Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 December 2024 to Question 20489 on Treasury: Media, on what basis Freuds Communication was given the contract for Ministerial media training; and whether there was a competitive tendering process.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The award of the contract complied with HM Treasury’s standard procurement procedure for requirements of this value and was awarded following a competitive process.

Guidance for the award of below-threshold contracts is publicly available on gov.uk: Guidance: Below-Threshold Contracts (HTML) - GOV.UK

Question

To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 42602 on Stonewall: Subscriptions, whether the National Audit Office pays subscription fees to Stonewall.

Answered by Clive Efford

The National Audit Office does not pay subscriptions to Stonewall.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued on transparency in relation to levels of remuneration for direct ministerial appointments.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has not issued specific guidance on transparency around remuneration offered when making direct ministerial appointments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to use AI technology for public appointments.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

AI technology is not currently used in the public appointments process. AI technology may be used in the future to support certain elements of the process.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to stop public bodies imposing equality, diversity and inclusion requirements on private sector companies which are not otherwise directly required by primary legislation.

Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)

The Public Sector Equality Duty (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 scope of 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 includes private sector and voluntary organisations when carrying out public functions.

The Government expects regulating public authorities to ensure organisations comply with their legal requirements. It is not the role of regulators to intervene where legal requirements do not apply.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with the European Union on fishing rights.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

We are discussing a range of issues with the EU and I met my counterpart Maroš Šefčovič in London last week (29 April). We will not give a running commentary on those discussions. We remain committed to protecting the interests of our fishers and meeting our commitments on marine protection.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there is a framework agreement in place for the Senior Salaries Review Body.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office is actively working to finalise a Framework Agreement for the Senior Salaries Review Body. This will be agreed in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to publish a frequently asked questions section as part of the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance, published on 14 May 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

There are no plans to publish a frequently asked questions section for this guidance.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the planning application to Westminster City Council, reference number 25/01451/LBC, whether his Department plans to display Government Art Collection artworks that are not currently on display; and what the total cost is of the works to install picture rails.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The outcome of the Listed Building Consent application is not yet known. A decision about artwork will be finalised after approval has been granted and the cost of purchasing and installing picture rails has been determined.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many Senior Civil Service vacancies have been filled through the succession select tool.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Zero Senior Civil Servant vacancies have been filled through the succession select tool; it does not form part of the recruitment or selection process for Senior Civil Servants. It is a tool used to aid internal talent management and is not used to fill vacancies.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 42043 on Elish Angiolini, whether the Government was aware of the legal restriction before the public announcement of Lady Angiolini as the Lord High Commissioner.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

I refer the honourable member to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 42043.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to fly the bisexual flag at 10 Downing Street.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

There are currently no plans to fly the bisexual flag at 10 Downing Street.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to make reforms to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government has taken the decision to close the consultation to reform the Civil Service Compensation Scheme, which began in 2017. The scheme terms as set out in 2010 will remain in place but the Government remains open to reviewing the terms of the scheme in the future.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his policy is on the acquisition of UK Artificial Intelligence firms by foreign-owned firms.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The government has powers under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 to review and, where required, intervene in investments that may pose a risk to national security. The NSI Act both facilitates investment into sensitive sectors - such as artificial intelligence - with appropriate safeguards where needed and provides powers to act where necessary and proportionate.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has issued guidance on policing announcements during the pre-election purdah period.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office published guidance on conduct for civil servants during the pre-election period on 20 March. The guidance includes advice on government announcements during the pre-election period

The guidance can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/election-guidance-for-civil-servants

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 42039 on Cabinet Office: Staff, what the average number of staff attached to the Skills Match Hub was in each of the last six months.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Skills Match Hub operates with a dynamic staffing model that adapts to the evolving needs of various business units. Consequently, the number of individuals associated with the Hub at any given moment can fluctuate. These variations typically arise from internal reorganisations or the return of staff from temporary assignments where their previous roles have since changed. This inherent fluidity means the precise staffing level is subject to continuous adjustments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers are asked to provide details of (i) spent and (ii) unspent criminal convictions when applying for (A) CTC and (B) SC security clearance.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

All vetting applicants for Counter-Terrorist Check and Security Check clearances are asked to declare spent and unspent convictions.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) utilising or (b) amending the provisions of the Trading with the Enemy Act 1939 to designate Russia as an enemy for the purposes of that Act.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Trading with the Enemy Act 1939 can only be used in relation to countries that are at war with the UK. The UK is not at war with Russia, so we cannot use the Act. The UK has implemented extensive sanctions against Russia, which already significantly restrict trade and other financial dealings with Russia. We have sanctioned 2,300 individuals from Russia, and our sanctions have deprived Russia of $450 billion in revenue since February 2022. We, along with international partners, have excluded Russia from the SWIFT system, which stopped Russian banks from conducting financial transactions worldwide in a fast and efficient manner. Russian imports into the UK have fallen by more than 98 per cent compared to pre-invasion levels, and UK exports to Russia are down by more than 80 per cent.

Found: Negatived on division_3 Robert Jenrick Dr Kieran Mullan Mike Wood Jack Rankin Mr Peter Bedford .

Found: _NC6 Rebecca Smith Mike Wood Helen Whately .