Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 116506 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, if he will place in the Library a copy of the OCS invoice dated 6 November 2025 relating to the works on the 9 Downing Street media room; and if he will provide the transaction number, value and date for the reimbursed payment to the Government Property Agency.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
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.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 111852, if he will list the seven approvals granted for branded items since 24 April 2025, including for each (a) the department or business unit, (b) the description of the branded item, (c) the purpose of the expenditure, and (d) the total cost.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
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):
Government People Group, Pull Up Banners for Future Leaders Scheme. £596.14.
Government Commercial Function, Panel Table Cover and lectern for GCF Conference. £752.00.
Civil Service Strategy Unit. Pull Up Banners for One Big Thing 2025. £432.64.
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.
Cabinet Office, Commemorative coins for attendees of a multinational event. £466.44.
Government People Group, Branded t-shirts for Pride events across the UK. £540.74.
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.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government has plans to introduce a Minister for Government Efficiency in the Cabinet Office to oversee cross-departmental efficiency initiatives.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
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.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has made an assessment of the suitability of adopting similar international government models including the (a) US Office of Management and Budget and (b) Department for Government Efficiency in the UK.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
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.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy for all Departments to publish a list of all their associated public bodies that have been delegated power to (a)make amend or revoke, (b) enforce and (c) monitor compliance with regulations.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Cabinet Office publishes a list of public bodies classified as arm’s length bodies, the public bodies directory, which includes whether an organisation performs a regulatory function.
The arm’s length bodies which departments have flagged as performing a regulatory function through the most recent public bodies directory data collection are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will provide a list of all public bodies that have been delegated powers to (a) make amend or revoke, (b) enforce and (c) monitor compliance with regulations.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Cabinet Office publishes a list of public bodies classified as arm’s length bodies, the public bodies directory, which includes whether an organisation performs a regulatory function.
The arm’s length bodies which departments have flagged as performing a regulatory function through the most recent public bodies directory data collection are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the timeliness of the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals in responding to correspondence from hon. and Rt hon. members.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Honours and Appointments Secretariat in the Cabinet Office provides administrative support to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) including processing correspondence to the Committee from members of the public and Hon. and Rt Hon. members.
The department has guidelines on dealing with correspondence and endeavours to process correspondence as promptly as possible within these guidelines.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment has been made of the (a) effectiveness of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), (b) quality of PHSO customer service and (c) PHSO responsiveness to enquiries from hon. Members.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is a crown servant that reports directly to Parliament. The Ombudsman is not accountable to the government for its performance and sets its own standards for how it delivers its objectives. Further to this, the Honourable Member may wish to write to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee that acts as the scrutiny body for the Ombu
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the infected blood compensation framework report by Sir Robert Francis QC by 14 March 2022 or as soon as his Department receives it, whichever is earlier.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The study will report to the Paymaster General no later than 14 March 2022. The Government will give full consideration to Sir Robert's study - which is separate from the independent public inquiry. The Government's response and Sir Robert's study will be published.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what targets he is setting for the adoption of artificial intelligence to improve the quality and efficiency of public services.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Government does not set targets for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). However, the Government has set up several avenues to make sure we are making the most of AI, such as the independent AI Council.
Departments are also required to follow the Technology Code of Practice which includes guidance on the use of emerging technology. Emerging technology should only be used where it meets the users’ needs, and this includes the use of AI.
The Government continues to work with departments to establish what other efficiencies can be realised while also meeting the needs of citizens.