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.
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 on arrangements to enable information exchange between the UK and the EU Drugs Agency.
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, how much has been spent on (a) maintenance and (b) refurbishment of 36 Whitehall in each of the last three years.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Whilst 36 Whitehall is currently unoccupied, the Government Property Agency (as owner of the freehold) has an obligation to maintain essential health and safety systems. Essential fire maintenance costs at 36 Whitehall totalled £5k in 2022-23, £3k in 2023-24 and £1.5k in 2024-25. In 2024-25, £362k was allocated to replace the fire alarm system as part of the GPA’s Lifecycle Replacement (LCR) programme, which replaces office assets that are at the end of their useful life.
Costs related to professional fees for project management and design to develop a scheme to bring the building back into use totalled £661k in 22/23 and £763k in 23/24 with £0 in 24/25. Options for the future use of the building continue to be discussed as part of plans for the Government’s London office estate, with any final decisions being made as part of the ongoing Spending Review process.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans his Department has for the use of 36 Whitehall.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
36 Whitehall is a GPA freehold building currently unoccupied. Options for the future use of the building continue to be discussed as part of plans for the Government’s London office estate, with any final decisions being made as part of the ongoing Spending Review process.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's publication entitled UK Covid-19 Inquiry Management Statement, published in August 2022, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the Covid-19 public inquiry represents value for money.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is an independent public inquiry, established by the previous administration.
In line with the UK Covid-19 Management Statement, the Inquiry’s Accounting Officer must conform to value for money and good financial management requirements and must provide financial updates to the Cabinet Office as its sponsor department.
The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work and she has been clear that she intends to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to reduce the (a) number and (b) administrative costs of arms length bodies.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Prime Minister has commissioned departments to assess all current and proposed arms length bodies against new principles to determine which should continue, close, merge, or have functions returned to departments. This is part of the government's mission to create a more productive and agile state, as demonstrated by NHS England's integration into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Additionally, the Chancellor has initiated Phase 2 of the Spending Review, which will zero-base all public spending, including ALBs. This involves a detailed evaluation to assess priorities and value for money for taxpayers. Departments and ALBs are tasked with identifying a minimum of 5% savings against their day-to-day spending, building on the previous 2% target.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether flights made by (a) the Prime Minister and (b) other Ministers in the Royal Air Force's No. 32 Squadron are subject to Air Passenger Duty.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Air Passenger Duty (APD) is payable for travel undertaken on aircraft that are on the civilian register – it is not payable for aircraft on the military register.
It is therefore payable for all ministerial travel undertaken on the RAF Envoy as that is currently on the civilian register.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Fujitsu has brought a legal claim against his Department since 2016.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Fujitsu has not brought a legal claim against the Cabinet Office since 2016.