Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Capita has hit its target to restore service levels for the most urgent Civil Service Pension Scheme cases.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and Gov.uk.

Capita is under a firm mandate to restore full service delivery to standard contractual levels by the end of June 2026. We are actively exploring the use of all available commercial and contractual levers and continue to withhold milestone payments for missed transition deliverables. All options remain on the table if they fail to meet the June deadline.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Capita’s administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and Gov.uk.

Capita is under a firm mandate to restore full service delivery to standard contractual levels by the end of June 2026. We are actively exploring the use of all available commercial and contractual levers and continue to withhold milestone payments for missed transition deliverables. All options remain on the table if they fail to meet the June deadline.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of backlogs in the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and Gov.uk.

Capita is under a firm mandate to restore full service delivery to standard contractual levels by the end of June 2026. We are actively exploring the use of all available commercial and contractual levers and continue to withhold milestone payments for missed transition deliverables. All options remain on the table if they fail to meet the June deadline.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what powers he has to improve Capita’s administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and Gov.uk.

Capita is under a firm mandate to restore full service delivery to standard contractual levels by the end of June 2026. We are actively exploring the use of all available commercial and contractual levers and continue to withhold milestone payments for missed transition deliverables. All options remain on the table if they fail to meet the June deadline.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions Treasury ministers have had with the Flexible Space Association on the reclassification of flexible workspaces by the Valuation Office Agency.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

HM Treasury Ministers and officials have regular discussions with representatives from the Flexible Space Association and the wider serviced office sector to understand the impact of business rates on the sector.

The Valuation Office (VO) is responsible for valuing non-domestic property for business rates purposes. They are required to maintain accurate rating lists in England and to carry out valuations impartially and in line with relevant legislation and caselaw.

At this time, there is no sector-wide review of serviced office assessments underway. The VO is addressing properties where they have received legal advice, or where unit of assessment issues are brought to its attention.

Where the VO is required to determine the unit of assessment, it does so on a case-by-case basis, with all facts being considered. Reviewing a small number of cases will help clarify the application of legislation on serviced offices and the VO will continue to monitor legal developments and update its approach as needed.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment the Valuation Office Agency has made of the potential impact on small businesses of reclassifying flexible workspaces as single hereditaments for business rates purposes; and whether this assessment included the effect on eligibility for Small Business Rates Relief.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

HM Treasury Ministers and officials have regular discussions with representatives from the Flexible Space Association and the wider serviced office sector to understand the impact of business rates on the sector.

The Valuation Office (VO) is responsible for valuing non-domestic property for business rates purposes. They are required to maintain accurate rating lists in England and to carry out valuations impartially and in line with relevant legislation and caselaw.

At this time, there is no sector-wide review of serviced office assessments underway. The VO is addressing properties where they have received legal advice, or where unit of assessment issues are brought to its attention.

Where the VO is required to determine the unit of assessment, it does so on a case-by-case basis, with all facts being considered. Reviewing a small number of cases will help clarify the application of legislation on serviced offices and the VO will continue to monitor legal developments and update its approach as needed.

Found: Current membership Dame Caroline Dinenage (Conservative; Gosport) (Chair) Mr Bayo Alaba (Labour; Southend

Found: Box 211 Bootle L20 7YX E: [email protected] 10 July 2026 Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: Strictly Private and Confidential For the Attention of: Dame Caroline Dinenage Chair, BBC Royal

Found: Current membership Dame Caroline Dinenage (Conservative; Gosport) (Chair) Mr Bayo Alaba (Labour; Southend

Found: Yours sincerely, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP Chair, Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Found: Parliament Street London SW1A 2BQ E: [email protected] www.gov.uk/dcms Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: Arndale House, The Arndale Centre Manchester, M4 3AQ equalityhumanrights.com Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Mr Bayo Alaba; Vicky Foxcroft; Damian

Found: Current membership Dame Caroline Dinenage (Conservative; Gosport) (Chair) Mr Bayo Alaba (Labour; Southend

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Mr Bayo Alaba; Vicky Foxcroft; Damian

Found: Road, London SE1 9HA Switchboard: 0300 123 3000 or 020 7981 3000 www.ofcom.org.uk Dame Caroline Dinenage

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Caroline Dinenage (Chair); Mr Bayo Alaba; Vicky Foxcroft; Damian

Found: Current membership Dame Caroline Dinenage (Conservative; Gosport) (Chair) Mr Bayo Alaba (Labour; Southend

Found: Parliament Street London SW1A 2BQ E: [email protected] www.gov.uk/dcms Dame Caroline Dinenage