Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether information relating to the contents of Ministerial red box Government business has been sent via (a) WhatsApp and (b) other messaging platforms to a (i) ministerial and (ii) minister's personal phone; whether Government rules and guidance allow for red box-related information to be summarised and sent via social media platforms; what assessment he has made of the potential impact of sending such information in that manner on security; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Michael Ellis
There are appropriate arrangements and guidance in place for the management of electronic communications to conduct Government business. Ministers will use a range of digital forms of communication for discussions in line with relevant guidance on information handling and security.
The Cabinet Office has previously published guidance on how information is held for the purposes of access to information, and how formal decisions are recorded for the official record. Ministers are also given advice on the security of electronic communications.
In line with practices across successive Administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on internal security arrangements.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to the response of the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Brighton Pavilion during the oral statement of 31 January 2022 on the Investigation into alleged gatherings on Government premises during covid restrictions – update, what changes he plans to make to the Ministerial Code and its implementation; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Boris Johnson
I would refer the Hon. Member to my exchange of letters with the Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests, published on 6 January and placed in the Library of the House. The Government will outline any changes in due course.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, what assessment he has made of whether all covid-19 guidance was followed in No. 10 Downing Street from 23 March 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Boris Johnson
I refer the Hon. Member to the Terms of Reference for the Cabinet Office investigation, which have been deposited in the Library of the House. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt that process.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, on what date he first learned about the parties in Downing Street that took place on the eve of the funeral of Prince Philip.
Answered by Boris Johnson
I refer the Hon. Member to the Terms of Reference for the Cabinet Office investigation, which have been deposited in the Library of the House. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt that process.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the investigation led by Sue Gray into allegations of breaches of covid-19 regulations by the Prime Minister will include interviewing former Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Rt hon. Member for Hertsmere, on whether he gained any knowledge of gatherings on 20 May 2020 at the Downing Street while visiting Downing Street on that date to deliver the covid-19 press conference.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Terms of Reference for the Cabinet Office’s investigation have been published on GOV.UK and deposited in the libraries of both Houses. The work will be concluded by the Second Permanent Secretary.
The Government does not comment on the specifics of an ongoing process.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the Prime Minister wore a police uniform during televised media interviews on 6 December 2021; and whether the Prime Minister sought (a) permission from (i) the Chief Constable of Merseyside Police or (ii) other relevant police authorities to wear police uniform during media interviews and (b) advice from officials on potential implications for the separation of Ministerial and police roles of a Minister (A) wearing and (B) widely publicising the wearing of police uniform; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Michael Ellis
On 6 December, the Prime Minister accompanied Merseyside Police to watch their County Lines enforcement work in action. His attendance and participation was agreed with Merseyside Police, who ensured that clothing and protective equipment, to reflect the operational conditions, was provided.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister attended an indoor gathering at Downing Street on 13 November 2020.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the Hon Member to the answers given by my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister at Prime Minister's Questions on 8 December and those given by me in the House on 9 December. Copies of the terms of reference for the Cabinet Secretary’s investigations have been placed in the Libraries of the House and are also available on the GOV.UK website.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister attended an indoor gathering at No.10 Downing Street on 27 November 2020.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the Hon Member to the answers given by my Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister at Prime Minister's Questions on 8 December and those given by me in the House on 9 December. Copies of the terms of reference for the Cabinet Secretary’s investigations have been placed in the Libraries of the House and are also available on the GOV.UK website.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prompt Payment Policy applies to payments due from Government departments to (a) sign-language interpreters and (b) other self-employed people providing services to Government departments; if he will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on delays to payments to sign-language interpreters providing services to Access to Work claimants on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Michael Ellis
As per the Public Contract Regulations 2015, public sector buyers must include 30-day payment terms in new public sector contracts. Public sector buyers must also make sure this payment term is passed down the supply chain.
Government departments are committed to paying all valid and undisputed invoices within 30 days. Government departments publish their payment performance against 5 and 30 days on a quarterly basis on GOV.UK. DWP's latest published report shows they paid 95.7% of valid and undisputed invoices within 5 days and 99.5% of valid and undisputed invoices in 30 days covering April - June of this year.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish details of all meetings he has attended with (a) Heads of States, (b) Ambassadors, (c) business leaders and (d) civil society where COP26 was the leading topic of discussion in the last 12 months.
Answered by Boris Johnson
A successful COP26 is at the top of the Government’s agenda. I regularly raise climate change and COP26 in my bilateral meetings. Most recently, during my visit to the US and attendance at the UN General Assembly, I raised climate change with the heads of state or government from Brazil, Colombia, South Korea, Turkey, and the US. I co-hosted a climate roundtable with the UN Secretary General where we called on major economies to be more ambitious in cutting emissions and encouraged developed countries to increase mobilisation of climate finance to meet the $100 billion goal. Details of my meetings are published and can be found on Gov.uk.