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Written Question
Digital Economy Act 2017
Friday 29th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the last annual assessment of the effectiveness of Chapter 1 of Part 5 of the Digital Economy Act 2017.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

We will publish the annual assessment for 2023 following its presentation to the Public Service Delivery (PSD) Review Board and subsequent Ministerial approval.

The current public service delivery powers of the Digital Economy Act have been operational since 2018. The powers enable public authorities to respond quickly and effectively to complex problems, improve citizens' well-being and improve access to public services.

It has previously not been the practice for assessments to be presented in the form of a written report. Instead, the relevant Minister has received oral briefings in relation to the activities of the PSD Review Board, including relevant information on the use of the public service delivery data sharing powers. The PSD Review Board monitors the efficacy of the Digital Economy Act 2017 as a whole, including the effectiveness of the Chapter 1, Part 5 data sharing powers. The terms of reference and quarterly minutes are published on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/digital-economy-act-public-service-delivery-review-board

Ministers were also informed of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) review of the data sharing powers under Part 5 of the DEA (March 2023 - https://ico.org.uk/media/about-the-ico/documents/4024606/ico-review-dea-20230314.pdf). This review addresses the commitment made during the passage of the legislation that the ICO would look at the powers around 3 years after they became operational.


Written Question
Lord Wilson of Rievaulx
Wednesday 3rd May 2023

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish the results of the inquiry by Lord Hunt of Tanworth in 1996 into allegations of a security service plot against Harold Wilson.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Noble Lord to the previous answer (HL1897) on 27 July 2021. To reiterate, official papers relating to these allegations are retained by the Cabinet Office. Retained papers are reviewed regularly to decide whether they can be released.


Written Question
National Science and Technology Council
Tuesday 1st November 2022

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the new Inter-Ministerial Advisory Group on Science and Technology will be afforded the same decision-making status as its predecessor, the National Science and Technology Council.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The National Science and Technology Council was established as a Cabinet committee in October 2021 to consider matters relating to strategic advantage through science and technology. The Cabinet committee list was updated in September 2022. In October 2022, the National Science and Technology Council was established as an inter-ministerial group responsible for delivering an ambitious UK science and technology strategy and to consider key science and technology issues. Where collective agreement is necessary for issues covered by an inter-ministerial group, it is sought in the usual way through a committee or ministerial correspondence.

Cabinet committees support the principle of collective responsibility, ensuring that policy proposals receive thorough consideration and collective agreement. Cabinet committee decisions have the same authority as Cabinet decisions.


Written Question
Civil Service: Equality
Wednesday 15th June 2022

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will withdraw their support for the civil service 'inclusion workshops' run by A:gender.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

This a:gender ‘inclusion workshop’ is not recognised as civil service training. The Government Skills and Curriculum Unit (GSCU) manages the design and quality assurance process for all government training, provided within the new Campus for skills, and defined by the new curriculum.

The five strands of the curriculum outline the knowledge and skills required to be effective in any role in the Civil Service, and as such the training and development provided in the Campus. This sets the standards for training provided centrally for all Civil Servants, alongside the responsibilities of Government Professions to determine the qualifications and capabilities for specialist and technical skills.

The a:gender workshop is not advertised as training, attendance at the workshops was voluntary.


Written Question
Civil Service: Equality
Wednesday 15th June 2022

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact of the civil service 'inclusion workshop' run by A:gender on the development of Government policy.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

This a:gender ‘inclusion workshop’ is not recognised as civil service training. The Government Skills and Curriculum Unit (GSCU) manages the design and quality assurance process for all government training, provided within the new Campus for skills, and defined by the new curriculum.

The five strands of the curriculum outline the knowledge and skills required to be effective in any role in the Civil Service, and as such the training and development provided in the Campus. This sets the standards for training provided centrally for all Civil Servants, alongside the responsibilities of Government Professions to determine the qualifications and capabilities for specialist and technical skills.

The a:gender workshop is not advertised as training, attendance at the workshops was voluntary.


Written Question
Civil Service: Equality
Wednesday 15th June 2022

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the contents of the civil service 'inclusion workshop' run by A:gender.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

This a:gender ‘inclusion workshop’ is not recognised as civil service training. The Government Skills and Curriculum Unit (GSCU) manages the design and quality assurance process for all government training, provided within the new Campus for skills, and defined by the new curriculum.

The five strands of the curriculum outline the knowledge and skills required to be effective in any role in the Civil Service, and as such the training and development provided in the Campus. This sets the standards for training provided centrally for all Civil Servants, alongside the responsibilities of Government Professions to determine the qualifications and capabilities for specialist and technical skills.

The a:gender workshop is not advertised as training, attendance at the workshops was voluntary.


Written Question
Civil Service: Equality
Wednesday 15th June 2022

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what processes the civil service 'inclusion workshop' run by A:gender went through before approval was given for its delivery.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

This a:gender ‘inclusion workshop’ is not recognised as civil service training. The Government Skills and Curriculum Unit (GSCU) manages the design and quality assurance process for all government training, provided within the new Campus for skills, and defined by the new curriculum.

The five strands of the curriculum outline the knowledge and skills required to be effective in any role in the Civil Service, and as such the training and development provided in the Campus. This sets the standards for training provided centrally for all Civil Servants, alongside the responsibilities of Government Professions to determine the qualifications and capabilities for specialist and technical skills.

The a:gender workshop is not advertised as training, attendance at the workshops was voluntary.


Written Question
Civil Service: Equality
Wednesday 15th June 2022

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contents of the civil service 'inclusion workshop' run by A:gender in respect of its compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and the protected characteristics as set out in section 4 of the Act.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

This a:gender ‘inclusion workshop’ is not recognised as civil service training. The Government Skills and Curriculum Unit (GSCU) manages the design and quality assurance process for all government training, provided within the new Campus for skills, and defined by the new curriculum.

The five strands of the curriculum outline the knowledge and skills required to be effective in any role in the Civil Service, and as such the training and development provided in the Campus. This sets the standards for training provided centrally for all Civil Servants, alongside the responsibilities of Government Professions to determine the qualifications and capabilities for specialist and technical skills.

The a:gender workshop is not advertised as training, attendance at the workshops was voluntary.


Written Question
Civil Servants: Training
Wednesday 15th June 2022

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they take to ensure that material used in training programmes for civil servants is in accordance with the law.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

This a:gender ‘inclusion workshop’ is not recognised as civil service training. The Government Skills and Curriculum Unit (GSCU) manages the design and quality assurance process for all government training, provided within the new Campus for skills, and defined by the new curriculum.

The five strands of the curriculum outline the knowledge and skills required to be effective in any role in the Civil Service, and as such the training and development provided in the Campus. This sets the standards for training provided centrally for all Civil Servants, alongside the responsibilities of Government Professions to determine the qualifications and capabilities for specialist and technical skills.

The a:gender workshop is not advertised as training, attendance at the workshops was voluntary.


Written Question
Legislative Drafting
Monday 23rd May 2022

Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation they have undertaken in advance of the development of proposals regarding the review of language used in drafting legislation, following the passage of the Ministerial and other Maternity Allowances Act 2021.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

Following consideration by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, the Government has today issued a written ministerial statement setting out its approach to the use of gendered language in legislative drafting.