Richard Holden Portrait

Richard Holden

Conservative - Basildon and Billericay

20 (0.0%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 12th December 2019

Opposition Whip (Commons)

(since November 2024)

Shadow Paymaster General

(since November 2024)

Procedure Committee
28th Oct 2024 - 30th Jun 2025
Product Regulation and Metrology Bill [HL]
13th May 2025 - 15th May 2025
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
13th Nov 2023 - 5th Jul 2024
European Statutory Instruments Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 30th May 2024
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
28th Oct 2022 - 13th Nov 2023
Seafarers' Wages Bill [HL]
11th Jan 2023 - 17th Jan 2023
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill
4th Oct 2022 - 18th Oct 2022
Online Safety Bill
18th May 2022 - 28th Jun 2022
Public Accounts Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 15th Mar 2022
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill
5th Jan 2022 - 12th Jan 2022
Finance (No.2) Bill
8th Dec 2021 - 11th Jan 2022
Approved Premises (Substance Testing) Bill
8th Dec 2021 - 15th Dec 2021
Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill
7th Sep 2021 - 22nd Sep 2021
Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill
25th Feb 2021 - 14th Apr 2021
Armed Forces Bill Select Committee
22nd Feb 2021 - 22nd Feb 2021
Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill
22nd Feb 2021 - 22nd Feb 2021


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Richard Holden has voted in 209 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Richard Holden Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Bridget Phillipson (Labour)
Minister for Women and Equalities
(14 debate interactions)
Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker)
(12 debate interactions)
Matthew Pennycook (Labour)
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(10 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(43 debate contributions)
Department for Business and Trade
(32 debate contributions)
Ministry of Justice
(19 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Richard Holden's debates

Basildon and Billericay Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

I would like there to be another General Election.

I believe the current Labour Government have gone back on the promises they laid out in the lead up to the last election.


Latest EDMs signed by Richard Holden

4th June 2025
Richard Holden signed this EDM on Wednesday 4th June 2025

Mauritius Treaty

Tabled by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
That the Agreement, done at London and Port Louis on 22 May 2025, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, should not be ratified.
107 signatures
(Most recent: 1 Jul 2025)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 93
Reform UK: 4
Independent: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Traditional Unionist Voice: 1
Ulster Unionist Party: 1
Labour: 1
21st October 2024
Richard Holden signed this EDM as the primary signatory on Friday 18th October 2024

Pie and Mash (No. 2)

Tabled by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
That this House recognises the need to protect Cockney heritage, including Pie and Mash, a staple dish of Cockneys for nearly 200 years; notes that the Cockney diaspora have moved out of East London to at least 42 constituencies across parts of the East and South East; and supports the …
6 signatures
(Most recent: 25 Nov 2024)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 2
Labour: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Independent: 1
View All Richard Holden's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Richard Holden, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Richard Holden has not been granted any Urgent Questions

1 Adjournment Debate led by Richard Holden

Friday 17th January 2025

4 Bills introduced by Richard Holden


A Bill to make provision for the licensing of animal shelters; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 11th July 2025

A Bill to prohibit the marriage of first cousins; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 10th December 2024
(Read Debate)
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 18th July 2025

A Bill to require a seller of a vehicle to record their home address or specified information about a company that owns the vehicle in the vehicle’s registration document; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 22nd October 2024
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 5th September 2025

A Bill to prohibit virginity testing procedures; to make associated provision about education; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 15th December 2020
(Read Debate)

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
26 Other Department Questions
26th Jun 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what the Church's policy is on the flying of flags from churches.

The Church of England has specific rules regarding the flying of flags from its buildings. These policies relate to exterior flagpoles, and the display and the laying up of military standards or regimental colours.

Policies and advice relating to the flying of flags or the laying up of flags can be found on the Church of England website, in the Resources section, under ‘ChurchCare’, and ‘Advice and guidance for church buildings’: https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/churchcare/advice-and-guidance-church-buildings/flags-and-military-colours

The Government issues its own guidance on flying flags, which also covers churches, and the Flag Institute offers guidance on when and how flags should be flown from churches and other buildings.

25th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the transparency data entitled Cabinet Office: Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - December 2024, published on 30 January 2025, for what reason her Department spent £790.50 on 23 December 2024 with Karen Newby Ltd under the category of interpretation.

Following the British Sign Language (BSL) Act coming into force in April 2022, which legally recognises BSL as a language of England, Scotland and Wales, a non-statutory BSL Advisory Board of 17 predominantly BSL users was established to advise the Government on matters of importance to Deaf people and on the implementation of the BSL Act. This payment represents a fee for British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation services to support the smooth running and accessible communication for the quarterly BSL Advisory Board meeting that took place in person on 6 November 2024.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
5th Jun 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether there is a limit on the number of ordinary written parliamentary questions that Rt hon. and hon. Members can table in hard copy on a sitting day.

There is no limit to the number of questions for ordinary written answer which a Member may table in hard copy on each sitting day (see Erskine May, 25th Edition, paragraph 22.4).

14th May 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 47830 on House of Commons: Morning Star, what estimate the Commission has made of the level of demand for copies of the Morning Star across the Parliamentary Estate.

The Commission does not monitor the use of the copies of the Morning Star or other newspapers provided across the Parliamentary Estate. They are made freely available for Members in the Library and communal areas and there is no means for recording their use.

12th May 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether his Department plans to establish the new Equal Pay Regulatory and Enforcement as an arm’s length body.

The government is committed to strengthening equal pay and ending pay discrimination. As part of this, we will establish an Equal Pay Regulatory and Enforcement Unit.

In April, we launched a call for evidence on a number of areas of equality policy, including this commitment. We will consider the views from the call for evidence to understand the challenges and find the appropriate solutions to equal pay enforcement.

We are holding this call for evidence (which closes on 30 June 2025) while policy is at a formative stage in order to enable businesses, trade unions, civil society and others to share their knowledge and experiences. Officials in the Office for Equality and Opportunity will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders as this policy develops.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
7th May 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 44587 on Parliamentary Estates: Artworks, what the (a) nature, (b) title and (c) artist is of each item that was (i) installed and (ii) removed since (A) dissolution of the previous Parliament and (B) 4 July 2024.

The attached data provides detail of individual artworks falling under the following categories:

iA) artworks installed between dissolution and 4 July 2024 (40 artworks)

iiA) artworks removed between dissolution and 4 July 2024 (80 artworks)

iB) artworks installed since 4 July 2024 (185 artworks)

iiB) artworks removed since 4 July 2024 (375 artworks)

In collating this data, so far as possible we have included neither artworks which were temporarily removed to allow for maintenance works and have since been rehung in the same location, nor artworks which were briefly off display and then moved location with a Member’s office.

6th May 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Regulatory Policy Committee's publication Status of Post Implementation Reviews, published on 24 April 2025, for what reason the post-implementation review of the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017 is outstanding.

The post-implementation review of the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017 was published on 11th April 2023.

The post implementation review and supporting documents can be accessed here.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
25th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 44588 on Parliament: Television, whether any public bodies pay subscription fees to receive a direct television feed of the UK Parliament.

No public bodies pay a subscription fee to Parliament for a direct television feed.

24th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many copies of The Morning Star are purchased by the House of Commons each day.

The House of Commons purchases five copies of the Morning Star each day. These are made available in different locations around the Estate.

22nd Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, who the members are of the Race Equality Engagement Group; and how they were appointed.

On 18 March, I announced our plans to establish a Race Equality Engagement Group to help us develop measures to tackle race inequality. The Group will be chaired by Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon.

We are in the process of appointing the other members of the Group. Members are being recruited to bring a range of expertise from across the public, private and voluntary sectors and from across the country. These are informal ministerial appointments, by invitation, and are not within the scope of the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what guidance has been provided to hon. Members on whether they must declare the date that a political donation was (a) received by the linked recipient and (b) given by the ultimate donor.

This is not a matter for the House of Commons Commission.

The rules are set out in the Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members, approved by the House on 12 December 2022 (HC 1083).

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmcode/1083/1083-1.pdf

Members seeking advice on the registration of specific interests should contact the Registrar of Members’ Interests.

7th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 24487 on Members’ Interests, whether (a) gifts and (b) hospitality which are registered and then (i) returned and (ii) repaid remain on the published list of interests.

This is not a matter for the House of Commons Commission.

The rules are set out in the Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members, approved by the House on 12 December 2022 (HC 1083).

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmcode/1083/1083-1.pdf

Members seeking advice on the registration of specific interests should contact the Registrar of Members’ Interests.

7th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what (a) portraits and (b) other artwork from the Parliamentary Art Collection that were previously on display have been moved to storage since (i) the dissolution of the last Parliament and (ii) 4 July 2024.

80 artworks moved from display to storage between dissolution (30 May 2024) and 4 July 2024, of which none were portraits. Since 4 July 2024, 405 artworks have moved to store, of which one was a portrait.

These changes have been for a number of reasons: movement of Members’ offices, required conservation work, or temporary storage due to maintenance projects. Many artworks in store are currently under consideration by Members for new office selections.

7th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, which public bodies have a live television feed to Parliament other than BBC Parliament; and what the annual cost is of such a subscription.

Other than BBC Parliament, there are no other live television feeds from public bodies to Parliament. Before migration to the internet over five years ago, the following channels from public bodies were available (in addition to BBC Parliament):

  • Northern Ireland Assembly
  • Scottish Parliament
  • Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament
  • European Parliament


UK Parliament’s sound and vision contractor provisioned the broadcast signals from these public bodies onto the Parliamentary Estate as part of their overall contract. It is not possible to separate out this cost from the overall contract.

7th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether any changes have been made to the display of (a) portraits and (b) busts of Winston Churchill on the Parliamentary estate since 4 July 2024.

Items from the Parliamentary Art Collection are on display in corridors, meeting and Committee rooms as well as private offices. Since 4 July 2024, no changes have been made to the display of busts of Winston Churchill on the Parliamentary estate. In the same timeframe, seven print or photographic portraits of Churchill have been taken off display. Six were taken off display from Members’ offices following changes to office locations and occupancy after the election, and one required conservation work.

The Parliamentary Art Collection contains 33 artworks either by or depicting Winston Churchill. 13 are currently on display in high-profile locations including Members’ Lobby, Committee Corridor and Ministerial offices. None of the works on display in those high-profile locations have been moved since 4 July 2024, other than briefly to facilitate project works.

3rd Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 8801 on Equality Act 2010, whether those plans include a public consultation with each public authority in legal scope of the new duty; and whether the New Burdens principle applies to local authority bodies subject to the new duty.

The Government is committed to commencing the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010. The duty will require specified public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to consider actively how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.

Public authorities will be able to reach their own decisions as to how they wish to approach reducing inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.

We will work in partnership with public authorities, civil society and others in order to ensure that the implementation of the duty is as effective as possible. As part of this, we have included questions in relation to the socio-economic duty in a call for evidence on equality law, which was launched on 7 April and will be open until 30 June. This will enable public authorities and others to input into plans in relation to the socio-economic duty at an early stage. We will also consult on draft statutory guidance in order to ensure it addresses the needs of public bodies and civil society and supports effective implementation.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
6th Feb 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the guidance entitled Public Sector Equality Duty: guidance for public authorities, published on 18 December 2023, and pursuant to the letter from the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Business and Trade to economic regulators referenced in the Answer of 24 January 2024 to Question 24447 on Economic Growth: Regulation, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that regulators do not try to impose the public sector equality duty on private companies.

The Public Sector Equality Duty (the PSED) requires organisations in scope to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people.

The scope of the PSED is set out in the Equality Act 2010 (the Act). It extends to all public authorities listed in Schedule 19 of the Act and all parties carrying out public functions. This includes private sector and voluntary organisations when carrying out public functions.

The government expects regulators to ensure organisations comply with their legal requirements. It is not the role of regulators to intervene where legal requirements do not apply and we have no evidence that this is occurring.

16th Jan 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what guidance the House of Commons issues to hon. Members on declaring reportable gifts, donations or hospitality which are returned or reimbursed within 28 days of receipt; and whether reportable gifts, donations or hospitality which are returned or reimbursed after 28 days of receipt are recorded in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

Registration requirements are set out in the Code of Conduct together with the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members, approved by the House on 12 December 2022. (https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmcode/1083/1083.pdf)

Paragraph 5 of the Code provides that new Members must register all their current financial interests, and any registrable benefits (other than earnings) received in the 12 months before their election within one month of their election, and Members must register any change in those registrable interests within 28 days. Gifts, donations or hospitality are registrable from the day of receipt (whether or not subsequently repaid). The 28-day period is provided to enable time for registration for the purpose of transparency.

Members are encouraged to seek advice from the Registrar of Members’ Financial Interests if they are in any doubt about whether a proposed course of action is in line with the rules.

3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 16341 on Political Parties: Discrimination, if she will issue guidance on the distinction between philosophical and political belief.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has issued guidance and codes of practice covering philosophical belief. What is and is not a political belief as opposed to a philosophical belief is a question that is for individuals to consider and, if necessary, the courts to determine, if raised in the context of Equality Act 2010 protections.

3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question HL2771 on Civil Servants: Recruitment and pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2024 to Question 14502 on Gender: Equality, if she will issue guidance to public bodies to stop the practice of internship programmes which restrict applications on the basis of race or ethnicity.

The Equality Act 2010 (The Act) provides protections for people from discrimination in the workplace and in society. It makes it unlawful to treat someone unfairly or discriminate against anyone based on certain personal characteristics. This includes race and ethnicity.

The Act also makes it unlawful for recruiters to hire by race, where the person is to be paid under a contract for services. Under certain conditions, a recruiter choosing between candidates of equal merit can hire the candidate from the more disadvantaged or lower-participating race or ethnicity. This is one type of ‘positive action’. Positive action can deliver better outcomes for particular groups in order to overcome or minimise a disadvantage arising from a protected characteristic.

In April 2023, the previous government published guidance to help employers understand the difference between positive action and positive discrimination. The guidance is available on gov.uk at www.gov.uk/government/publications/positive-action-in-the-workplace-guidance-for-employers. Section 9 of this guidance explains the general positive action provision. Section 10.2 explains tie-breaking in more detail. With this considered, there are currently no plans to issue further guidance to public bodies on positive action.

12th Dec 2024
To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church plans to amend the Table of Kindred and Affinity to exclude first cousins from marriage.

The ‘Table of Kindred and Affinity’ is part of the Book of Common Prayer. The Book of Common Prayer can be changed by a Measure from the General Synod of the Church of England, which would come to Parliament for approval in the usual manner. The Church of England has no plans currently to change the text.

9th Dec 2024
To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England has a formal process for the removal of an Archbishop.

The duration of appointments of office holders in the Church of England is governed by statutory provisions. Under section 3 of the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Measure 2009, the term of office of a person who holds office under Common Tenure (which includes archbishops, bishops and most other clergy) is terminated:
• on the death of the office holder
• by resignation
• on attaining the mandatory retirement age (subject to any extension)
• where the office ceases to exist
• where the office holder is removed from office under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003
• on the expiry of a fixed term appointment (where applicable)
• under the capability procedures.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukcm/2009/1/contents

26th Nov 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will hold discussions with the (a) Equality and Human Rights Commission and (b) the Cabinet Office on the potential merits of issuing guidance to political parties on whether they are able to discriminate on the basis of (i) political and (ii) philosophical belief.

It is for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to determine what guidance it issues to political parties. Equalities Ministers will have periodic discussions with their Cabinet Office colleagues on matters of mutual policy interest. 'Belief’ is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, meaning any religious or philosophical belief, rather than political opinion. As such, the issue of guidance on political belief discrimination that purportedly related to the Equality Act’s protected characteristics would be misleading.

14th Nov 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what role the Office for Equality and Opportunity has in informing Government policy on marriage.

The Office for Equality and Opportunity’s role in informing Government policy on marriage relates to equality and discrimination, as it is responsible for the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, which include marriage and civil partnership.

While the Office for Equality and Opportunity work with the Ministry of Justice on issues relating to equality, the Ministry of Justice is responsible for marriage law.

12th Nov 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the cost was of re-branding the Equality Hub as the Office for Equality and Opportunity.

Minimal costs were incurred in the rebranding of the Equality Hub to the Office of Equality and Opportunity as it was a renaming exercise rather than a Machinery of Government change. Therefore, there has been no programme or digital expenditure to date and only minimal administrative time by current employees.

8th Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of discontinuing unconscious bias training.

The decision to discontinue unconscious bias training was made in 2020 under the previous administration. No subsequent assessment of the policy has since been made.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
8th Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54808 on Civil Service: Photographs and Video Recordings, whether unpublished content can be used by Ministers for party political purposes.

I refer the Hon Member for Basildon and Billericay to the answer on 9 June 2025 (PQ54808).

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will require the National Security Adviser to publish details of meetings with external organisations other than senior media executives.

As a special adviser, the National Security Adviser is bound by the transparency obligations set out in the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54822 on Cabinet Office: Directors, whether Baroness Casey will be a member of the Cabinet Office Board.

I refer the Hon. member to PQ 54822.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Conclusion of His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme, published on 28 November 2024, what the percentage take-up rate was for (a) UK Government departments and (b) arm's-length bodies separately.

His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme was a voluntary programme offering a free, framed portrait of The King to any eligible public institution that requested one.

Following the conclusion of the scheme, a breakdown of the take up was published on gov.uk.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54828 on Civil Servants: Training, if he will publish the full training (a) documentation and (b) modules prepared for the course.

It is not possible to share these products as they are interactive e-learning and videos that need to run on learning management systems. We would not publish learning content or materials themselves, as they might contain internal policy details, or intellectual property owned by a third party.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance has been given to Cabinet ministers by the (a) Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards and (b) Cabinet Office on whether Ministers who personally receive donations from trade unions (i) must and (ii) need not recuse themselves from (A) official government meetings and (B) decisions relating to those specific trade unions.

As set out in the Ministerial Code, there is an established process in place for the declaration and management of private interests held by ministers. This ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest. Any advice given to ministers as part of this process would be in confidence.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54760 on Civil Servants: London, whether he plans to require any civil servants based in London to compulsorily relocate as part of the Places for Growth scheme.

London-based civil servants will not be required to compulsorily relocate as part of Places for Growth. Role relocations will occur predominantly through churn and some London-based civil servants may choose to voluntarily relocate.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2025 to Question 53204 on Central Government: Empty Property, whether the InSite database is accessible to the public.

The InSite database is an internal government system and is not accessible to the public. While the data held in InSite informs public outputs such as official reports, the platform itself is not publicly available due to data protection, security, and operational sensitivity considerations.

Members of the public can view information on vacant or surplus government-owned properties via the Government Property Finder: https://www.gov.uk/find-government-property

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
3rd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54820 on Civil Service: Equality, if he will make it his policy to (a) publish the new network guidance on gov.uk and (b) place it in the House of Commons Library once finalised.

Guidance for Civil Service Staff Networks is in development. This will be internal guidance which is not usually published.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54800 on Government Departments: Press Offices, if he will publish the guidance on the use of party political commodities at Government press conferences.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to my answer of 21 March 2025, Official Report, PQ 47333.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the response to the Freedom of Information Act request reference FOI2025/05753 of 12 June 2025.

The request document will be deposited in the House Libraries.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 57737 on European Parliament Members: Workplace Pensions, which public body holds information on the pension scheme liabilities for UK MEPs from 2009 up to the date the UK left the EU.

The European Parliamentary (United Kingdom Representatives) Pension Scheme closed to new members in 2009. Active members were able to continue contributing to this scheme or to join a new European Union (EU) Members of the European Parliament (MEP) scheme. HMT holds information on the pension scheme liabilities for this scheme and the information is available in the Consolidated Fund Accounts 2023 to 2024 page 37 section 7:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consolidated-fund-account-2023-to-2024

In 2009, the EU implemented a uniform pension scheme for all MEPs, replacing the previous system where MEPs received pensions and salaries from their respective member states.

MEPs elected from 2009 onwards are members of the EU pension scheme and the UK’s share of the pension liabilities are covered by the EU Exit agreement. Information about the EU scheme liabilities can be found at the following link on the UK Parliament website:
https://committees.parliament.uk/work/3906/exiting-the-eu-the-financial-settlement-inquiry/#:~:text=As%20part%20of%20the%20ongoing,the%20estimated%20settlement%20and%20why.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54781 on Arm’s Length Bodies: Equality, whether there is any monitoring of the EDI spending exemptions authorised by Arm’s Length Bodies; and whether there is any requirement on Arm’s Length Bodies to publish details of the exempted expenditure as Whitehall departments are required.

The Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance published on 14 May 2024 applies to all Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) who employ civil servants. As such, those ALBs are required to publish details of the exempted expenditure as Whitehall departments are required.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54812 on Government Departments: media, if he will list the 180 companies that expressed an interest in providing external public relations under the RM6364 Media and Creative Framework.

The procurement process under RM6364 Media and Creative Framework is currently live. As such, we are unable to disclose details of the interest expressed by individual companies at this stage, as doing so would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the Crown Commercial Service and the bidders engaged in the bidding process. Further information will be made available in accordance with procurement confidentiality and competition rules as the process progresses. The agreement is due to be awarded in December 2025.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59366 on Cabinet Office: staff, whether his Department has a target for (a) voluntary and (b) compulsory exits; and what communications have been sent to civil servants on this matter.

As set out in the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59366, in line with the 2025 Spending Review, we are restructuring the Cabinet Office into a more strategic, specialised, and smaller department to achieve £110 million in annual expenditure savings by the 2028/29 financial year. Our focus is on identifying budgetary savings rather than meeting a specific headcount target.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse for Senior Civil Service pay in the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial years.

The latest paybill information for the Senior Civil Service can be found in the 2025/26 annual report by the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB).

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49382 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, whether the relevant narrative entry in the transparency data will show which OCS invoice relates to the refurbishment of the Downing Street media room.

The Government Property Agency is awaiting OCS' submission of an application for payment for the costs for the 9DS Media Suite.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 53901 on Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender Independent Review, how the UK Statistics Authority plans to inform (a) Parliament and (b) the public of whether the recommendations in the Review will be taken forward once the Authority Board has concluded its considerations of the Review.

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 2nd July is attached.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54825 on Government Departments: Training, if he will publish the updated guidance on the use of external venues.

A copy of the Cabinet Office's guidance on the use of external venues will be placed in the libraries of both Houses.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
2nd Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the entry in his Department's publication entitled Cabinet Office Commercial Pipeline 2024-26, of 31 October 2024 P2465: CO COMMERCIAL: Venue Booking Services, who the supplier is of those services.

Calder Conferences Limited is the current supplier providing Venue Booking Services to the Cabinet Office. This contract started in February 2023 under the previous administration.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
27th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to para 3.152 of the Review Body on Senior Salaries, Forty-seventh annual report on senior salaries, published in May 2025, CP 1329, what the past-service deficit payment is on the Alpha employer contribution rate.

The employer contribution rate is determined by the Civil Service Pension Scheme Valuation, which takes place every four years, with current rates being set following the 2020 valuation.

Details of the past service deficit are available on pages 22-25 of the 2020 Civil Service Pension Scheme Valuation available at https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/media/qgbfvy5h/civil-service-gb-valuation-report_18_9_23_accessible.pdf

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
27th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to para 3.61 of the Review Body on Senior Salaries, Forty-seventh annual report on senior salaries, published in May 2025, CP 1329, whether he plans to tackle the pay differentials for civil servants at the same grade working in the same building who are employed by the (a) UK, (b) Welsh and (c) Scottish governments.

The Government has recently accepted the recommendation from the Senior Salaries Review Body for a fundamental review of the Senior Civil Service pay and reward frameworks.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)