Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has issued guidance to Ministers on whether they can undertake a personal holiday following an official visit to a foreign country.

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

The standards of conduct expected of ministers are set out in the Ministerial Code.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 13 of the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Common Understanding, published on 19 May 2025, what estimate he has made of the annual number of EU visitors there would be under a youth experience scheme; whether he plans to negotiate a cap; and whether the scheme would provide a full right to work in the UK.

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

We have agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU. We have agreed that any scheme will be time-limited and capped, and we have also been clear that it should be in line with the UK’s existing schemes with countries like Australia and New Zealand. The exact parameters will be subject to negotiation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 19 October 2023 to Question 202664 on Cabinet Office: Senior Civil Servants, how many (a) Directors and (b) Director Generals there are in the Cabinet Office; and how many of those are on secondment from other departments.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As of the 30th April 2025 there were less than 5 individuals on secondment to the Cabinet Office as Directors or Director Generals. Details of the number of Directors and Director Generals can be found in the quarterly organogram published at https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/ff76be1f-4f37-4bef-beb7-32b259413be1/organogram-cabinet-office.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Model Special Adviser Contract published on the Government's website, if he will publish a copy of the equivalent template contract for Permanent Secretaries.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As has been the case under successive administrations, contracts for Permanent Secretaries and all other SCS are not published publicly so we will not be placing a copy on GOV.UK.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 52338 on House of Lords Appointments Commission, whether other competitions have taken place since 4 July 2024 for the House of Lords Appointments Commission which have (a) concluded with appointees and (b) been cancelled after being opened.

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

There has been one recruitment campaign to appoint independent members to the House of Lords Appointments Commission since July 2024. This campaign is still live.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Common Understanding, published on 19 May 2025, in which areas the European Court of Justice would have oversight that is not permitted by existing treaties in (a) Great Britain and (b) Northern Ireland.

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

The Common Understanding between the UK and the EU sets out the results of exploratory discussions ahead and a new agenda for cooperation. The UK and the EU have agreed to take forward these commitments swiftly through technical negotiations.

The Common Understanding does not provide for oversight of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) within Great Britain or Northern Ireland. Instead it provides that the CJEU will have a limited role in assisting an independent arbitration tribunal responsible for deciding a dispute between the UK and the EU, and only where there is dynamic alignment of laws under any future SPS agreement, ETS linking agreement or an electricity agreement.

The Windsor Framework continues to apply in Northern Ireland with a role for the CJEU within that framework.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Common Understanding, published on 19 May 2025, whether (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation will be (i) repealed and (ii) amended to facilitate the agreement.

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

The UK has taken a sovereign decision to agree to dynamic alignment of some laws. By regulating consistently with the EU in specific areas, we will unlock further market access for UK firms with one of our largest trading partners, thereby improving growth for British people. Where we are making new commitments to introduce new laws Parliament will play a role in scrutinising the legislation that implements those commitments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Common Understanding, published on 19 May 2025, if he will list the policy areas that dynamic alignment will apply to.

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

The UK has taken a sovereign decision to agree to dynamic alignment of some laws. By regulating consistently with the EU in specific areas, we will unlock further market access for UK firms with one of our largest trading partners, thereby improving growth for British people. Where we are making new commitments to introduce new laws Parliament will play a role in scrutinising the legislation that implements those commitments.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the policy paper entitled Security and defence partnership between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 19 May 2025, if he will list the policy areas where the European Court of Justice will have additional (a) oversight and (b) powers over existing treaties in (i) Great Britain and (ii) Northern Ireland.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Security and Defence partnership (SDP) agreed with the EU at the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025 demonstrates that this Government is delivering on our manifesto pledge to strengthen European security, support growth, and reinforce NATO.

This is a legally non-binding instrument that sets a framework for deeper cooperation on key issues like Ukraine, defence industry and peace building and crisis management; opening up the potential possible opportunity to engage with the EU’s proposed €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) mechanism.

We are in discussion with the EU on implementation and the future modalities of cooperation. We would only agree to future financial contributions to EU programmes that provide value to the UK taxpayer.

I would refer to the Prime Minister’s statement and answers on 20 May, regarding the role of the European Court of Justice. However, I can confirm that the SDP is clear that our participation in defence initiatives will be in accordance with our respective legal frameworks.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the policy paper entitled Security and defence partnership between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 19 May 2025, what additional financial payments will the United Kingdom be required to make to the European Union and its agencies in each of the next four years.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Security and Defence partnership (SDP) agreed with the EU at the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025 demonstrates that this Government is delivering on our manifesto pledge to strengthen European security, support growth, and reinforce NATO.

This is a legally non-binding instrument that sets a framework for deeper cooperation on key issues like Ukraine, defence industry and peace building and crisis management; opening up the potential possible opportunity to engage with the EU’s proposed €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) mechanism.

We are in discussion with the EU on implementation and the future modalities of cooperation. We would only agree to future financial contributions to EU programmes that provide value to the UK taxpayer.

I would refer to the Prime Minister’s statement and answers on 20 May, regarding the role of the European Court of Justice. However, I can confirm that the SDP is clear that our participation in defence initiatives will be in accordance with our respective legal frameworks.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the policy paper entitled Security and defence partnership between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 19 May 2025, what potential role the United Kingdom would play in the European Peace Facility; and what payments would be made (a) directly and (b) indirectly to the Facility.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Security and Defence partnership (SDP) agreed with the EU at the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025 demonstrates that this Government is delivering on our manifesto pledge to strengthen European security, support growth, and reinforce NATO.

This is a legally non-binding instrument that sets a framework for deeper cooperation on key issues like Ukraine, defence industry and peace building and crisis management; opening up the potential possible opportunity to engage with the EU’s proposed €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) mechanism.

We are in discussion with the EU on implementation and the future modalities of cooperation. We would only agree to future financial contributions to EU programmes that provide value to the UK taxpayer.

I would refer to the Prime Minister’s statement and answers on 20 May, regarding the role of the European Court of Justice. However, I can confirm that the SDP is clear that our participation in defence initiatives will be in accordance with our respective legal frameworks.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the news story entitled PM secures new agreement with EU to benefit British people, published on 19 May 2025, what estimate he has made of the annual cost of participation in the EU's Security Action for Europe defence fund in each of the next four years.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Security and Defence partnership (SDP) agreed with the EU at the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025 demonstrates that this Government is delivering on our manifesto pledge to strengthen European security, support growth, and reinforce NATO.

This is a legally non-binding instrument that sets a framework for deeper cooperation on key issues like Ukraine, defence industry and peace building and crisis management; opening up the potential possible opportunity to engage with the EU’s proposed €150 billion Security Action for Europe (SAFE) mechanism.

We are in discussion with the EU on implementation and the future modalities of cooperation. We would only agree to future financial contributions to EU programmes that provide value to the UK taxpayer.

I would refer to the Prime Minister’s statement and answers on 20 May, regarding the role of the European Court of Justice. However, I can confirm that the SDP is clear that our participation in defence initiatives will be in accordance with our respective legal frameworks.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the creation of the Ethics and Integrity Commission will involve the (a) abolition and (b) merger of (i) the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, (ii) the Committee on Standards in Public Life, (iii) the Public Appointments Commissioner and (iv) the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists.

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

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer he was given to PQ UIN 46285 on 28 April 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 14 of the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Common Understanding, published on 19 May 2025, what is the estimated change in financial payments from the UK to the EU and its agencies in each of the next four years.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

We have agreed to work towards the association of the UK to the EU Erasmus+ programme. The specific terms of this association, including mutually agreed financial terms, should be determined as part of that process in order to ensure a fair balance as regards the contributions of and benefits to the United Kingdom.

The government has been clear that the UK will only associate to Erasmus+ on significantly improved financial terms which take into account the UK’s financial contribution and the number of UK participants who receive funding from the programme.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 14 of the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Common Understanding, published on 19 May 2025, whether young people will be given voting rights in local elections in (a) England and (b) Northern Ireland under the proposed youth experience scheme from an EU Member State (i) that are residing in the UK and (ii) where there is not a bilateral reciprocal agreement between the UK and that EU Member State under the Representation of the People Act 1983.

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

Prior to the UK’s departure from the EU, in December 2018, the Government wrote to all 27 EU member states signalling willingness to enter into bilateral agreements to ensure continuity of local election voting and candidacy rights for each other's citizens.

EU citizens from countries that have a bilateral agreement with the UK can therefore vote in local elections in England and Northern Ireland (alongside those who have been legally resident in the UK prior to withdrawal from the EU). We have such agreements with Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain.

These agreements are separate from Youth Mobility Schemes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 16 of his Department's policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, published on 19 May 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the commencement of the EU Entry/Exit System on the use of eGates by (a) UK nationals and (b) other third party nationals travelling from the UK.

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

Since the UK left the EU, UK nationals, as third-country nationals, cannot use eGates in most Schengen countries. 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 can now work 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. We continue to work with the European Commission, France and local authorities to ensure we are prepared for the introduction of EES.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 14 of the policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit: Common Understanding, published on 19 May 2025, whether he has estimated the number of EU participants in the Erasmus+ programme who will be eligible to enter the UK each year.

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

We have agreed to work towards the association of the UK to the EU Erasmus+ programme. The specific terms of this association will be discussed going forward.

Erasmus+ offers a broad range of opportunities across education, youth, and sport sectors. Historically, many UK and EU participants took up opportunities under Erasmus+, which is about short-term exchanges, after which participants return to their home countries.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the publication of the EU/UK Common Understanding of 19 May 2025, whether any of the measures directly affect (a) the Channel Islands and (b) Gibraltar.

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

The Common Understanding has the same territorial scope as the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The Crown Dependencies will be able to benefit from many of the measures if they wish to, including the SPS Agreement. The Government has separate negotiations concerning Gibraltar.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to publish a Regulatory Impact Assessment for the measures contained in the (a) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding and (b) UK-EU Security and Defence Partnership.

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

The Common Understanding between the UK and the EU sets out the results of exploratory discussions and a new agenda for cooperation. The UK and the EU have agreed to take forward these commitments swiftly through technical negotiations. The government will follow normal processes for any necessary legislative changes.

No legislative changes are currently proposed as a result of the Security and Defence Partnership.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the Prime Minister's post on X dated 19 May 2025, what is the evidential basis for the proposition that the UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding will result in “lower food prices at the checkout” for consumers.

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

The UK-EU SPS Agreement will cut costs, remove red tape and reduce delays at the border for businesses for most agrifood products imported from the EU. Supermarkets have said publicly the SPS Agreement will help to ease the pressure on food prices.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department provides to the House of Lords Appointments Commission on the processes to follow when vetting peerages.

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

The House of Lords Appointments Commission is an independent, advisory non-departmental public body. The Commission is responsible for vetting all nominations for life peerages for propriety and advises the Prime Minister on these matters.

Information about the Commission’s approach to vetting nominees for propriety is set out on its website.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 52340 on Government Departments: Equality, in which departments have decisions on EDI spending controls been delegated to their Permanent Secretary.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The following Departments have formally informed the Cabinet Office that their Minister has delegated the decision to approve external Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) expenditure to the Permanent Secretary:

• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

• HM Treasury

• Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government

• Department for Business and Trade

• Cabinet Office

• Home Office

• Department for Culture, Media and Sport

• Department for Transport

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Public Bodies Handbook – Part 2: The Approvals Process for the Creation of New Arm’s-Length Bodies, whether his Department's public bodies team assessed the National Wealth Fund against the requirement that the creation of a new arm's length body should only be considered as a last resort; whether the Treasury provided evidence that alternative delivery models were considered; and which of the tests in Chapter Two of that guidance the National Wealth Fund met.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The UK Infrastructure Bank has become the National Wealth Fund with an expanded remit, therefore it is not a new ALB. It is captured by the government’s ongoing review of all ALBs, announced on 7 April. This review is part of the government’s plan to streamline the state by closing, merging or repatriating public bodies into departments unless their separate existence can be strongly justified.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether new staff members of the (a) National Wealth Fund and (b) Great British Energy will be eligible to join the Civil Service Pension Scheme; and whether existing civil servants who transfer to those new bodies will have their Civil Service pension membership continued under their new employment.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office, as Scheme Manager for the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS), considers all requests to join the CSPS as part of an employer’s application process. Neither Great British Energy nor National Wealth Fund have submitted an application to join the CSPS, but any such application would be considered by the Cabinet Office in the normal way.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 48562 on Arms Length Bodies, what the sponsoring department is; and in what policy area Project Seahorse is exploring delivery options.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

‘Project Seahorse' is considering delivery options for decarbonisation. If taken forward, it would be sponsored by The Department of Energy, Security and Net Zero.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to lay a new Official Statistics Order to designate the Border Security Command’s statistical outputs as official statistics.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 20th May is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 51160 on Office for National Statistics: Industrial Disputes, what the average daily occupation is for (a) Newport, (b) Titchfield, (c) London, (d) Manchester, (e) Edinburgh and (f) Darlington, in the most recent period for which figures are available, expressed as the average over a five day period of (i) proportion of desks occupied and (ii) proportion of assigned workforce to that office location attending that office.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 20th May is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 45016 on Civil Service, if he will issue a Ministerial Correction to the Answer to attach the requested information.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The answer to Question 45016 has now been corrected to include an attachment with the requested information.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41435 on Arms Length Bodies, what the total number of Arms Length Bodies was on 4 July 2024; and what the total number was on 20 May 2025.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office publishes an annual ALB Landscape Analysis around a year in arrears. The most recently published ALB Landscape Analysis was published on 17 December 2024 and is available here. The list of every Arm's Length Body that has existed between July 2024 and March 2025 is due to be published in 2026.

Mauritius Treaty