Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2025 to Question 61229 on Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure, how many lines of activity in his Department were considered as part of the zero based review.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
At Spending Review 2025, the government conducted the first zero-based review (ZBR) of department budgets in 18 years, with every line of spending scrutinised to ensure value for money.
To ensure consistency in approach, cross-government guidance set expectations for the level of granularity each review should consider, recommending that departments review all spending within individual programme expenditure – at a minimum reflecting any lines of spending in excess of £1m per annum.
Savings identified through this process will support delivery of the government's commitment for all departments to deliver at least 5% savings and efficiencies by 2028-29.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to provide an answer to Question 82727 on National Security Adviser: China, tabled on 16 October 2025.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
A response has been issued here.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his oral contribution of 13 October 2025, Official Report, column 67 which (a) minister and (b) civil servant gave the Deputy National Security Adviser full freedom to provide evidence without interference.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The decision that the Deputy National Security Advisor would give evidence was taken under the last Government in 2023.
When this government came into office in 2024, the Deputy National Security Advisor was a witness in a criminal prosecution. That is why, as this Government has repeatedly stated, that no Ministers or special advisors have played any role in the provision of evidence.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the former Deputy Prime Minister has received a Ministerial severance payment.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 21 July 2025, this Government announced reforms to Ministerial severance pay to ensure severance payments are proportionate and fair. These changes came into effect from 13 October. Before this, decisions as to whether a Minister accepted a severance payment were for the outgoing minister, in line with the practice of previous administrations.
Details of ministerial severance payments are published in the relevant department’s annual report and accounts.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59412 on Government Departments: Reviews, if his Department will publish the line by line review of its spending conducted for the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Cabinet Office is committed to delivering the 5% savings and efficiency target, with Spending Review funding allocations agreed on this basis.
These funding allocations – informed by the findings of the Zero Based Review – are the first step in a wider plan to finalise budgets for different projects and programmes, with any necessary savings decided through that process. The savings taken forward will be subject to the normal rigorous business planning processes, and in-year financial management.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, what his planned timetable is to agree arrangements for UK participation in EU electricity trading platforms.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 19 May, the Government published a renewed agenda for UK-EU cooperation. The Government agreed with the European Commission to proceed swiftly with the commitments and will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, when measures relating to UK passport holders using EU eGates will be able to take effect.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The UK-EU Common Understanding confirms that there will be no legal barriers to eGate use for British Nationals traveling to and from EU Member States after the introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). This is a positive step forward and we are now working quickly with Member States to get these arrangements in place and improve our citizens’ travel experience reducing lengthy and imbalanced queues at various entry points across the EU.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, what his planned timetable is for discussions with (i) the EU and (ii) EU Member States on improving access arrangements for touring in Europe.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 19 May, the Government published a renewed agenda for UK-EU cooperation. The Government agreed with the European Commission to proceed swiftly with the commitments and will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, what his planned timetable is for agreeing measures for increased exchange of criminal records for (i) third country and (ii) other nationals in the UK and EU.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 19 May, the Government published a renewed agenda for UK-EU cooperation. The Government agreed with the European Commission to proceed swiftly with the commitments and will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, what his planned timetable is to agree arrangements enabling information exchange between the UK and the EU Drugs Agency on drug-related threats.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 19 May, the Government published a renewed agenda for UK-EU cooperation. The Government agreed with the European Commission to proceed swiftly with the commitments and will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.