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 - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
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 - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
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 - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
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 - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
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 - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
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 - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
No data is held centrally on the total number of Civil Service employees with learning disabilities.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government last held discussions with the European Commission on the potential merits of negotiating a mutual recognition of professional qualifications agreement for the aviation sector.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
We have already begun working to reset the UK-EU relationship. The Prime Minister has had positive early calls and meetings, including with Ursula von der Leyen, and key leaders in Member States. The Minister for the Cabinet Office has visited Brussels twice in the first two weeks of the new Government and met with his counterpart, Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič.
We want to improve the trading relationship with the EU, including on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and we look forward to exploring this further with our European partners.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to commence negotiations on a future reciprocal agreement with the European Commission for professional qualifications.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
We have already begun working to reset the UK-EU relationship. The Prime Minister has had positive early calls and meetings, including with Ursula von der Leyen, and key leaders in Member States. The Minister for the Cabinet Office has visited Brussels twice in the first two weeks of the new Government and met with his counterpart, Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič.
We want to improve the trading relationship with the EU, including on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and we look forward to exploring this further with our European partners.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to publish an updated Transparency Report on the Government's land and property disposals in (a) 2020-21, (b) 2021-22 and (c) 2022-23.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
In recent years, the Cabinet Office has reported information on receipts from property disposals through its annual State of the Estate report which is laid before Parliament (SOFTE 2020-21; SOFTE 2021-22). The Department plans to continue to do this.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Office of Government Property's policy is on the disposal of surplus land following the withdrawal of that office's previous guidance on that matter on 1 June 2021.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The new Government Property Strategy, which was published in the Summer, sets out the policy to achieve a smaller, better, greener government estate, disposing of surplus, underutilised and poor quality property to enable efficiency savings and bring in capital receipts. When disposing of surplus sites, organisations should assess alternative uses and Government policy priorities to identify the most appropriate disposal mechanism.
Work has been underway to revise guidance for the disposal of government property to reflect the aims of the new Strategy. It is intended to reissue this guidance in the New Year.