Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government Property Agency has made on the erection of hoarding for the Brunswick site of the Darlington economic campus.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Like my Honourable Friend I am very keen to see the hoarding at the Brunswick site erected as soon as possible.
We have recently appointed Kier for precontract (design) services.
One of the first tasks they will undertake is the completion of the hoarding design.
We aim to have the hoarding proposals in place so that we may commence installation as soon as planning permission is granted.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions Ministers from all departments have (a) held meetings at and (b) worked from the Darlington Economic Campus since August 2021.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
With reference to your enquiry regarding the naming of the Darlington Economic Campus 'William McMullen House' I am happy to advise we will consider this suggestion, alongside other suggestions, when finalising the name of building.
Naming of all new Government Hubs and other Government buildings must go through a process whereby all options must undergo sufficient due diligence. Selection of a preferred option will need to be agreed to by the Government Property Agency (GPA), occupying departments, local leaders and authorities including the Post Office.
Naming of a new Government Hub will happen nearer to the point when the building is being delivered. In the case of Darlington Economic Campus this will be in 2025/26.
Under the current programme, and subject to planning consent being granted mid-year and approval of the Full Business Case in the last quarter of this year, works will commence in the first quarter of 2025.
Details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of naming the permanent home of the Darlington Economic Campus, William McMullen House.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
With reference to your enquiry regarding the naming of the Darlington Economic Campus 'William McMullen House' I am happy to advise we will consider this suggestion, alongside other suggestions, when finalising the name of building.
Naming of all new Government Hubs and other Government buildings must go through a process whereby all options must undergo sufficient due diligence. Selection of a preferred option will need to be agreed to by the Government Property Agency (GPA), occupying departments, local leaders and authorities including the Post Office.
Naming of a new Government Hub will happen nearer to the point when the building is being delivered. In the case of Darlington Economic Campus this will be in 2025/26.
Under the current programme, and subject to planning consent being granted mid-year and approval of the Full Business Case in the last quarter of this year, works will commence in the first quarter of 2025.
Details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he expects the works on the permanent site for the Darlington Economic Campus at Brunswick Street to commence.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
With reference to your enquiry regarding the naming of the Darlington Economic Campus 'William McMullen House' I am happy to advise we will consider this suggestion, alongside other suggestions, when finalising the name of building.
Naming of all new Government Hubs and other Government buildings must go through a process whereby all options must undergo sufficient due diligence. Selection of a preferred option will need to be agreed to by the Government Property Agency (GPA), occupying departments, local leaders and authorities including the Post Office.
Naming of a new Government Hub will happen nearer to the point when the building is being delivered. In the case of Darlington Economic Campus this will be in 2025/26.
Under the current programme, and subject to planning consent being granted mid-year and approval of the Full Business Case in the last quarter of this year, works will commence in the first quarter of 2025.
Details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
What steps the Government is taking to deliver civil service jobs outside London.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Government is committed to levelling-up through relocating high quality Civil Service Jobs. At Budget 2020 we set out our ambitions to relocate 22,000 roles out of London by 2030, bringing new jobs and investment to all nations and parts of the UK, with senior roles being created in areas such as Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff, Darlington and Wolverhampton. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster during his time as Chief Secretary to the Treasury encouraged Departments to frontload the majority of moves over this next Spending Review. I can confirm that we now have early commitments to move up to 15,000 civil service roles by 2024/25.
Departments will decide on their locations taking into account a range of factors including skills, transport links and capacity to meet their needs and flourish in their chosen locations, as well as ensuring locations are suitable for the long term success and sustainability of the civil service.
Asked by: Peter Gibson (Conservative - Darlington)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of awarding retrospective awards for exceptional feats of gallantry.
Answered by Michael Ellis
National gallantry awards are considered by the independent George Cross Committee and recognise the bravery of those who have put themselves in danger to save, or attempt to save someone’s life. The committee makes recommendations based on the degree of risk and how aware the nominee was of the danger.
The Committee only considers nominations for actions that took place within the previous five years. This reflects a need to ensure awards are timely, can draw on the judgement and knowledge of those involved at the time and can benefit from assessment against other contemporaneous actions. The only exception to this is where it is necessary to wait for the outcome of judicial proceedings, for example an inquest. Even in those circumstances, it is generally expected that the actions meriting an award would have taken place within, or only very little beyond five years.