Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's publication entitled The UK Government Resilience Framework, published in December 2022, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen the role of the voluntary sector in participating in local resilience forums.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government recognises the value that the voluntary and community sector (VCS) have in improving UK resilience. The UK Government Resilience Framework commits to deepening and strengthening relationships with the sector to maximise their contribution at the local and national levels.
Today (4th December 2023), the Deputy Prime Minister has provided an update on progress made since the publication of the Framework. Steps taken include the voluntary and community sector’s membership of the UK Resilience Forum chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister. The forum brings together national, regional and local government; private and voluntary sectors and other interested parties to consider risk; provide challenge and insight and help align emergency preparedness activities. The Cabinet Office hosts a Voluntary and Community Sector Strategic Discussion Forum to discuss opportunities for greater alignment in more detail. We have also published the 2023 National Risk Register which provides an increasingly transparent resource for relevant bodies including the voluntary and community sector to prepare for the risks to the UK.
To make it easier for more people to volunteer to help before, during and after an emergency, we will also be creating an online volunteering hub. This will be a single place to showcase existing resilience-related volunteering opportunities across the public, voluntary and charitable sectors, locally and nationally. More details can be found in the annual statement and associated publication in the Library.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Investment Security Unit is currently assessing the national security implications of the proposed merger between Vodafone UK and Three.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Deputy Prime Minister, as Secretary of State in the Cabinet Office, takes decisions under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 in a quasi-judicial capacity. It would therefore not be appropriate to comment on individual cases, given commercial and national security sensitivities.
The Investment Security Unit coordinates expertise from across Government as part of this process.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Investment Security Unit has received representations from Vodafone UK in relation to its proposed merger with Three.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Deputy Prime Minister, as Secretary of State in the Cabinet Office, takes decisions under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 in a quasi-judicial capacity. It would therefore not be appropriate to comment on individual cases, given commercial and national security sensitivities.
The Investment Security Unit coordinates expertise from across Government as part of this process.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died from alcoholism in (a) Stockport constituency and (b) the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in each year since 2015.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman Parliamentary Question of 24th April is attached.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many British nationals have died due to Dengue fever in the last ten years.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question of 26 January is attached.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the union density is in his Department.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Cabinet Office staff are able to join a Trade Union if they choose. This is done directly with the Trade Union and not shared with us. We are, therefore, unable to provide the information requested.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) Government departments, (b) executive agencies and (b) arm's-length bodies handle Freedom of Information requests on an applicant-blind basis.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The information regarding the Clearing house advice has been provided to the requester in line with the Tribunal’s judgement. Details regarding the clearing house advisory functions are published on GOV.uk.
As this case has only just concluded we are not yet in a position to confirm the cost.
Cabinet Office handles all FOI requests on an applicant blind basis and works with other departments to make sure the rights and obligations embodied in the FOIA are understood fully.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the total cost to the public purse was of contesting the informational tribunal appeal brought Open Democracy on the operation of the Clearing House in relation to freedom of information requests.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The information regarding the Clearing house advice has been provided to the requester in line with the Tribunal’s judgement. Details regarding the clearing house advisory functions are published on GOV.uk.
As this case has only just concluded we are not yet in a position to confirm the cost.
Cabinet Office handles all FOI requests on an applicant blind basis and works with other departments to make sure the rights and obligations embodied in the FOIA are understood fully.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the judgment of 19 May 2021 of the First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber) Information Rights, appeal reference EA/2020/0240, what steps his Department is taking to amend guidance on the handling of Freedom of Information requests following that judgment.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The information regarding the Clearing house advice has been provided to the requester in line with the Tribunal’s judgement. Details regarding the clearing house advisory functions are published on GOV.uk.
As this case has only just concluded we are not yet in a position to confirm the cost.
Cabinet Office handles all FOI requests on an applicant blind basis and works with other departments to make sure the rights and obligations embodied in the FOIA are understood fully.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to (a) ensure and (b) oversee compliance in respect of the award by contracting authorities of commercial contracts to businesses that supply public bodies and that have been deemed to be at risk under the terms of procurement.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The overarching principle in all public procurement is to secure the best value for money for the taxpayer. While individual departments are responsible for their own commercial decisions, including the award and monitoring of contracts, there are rigorous due diligence processes in place.
The Cabinet Office continuously reviews the performance of strategic suppliers and works closely with those suppliers and their customer Departments to improve performance, ensure value for money and deliver policy objectives while reducing risk across outsourced public services.
At the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic, we issued guidance (PPN 02/20) on 'supplier relief' measures ensuring service continuity during the pandemic. Further guidance, published in June, updated PPN 02/20 and set out how contracting authorities should put in place transition plans with their suppliers to exit any contractual relief and transition to a new, sustainable, operating model taking into account strategic and reprioritisation needs.