Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to respond to Question 20170 on Cabinet Office: Ministers' Private Offices, tabled on 16 December 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
With apologies to the Rt. Hon. Member, the answer has now been published.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 9833 on Cabinet Office: Ministers' Private Offices, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in his Department between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items this was spent.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government Property Agency confirmed £33,315.61 excluding VAT was spent during the period 4th July 2022 to 4th July 2024 on new furniture and fittings plus other refurbishment (including moves). This is broken down as follows;
New furniture and fittings - £0
Other refurbishment of ministerial offices including moves - £33,315.61
The full itemised list can be found below:
Date: 04/2023
What: The ministerial offices in 70 Whitehall, redecorated due to water damage.
How much: £19,956.50 ex VAT.
Date: 11/2023
What: The redecoration of the ministerial waiting room in 70 Whitehall with furniture alterations, partly due to health and safety concerns.
How much: £13,359.11 ex VAT.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 12890 on Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Ministers' Private Offices, how much the Government Property Agency spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and its predecessor Departments between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government Property Agency confirmed £230,462.01* excluding VAT was spent during the period 4th July 2022 to 4th July 2024 on new furniture and fittings plus other refurbishment (including moves) This is broken down as follows:
New Furniture and Fittings - £215,030.73*
Other Refurbishment of Ministerial Offices including moves - £15,431.28*
The full itemised list can be found below:
(a) new furniture and fittings
Covering the period from the creation of DESNZ, as announced by the Prime Minister on 7 February 2023 to 4 July 2024
Date Reference: 31/10/2023
What: New office furniture (desks, chairs, tables) as a result of the move from 1 Victoria Street to 55 Whitehall and the creation of DESNZ.
How Much: £141,781.00 ex VAT
Date Reference: 31/10/2023
What: Installation of Audio Visual (AV) Equipment
How Much: £73,249.73 ex VAT
Please note: the costs above were incurred as part of existing refurbishment and move taking place for DESNZ, and were not costs incurred from additional requests from Ministers.
*Additionally: Additional Changes in 55WH after the handover of the building included the request to swap the Ministerial Office with the Private Office. This was requested on 20/11/2023 and required the use of pre-existing furniture which required porterage, however, unfortunately the GPA has been unable to source the cost or exact details of what was ordered at this time by the deadline.
(b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices
Covering the period from the creation of DESNZ, as announced by the Prime Minister on 7 February 2023 to 4 July 2024:
Date Reference: 26/10/23 to 03/11/23
What: Relocation of Ministerial Team 1VS to 55WH
How Much: £10,362.28 ex VAT
Date Reference: 06/12/2023
What: Floorbox changes to ministerial and private office rooms. Please note that we are unable to proportionately split this cost between the minister’s room and the private offices.
How much: £5,069 ex VAT
During this period, DESNZ was originally part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) which was dissolved on 7th February 2023 and split into DESNZ, DSIT and DBT. As a result of this, the former BEIS departments were moved out of 1 Victoria Street and into different buildings The GPA has no record of any ministerial furniture or refurbishment expenditure at the former BEIS office (1 Victoria Street) during the requested period.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 9618 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Ministers' Private Offices, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in his Department between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items this was spent.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024 approximately £5,700 (inclusive of VAT) was spent on renovation and improvements to Ministerial Offices.
Incurred costs were:
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many government procurement cards were held by staff within (a) her core Department and (b) executive agencies of her Department at the end of calendar years (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
As of 31 December 2022, 18 government procurement cards were held by staff within the core Department; 27 by staff at the Planning Inspectorate; 6 at the QEII Centre.
As of 31 December 2023, 25 government procurement cards were held by staff within the core Department; 28 by staff at the Planning Inspectorate; 6 at the QEII Centre.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many government procurement cards were held by staff within (a) his core Department and (b) executive agencies of his Department at the end of calendar years (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are unable to provide data as at the end of the calendar years requested, but in mid-January 2023 and 2024 respectively:
Government Procurement Cards provide an efficient route to enable key staff to procure goods and services, necessary to the promotion of British interests overseas and the maintenance of our embassies and high commissions. All purchases are subject to authorisation by managers and audit checks.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 9621 on Department of Health and Social Care: Ministers' Private Offices, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in his Department between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items this was spent.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department spent £140,000 in 2023 to remove a suite of individual ministerial offices and replace these with a flexible co-working space. The Department spent £321,000 between January and 4 July 2024 to build new ministerial offices.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 9072 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Ministers' Private Offices, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in her Department between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items this was spent.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Between 4th July 2022 and 4th July 2024, £12,128.11 was spent on new furniture and fittings in Ministerial Offices and a breakdown of costs is below:
Item/ Place | Cost (£) |
Bookcase | £7,581.41 |
TV Installation | £607.23 |
Supply and install 2 x 2 seater sofa | £3,818.19 |
Supply and install gromet and cable tray | £121.28 |
Total | £12,128.11 |
There were no costs on the refurbishment of these Ministerial office during this period.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2024 to Question 9609 on Department for Business and Trade: Ministers' Private Offices, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in his Department and its predecessor Departments between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items this was spent.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
All facilities management services, including the procurement of furniture and undertaking of refurbishments, are carried out on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade, by the Government Property Agency (GPA).
The GPA have confirmed that they did not undertake any refurbishment work to Ministers offices in Old Admiralty Building, London, during the period specified.
Any ministerial furniture requests are administered by the GPA on behalf of the department and no central records are maintained by the department of such requests.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 1 November 2024 to Question 9069 on Department for Education: Ministers' Private Offices, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in her Department between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items this was spent.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department spent £608,685 on the refurbishment of Ministerial offices during the period 4 July 2022 to 4 July 2024 on new furniture and fittings and other refurbishment. This is broken down as follows:
The department has been undertaking a refurbishment project at Sanctuary Buildings to transform the building from its previous use as the department head office into a Government Property Agency (GPA) hub with multiple government occupants. This is part of the consolidation of buildings in and around Whitehall and will generate cost savings.
This project refurbished all relevant floors that the department occupies including where the Ministerial offices are located. As a result of this wider project, during the timeframe referenced, all Ministerial offices were rebuilt, and furniture replaced. As part of the renovation, the direct costs to create Ministerial rooms (excluding mechanical and engineering plant systems) includes costs for purchase and installation of carpets, wood panelling, paint upgrades and glass partitions.
A list of furniture and fittings purchased are available in the attached document.