Charlie Dewhirst
Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds
3,125 (7.3%) majority - 2024 General ElectionFirst elected: 4th July 2024
5 APPG memberships (as of 28 Mar 2025)
Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, Child of the North, Fisheries, Science and Technology in Agriculture, UK Food SecurityDivision Voting information
Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
(8 debate interactions)
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
(4 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(11 debate contributions)
(9 debate contributions)
(6 debate contributions)
(5 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(740 words contributed)
(722 words contributed)
(425 words contributed)
(59 words contributed)
Bridlington and The Wolds Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 153,523 signatures (0.32%)
of 160,880 signatures (0.27%)
of 61,756 signatures (0.27%)
of 58,992 signatures (0.26%)
of 45,396 signatures (0.24%)
of 225,719 signatures (0.23%)
of 245,215 signatures (0.21%)
of 153,523 signatures (0.32%)
of 160,880 signatures (0.27%)
c. 930 added daily
154,038
(Estimated)
Don't change inheritance tax relief for working farms
Sign this petition Gov Responded - 5 Dec 2024 Debated on - 10 Feb 2025 View Charlie Dewhirst's petition debate contributionscloses in 4 weeks
We think that changing inheritance tax relief for agricultural land will devastate farms nationwide, forcing families to sell land and assets just to stay on their property. We urge the government to keep the current exemptions for working farms.
Latest EDMs signed by Charlie Dewhirst
Eva Smeddle and Glasgow Chamber Orchestra
Tabled by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)That this House celebrates student Eva Smeddle’s music being performed by the Glasgow Chamber Orchestra; notes that the now 18 year old, who is from St Andrews, composed A Nightmare in Argentina at the age of 15 and it will now be debuted by a 45-strong ensemble from the Glasgow …
(Most recent: 31 Mar 2025)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 5
Independent: 1
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Conservative: 1
Yorkshire Cancer Research's 100th anniversary
Tabled by: Tom Gordon (Liberal Democrat - Harrogate and Knaresborough)That this House congratulates Yorkshire Cancer Research, based in Harrogate, on reaching its 100th anniversary this year; recognises the charity’s work across the region since it was founded in 1925; recognises and celebrates its role in funding research into cancer care and treatment and in pioneering new cancer prevention and …
(Most recent: 3 Mar 2025)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 8
Liberal Democrat: 5
Conservative: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Charlie Dewhirst, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Charlie Dewhirst has not been granted any Urgent Questions
1 Adjournment Debate led by Charlie Dewhirst
Charlie Dewhirst has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
1 Bill co-sponsored by Charlie Dewhirst
Food Products (Market Regulation and Public Procurement) Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Alistair Carmichael (LD)
Latest 50 Written Questions
(View all written questions)1 Other Department Questions
In April 2023, the previous government issued guidance on positive action in the workplace (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/positive-action-in-the-workplace-guidance-for-employers/positive-action-in-the-workplace). This sets out the differences between positive action and positive discrimination and what is permitted under the Equality Act 2010.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
For security reasons specific details of allocations including make and model of vehicles are not issued.
The arrangements relating to the usage of vehicles in the Government Car Service are set out in the Civil Service Management Code.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
For security reasons specific details of allocations including make and model of vehicles are not issued.
The arrangements relating to the usage of vehicles in the Government Car Service are set out in the Civil Service Management Code.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Details of ministers’ and senior officials’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government Car Service (GCS) offers vehicles to government departments as a shared resource. Each department independently determines the allocation of these vehicles to its ministerial cadre/officials, as under previous administrations.
The Attorney General’s Office is currently allocated two vehicles including allocated and shared vehicles.
For security reasons specific details of allocations including make and model of vehicles are not issued.
The average cost to a department for a single DPC (Department Pool Car) in 2024/25 financial years is £108K per annum.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Government Car Service (GCS) offers vehicles to government departments as a shared resource. Each department independently determines the allocation of these vehicles.
The arrangements relating to the using of vehicles in the Government Car Service is set out in the Civil Service Management Code.
There has been no change in this policy since the general election.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Civil Service is committed to creating a safe and supportive work environment for all its employees and will not tolerate any form of harassment, unacceptable behaviour or abuse by any party, towards any employee.
Departments have their own policies and guidance on dealing with any such behaviour.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
As of January 2025, 10 Downing Street held 45 Government Procurement Cards. In the Cabinet Office instructions were issued to the bank on 18 March 2025 to freeze the cards. The number of cards held by No. 10 remains under review.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to Question 34459. The arrangements relating to officials' use of vehicles from the Government Car Service are set out in the Civil Service Management Code. In particular, section 8.2.7 states the conditions under which Permanent Secretaries may use official cars, and states that Permanent Secretaries may determine whether, exceptionally, other senior staff are allowed to use official cars on the same conditions. Departmental Private Offices will administer the allocation; ministerial private offices would not be involved in any such decisions other than in determining if a car is available.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Payment will be made through the Government Property Agency, and the cost of these works will be published in due course in Cabinet Office transparency returns.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In line with paragraph 8.1 of the Framework Agreement, Cabinet Office Ministers will continue to answer parliamentary questions about the work of the Civil Service Commission, as the government department responsible for sponsoring the Commission, while respecting its operational independence.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Line Managers are expected to be aware of, and ensure compliance with, the minimum 60% expectation for their direct reports. This approach is the same both in and outside of London.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Following the announcement in December of last year that Lady Elish Angiolini was to be appointed as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, it became clear that there is a legal restriction against a Catholic person being appointed to the role.
The Church of Scotland (Lord High Commissioner) Act 2025 has been passed by both Houses of Parliament with cross-party support and has received Royal Assent. This legislation removes the historical legal restriction and will ensure that Lady Elish can take up the role.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As was the case under previous administrations, no such agreements are in place with HMRC and the National Crime Agency.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Department for Education is currently working through the approval process to establish the School Support Staff Negotiating Body as an Arm’s Length Body, in parallel to the passage of the Employment Rights Bill. The completion of business cases as part of this process considers other viable delivery mechanisms and ensures there is a clear rationale for its creation.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 27th March is attached.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information used to form the aggregate figure for which the spending reduction on communications and marketing is based on can be found through the Government efficiency, transparency and accountability page on Gov.uk.
A comprehensive communications Spending Review identified 39 campaigns that were cancelled, 46 campaigns continuing with reduced budgets and 46 campaigns aiming to reduce their expenditure by 25%. The combined savings from these measures total £85 million in 2024-25 and up to £96 million in 2025-26.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Under the provisions of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014, the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists is required to maintain the UK Register of Consultant Lobbyists. Under the legislation, which was introduced by the then Government in 2013, all registrants must be UK VAT registered. As such, the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists does not regulate foreign based consultant lobbyist firms.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government welcomes the important work of the JCNSS to scrutinise the national security decision making.
I refer the Honourable Member to the letter sent by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 24 February 2025, to the Chair of the JCNSS, which has been published here https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/46888/documents/241917/default/.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Staff Network time allocation is agreed between networks and departments as the employer. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid. The Cabinet Office doesn’t allocate any hours of network time to the Civil Service Muslim Network.
The current senior sponsor for the Civil Service Muslim Network is the Director of Civil Service Employee Engagement & People Performance, Government People Group.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
36 Whitehall is not in use and there are no current plans to bring it back into use. Its return to use is regularly reviewed. There are no plans to dispose of the property.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Departments may employ photographers in order to support government’s priorities, enable effective operation of public services and improve people’s lives.
The Cabinet Office Communications team employs two Digital Media Officers who support government work in Departments and undertake photography as a small part of their duties.
There are also 2 full time, dedicated photographers in the No10 team. Although they are funded by the Cabinet Office, their work is managed by No10.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Line Managers are expected to be aware of, and ensure compliance with, the minimum 60% expectation for their direct reports. This approach is the same both in and outside of London.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Compressed working arrangements are agreed and recorded at a team level. The information requested can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
As was the case under the previous administration, the timing of meetings of the Group have been organised on an ad hoc basis. The Government will set out its plans for the Information Rights User Group in due course.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In line with the newly announced changes to Senior Civil Service Performance management, this Government will require that Permanent Secretaries identify the lowest performing members of their senior workforce and take action to address this within 6 months. In addition to expanding the tools available to ensure that those with the right skills can deliver to the highest standard and drive a productive and efficient Civil Service, we will hold Heads of Departments accountable for the management of underperformance.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
A copy of the response to FOI2025/01530 has now been deposited in the House Library. The media suite is in a listed part of 9 Downing Street.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy provides a framework for departments about how Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) should be embedded in the Civil Service.
The EDI Expenditure Guidance and the Guidance on Diversity and Inclusion and Impartiality for Civil Servants also provide guidance on specific aspects of EDI. None of this guidance has changed since the General Election.
Departmental EDI guidance for individual civil servants will be held in departments.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Central government uses the same tool for assessing social value that has been used since 2021, where central government buyers select evaluation criteria from the options available in the social value model.
We have made updates to the social value model, to streamline it, align it with the government’s missions and ensure suppliers’ commitments are targeted to need. Any new criteria in the social value model must only be used where they are proportionate and relevant to the contract to prevent creating burdens.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
There is no existing Memorandum of Understanding between HOLAC and the Cabinet Office. As with all independent advisory bodies, the Government keeps its arrangements with HOLAC under review. HOLAC has published on its website its Code of Practice and other information detailing the way in which it carries out its advisory role.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The government has previously published summaries of departments’ yearly Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs). These are available on the UK government's website (GOV.UK) at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/departmental-strategic-asset-management-plan-executive-summaries
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
All central Government departments are required to publish Government Procurement Card transactions of £500 and over in line with the guidance available to all government departments on gov.uk at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e8b402686650c18ce2cb541/Procurement_Cards_-_Pan_Government_Policy_V4_06042020.pdf.
Departments can elect to publish transactions under £500 if they so wish.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
All FOI requests and written parliamentary questions are considered on a case by case basis. In the Cabinet Office, AI software is not currently used to respond to FOI requests or written parliamentary questions. AI software may be used in the future, as appropriate, to support certain elements of these processes.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Emails sent to or received by a minister’s mailbox are retained permanently as an official record, and remain available for public inquiries, subject access or freedom of information requests. Individual emails may be reviewed at a future date for their historical relevance before transfer to The National Archives, but they are not subject to automatic deletion.
The mailboxes of permanent secretaries are similarly preserved, and those of senior staff (grade SCS PB2 and above) are retained for a period of seven years after they leave their post. After seven years the contents are reviewed and records of historic value selected for permanent preservation.
Unless there is a reason to retain them for a public or other inquiry, or to respond to litigation, all other staff mailboxes are destroyed twelve months after they leave Cabinet Office’s employment.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Information on Special Adviser numbers and costs will be published in the Annual Report on Special Advisers as per the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, as was the case under the previous Administration.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question of 26th March is attached.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office holds responsibility for coordinating the UK National Action Plan for Open Government 2024-2025, including leading progress on actions set out in the current plan. Named departments hold responsibility for specific commitments, as set out on gov.uk.
We will share a further update in due course.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Carbon offsetting is calculated by determining the total tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) emissions that need to be offset. This amount is then multiplied by the cost per tonne of CO2e for the specific offsets being purchased, such as Certified Emissions Reduction offsets. The final cost can vary based on market conditions at the time of purchase.
The Cabinet Office utilises the HMG Crown Commercial Services (CCS) RM6251 Energy Supply Framework with EDF to offset these emissions: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6251
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Carbon offsetting costs are determined by the tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) that are being offset, multiplied by the cost per tonne of CO2e from the Certified Emissions Reduction offsets provided by EDF under the framework contract. These costs can fluctuate based on the timing of purchase, as market trading demands affect the price.
The calculation metric used indicates that 1 kilogram of aviation fuel burned results in approximately 3.15 kilograms of CO2 emitted.
The Cabinet Office uses the HMG Crown Commercial Services (CCS) RM6251 Energy Supply Framework (Additional Services) with EDF for offsetting these emissions. For more information, please refer to the following link: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6251.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
All government appointees, whether regulated or unregulated, are subject to due processes to manage outside interests, which may include external employment.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
There is an established process in place for the declaration and management of private interests held by ministers. This ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest. As part of this process, ministers and their permanent secretaries are asked to consider together whether any recent donations may have a bearing on the minister’s portfolio and duties and to agree appropriate mitigations.
Ministers are also required, as MPs and peers, to adhere to the relevant parliamentary code of conduct with regards to declaring interests. This includes registering donations and other support, details of which are made public on Parliament’s website.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 21 January 2025, Official Report, PQ 25454.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Individual Government Departments have delegated authority to determine pay, including performance related incentives, for their workforce, excluding Senior Civil Servants, subject to the parameters of the Civil Service Pay Remit Guidance. Currently, non-consolidated performance payments are already in place across many departments. The Government recently announced new measures for performance-related pay for the Senior Civil Service.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to Question 16512, answered on 5 December 2024.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the honourable gentleman to the previous response given to Question 14352.
Between October 2023 and October 2024, the Cabinet Office has spent £0 advertising on X.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Cabinet Office Digital is responsible for the number of software licenses purchased.
Cabinet Office Digital uses a range of tools to monitor and manage these software licenses.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
A non-ministerial department (NMD) is a government department, but one that does not have its own minister. An individual NMD is accountable to Parliament through its sponsoring ministers, and the NMD Permanent Secretary, who is the accounting officer. Non-ministerial departments have their own budgets, and are required to produce annual reports and accounts, which can be examined by Parliament.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
It is up to the individual departments to decide their preferred method of communication with members of the press.
Within the Cabinet Office press office, there is not a single telephone number, communication takes place via pressoffice@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Honorable Member to the answer given to the Honorable Member for Brentwood and Ongar on 13 January 2025 (PQ UIN 21348).
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)