Peter Bedford

The Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority annually scrutinises IPSA’s main estimate and business plan. This has included regular consideration of the effectiveness of IPSA Online, the system used in the processing and administration of MPs’ business costs, and plans for its improvement.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) is accountable to the Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (SCIPSA). SCIPSA has oversight of IPSA’s governance arrangements and its stewardship of its resources. SCIPSA is a statutory body whose role is defined by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, as amended by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.

The 2009 Act specifies the composition and powers of IPSA’s governing body, its board. IPSA’s board sets out the strategic vision for IPSA and approves its corporate plan and annual report and accounts, reviews the performance of the organisation, holds the executive to account and is responsible for determining schemes of MPs’ pay, pensions and business costs. The Board is statutorily responsible for the decisions about the regulation of MPs’ pay, pensions and business costs and therefore has collective responsibility for those decisions.

IPSA's board publishes minutes of all its meetings, consults widely on proposals for remuneration and Scheme rules, and is required to be transparent in its use of public funds by virtue of the 2009 Act.

As part of its statutory functions, the Speaker’s Committee reviews IPSA's annual estimates of the resources IPSA needs and must ensure these are consistent with the efficient and cost-effective discharge of IPSA's functions, before an estimate is laid before the House. The Committee takes into account any advice received from the Treasury as part of this process. If the Committee does not consider an estimate meets this test, then it has the power to seek modification of an estimate, in which case it must report its reasons for doing so to the House.

At several points throughout the year SCIPSA meets IPSA to assess its performance, running costs and effectiveness in handling MPs’ staffing and business costs. The Committee last met IPSA in a public session on 22 January. A transcript of that session is available on the Committee’s website:

https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/15257/pdf/

The Committee is expected to hold its next meeting with IPSA on 11 March to consider its draft main estimate for 2025/26. This will be a public meeting and a recording of the session will be made available on Parliament Live. Later in the year the Committee will consider IPSA’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2024/25 at which point it will assess IPSA’s latest results against its performance indicators.

In addition, the Speaker’s Committee has a statutory function to consider the Speaker’s selection, on the basis of fair and open competition, of IPSA’s board members. IPSA’s Chair is supported by four Board members, all of whom are appointed by SCIPSA. They are made up of a former MP, a statutory auditor, a former holder of high judicial office, and one other.

In 2010, lay members were added to the Committee. The role of the lay member is to help promote greater transparency and independence in the Speaker’s Committee’s operations and to help support oversight of IPSA’s governance arrangements.

IPSA does not record data on the proportion of employee work-time spent working from home versus the office. IPSA changed its policy in 2020 to recruit nationwide to ensure its employees have a local understanding of the constituencies MPs serve. It operates a flexible hybrid working policy where staff will work from home, IPSA's office, or the House, attending engagements that need a physical presence.

We measure performance based on outcomes and delivery rather than presence in the office. IPSA's performance has improved significantly since 2020, as recognised by SCIPSA.

IPSA has a statutory duty to support MPs in their parliamentary duties efficiently and cost effectively. As a proporation of IPSA's overall funding, operating costs have remained within 5% of its total budget.

For 2018-19, IPSA's resourcing was subsequently recognised to be inadequate. The corporate plan for 2021-24 saw the introduction of IPSA's transformation programme which included resourcing IPSA effectively to address the issues MPs and their staff were experiencing.

The feedback from MPs and their staff, and the year-on-year KPI data IPSA provides to SCIPSA, is evidence of increased efficiency and effectiveness. IPSA presents its fully-costed plans, including those relating to its own operating costs, for SCIPSA's review, challenge and approval annually.

As with other public bodies, IPSA's Annual Report and Accounts provides information on special payments made each financial year, which can include the costs of employee settlement agreements. In line with IPSA's statutory responsibility to protect personal data, I can inform the Member that there were two such agreements made between 2020 and 2024 totalling £106,870.

The Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (SCIPSA) is a statutory Committee established under the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009. The Committee’s functions are set out in that Act. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) was also created by 2009 Act, as a statutorily independent body.

Each year the Speaker's Committee reviews IPSA’s annual estimate of the resources it needs to discharge its functions. SCIPSA is required by statute to ensure that the estimate is consistent with the efficient and cost-effective discharge of IPSA’s functions. The Committee carries out public scrutiny of the estimate prior to it being laid before the House of Commons by the Speaker.

IPSA’s accounts are audited annually by the National Audit Office (NAO) and are presented to Parliament. The NAO audit includes consideration of value for money of both IPSA’s spend and MPs’ spend which IPSA oversees. IPSA is also subject to a rigorous internal audit programme overseen by its own Audit, Risk, and Assurance Committee.

As part of its work, SCIPSA also reviews IPSA’s performance against its Business Plan and has noted significant improvements in its performance in recent years. SCIPSA is planning to hold a public session with IPSA early in the new year and a further session in March 2025.

The Speaker’s Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (SCIPSA) is a statutory Committee established under the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009. The Committee’s functions are set out in that Act. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) was also created by 2009 Act, as a statutorily independent body.

Each year the Speaker's Committee reviews IPSA’s annual estimate of the resources it needs to discharge its functions. SCIPSA is required by statute to ensure that the estimate is consistent with the efficient and cost-effective discharge of IPSA’s functions. The Committee carries out public scrutiny of the estimate prior to it being laid before the House of Commons by the Speaker.

IPSA’s accounts are audited annually by the National Audit Office (NAO) and are presented to Parliament. The NAO audit includes consideration of value for money of both IPSA’s spend and MPs’ spend which IPSA oversees. IPSA is also subject to a rigorous internal audit programme overseen by its own Audit, Risk, and Assurance Committee.

As part of its work, SCIPSA also reviews IPSA’s performance against its Business Plan and has noted significant improvements in its performance in recent years. SCIPSA is planning to hold a public session with IPSA early in the new year and a further session in March 2025.

In October 2024, Heads of Departments across government announced that guidance on office attendance will remain in place, with most civil servants expected to spend at least 60% of their time at a Government building or on official business, such as visiting stakeholders. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time. This is the same expectation on office attendance as was introduced under the previous administration.

The approach will allow teams and departments to maximise the benefits of hybrid working and getting the best from being together.

Any assessment of moving the Civil Service Pension Scheme, or any other Public Service Pension Scheme, to a defined contribution model is the responsibility of HM Treasury. The Cabinet Office has responsibility for the Civil Service Pension Scheme only in respect of changing scheme rules to align with or ensure legal compliance with HM Treasury policy.

The review of all arms length bodies is ongoing. Further information, including on savings, will be announced in due course.

The Civil Service Equality Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance was issued on the 14th May 2024. The Cabinet Office complies with the guidance.

The Cabinet Office has not undertaken an estimate of the impact of abolishing diversity, equity and inclusion roles in the department on annual staff costs.

The Prime Minister has set out his ambition to deliver long-term, impactful changes to reshape the British state and the Government is taking forward a number of measures to deliver greater efficiency and transformation in the Civil Service. Each department will take a decision on its individual size and shape as per the financial settlement it agrees with HMT in the Spending Review, due for conclusion in June 2025.

Central data on Civil Service Headquarters (HQ) occupancy is collected and published quarterly on GOV.UK for all HQ buildings of Whitehall Departments, Office for Scotland, Office for Wales and Northern Ireland Office. The latest data for the period October to December 2024 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data.

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 11th February is attached.

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

A response to the hon. Member’s Parliamentary Question of 11th February is attached.

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 6th February is attached.

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 6th February is attached.

Full information on the use of settlement agreements is held by individual departments.

This government is committed to ensuring departments consider overall value for money in resourcing decisions.

To this end it has introduced a 2% target for reduction to administration budgets in financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26 and a stop to all non-essential spending on consultancy, with an aim to halve spending in future years.

As set out in the Budget, the government has committed to developing a long-term strategic plan for a more efficient and effective Civil Service, including bold options to improve skills, harness digital technology and drive better outcomes for public services.

Decisions relating to the size and cost of the Civil Service workforce will be considered as part of the Spending Review process. HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office will work closely with departments to develop plans that achieve the government’s reform objectives for the Civil Service.

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

A response to the Hon Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 4 October 2024 is attached.

The Cabinet Office does not hold actual outturn salary cost information for all Civil Service departments and organisations since 2010.

However, estimated nominal Civil Service salary costs have previously been calculated for the years 2010 to 2024. These are provided in Table 1 below.

Table 1

Source: Civil Service Statistics

Figures are based on Civil Service salaries as at 31st March in each year, and have been adjusted for missing values. They have not been adjusted for inflation (i.e. they are nominal values).

An assessment of the changes to Employers’ National Insurance has been published by HMRC in their Tax Information and Impact Note, including impacts on the exchequer, the economy, individuals, households and families, equalities, and businesses including civil society organisations, alongside details on monitoring and evaluation.

The Government is creating a fairer business rate system, reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support business and boost opportunities. This work will be supported by the publication of The Small Business Strategy Command Paper which will be published later this year. Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.

Without any Government intervention, Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief would have ended in April, creating a cliff-edge for businesses. We are providing support for retail, hospitality and leisure properties in the interim period leading up to the new permanent multiplier by providing 40% relief to RHL businesses on their business rates in 2025-26, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business.  This is protecting the smallest properties by freezing the small business multiplier in 2025-26 and protecting over a million properties from inflationary bill increases.  We continue to work closely with HM Treasury on the challenges facing high streets and other businesses.

Tariffs on US steel imports have not yet been implemented, and this Government will engage with the US administration to seek a solution that benefits both nations. On 12 February I met with UK Steel, trade unions and our six steel producers to discuss the matter.

My Department will continue to engage with UK industries impacted, including the UK steel industry, to conduct a thorough assessment of any potential impacts. The UK's steel safeguard measure remains an essential tool to shield industry from surges in imports, and this Government is backing our steel industry with up to £2.5 billion of Government investment to help build a bright future.

Government has made significant progress in delivering redress to postmasters affected by the Post Office Horizon Scandal. As of 31 January 2025, approximately £663 million has been paid to over 4,300 claimants across 4 schemes, an increase of £427 million since the end of June 2024. There is however more to do.

The UK-US trading relationship is already worth around £300 billion, supporting over a million jobs and representing 17% of total UK trade. This government's priority is economic growth and increasing trade with international partners is a major part of that. The Prime Minister had a warm call with President Trump on 26 January where they discussed trade and the economy and agreed to meet soon for further discussions.

The Department for Business and Trade issued less than 5 settlement agreements in the years 2020 and 2022. We withhold the exact figures and the total value of these agreements under Section 40(2) (Personal information) of the Data Protection Act.  Due to a Machinery of Government change, data prior to 1^st July 2023 relates to the Department for International Trade.

No settlement agreements were made in the other years requested.