Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question HL7244 on Prime Minister: Staff, when the No10 Implementation Unit was disbanded; and whether it was replaced.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
There has not been an Implementation Unit in 10 Downing Street for at least 15 years. It would not be appropriate to comment on the decision made by a previous government to disband the unit. This Government has established the Mission Delivery Unit.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the (a) address and (b) building condition metric of central government buildings.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
As has been longstanding practice under successive administrations, on security and operational grounds, details of specific central government building addresses and conditions are not published. However, The State of the Estate report containing the aggregated insights across government estate is laid before parliament on an annual basis.
The Cabinet Office is currently working on plans to publish aggregate building condition data and insights for the reporting period of FY2026/27.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2025 to Question 62083 on House of Lords Appointments Commission, for what reason the competition to recruit members of the House of Lords Appointments Commission is not listed on webpage on gov.uk entitled Apply for a public appointment.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The campaign to recruit up to two independent members to the House of Lords Appointments Commission was launched on 3 January 2025. The competition then closed on 5 February 2025. As such, it is no longer open to new applicants.
The advert can be found on the public appointments website: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/8519
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 25449 on Government Communication Service, what his Department's planned timetable is for publishing its review of the size of the Government Communications Service as part of Phase 2 of the Spending Review.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government Communications Service (GCS) regularly evaluates communications teams to ensure value for money and operational effectiveness. GCS is currently recruiting a Director of Government Communications who will lead the redesign of the service to ensure it reflects both the evolving communications landscape and government priorities.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question 57252 on Arms Length Bodies: Parliamentary Scrutiny, whether written Parliamentary Questions on the work of (a) public corporations and (b) private companies owned by the Government are expected to be answered by (i) the sponsoring minister or (ii) through correspondence from the Chief Executive of that body.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Written Parliamentary Questions about specific arm’s-length entities, including public corporations or government-owned companies, should be directed to the relevant sponsoring department. The arrangements for answering such questions are a matter for sponsoring departments to agree in consultation with individual arm’s length entities.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62624 on Public Buildings: Concrete, which three Government Property Agency buildings have been found to have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Due to operational and security sensitivities, we do not disclose sites in which Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete is present.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62283 on Cabinet Office: Pay, whether the Civil Service Statistics 2025 document will publish the annual wage costs of the EU relations secretariat.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Salary data for the Civil Service is published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics. This statistical bulletin presents mean and median salary data for Civil Service departments and their Executive Agencies overall. A detailed breakdown for the structure and associated payscales for the European Relations Secretariat is available as part of the Cabinet Office organogram of Staff Roles & Salaries on gov.uk.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has issued guidance to Ministers on attending office workplaces during periods of strike action.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
No such guidance has been issued by the Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the Answer of 26 June 2025 to Question 60479 on Deputy Prime Ministers: Official Residences, whether broadband is provided to the ministerial residence.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
We do not routinely set out what services are provided at official residences, as doing so might compromise their security.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
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.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Guidance for Civil Service Staff Networks is in development. This will be internal guidance which is not usually published.