Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department takes to assess when a national Government response is needed during a climate emergency.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The Amber Book, publicly available on gov.uk, is the UK Government’s national framework for crisis response. It establishes clear roles and responsibilities for emergencies, including defining expectations across the lifecycle of a crisis. It also defines arrangements for responding to acute emergencies, as well as enduring response arrangements for issues that continue to pose an enduring challenge over a longer timeframe.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether her Department has produced modelling on the timing of Government responses to a) wildfires and b) flooding.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office works with other government departments, including MHCLG (lead government department for wildfires) and Defra (lead government department for flooding) to closely monitor emerging risks to enable the government to respond rapidly and proportionately as required. The Cabinet Office will continue to liaise with the relevant departments throughout any response required.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what training his Department provides on AI; and (a) how many hours and (b) what topics and skills are covered by such training.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Cabinet Office provides a recommended AI training offer for all civil servants across government who are not digital or technical specialists. The training is available online and delivered via Civil Service Learning.
The learning offer provides material to meet a wide range of needs across the Civil Service. In total, around 130 hours worth of training is available. However, most civil servants will only need to complete some modules.
The AI training modules and are intended to build the following AI skills in civil servants:
Foundational AI skills (AI literacy, Assessing AI opportunities, Interpreting AI outputs)
AI Strategy and Implementation
AI Governance and Safety (Applying AI Governance, Using AI Safely).
Digital and AI training will be a top priority for the National School of Government and Public Services when it launches in the Autumn.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what artificial intelligence services and tools are used by his Department; and whether his Department has a contract with providers for those services.
Answered by Chris Ward
The Government is committed to adopting artificial intelligence in a way that is transparent, responsible and accountable to the public.
Information about algorithmic and AI tools used by government departments to support decisions that affect members of the public, or that have a significant influence on a decision-making process with public effect, is published through the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard (ATRS). The ATRS has been mandatory for central government departments since 2024, and records are published on GOV.UK at www.gov.uk/algorithmic-transparency-records. In addition, departments may use other internal tools which do not fall within the scope of the Standard.
In addition, departments may use other internal tools which do not fall within the scope of the Standard. In line with public procurement transparency requirements, departments publish contractual information for AI services and tools on Contracts Finder and, where above the relevant threshold, on the Find a Tender Service.
AI services and tools are accessed across government through a range of commercial routes. Departments may contract directly with AI providers, access AI products via intermediated routes such as reseller arrangements where the contractual relationship sits with a partner rather than the underlying provider, or use AI capabilities delivered as features within existing enterprise software and platform contracts (for example productivity, or service management tools).
Departments remain responsible in all cases for ensuring compliance with procurement legislation, securing value for money, and publishing relevant contractual information in line with transparency requirements.
Cabinet Office's authorised enterprise level AI tool is Gemini. This is managed through the existing Google contract. Google Gemini has been enabled for staff to use in their official duties as part of the broader Google Workspace productivity suite.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to answer Question 49434 tabled on 30 April 2025 by the hon. Member for Twickenham.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
With apologies to the hon. Member, a response has now been issued.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the publication entitled Government Property Strategy 2022-2030, published on 29 August 2022, remains his policy.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Cabinet Office is currently working to update the Government Property Strategy. The existing strategy will remain in place until a new strategy is published.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government Property Agency has a process allowing for the disposal of surplus government assets below market rate when a disposal is in the community interest.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Government organisations including the Government Property Agency must follow the provisions for the disposal of surplus government property established in guidance issued by HM Treasury, specifically that disposal decisions should take account of wider social costs and benefits and should form part of any appraisal, and when appropriate it may be justifiable to choose an option that does not generate the highest Exchequer receipt, for example to support a wider government policy objective such as regeneration.
HMT guidance sets out the method for calculating wider social, economic and environmental benefits in policy and project appraisal, and how to treat disposals at less than market value.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which public bodies have processes for disposing of surplus assets below market rate in the community interest; and what form these processes take.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Information on the disposal of surplus assets by public bodies is not held centrally.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many claimants were awarded compensation by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority by 31 March 2025.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds
The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) publishes updated figures every month.
As of 14 March, IBCA had invited 255 people to start their compensation claim, and 214 of those had started the claim process. 63 offers of compensation had been made, totalling over £73 million, and so far 40 people had accepted their offers with more than £44 million paid in compensation.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many employees in the civil service have a learning disability.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
No data is held centrally on the total number of Civil Service employees with learning disabilities.