Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2026, to Question 9325, on Council of the Nations and Regions: National Identity, for what reason it has met twice.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The government works in partnership with Mayors and devolved governments through a range of intergovernmental fora such as the Council of the Nations and Regions, the Mayoral Council, and the National Economic Council. The Council of Nations and Regions met twice to discuss inward investment and trade and AI respectively. We will continue to use these forums to deliver on shared priorities.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Council of Nations and Regions will continue to meet under the new Administration.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The government works in partnership with Mayors and devolved governments through a range of intergovernmental fora such as the Council of the Nations and Regions, the Mayoral Council, and the National Economic Council. The Council of Nations and Regions met twice to discuss inward investment and trade and AI respectively. We will continue to use these forums to deliver on shared priorities.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the No10 press release, Whitehall officials to be posted into mayors' offices as PM marks first month of No10 North, of 21 August 2026, what the estimated cost is of the mayoral secondment programme; from which budget it will be allocated and whether additional civil service staff will be hired.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Departments will cover the cost to support the capacity and capability building of MSAs as they go through the process of institution building. It is not expected that additional civil servants will be hired by departments to fill roles for individuals participating in this secondment programme.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any recommendations in relation to local government have been submitted to the Call for Ideas on the 7th National Action Plan for Open Government.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The call for evidence for the Seventh UK National Action Plan for Open Government received 17 ideas that specifically mentioned âlocal governmentâ. These are organised against different sub-themes such as open data, public participation, anti-corruption, and Freedom of Information. Further Information about themes and sub-themes are contained within ANNEX I: Detailed Theme Assessment Tables of the call for evidence outcome document.
We will look at the local aspect of sub-themes as relevant commitments are taken forwards.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to her Department's data entitled Public-sector trade union facility time data, for what reason Transport for London facility time expenditure and numbers are not listed in the 2024-25 dataset.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Transport for London did not submit their trade union facility time data for the year 2024-25 via the online reporting system.
The Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017 required public-sector organisations to publish their facility time data. Under the previous administration, there was no penalty for organisations who did not submit their data.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office,âŻwhether the Government Property Agency plans to change policy guidance on toilets in departmental buildings in response to the (i) Supreme Court ruling of [2025] UKSC and (ii) implementation of revised 2024 Approved Document T: Toilet Accommodation building regulations, in relation to the (a) removal of legacy gender-neutral toilets on the government estate, (b) provision of separate single-sex toilets for men and for women and (c) provision of universal toilets in addition to separate single-sex toilets.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government Property Agency is committed to ensuring that the portion of government estate it manages complies with all relevant legislation, including the 2024 Approved Document T and the April 2025 Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.
The GPA has updated its policy to ensure that both single-sex and universal welfare facilities are provided in all government workspaces and buildings that it manages. For capital projects and significant refurbishments, facilities are provided in line with the Government Workplace Design Guide V4.0.
Regarding legacy gender-neutral facilities (those that do not meet the requirements of a âuniversal toiletâ as described in Approved Document T) on the existing estate, the GPA is currently auditing these spaces on its estate and developing a programme for lifecycle replacement or refurbishment as required to align them with the updated guidance. The GPA is conducting proportionality assessments across its estate to determine necessary physical or signage changes.
The GPA mandates the provision of single-sex welfare facilities across its managed workspaces.
In addition to single-sex facilities, a minimum of one universal toilet-room will be provided in each GPA-managed building.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate the ONS has made of annual percentage increases in private sector rents in each nation of the United Kingdom in each of the last three years.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Rt. Hon Memberâs Parliamentary Question of 28 August is attached.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information her Department holds on the estimated change in private rent sector rents for an average (a) flat and (b) house, in (1) London and (2) England, since July 2024, in absolute cash and percentage terms.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
A response to the Rt. Hon gentlemanâs Parliamentary Question of 28th August is attached.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what forecasts his debate has made of the level of (a) births and (b) deaths in United Kingdom over the next two decades, and the effect on the size and age profile of the domestic population, including the number of (i) working age citizens, (b) school-age children and (c) pensioners.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Rt. Hon gentlemanâs Parliamentary Question of 28th August is attached.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the No10 press release, Whitehall officials to be posted into mayors' offices as PM marks first month of No10 North, of 21 August 2026, if she will list each attendee of that No10 North virtual situation room meeting; what the terms of reference are of the situation room; and whether any council (a) leaders and (b) mayors were invited.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Details of meetings with external organisations are published routinely on gov.uk.