Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what was the total civil service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion expenditure in the 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office does not routinely collect data on all expenditure of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Delivery of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion falls within the responsibility of departments under the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance.
In 2023/2024, the Civil Service conducted a one-off review of expenditure; the outcomes of the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Review have been published in the CS EDI Expenditure Review Data.
Since the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance published on 14 May 2024, the Cabinet Office routinely collects and publishes only external expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. The 2024/2025 external expenditure was published in the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion on 30 May 2025.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what was the total civil service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion expenditure for the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office does not routinely collect data on all expenditure of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Delivery of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion falls within the responsibility of departments under the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance.
In 2023/2024, the Civil Service conducted a one-off review of expenditure; the outcomes of the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Review have been published in the CS EDI Expenditure Review Data.
Since the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance published on 14 May 2024, the Cabinet Office routinely collects and publishes only external expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. The 2024/2025 external expenditure was published in the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion on 30 May 2025.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what was the total civil service external expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office routinely collects and publishes the external expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion from departments under the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance, which was published on 14 May 2024. Before the guidance was published, combined internal and external expenditure was gathered as part of the one-off Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Review.
The 2024/2025 external expenditure was published in the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion on 30 May 2025.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what was the total civil service external expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office routinely collects and publishes the external expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion from departments under the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance, which was published on 14 May 2024. Before the guidance was published, combined internal and external expenditure was gathered as part of the one-off Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Review.
The 2024/2025 external expenditure was published in the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion on 30 May 2025.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his oral contribution on 10 July 2025 in response to a Question from the hon. Member for Tatton, Official Report, column 1112, how much money has been saved as a result of the implementation of the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure guidance, published on 14 May 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The CS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure guidance remains in place.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 58984 on Information Commissioner's Office: Wilmslow, what (a) consultations and (b) impact assessments his Department carried out before approving the decision to relocate the Information Commissioner's Office.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Office of Government Property was satisfied that the relocation to the proposed new offices better suited the requirements of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) based on the information provided and our engagement with the Government Property Agency.
It also understood that the ICO had undertaken the relevant external consultation and impact assessments needed to assess the relocation options.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who his Department consulted at Cheshire East Council before approving the decision to move the Information Commissioner's Office from Wilmslow to Manchester.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Cabinet Office approval for this property transaction comes under National Property Controls in the Office of Government Property. The value threshold meant that approval was taken at official level.
The decision to move was made by the Information Commissioner’s Office, itself, on analysis based upon HM Treasury’s Green Book principles. The move will lead to a reduction of office space and the overall rent payable. National Property Controls were satisfied by the property rationale for the move to the proposed building. It would be a matter for ICO to decide on what wider consultation on the relocation was appropriate.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff network events took place in his Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department. As a result, events are organised by staff themselves, not the department. We are aware of the following events that these networks organised in May 2025.
LGBT+ Network
CO LGBT Network - Meeting, 13 May 11:30-11:55am
CO LGBT+ Network - Meeting, 20 May 3:30-4pm
CO LGBT+ Network - Meeting, 28 May 3-3:30pm
Carers Network
CO Carers Network - Virtual Coffee Session, 20 May 12-1pm
Menopause Network
Menopause - Support Group, 20 May 11-12pm
Menopause - Support Group, 27 May 11-12pm
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has updated guidance on the use of single-sex facilities in response to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
Answered by Nia Griffith
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given on 20 June (PQ UIN 59003).
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has updated guidance on the use of single-sex facilities in response to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
Answered by Nia Griffith
Across government, we will review and update policy wherever necessary to ensure it complies with legal requirements. We aim to ensure appropriate facilities are available for all staff.