Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2026 to Question 23232 on Defence and National Security, what outputs from the Home Defence Programme have been used to raise public awareness of the national conversation.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
As set out in the Strategic Defence Review 2025, the national conversation will be a multi-year engagement designed to embed a whole-of-society approach, where Government, businesses, and the public all play a part in strengthening our resilience.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been hired in roles relating to a) video production and b) social media content since 20 July 2026.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government Communications Service is currently finalising its 2026 annual data collection, therefore the figures provided below are from the 2025 annual data collection.
Staffing figures across the central teams are as follows:
Number 10 Civil Service Communications Team: 44.8 FTE.
Core Cabinet Office Communications Roles: 40.43 FTE (including 22 roles within the Press Office and Cabinet Office Digital Communications).
Central GCS Team (Cabinet Office-based): 191.52 FTE in total, comprising 141.52 FTE communications roles and 50 FTE non-communications roles.
Information on roles specifically related to video production and social media content is not held.
Overall headcount stood at 6,120.35 FTE in 2024, compared to 5,950.54 FTE in 2025. Please note that these figures are not directly comparable due to differences in the specific organisations submitting returns across the 2024 and 2025 collection cycles.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date did the Rt Hon Member for Tottenham vacate the grace-and -favour residence at One Carlton Gardens.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Rt Hon Member for Tottenham had use of the ministerial residence at 1 Carlton Gardens until 12 September 2026. As of 5 October 2026, the residence has not been allocated to another Minister.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Manchester Digital Campus, if a) the new cost plan at the end of RIBA3 and b) the result of the value engineering exercise remain extant or will need to be repeated following the decision to include Number 10 North within the scope.
Answered by Sally Jameson - Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Manchester Digital Campus represents a significant step in strengthening the Government presence in the North West. The Manchester Digital Campus programme continues to progress as set out in the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to recommendation 32 of the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, what progress she has made in ensuring the National Security Council (Nuclear) committee of senior Ministers reviews progress on the National Endeavour for delivering the UK’s nuclear deterrent at least twice a year.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 April 2026 to Question UIN 125344.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings of the National Security Council (Nuclear) committee of senior Ministers have taken place since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 April 2026 to Question UIN 125344.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral statement by the First Secretary of State on 2 September 2026, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of removing the defence exemption from social value.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
We are determined to ensure we maximise every opportunity for public contracts to deliver the jobs, skills and opportunities needed to drive economic growth and prosperity in every postcode.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, the Hon Member for Bolsover, received a ministerial severance payment upon leaving Government.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Details of ministerial severance payments are published in the relevant department’s annual report and accounts.
As per 1.14 of the Ministerial Code, Ministers are expected to waive, on appointment, entitlement to a ministerial severance payment upon leaving office if they have served less than six months.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information her Department holds on the location of the personalised Look 795 bicycle presented to the Prime Minister as a gift by France.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Information about gifts and hospitality are made available on gov.uk on a monthly basis, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/register-of-ministers-gifts-and-hospitality
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people are employed in the Government Media Unit.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office is currently finalising the operational requirements of the Government Media Unit and we are actively recruiting for this new team.