Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is to support equality of opportunity for young white working class males.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Whoever you are, wherever you come from, Britain should be a country where hard work means you can get on in life. Our work in the Opportunity Mission aims to break the link between background and success to ensure all children, including those from white working-class backgrounds, are able to achieve and thrive today so they can succeed and flourish tomorrow.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to commence the caste provisions in the Equality Act 2010 as amended.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are currently considering our position on caste discrimination. We will announce our plans in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference paragraphs 28 to 32 of the Government's response to he House of Lords Constitution Select Committee's 17th Report entitled Permanent Secretaries: their appointment and removal, HL 257, published in January 2024, whether an annual report has been produced on the work undertaken by the Senior Leadership Committee.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As set out in the Government's response (para 31), an annual update on the work undertaken by the Senior Leadership Committee will be provided to the First Civil Service Commissioner and other members of the Committee next year. This will cover the work of the Committee in 2024.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraphs 11 and 19(a) of the guidance entitled Declaration and Management of outside Interests, published on 6 November 2024, what the threshold is for determining whether a close personal relationship between two civil servants should be declared as an interest.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Any interest which could bring about a perceived, potential or actual conflict of interest should be declared. Individuals have a responsibility to consider each relationship in context and declare it if they judge this to be the case.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the potential cost to the public purse was of (a) alcohol and (b) meat-based food at the recent Diwali reception in No 10 Downing Street.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The cost of hospitality in 10 Downing Street is published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 October 2024 to Question 5577 on Chequers: Official Visits, how many external guests have visited Chequers since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Details of official hospitality at Chequers are published on a quarterly basis and are available via gov.uk

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6071 on Prime Minister: Correspondence, if he will publish the Prime Minister’s response.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

It is not routine to publish correspondence between the Prime Minister or former Prime Ministers, and any individual or organisation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the new Ethics and Integrity Commission will be established on a statutory basis.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 31 July 2024, Official Report, PQ 1251.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the paragraph 36 of the policy paper entitled Next steps to make work pay, published on 8 November 2024, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Government’s proposals to change the statutory probation period to 9 months on Section 6a of the Model contract for special advisers, last updated on 6 November 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office will consider the impact of changes to employment legislation on relevant special adviser terms and conditions.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the Government’s policy is on the scope of the public sector equality duty in relation to private sector organisations that provide goods and services to the public sector.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The scope of the Public Sector Equality Duty (the PSED) is set out in the Equality Act 2010 (the Act). It extends to all public authorities listed in Schedule 19 of the Act and all parties carrying out public functions. This came into force in April 2011 and includes private sector and voluntary organisations.

The PSED requires organisations in scope to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people.

The government remains committed to upholding the PSED and ensuring that all parties exercising public functions comply with its provisions.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff are in the parliamentary branch of 10 Downing Street.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Due to the small number of staff employed in the Parliamentary branch of 10 Downing Street, release of this information would disclose personal data of the Civil Servants involved. The size of the team has not changed since the General Election.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the Government response to the House of Lords Constitution Select Committee's 17th Report on Permanent Secretaries: their appointment and removal, published in January 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Implementation of the recommendations of the Government response to the House of Lords Constitution Select Committee's 17th Report on Permanent Secretaries: their appointment and removal, published in January 2024, is ongoing.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to update guidance for special advisers on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality, further to the te special advisers' code of conduct, in the context of updated guidance for Ministers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer to the answer to PQ 8999. The Ministerial Code guidance on hospitality applies to ministers.

There are no plans to update the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in respect of gift and hospitality.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list the gifts and hospitality received by the Prime Minister since 5 July 2024 and subsequently repaid or returned, broken down by (a) the nature of each gift or hospitality donated, (b) value, (c) donor, (d) date accepted and (e) date returned or reimbursed.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) the Prime Minister, (b) his special advisers and (c) officials in his Department met with representatives of Tiktok between 5 July and 7 October 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk as part of the government’s transparency agenda.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether Elon Musk was invited to attend the International Investment Summit in October 2024.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We are unable to comment on individual invitations. Invitees were made up of global business leaders and UK businesses critical to economic growth.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to section 6b of the Special Adviser Model Contract, last updated on 29 July 2024, how many special advisers have had their contracts terminated during their probationary period because they did not pass security vetting since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

All special adviser appointments are made in line with the terms of the Model Contract for Special Advisers. It is longstanding practice not to comment on HR matters.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what weight is given to the Prime Minister's views through his Principal Private Secretary on the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary is a member of the committee, and their views carry equal weight to all other committee members.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office; for what reason painting GAC 0/34 was removed from 10 Downing Street.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The painting referenced GAC 0/34 was removed from 11 Downing Street for restoration work.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 October 2024 to to Question 5121 on Employment, what requirements will private firms bidding for public sector contracts have to ensure (a) trade union access, (b) collective bargaining arrangements and (c) trade union recognition in order to win such contracts.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government will bring forward a new National Procurement Policy Statement under the Procurement Act that will deliver a mission-led procurement regime. It will drive value for money, economic growth and social value.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether special advisers in 10 Downing Street have met representatives of Anacta since the general election.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In line with longstanding process, relevant meetings are declared in the Special Advisor transparency publications.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Speaker's Statement of 28 October 2024, Official Report, column 531, whether she has made an assessment of the compatibility of those fiscal policy announcements with paragraph 9.1 of the Ministerial Code.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has has with the defence sector on the potential impact of environmental, social and governance policies on levels of divestment.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

There is nothing contradictory between Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) consideration and the defence sector. A strong national defence is a pre-requisite for the freedoms and aspirations that investors and financial services companies seek to address using ESG considerations.

The Government is committed to bringing forward a Defence Industrial Strategy which ensures the imperatives of national security and a high-growth economy are aligned. Through the Defence Industrial Strategy we will consider the impact of environmental, social and governance policies. The Ministry of Defence also strongly supports the introduction of the regulation of ESG ratings providers which will improve transparency and promote good conduct and address some of the issues which defence companies have raised.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the new Ministerial Code, published in November 2024, what assessment he had made of the potential impact of the duty for ministers to comply with international law on (a) protections for UK steel, (b) prisoner voting and (c) rulings of the International Criminal Court.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Government ministers have always had an overarching duty to comply with the law, including international law.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the new Ministerial Code, published in November 2024, for what reason a duty on ministers to comply with international law is included.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Government ministers have always had an overarching duty to comply with the law, including international law.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Places for Growth Formative Evaluation Report, published on 30 October 2024, what steps his Department is taking to reach the targets of (a) 50% UK based Senior Civil Service outside of London and (b) reduced workforce in London to 75,000 by 2030.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Formative Evaluation report, commissioned by the previous Government, identified challenges they faced in delivering the SCS target and ambition to reduce the London workforce to 75 000 by 2030. We will tackle these challenges through a focus on a strong regional offer and UK-wide government presence. Our plans will be announced in due course, aligned with the upcoming Spending Review.

Found: Marcus Craigie Margaret McSporran Mark Shucksmith Mary MacLeod Rivett Mike Danson Mike Wood