Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Bob Blackman Excerpts
Wednesday 27th April 2016

(8 years, 7 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Matt Hancock Portrait Matthew Hancock
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I could not have put it better myself.

Bob Blackman Portrait Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
- Hansard - -

Does my right hon. Friend agree that when people donate money, they want that money to be spent on the services provided by the charity, and that most people in this country would be shocked at the amount of money spent on administration and lobbying?

Matt Hancock Portrait Matthew Hancock
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend makes an important point, which is that charities play an enormous role in alleviating suffering, improving good causes and strengthening our communities. Let us make sure that when money is donated to a charity—as it is by many of us, possibly everyone, in this House and many people around the country—it is spent on the good causes for which it is intended.

--- Later in debate ---
Robert Halfon Portrait Robert Halfon
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that we are accepting every part of the recommendations of the Bridge report. He will know that we are the party of the ladder, the party of social mobility, the party of the living wage, the party of lower taxes for low earners and the party of millions of apprenticeships and millions of jobs.

Bob Blackman Portrait Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
- Hansard - -

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

Matt Hancock Portrait The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Matthew Hancock)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The Cabinet Office is responsible for efficiency in reforming Government, transparency, civil society, digital technology, cyber-security and delivering the Government’s agenda.

Bob Blackman Portrait Bob Blackman
- Hansard - -

I commend my right hon. Friend for releasing vast amounts of Government data, which will improve transparency across Government. What further action can he take to ensure that performance improves, transparency is available to the general public and data are in a manageable form so that people can analyse them?

Matt Hancock Portrait Matthew Hancock
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

My hon. Friend is right that this is not only about releasing more information, but about releasing it in a way that is usable. I can announce to the House that since 2010 the Government have released 27,000 open datasets—a new high—which goes to show that we are the most transparent Government ever.