Richard Fuller

The OCS invoice for the 9 Downing Street works in the published data for the month of November 2025 is item 387, 10000204, OCS Group UK Limited, Transaction HZ820722.

On 6 April 2025, the previous Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. The details of the seven approvals granted for branded items since 24 April 2025 are as follows (costs exclude VAT):

1. Government People Group, Pull Up Banners for Future Leaders Scheme. £596.14.

2. Government Commercial Function, Panel Table Cover and lectern for GCF Conference. £752.00.

3. Civil Service Strategy Unit. Pull Up Banners for One Big Thing 2025. £432.64.

4. Civil Service Strategy Unit, Profession stickers divided into 11 professions to be given to visitors to the CSSU market stall in 6 Civil Service Live events as a collaboration and networking tool. £773.68.

5. Cabinet Office, Commemorative coins for attendees of a multinational event. £466.44.

6. Government People Group, Branded t-shirts for Pride events across the UK. £540.74.

7. Government Commercial Function, Glass Recognition trophies required for Rising Star Awards at the GCF Regional Conferences, arranged throughout October 2025 across three regions (North, Northern Ireland, South and Wales). £62.48.

The Cabinet Office is driving reform to deliver cross-departmental efficiencies, including through better use of data and technology.

I have ministerial responsibility for public sector reform, which includes driving cross-departmental work to improve efficiency in government.

Departments have agreed a 2% productivity, efficiency and savings target in the first phase of the Spending Review and have been set a stretching 5% target in the second phase. This target is to be delivered via efficiencies and savings from innovative technology-driven approaches, such as Artificial Intelligence; more effectively joining up services; and a more strategic approach to government processes, including procurement.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has also asked each department to carry out a line-by-line review of existing day-to-day budgets to identify where spending is no longer aligned with this government’s priorities or is poor value for money.

The Office for Value for Money, led by an independent Chair, will work with departments to assess where and how to root out waste and inefficiency, including agreeing plans to deliver technical efficiencies through the Spending Review period. It will also develop recommendations for system reform, informed by lessons learned from the past, international best practice, and the views of external organisations. This will underpin a ruthless focus within government on realising benefits from every pound of public spending.

The 2025 National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage campaign ran from 1 April to 31 May 2025 with a total budget of £650,000. The objective was to ensure workers understood their new pay entitlement to prevent underpayment. The agencies Pablo Unlimited, Wavemaker and OMD were used to support the delivery of this campaign. This campaign was approved under Cabinet Office’s advertising, marketing and communications spending controls. Communication channels used were:

• Online digital display advertising
• Digital online video (YouTube)
• Social media (Snapchat, Meta - Facebook/Instagram, Reddit)
• Radio
• Out of home advertising: Train card panels in national rail/bus interiors, beermats in 1000 pubs and digital screens in gyms
• Paid search (Google)
• Use of six digital influencers (Instagram/TikTok)

The Department for Business and Trade has not run any paid campaign on the national minimum wage and national living wage in 2026.

The information requested is as follows:

The CMA is not able to provide figures for 2025/26 before its accounts for the financial year are finalised and published in July.

We expect to launch the Supply Chain Centre formally later this year. At present, the team has a headcount of 33, with an associated budget of £2,778,886. Budgets for future years will be set at a later date.

The Government recognises the importance of minimising unnecessary complexity for operators.

The UK ETS maritime rules have been designed with regard to international practice and interactions with other schemes. We have designed our digital systems in conjunction with industry to support operators to comply with the scheme, introducing as much automation as possible and reduce the administrative burden on operators.

We will continue to engage with industry and international partners to understand implications for operators once the expansion launches on 1 July 2026.

Ofgem recently made it easier for smaller generation projects (under 5MW in England and Wales) to connect, by removing the requirement for a transmission network impact assessment [1]. For larger projects, the implementation of connections reform will prioritise connections that are ready and aligned with our clean power 2030 ambitions. Furthermore, the next Ofgem price control for electricity distribution (ED3, 2028-2033) will promote strategic network investment ahead of need, including through the introduction of Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs). This will enable the timely connection of rooftop solar and other low carbon electricity generation across Great Britain.

[1] https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/decision/decision-approve-cmp446-increasing-lower-threshold-england-and-wales-evaluation-transmission-impact-assessment

Distribution Network Operators are upgrading local electricity distribution networks across Great Britain to enable the connection of low carbon generation, including rooftop solar. For the current electricity distribution price control (RIIO-ED2, 2023-2028), Ofgem have allowed £22.2bn of upfront investment, including £3.1bn for network upgrades for low-carbon technologies. For the next electricity distribution price control (RIIO-ED3, 2028-2033), Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) will support strategic network investment ahead of need, on a locational basis. The government will continue to support Ofgem in ensuring that consumer costs are protected while enabling the network transformation required for net zero.

The Charity Commission responded to the Conservative Party’s Legal Officer on 15th August 2024, providing a full update on the case in question.

The department publishes the ‘Schools’ costs: technical note’ (SCTN), which includes data on school workforce costs and non-staff expenditure, including energy. This year’s SCTN publication and historical publications are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-costs-technical-note.

New school buildings are delivered by the department, local authorities, and other bodies.

The average cost of building a special educational needs school can be found on pages 25-29 in the national cost benchmarking study published at: https://documents.hants.gov.uk/property-services/NationalSchoolDeliveryBenchmarkingreport.pdf.

This report contains cost information on local authority delivered schools and department-delivered schools, the data has been collected since 2012.

Standards for new school buildings change over time, for example to increase sustainability requirements, so care should be taken in comparing costs directly year to year.

New school buildings are delivered by the department, local authorities, and other bodies.

The average cost of building a special educational needs school can be found on pages 25-29 in the national cost benchmarking study published at: https://documents.hants.gov.uk/property-services/NationalSchoolDeliveryBenchmarkingreport.pdf.

This report contains cost information on local authority delivered schools and department-delivered schools, the data has been collected since 2012.

Standards for new school buildings change over time, for example to increase sustainability requirements, so care should be taken in comparing costs directly year to year.

Data on local authority attainment at A level is published in the ‘A level and other 16 to 18 results’ statistical release. The latest data relates to the 2022/23 academic year and data for the 2023/24 academic year will be published in November 2024. For example, A level headline measures can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/13ce6b93-cebf-43e0-b4e4-08dccb80a395.

Ofqual also publish data from A level results day by county, which may be found here: https://analytics.ofqual.gov.uk/apps/Alevel/County/.

High and rising standards are at the heart of this government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and improve the life chances for every child and young person, no matter their background. The department want an education system in which all children and young people can achieve and thrive and develop the skills to seize the opportunities they need to succeed in work and life.

The quality of teaching and leaders are the biggest determinants of outcomes for learners within schools and colleges. This government has moved quickly to start driving up standards by beginning work to recruit an additional 6,500 expert teachers and have already launched an independent, expert-led curriculum and assessment review. Spanning from age 5 through to age 18, the review will look closely at the key challenges to attainment for young people, and the barriers which hold children back from the opportunities and life chances they deserve. The government is also determined to continue to strengthen school and college leadership and development opportunities for staff across the profession.

Regional improvement teams, to be launched early 2025, will help drive high and rising standards. These teams will encourage and foster improvement across the system enabling schools and trusts to support each other, learn from their peers and share best practice. To drive up standards across the country, all state-funded schools will be able to draw on these new regional improvement teams for help accessing and understanding the array of available improvement programmes proven to make a real impact.

Regional improvement teams will also work with schools to utilise new school report cards for schools to identify where they are performing well and where there are areas of improvement.

Defra’s Water Delivery Taskforce is working to bring together Government, regulators and water companies to ensure sufficient water and wastewater capacity is delivered to accommodate the government’s growth ambitions, including for new homes.

Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water for customers and set out how they plan to continue to do so through statutory Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs). Water companies consult on revised WRMPs every five years, which inform Ofwat’s price review decisions.

The water companies must also maintain their WRMPs and are required to review the plans annually to take account of changes. This includes changes to demand forecasts as a result of housing growth that cannot be accommodated in existing WRMPs. This year, we strengthened and clarified this change process with water companies, issuing guidance to companies on how we will engage and assess any change needed to accommodate growth.

The WRMP process works closely alongside Ofwat’s price review cost change process, which allows companies to access additional funding for investment to support the growth, including investment such as sewage treatment works: PR24-Cost-change-process-–-Demand-growth-investment-additional-guidance.pdf.

Defra’s Water Delivery Taskforce is working to bring together Government, regulators and water companies to ensure sufficient water and wastewater capacity is delivered to accommodate the government’s growth ambitions, including for new homes.

Water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water for customers and set out how they plan to continue to do so through statutory Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs). Water companies consult on revised WRMPs every five years, which inform Ofwat’s price review decisions.

The water companies must also maintain their WRMPs and are required to review the plans annually to take account of changes. This includes changes to demand forecasts as a result of housing growth that cannot be accommodated in existing WRMPs. This year, we strengthened and clarified this change process with water companies, issuing guidance to companies on how we will engage and assess any change needed to accommodate growth.

The WRMP process works closely alongside Ofwat’s price review cost change process, which allows companies to access additional funding for investment to support the growth, including investment such as sewage treatment works: PR24-Cost-change-process-–-Demand-growth-investment-additional-guidance.pdf.

While cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in the UK are now rare, the confirmation of a new case in Scotland in May highlighted the continued importance of the robust BSE control measures we have in place that have greatly reduced the incidence of BSE in the UK. These controls include the Over Thirty Months (OTM) rule, which acts as a safeguard to both human and animal health. The OTM rule requires the removal at slaughter from cattle aged over thirty months old, tissues which are designated by the World Animal Health Organisation (WOAH) as Specified Risk Material (SRM), because they contain the highest level of potential BSE infectivity. The removal of SRM from cattle aged over thirty months is an internationally recognised requirement.

No assessment of the OTM rule is currently planned while we await the outcome of the recent application that England, Wales, and Scotland have made to WOAH to have our BSE risk status reduced from ‘controlled’ to ‘negligible’.

The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

As train operating companies move into public ownership they will continue to enter into Police Service Agreements (PSAs) with the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA), and we do not expect any change to the existing funding arrangements. The BTPA will continue to allocate policing costs to operators using its cost allocation model.

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, the costs of operating franchised passenger services have been borne by taxpayers, not by private train operators. As a result, public ownership does not in itself create a new funding pressure in relation to British Transport Police costs, and no additional financial assistance is expected beyond costs determined through the Authority’s usual annual allocation process.

Each National Health Service trust is a data controller under the Data Protection Act 2018, and therefore responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of their records. To assist trusts in fulfilling these responsibilities, a range of guidance and assurance is in place.

For example, NHS England publishes a Code of Practice on Records Management for all NHS trusts to follow. This covers all aspects of records management, including the accuracy and reliability of medical records. Each trust is responsible for following the principles and guidance set out in the code, which may include local measures, such as a record keeping audit, or monitoring the availability of records.

In addition, in line with the Code of Practice, NHS trusts are responsible for ensuring they have appropriate policies and procedures in place to manage their records. This will usually be a standalone records management policy, with associated procedures, such as how to destroy records.

Furthermore, NHS England’s Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) requires NHS trusts to understand legal and professional obligations for records management. The DSPT involves a periodic audit in which trusts have to demonstrate they are adhering to this requirement.

Regulators also set out professional standards for health and care professionals. For example, the General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice requires doctors to make sure that formal records of their work, including patients' records, are clear, accurate, contemporaneous, and legible.

The Care Quality Commission has powers, under section 63(2)(b) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to access records held by the service that they are inspecting, where necessary, as part of their regulatory functions.

Each National Health Service trust is a data controller under the Data Protection Act 2018, and therefore responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of their records. To assist trusts in fulfilling these responsibilities, a range of guidance and assurance is in place.

For example, NHS England publishes a Code of Practice on Records Management for all NHS trusts to follow. This covers all aspects of records management, including the accuracy and reliability of medical records. Each trust is responsible for following the principles and guidance set out in the code, which may include local measures, such as a record keeping audit, or monitoring the availability of records.

In addition, in line with the Code of Practice, NHS trusts are responsible for ensuring they have appropriate policies and procedures in place to manage their records. This will usually be a standalone records management policy, with associated procedures, such as how to destroy records.

Furthermore, NHS England’s Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) requires NHS trusts to understand legal and professional obligations for records management. The DSPT involves a periodic audit in which trusts have to demonstrate they are adhering to this requirement.

Regulators also set out professional standards for health and care professionals. For example, the General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice requires doctors to make sure that formal records of their work, including patients' records, are clear, accurate, contemporaneous, and legible.

The Care Quality Commission has powers, under section 63(2)(b) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to access records held by the service that they are inspecting, where necessary, as part of their regulatory functions.

Each National Health Service trust is a data controller under the Data Protection Act 2018, and therefore responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of their records. To assist trusts in fulfilling these responsibilities, a range of guidance and assurance is in place.

For example, NHS England publishes a Code of Practice on Records Management for all NHS trusts to follow. This covers all aspects of records management, including the accuracy and reliability of medical records. Each trust is responsible for following the principles and guidance set out in the code, which may include local measures, such as a record keeping audit, or monitoring the availability of records.

In addition, in line with the Code of Practice, NHS trusts are responsible for ensuring they have appropriate policies and procedures in place to manage their records. This will usually be a standalone records management policy, with associated procedures, such as how to destroy records.

Furthermore, NHS England’s Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) requires NHS trusts to understand legal and professional obligations for records management. The DSPT involves a periodic audit in which trusts have to demonstrate they are adhering to this requirement.

Regulators also set out professional standards for health and care professionals. For example, the General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice requires doctors to make sure that formal records of their work, including patients' records, are clear, accurate, contemporaneous, and legible.

The Care Quality Commission has powers, under section 63(2)(b) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to access records held by the service that they are inspecting, where necessary, as part of their regulatory functions.

At the Spending Review, we committed to announcing further details on our plans for Social Impact Investing over the summer. This announcement – alongside the announcements to support low-income families made at SR25 – are a downpayment ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy being published in the autumn, and will form part of it.

As per the press notice, the Better Futures Fund will be managed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in close collaboration with other departments and engagement with the impact investing sector.

The Better Futures Fund was included in the Spending Review, under the Public Service Reform section. This was before it was named the BFF and was under the working title of ‘Social Impact Investing Vehicle’:

The Better Futures Fund will support up to 200,000 children and their families over the next ten years by bringing together government, local communities, charities, social enterprises, investors, and philanthropists to work together to give children a brighter future.

At the Spending Review, we committed to announcing further details on our plans for Social Impact Investing over the summer. This announcement – alongside the announcements to support low-income families made at SR25 – are a downpayment ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy being published in the autumn, and will form part of it.

As per the press notice, the Better Futures Fund will be managed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in close collaboration with other departments and engagement with the impact investing sector.

The Better Futures Fund was included in the Spending Review, under the Public Service Reform section. This was before it was named the BFF and was under the working title of ‘Social Impact Investing Vehicle’:

The Better Futures Fund will support up to 200,000 children and their families over the next ten years by bringing together government, local communities, charities, social enterprises, investors, and philanthropists to work together to give children a brighter future.

At the Spending Review, we committed to announcing further details on our plans for Social Impact Investing over the summer. This announcement – alongside the announcements to support low-income families made at SR25 – are a downpayment ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy being published in the autumn, and will form part of it.

As per the press notice, the Better Futures Fund will be managed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in close collaboration with other departments and engagement with the impact investing sector.

The Better Futures Fund was included in the Spending Review, under the Public Service Reform section. This was before it was named the BFF and was under the working title of ‘Social Impact Investing Vehicle’:

The Better Futures Fund will support up to 200,000 children and their families over the next ten years by bringing together government, local communities, charities, social enterprises, investors, and philanthropists to work together to give children a brighter future.

On 23rd April, the Government announced a review of the customs treatment for low value imports. Under our current low value import arrangements, consignments valued below £135 from any overseas retailer can be imported into the UK without incurring customs duty. VAT is due on all imports into the UK.

Since the announcement, Ministers and officials have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders on the impact and operation of these arrangements to support our review. The outcomes of the engagement will help inform our next steps.

In December 2023, investors in the Woodford Equity Income Fund voted to accept a settlement scheme, and in February 2024 the High Court approved the scheme to make it binding on Link Fund Solutions and all creditors. The scheme came into force on 5 March 2024, with investors having received a first redress payment by April 2024. That first payment amounted to over £185 million, out of a settlement fund of up to £230 million.

The rest of the settlement fund is being held as a reserve to enable Link Fund Solutions to meet any contingent liabilities. Any leftover money from the reserve will be distributed to investors covered by the scheme. The operation of the reserve is supervised by the scheme supervisors who are independent of Link Fund Solutions. The FCA are continuing to monitor the operation of the reserve and will monitor when and how distributions are being made.