Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 June 2022 to Question 9843 on Investigation into Alleged Gatherings on Government Premises, on what date and at what time (a) the Rt Hon. Member for North East Cambridgeshire and (b) staff answerable to him in his role as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, were granted access to review the Sue Gray report entitled Findings of second permanent secretary’s investigation into alleged gatherings on government premises during covid restrictions.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the hon. Member to my response to PQ 9843 on 7 June.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date and at what time (a) he or and (b) staff in his private office were granted access to review the Sue Gray report entitled Findings of second permanent secretary’s investigation into alleged gatherings on government premises during covid restrictions.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The report was sent from the Second Permanent Secretary to the Permanent Secretary of No 10 Downing Street after 10am on the day of 25 May 2022 for the purposes of providing the report to the Prime Minister to enable publication.
I understand that prior to publication, letters were sent on a confidential basis from the Second Permanent Secretary to those in the report who may be perceived to be criticised in some way, including some who were intended to be named. The letters set out a gist of the factual findings proposed for inclusion in the report so that those individuals had an opportunity to make representations to the Second Permanent Secretary before publication.
I also understand that a small number of officials were made aware, in their roles as employers, of the identity of those intended to be named and those who may be potentially identifiable in the context of the report, so that they could consider any relevant duty of care to those individuals.
Neither I, nor my private office, accessed or reviewed the report prior to publication. My officials have informed me that no other Minister of the Crown was granted access to review the report prior to 10am on the day of publication.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date and at what time (a) the Prime Minister, (b) his chief of staff and (c) other officials, Ministers and special advisers in Downing Street were granted access to review the report entitled Findings of second permanent secretary’s investigation into alleged gatherings on government premises during covid restrictions prior to its publication on 25 May.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The report was sent from the Second Permanent Secretary to the Permanent Secretary of No 10 Downing Street after 10am on the day of 25 May 2022 for the purposes of providing the report to the Prime Minister to enable publication.
I understand that prior to publication, letters were sent on a confidential basis from the Second Permanent Secretary to those in the report who may be perceived to be criticised in some way, including some who were intended to be named. The letters set out a gist of the factual findings proposed for inclusion in the report so that those individuals had an opportunity to make representations to the Second Permanent Secretary before publication.
I also understand that a small number of officials were made aware, in their roles as employers, of the identity of those intended to be named and those who may be potentially identifiable in the context of the report, so that they could consider any relevant duty of care to those individuals.
Neither I, nor my private office, accessed or reviewed the report prior to publication. My officials have informed me that no other Minister of the Crown was granted access to review the report prior to 10am on the day of publication.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date and at what time (a) he or and (b) staff in his private office were granted access to review the Sue Gray report entitled Findings of second permanent secretary’s investigation into alleged gatherings on government premises during covid restrictions.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The report was sent from the Second Permanent Secretary to the Permanent Secretary of No 10 Downing Street after 10am on the day of 25 May 2022 for the purposes of providing the report to the Prime Minister to enable publication.
I understand that prior to publication, letters were sent on a confidential basis from the Second Permanent Secretary to those in the report who may be perceived to be criticised in some way, including some who were intended to be named. The letters set out a gist of the factual findings proposed for inclusion in the report so that those individuals had an opportunity to make representations to the Second Permanent Secretary before publication.
I also understand that a small number of officials were made aware, in their roles as employers, of the identity of those intended to be named and those who may be potentially identifiable in the context of the report, so that they could consider any relevant duty of care to those individuals.
Neither I, nor my private office, accessed or reviewed the report prior to publication. My officials have informed me that no other Minister of the Crown was granted access to review the report prior to 10am on the day of publication.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the report entitled Findings of second permanent secretary’s investigation into alleged gatherings on government premises during covid restrictions, on what date and at what time officials in (a) his Department and (b) Downing Street, who were not involved in its production, were granted sight access to review that report. of the Sue Gray report entitled Findings of second permanent secretary’s investigation into alleged gatherings on government premises during covid restrictions before 25th May 2022.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The report was sent from the Second Permanent Secretary to the Permanent Secretary of No 10 Downing Street after 10am on the day of 25 May 2022 for the purposes of providing the report to the Prime Minister to enable publication.
I understand that prior to publication, letters were sent on a confidential basis from the Second Permanent Secretary to those in the report who may be perceived to be criticised in some way, including some who were intended to be named. The letters set out a gist of the factual findings proposed for inclusion in the report so that those individuals had an opportunity to make representations to the Second Permanent Secretary before publication.
I also understand that a small number of officials were made aware, in their roles as employers, of the identity of those intended to be named and those who may be potentially identifiable in the context of the report, so that they could consider any relevant duty of care to those individuals.
Neither I, nor my private office, accessed or reviewed the report prior to publication. My officials have informed me that no other Minister of the Crown was granted access to review the report prior to 10am on the day of publication.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any Crown Representatives or strategic suppliers are also employed by Francis Maude Associates.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
No current Crown Representatives work for Francis Maude Associates.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish a list of all civil servants who hold advisory positions outside the civil service.
Answered by Chloe Smith
On 23 April, the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on the management of outside interests in the Civil Service. The Committee published this letter on 26 April. It can be found here:
https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/5623/documents/55584/default/
The Cabinet Secretary’s letter sets out a series of steps to improve processes. This programme of work will also take account of any recommendations that emerge from Nigel Boardman’s review.
The Civil Service Management Code sets out, at paragraph 4.3.4, the requirement that civil servants must seek permission before accepting any outside employment which might affect their work either directly or indirectly. The applicable principles are those set out in the Business Appointment Rules. The Civil Service Management Code is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-servants-terms-and-conditions .
Where the civil servant is a member of the departmental board any outside employment, as well as other relevant interests will be published as part of the Annual Report and Accounts or other transparency publication.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish a list of all former and current Crown Representatives and strategic suppliers.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Crown Representatives help the government to act as a single customer. They work across departments to:
ensure a single and strategic view of the government’s needs is communicated to the market;
identify areas for cost savings or operational improvements;
act as a point of focus for cross-cutting supplier-related issues.
Crown Representatives cover all sectors of service provision including small and medium enterprises, voluntary sector organisations, mutually owned organisations, large suppliers and specific sectors. All Crown Representatives complete Conflict of Interest declarations every six months.
Information about the Crown Representative programme, including a list of the current Crown Representatives and strategic suppliers is available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategic-suppliers
We will write to the hon. Member with further information and place a copy of the letter in the House Library.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse is of the employment of Crown Representatives who with strategic suppliers.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Crown Representatives help the government to act as a single customer. They work across departments to:
ensure a single and strategic view of the government’s needs is communicated to the market;
identify areas for cost savings or operational improvements;
act as a point of focus for cross-cutting supplier-related issues.
Crown Representatives cover all sectors of service provision including small and medium enterprises, voluntary sector organisations, mutually owned organisations, large suppliers and specific sectors. All Crown Representatives complete Conflict of Interest declarations every six months.
Information about the Crown Representative programme, including a list of the current Crown Representatives and strategic suppliers is available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategic-suppliers
We will write to the hon. Member with further information and place a copy of the letter in the House Library.
Asked by: Angela Eagle (Labour - Wallasey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any Crown Representatives or strategic suppliers are also employed by Francis Maude Associates.
Answered by Chloe Smith
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.