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Written Question
Covid-19 Inquiry: Expenditure
Wednesday 20th December 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent on the case of Cabinet Office v Chair of Covid Inquiry, [2023] EWHC 1702 (Admin).

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

This judicial review was brought to seek clarification on a point of law and we were pleased that the Court agreed that there was an important legal question to consider. It acknowledged our concerns over respecting the privacy of individuals and ensuring that irrelevant information is returned and not retained by the Inquiry.

The total legal costs for the case of the Cabinet Office v Chair of the COVID-19 Inquiry were £192,739.

We have fully cooperated with, and continue to cooperate with, the Inquiry having provided over 56,000 documents to the Inquiry so far.


Written Question
Cybersecurity
Wednesday 10th May 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps is he taking to ensure that Government technology and infrastructure is cyber secure.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government Cyber Security Strategy, published in January 2022, sets out how we will build and maintain our cyber defences; by building greater cyber resilience across all government organisations, and working together to ‘defend as one’ - exerting a defensive force greater than the sum of our parts.

The Strategy sets a clear target for the Government's most critical functions to be appropriately resilient by 2025, with all government organisations being resilient to known vulnerabilities and common attack methods by 2030. Last month, as a key component of the strategy, the Deputy Prime Minister announced the launch of GovAssure. GovAssure is a new, more robust and independent cyber assurance regime for the whole of government.


Written Question
Committee of Privileges: Legal Costs
Monday 3rd April 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the value for money of funding the legal fees for the Rt hon. Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip for his involvement in the inquiry by the Privileges Committee into his conduct.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

As set out by the Permanent Secretary and Accounting Officer of the Cabinet Office at the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee meeting on 26 January 2023, the contract award has followed the proper processes present under successive administrations.


Written Question
Peters and Peters
Thursday 30th March 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse has been of legal services provided by Peters and Peters for the Privileges Committee investigation of the Rt hon. Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

I refer the Hon Member to PQ 111722. As set out in my previous answer, the Government has previously committed to setting out the final costs of the total legal support in relation to the Privileges Committee in due course after the conclusion of this matter.


Written Question
Home Office: Media
Tuesday 28th March 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential impact of the Government Communications Service Propriety Guidance on determining which news organisations to invite on Departmental visits.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

No.


Written Question
Emergencies: Warnings
Friday 24th March 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to ensure that Emergency Alerts reach people who (a) are digitally excluded and (b) do not have smart phones.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

The emergency alerts system is an additional tool that supplements the Government’s warning and informing systems for use in emergencies. Alerts work on all 4G and 5G phone networks in the UK. Those without a compatible device would still be informed about an emergency through other accessible channels including television, radio and print media. Any live emergency alerts will also be uploaded to view on the www.gov.uk/alerts webpage.

Emergency alerts do not replace any other form of warning tools available to the government. They are an additional tool in our national resilience toolbox to keep the public safe.


Written Question
Emergencies: Planning
Friday 24th March 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the UK National Resilience Framework, published on 19 December 2022, when he plans to make the first annual statement to Parliament on civil contingencies risk and the UK Government’s performance on resilience.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

As set out in the action plan for implementation, the annual statement on resilience will be established by 2025, although our intention is to make a first statement within the next year.


Written Question
Emergencies: Planning
Friday 24th March 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the UK Government Resilience Framework, published on 19 December 2022, what estimate he has made of when a new Head of Resilience will be appointed.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

The Framework committed the Government to appointing a Head of Resilience to provide systematic leadership of the Government’s programme to strengthen national resilience. The current role of the Resilience Director in the Cabinet Office will evolve into the Head of Resilience role. We are currently undertaking a review of responsibilities and accountabilities across Lead Government Departments, which includes detailed consideration of the role of the Head of Resilience.


Written Question
Emergencies: Planning
Friday 24th March 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the UK Government Resilience Framework, published on 19 December 2022, what his planned timetable is for delivering the UK Resilience Academy.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

The UK Resilience Academy is set to be launched for all those with a role in resilience by 2025. Planning began in early 2023 with Departments, Devolved Administrations, national colleges, academia, and local resilience stakeholders to inform the scope of the Academy.


Written Question
Emergencies: Planning
Friday 24th March 2023

Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the UK Government Resilience Framework, published on 19 December 2022, on what date the National Security Council sub-committee on resilience plans to hold its first meeting.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

My colleague, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, confirmed in the House last week that he has now chaired the first meeting of the National Security Council (Resilience).