund scheme.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
I refer the member to the answer given on the 14 November to PQ 13459.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether framework agreements between his Department and Arms Length Bodies are approved by Ministers.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
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.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Office for Equality and Opportunity formally recognises any (a) genders, (b) sexual orientations and (c) gender identities.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There is no list of genders, sexual orientations or gender identities formally recognised by the Office for Equality and Opportunity.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many private secretaries each Minister in his Department has.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
There are 34 members of staff, at multiple grades, who support the seven Cabinet Office ministers.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants (a) are members of the Alpha pension scheme, (b) are members of the Partnership pension scheme and (c) have opted out of both schemes.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
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.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to increase the pay bands of Permanent Secretaries.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government is committed to delivering value for money for the taxpayer. We will publish written evidence to the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) later this year, and will consider any recommendations from the SSRB on the remuneration of Senior Civil Servants, including Permanent Secretaries, when it reports next year.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list all formal notifications his Department has submitted to the Commissioner for Public Appointments since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
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).