Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent on (a) marketing and (b) related activities for the Unicorn Kingdom campaign.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on the GREAT campaign, on a rolling monthly basis on gov.uk as part of routine government transparency arrangements. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has allocated for (a) marketing and (b) related activities for the Unicorn Kingdom campaign in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on the GREAT campaign, on a rolling monthly basis on gov.uk as part of routine government transparency arrangements. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the processes were for appointing Government contracts to Infosys Limited.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Public sector contracting authorities are required to purchase products and services through competitive tender in accordance with public procurement legislation, and are responsible for their own commercial decisions, including the award of contracts.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Prime Minister will amend the ministerial code to require all new Ministers to publish their tax returns.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Ministerial Code was last updated on 22 December 2022. There are no plans for any further updates.
In submitting their ministerial interest form Ministers are asked to declare their relevant interests in a number of categories. One such area on which information is required is Ministers’ tax affairs. The Prime Minister has recently re-affirmed the importance of ensuring this duty is undertaken conscientiously.
As stated in the answer of 2 February 2023, Official Report, PQ 135428, the Prime Minister has stated his intention to publish his own tax return, which will be published in due course.
However, as has been the case under successive administrations, it is not the intention of the Government to require all Ministers to publish their tax returns. In public life, a balance must be struck between reasonable expectations of privacy and accountability. This reflects that Parliament has previously legislated to maintain the principle of taxpayer confidentiality.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Prime Minister was first made aware of the allegations of bullying made against the Rt hon. Member for Esher and Walton.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by the Prime Minister at Prime Minister’s Questions on 1 February 2023, Official Report, Columns 335-336.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Prime Minister first became aware that the Rt hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon had not (a) declared to his permanent secretary and (b) disclosed in his ministerial declaration of interests the investigation by HMRC.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the Hon Member to the Prime Minister's comments to the House on 25 January (https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-01-25/debates/CC1C6066-E0E7-4BF6-84D4-BB5C11BC1EBA/Engagements#contribution-2261E821-4652-4AE6-A3D4-43A2323BE174 )
As the Hon Member will be aware, the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests provided his findings to the Prime Minister in a letter sent on 29 January 2023. The findings detail the relevant facts in relation to the disclosures made by the Rt Hon Member for Stratford-on-Avon. The advice was published in full on GOV.UK on the day it was received by the Prime Minister, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. Correspondence relating to the tax affairs of individual taxpayers is subject to statutory requirements on taxpayer confidentiality.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons he took a private jet on a journey to Leeds on 9 January 2023 instead of other forms of transport.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
All Ministerial travel is undertaken using efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
As a whole, domestic flights within the United Kingdom allow Ministers to visit more parts of the United Kingdom in the time available, particularly areas further away from London, and reduce the need for overnight accommodation for Ministers and accompanying staff. Security considerations are also taken into account.
Details of departmental business travel are published in the Cabinet Office audited annual report and accounts.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to update the List of Ministerial Responsibilities.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The List of Ministerial Responsibilities has been published and placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It can also be found on GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-ministers-and-responsibilities.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government will publish its complete response to the Sir Robert Francis KC Infected Blood Compensation Study before Christmas this year,.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I recognise the importance of the issue and the desire of the honourable lady to receive an update on Government work in relation to Sir Robert Francis’ recommendation.
It is my intention to provide an update to the House as soon as possible.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his planned timetable is for the launch of the emergency alert system.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The government remains committed to launching the emergency alerts capability this winter and is in the final stages of validating it is ready for this to happen. The initial focus will be on extreme weather scenarios and, subject to a review of the trial period, we will look to expand its use in the spring of 2023.