Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which policies under each arms length body reporting to their Department fall within the scope of the Environmental principles policy statement, published on 31 January 2023.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The duty does not require us to maintain a comprehensive list of policies within scope of the duty.
The duty applies to all policies made from 1 November 2023, whether developed by a central department or an arm’s length body, which are:
made by Ministers of the Crown; and
not covered by the exemptions for the armed forces, defence or national security, taxation, spending or the allocation of resources within government.
The environmental principles policy statement provides further information on what is considered policy in scope of the duty.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, on what occasions he has been briefed on climate science by the Chief Scientist in 2023.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 16 February 2022, Official Report, PQ 120718.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Prime Minister plans to appoint a Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work; and for what reason this post is vacant.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
My Hon. Friend, the Member for Mid Sussex (Mims Davies MP) has been appointed as the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, and will build on the Government’s strong track record of supporting disabled people, having delivered millions of cost of living payments and helping over one million more disabled people into work five years earlier than planned. The Minister will help ensure there is always a strong safety net for the most vulnerable in our society, while tearing down barriers so that every disabled person can realise their potential and thrive.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Intelligence and Security Committee report on Russia, HC 632, published on 21 July 2020, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK General Elections are not affected by political interference.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon Member for Brighton Pavilion to my answer on 26th October 2023 (PQ 203720).
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister of the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister exchanged letters with the Rt hon. Member for Fareham at the end of her term in office as Home Secretary; and for what reasons she no longer holds the office of Home Secretary.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The reasons for my right hon. Friend’s departure from government are a matter of public record.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the UK biological security strategy published on 12 June 2023, when he expects a dedicated Minister for the UK Biological Security Strategy to be appointed.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Biological Security Strategy was published in June 2023 confirming that the Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster had been established as lead minister for the Strategy. The Deputy Prime Minister was also committed to make an annual statement to Parliament on progress implementing the Strategy, which will take place next year.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish all correspondence sent between Natural England and his Department on changes to regulations on nutrient neutrality and the delivery of new homes since 1 May 2023; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 12 September 2023, PQ 198372.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to review all Government documents to ensure that they do not contain (a) racist and (b) other prejudiced terms; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
We do not tolerate racist, homophobic, sexist or any similarly unacceptable language in any form, including in Government documents or on our webpages.
The Government has issued guidance on how to write about race and ethnicity and promoted this across departments, including through a letter from the Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service to all Permanent Secretaries in December. That guidance is on gov.uk here: https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/style-guide/writing-about-ethnicity
This is part of wider work to implement the Inclusive Britain Action Plan, the Government’s response to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, which was published in March 2022. The Government issued an update to Parliament in April 2023 summarising the progress that has been made in delivering this plan.
Cabinet Office will be writing to Permanent Secretary colleagues to remind them of this guidance and asking them to ensure that it is easily accessible to all employees within their department and associated organisations.
Recent media coverage has highlighted language in two documents dating back to 2006 and 2012, and a 2015 comment on a publicly accessible Government web page, on which anyone is able to comment. The 2006 document was written by an external contractor for use by their own staff, the 2012 document used the language within a quote from a non-civil service scientific paper published in 1990. Both documents are no longer in use and the comment has been removed from the web page.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2023 to Question 190802 on Blood: Contamination, when he plans to make a decision on whether to accept the recommendations of the inquiry’s second interim report; and if he will make a statement before the summer recess.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
As set out in the debate held on Thursday 22nd June, the Government is considering the recommendations set out in the Inquiry’s Second Interim Report and intends to respond to Sir Brian’s recommendations following the publication of the Inquiry’s final report in the autumn. This does not preclude the possibility of making earlier announcements on progress, and I am committed to updating the House as appropriate as the Government progresses this work.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy for interim payments to be made to people affected by deaths that have not been formally recognised as arising from infected blood products; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Work is underway to consider the recommendations in Sir Brian Langstaff's second interim report, including those relating to compensation to those affected by this tragedy. It is important that we give consideration to the recommendations ahead of making any announcements. I am committed to updating the House on these matters as soon as is appropriate.