Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding his Department plans to allocate for the (a) development and (b) validation of non-animal human-relevant scientific methods in each financial year until 2028-29.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) invests to support research which can lead to alternatives, such as organ-on-a-chip, cell-based assays, functional genomics and computer modelling. These are categorised as basic research, so calculating funding for alternative methods specifically is not possible. Future investment will be determined by internal allocations of DSIT’s spending review settlement announced on 11.06.25. UKRI also invests £10 million annually in the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) and is conducting a five-year review to guide future investment.

The Government will publish a strategy to support non-animal alternatives later this year.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department plans to implement recommendation 9 of the Independent Pornography Review: the challenge of regulating online pornography, published on 27 February 2025.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is assessing the recommendations of the Independent Pornography Review in depth. A further update will be provided in due course.

Under the Online Safety Act, online pornography companies are regulated by Ofcom. Online firms who publish their own pornography are required to use highly effective age checks to protect children from accessing it. Ofcom have already launched investigations into four porn providers. From July, all providers that allow pornography will be required to do the same.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure parity between the regulation of online and offline pornography.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is assessing the recommendations of the Independent Pornography Review in depth. A further update will be provided in due course.

Under the Online Safety Act, online pornography companies are regulated by Ofcom. Online firms who publish their own pornography are required to use highly effective age checks to protect children from accessing it. Ofcom have already launched investigations into four porn providers. From July, all providers that allow pornography will be required to do the same.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 51155 on MI6: Stonewall, if he will make it his policy to request MI6 cancel their Stonewall contract.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer to question 51155.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether guidance has been provided on how the provisions of the Bribery Act 2010 could potentially apply to the provision of gifts and hospitality to Ministers.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of Ministers, including the overarching duty to comply with the law.

The Code sets out guidance on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality, stipulating that Ministers should not accept any gift, hospitality, or service which would, or might reasonably appear to, compromise their judgement or place them under an obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence their work in government. The Code also explains how details of ministerial gifts or hospitality received will be published, and that gifts given to Ministers in their ministerial capacity become the property of the government.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54011 on Intelligence and Security Committee, whether there will be a (a) formal and (b) public government response to the ISC press release of 1 May.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office is engaging constructively with the Intelligence and Security Committee, and will continue to do so.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to publish a response to the press release of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament of 1 May 2025.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office is engaging constructively with the Intelligence and Security Committee, and will continue to do so.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) legal and (b) operational feasibility of local councils (i) establishing or (ii) co-funding neighbourhood policing constabularies under the Police Act 1996 in partnership with Police and Crime Commissioners.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government remains firmly committed to ensuring strong neighbourhood policing across England and Wales. The 43 territorial police forces across England and Wales are responsible for neighbourhoods policing in their areas.

To reinforce neighbourhood policing teams, we are providing £200 million to police forces in the 2025/26 financial year to kickstart the recruitment of 13,000 additional neighbourhood policing personnel across England and Wales. Essex Police has been allocated £4,495,599 from the £200 million fund for 2025/26. Based on their funding allocation, the projected growth for neighbourhood officers in Essex Police over 2025/26 will be 74 (FTE) police officers.

The Government has also announced that by July, every community will have named, contactable officers dedicated to addressing local issues as part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2025 to Question 52687 on Pay: Publicity, which (a) publications, (b) channels and (c) sites paid-for advertising was undertaken on.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

a). Publications: No paid advertising for this campaign ran in print publications.

b). Channels: These were:

o Online digital display advertising

o Digital online video (YouTube)

o Social media (Snapchat, Meta - Facebook/Instagram, Reddit)

o Radio

o Out of home: train card panels in national rail/bus interiors, beermats in 1000 pubs and digital screens in gyms

o Paid search (Google)

o Use of six digital influencers (Instagram/TikTok)

c). Sites: Online digital display advertising is bought programmatically by audience, not by site, and it is thus not possible to provide details of the sites that users saw such advertising appearing on. In addition, advertising appeared on the social media and search sites listed in answer to part b) above.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 56482 on Civil Service: London allowances, if he will take steps to ensure that the London weighted salaries for his Department's civil servants only apply to employees that work in London.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer on 10 June 2025 (PQ 56482).

Pay arrangements, including those for London, are delegated to each department. The Cabinet Office does not have a London Weighting Allowance. There are separate London and National pay ranges. An individual’s pay, paid as a salary, is determined by the location of their designated office, as set out in their contract.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that Capita PLS meets its contractual milestones for the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The pension scheme administration is transitioning from MyCSP to Capita, with a formal transfer scheduled for December 2025. The Cabinet Office has outlined 12 Transition Milestones to ensure a smooth transfer, with payments to Capita contingent on meeting deliverables to the standards set by the Cabinet Office Future Services Team.

After the transition, the new contract includes 38 Performance Indicators that monitor service delivery to ensure accountability and high-quality service throughout the contract period.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how the Crown Commercial Service determines when to insert break clauses in procurement contracts.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

This information is not held by the Cabinet Office.

Contracts are established by the contracting authority (customer) with the supplier. It is the contracting authority's responsibility to assess the need for, and timing of, any break clauses in the contract based on their specific requirements.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average length of time is for MyCSP to respond substantively to a query relating to the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the right hon. member to the answer given to PQ 60018, given on 19 June 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 59753 on Civil Servants: Media and Public Speaking, whether guidance has been provided on Permanent Secretaries giving press conferences with Ministers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government Communication Service (GCS) Propriety & Ethics Guidance applies to all civil servants.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

There are no plans of this kind.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on first cousin marriage involving UK and Pakistani nationals.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government has not held recent discussions with the Government of Pakistan on first cousin marriage involving UK and Pakistani nationals. The Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill, currently under consideration in the UK Parliament, is a domestic legislative matter.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of encouraging police forces to establish ringfenced neighbourhood policing units with a dedicated remit to tackle (a) illegal e-scooter use, (b) public disorder, (c) low-level crime and (d) other antisocial behaviour.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Restoring neighbourhood policing is at the heart of the Government’s Plan for Change and on 10 April the Prime Minister and Home Secretary outlined further details about our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

Through the Guarantee, by July, every community will have named, and contactable officers dedicated to addressing local issues. These officers will play a vital role in preventing and responding to crime at all levels by building trust, gathering intelligence, and maintaining a visible presence in communities.

The Guarantee will also ensure that neighbourhood policing teams hold regular local beat meetings that residents and businesses can use to raise concerns and help shape local policing priorities.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are strengthening the powers available to police and other relevant agencies under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to improve the tools agencies have at their disposal to tackle ASB. This includes introducing new Respect Orders to tackle the most persistent adult ASB offenders, extending the maximum exclusion period for dispersal directions from 48 to 72 hours, and increasing the upper limit for a fixed penalty notice for breaches of a Public Spaces Protection Orders or a Community Protection Notice from £100 to £500.

The Bill will also enhance the powers for the police to seize nuisance off-road bikes, and other vehicles which are being used in an anti-social manner, without having to first give a warning to the offender.

To reinforce neighbourhood policing teams, we have made £200 million available in FY 25/26 to support the first steps of delivering 13,000 more neighbourhood personnel across England and Wales, including up to 3000 additional neighbourhood officers by 31 March 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether changes have been made to the NHS terms and conditions of service for Agenda for Change in relation to trade unions since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Changes to the National Health Service’s Terms and Conditions of Service, also known as the Agenda for Change contract, are agreed via the NHS Staff Council, which is a partnership body made up of employer and trade union representatives.

The NHS’s Terms and Conditions of Service were updated in April 2025 to reflect that the Prison Officers Association is now a nationally recognised organisation, for the purposes of the NHS Staff Council and for the collective bargaining of the Agenda for Change contract. No further changes have been made that relate to trade unions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what declarations of political (a) activity and (b) interests were made by each Health Crown Representative.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The appointments of the Health Crown Representatives, as with all Crown Representatives, were made by the Cabinet Office.

The Cabinet Office requires all Crown Representatives to declare any Conflict of Interest both on appointment and at regular intervals thereafter. None of the current Crown Representatives have declared any party-political activity or interests.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 54833 on DCMS: Equality, whether his Department has issued guidance on employing Standalone EDI roles.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Expenditure Guidance, published on 14 May 2024, sets out a number of controls in relation to Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) spend and activity across the Civil Service, including: Standalone EDI staffing roles should be incorporated into broader HR.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 58273 on DESNZ: Aviation, if he will publish details of his domestic travel since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Details of internal domestic flights are not published.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to paragraph 2.97 of HM Treasury's publication entitled Spending Review 2025: Departmental Efficiency Plans published on 11 June 2025, what the evidential basis is that insourcing will drive down costs by 40 to 60 per cent.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will reduce its reliance on external consultants and contractors by building internal capability in key corporate functions. DESNZ benchmarking and commercial frameworks show external consultants and contractors typically attract significantly higher day rates in comparison to permanent staff. With targeted investment in skills, smarter talent deployment, and improved retention, the department can realise associated efficiencies of 40–60% in specific functions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services announced on 23 June 2025 will be empowered to recommend (a) regulatory and (b) structural reform of the Care Quality Commission in the context of continued failings in maternity units at (i) Southend Hospital, (ii) Basildon Hospital and (iii) other hospitals rated as Requires Improvement.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced an independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care. It will look at up to 10 maternity and neonatal units, international evidence, adoption of best practice, and a system-wide investigation of maternity and neonatal care. This will include bringing together lessons from past reviews. The investigation will produce, by December 2025, one clear set of national actions, that will take primacy over previous recommendations. These actions will drive the improvements needed to ensure high quality, safe care across maternity and neonatal services, and that women and families are listened to.

The terms of reference for the investigation are still under development with stakeholders and families, and will be released in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 54806 on Disaster Relief and Emergencies: Equality, for what reason the Risk Vulnerability Tool uses gender rather than sex.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Risk Vulnerability Tool will use data that relates to both sex and gender, depending on data availability, alongside other vulnerability indicators.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the planning application submitted to Westminster City Council on 19 May 2025, reference 25/03467/CLLB, what the nature is of the internal alterations being made to 70 Whitehall; and what the budget is for the works.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As part of the ongoing refurbishment works on the 4th Floor of 70 Whitehall, the Cabinet Office has submitted an application for the installation of a ceiling within the southern lift shaft. The total budget for this work, including all fees and VAT, is £280k.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 54806, on Disaster Relief and Emergencies: Equality, if he will publish the documentation on the Risk Vulnerability Tool.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

A Quality and Methodology Information report on the Risk Vulnerability Tool will be published, as is usual for government statistics.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many office desks are allocated to staff in GB Energy; and how many staff are employed by GB Energy.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Great British Energy will be headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland, recognising the expertise, skilled workforce, and diversity of projects already in place. In the interim, Great British Energy is headquartered in DESNZ’s second headquarters in Aberdeen, Crimon Place, to ensure the organisation can get to work as quickly as possible.

A total of 39 staff are currently working on the setup of Great British Energy. That number is set to increase when the organisation is fully operational.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what the Church's policy is on the flying of flags from churches.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of the Prime Minister’s international flights on (a) the Envoy IV, (b) Voyager and (c) GB-NI have been carbon offset since July 2024.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Official Prime Ministerial flights are carbon offset where that is possible.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 53899 on Cabinet Office: pay, what the median salary is of a civil servant in (a) the Civil Service and (b) the Cabinet Office averaged across all grades.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Data on median salaries for the Civil Service, also aggregated by department, can be found in the Civil Service Statistics publication. The latest data published on 31 July 2024 can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2024

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The request document will be deposited in the House Libraries.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54760 on Civil Servants: London, if he will publish his Department's relocation policy; and whether voluntarily relocated civil servants continue to receive a London weighting.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

This policy has not been previously published, and as with many internal staff policies, there are no current plans to publish it.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - April 2025 (Spending by Business Units no longer part of Cabinet Office), published on 29 May 2025, what the spending at Total Conflict Mgmt was for.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The expenditure was for a training course for a member of the Government Commercial Function.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - April 2025 (Spending by Business Units no longer part of Cabinet Office), published on 29 May 2025, how many (a) virtual and (b) physical Government Procurement Cards are held by his Department.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has 37 staff who have access to raise virtual cards and has 214 physical Government Procurement cardholders. Approximately half of the physical cards are held by the Government Car Service, which was transferred to the Cabinet Office in April 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Cabinet Office: Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - March 2025, published on 24 April 2025, what the spending to the House of Commons was for.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The spending in question was incurred by the Civil Service Commission, and entailed room hire and catering for an event to recognise the award of Civil Service Commission’s Commissioners' Mark of Excellence (CME), held on 6 March 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Cabinet Office: Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - March 2025, published on 24 April 2025, what the spending to Made by Cooper was for.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The spend referred to was for the GREAT campaign, with the invoice dated 27 February 2025.

The items procured were pin badges and associated branded packaging in support of GREAT events.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the transparency data entitled Cabinet Office: Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - December 2024, published on 30 January 2025, what the spending on PYM ARTEMISPLUS EXPRE was for.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The spend on Pym Artemisplus Expre was for catering for an event delivered as part of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's funded "Green Cities and Infrastructure Programme".

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answers of 18 June and 6 March 2025 to Questions 54778 and 34454 on Prime Minister: Aviation, whether the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme offsets other domestic flights; and if the Government will make it their policy to ensure that all the Prime Minister’s flights are carbon offset.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Official Prime Ministerial flights are carbon offset where that is possible.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 53528 on Admiralty House for what reason the offices in Admiralty House are no longer used for a Minister and Ministerial private office.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, Official Report, PQ 43478.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department's policy is on flying the Armed Forces flag on Armed Forces Day.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government Property Agency takes instruction from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for when to fly flags as part of events, ceremonies and celebrations such as Armed Forces Day.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government’s Lead Non Executive Director is a member of any Government (a) board and (b) committee.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government Lead Non Executive is not currently a member of any Government board or committee. Baroness Casey oversees non-executives from across government to support the delivery of the Plan for Change. She works closely with the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Cabinet Secretary, the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer, and other ministers and senior civil servants across government.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 53888 on Civil Service: Equality, how many civil servants work in the CSIP Team; and what the annual operating cost is of that business unit.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

For the year 2024-2025, the CSIP Team had 11.16FTE; the annual operating cost including non-pay costs for that business unit the same year was £1,092,548.37. This includes all staff costs and overheads as well as operational non-pay costs and overheads (such as Estates, IT and Shared Services).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54280 on Civil Servants: Pay, whether civil servants in her Department that are relocated outside of London will have their pay reduced; and whether civil servants employed in new locations outside of London will lose their London weighting.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer on 3 July (PQ 63008).

The Cabinet Office does not have London Weighting. There are separate London and National pay ranges. If an employee relocates from a London to National location on a voluntary basis, their salary would reduce to the equivalent point on the opposite pay range.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many exemptions have been approved for Permanent Secretary remuneration to exceed the band maximum since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Since 4^th July 2024, two Permanent Secretary roles have been approved to exceed the Permanent Secretary pay band.

Question

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.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon. member to PQ 54822.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she is taking steps to help ensure that SME firms with defence contracts are not de-banked by financial institutions.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government recognises that access to banking services is vital for people and businesses across the UK. It is this government's firm position that no firm should be denied access to banking services solely on the grounds they work in defence. The upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy will have SMEs at its heart, and will lay out the steps we are taking as government to support defence SMEs.

The government has already legislated to strengthen protections for customers. From April 2026, banks and other providers will be required to give customers a longer notice period of at least 90 days and to provide customers with a sufficiently detailed and specific explanation before they terminate services. This will give people and businesses the time and information they need to challenge decisions or find an alternative provider.

We continue to monitor wider access to bank account provision but recognise this is largely a commercial matter. Firms have strict obligations to ensure the legitimacy of a business and protect against financial crime.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the licensing and regulation of animal rescue and rehoming centres.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Animal welfare is a devolved matter in the UK. This means that responsibility for animal welfare policy in the individual nations is the responsibility of the relevant nations’ Ministers.

However, Defra works closely with the devolved Governments on a range of shared priorities and will discuss any relevant matters as necessary.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the licensing and regulation of animal rescue and rehoming centres.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Animal welfare is a devolved matter in the UK. This means that responsibility for animal welfare policy in the individual nations is the responsibility of the relevant nations’ Ministers.

However, Defra works closely with the devolved Governments on a range of shared priorities and will discuss any relevant matters as necessary.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the licensing and regulation of animal rescue and rehoming centres.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Animal welfare is a devolved matter in the UK. This means that responsibility for animal welfare policy in the individual nations is the responsibility of the relevant nations’ Ministers.

However, Defra works closely with the devolved Governments on a range of shared priorities and will discuss any relevant matters as necessary.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether board appointments to the National Data Library will be included in the Public Appointments Order in Council; and whether the chair for the National Data Library will be classified as a significant appointment.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The National Data Library remains under policy development. Any public appointments related to the National Data Library would follow due processes and be subject to the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the cancellation of the communications campaign entitled, Better Health - Every Mind Matters: Loneliness, on mental health outcomes.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Whilst the Better Health - Every Mind Matters: Loneliness campaign is no longer running, information, advice and signposts to organisations which can support people experiencing loneliness remains available on the Better Health – Every Mind Matters website. The website receives an average of over 150,000 visits per month. In the last full year, this figure exceeded two million visits. Indicative evidence demonstrates that Better Health-Every Mind Matters is improving the nation’s mental health and wellbeing; 2 in 3 of those who complete the Mind Plan email programme report measurably better wellbeing than when they started.

In addition, a campaign toolkit on loneliness for use by local authorities, NHS organisations and community groups is available on the Department of Health and Social Care’s Campaign Resource Centre. The toolkit includes key messages and social media assets that can be used in locally-run campaigns.

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62346 on Postage Stamps, whether his Department hold copies of the (a) agenda (b) minutes and (c) papers of the Royal Mail’s stamp advisory committee.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Stamp Advisory Committee advises Royal Mail on future stamp designs. The Postal Museum’s online catalogue lists copies of Stamp Advisory Committee minutes which are available to the public for research in line with Royal Mail’s retention policy.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 57394 on Fly-tipping, what discussions his Department had with local authorities prior to the press notice of 29 April 2025.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra officials have regular discussions with local authorities, including through the Defra chaired National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group (NFTPG). Through this group we work with a wide range of stakeholders to promote and share good practice on tackling fly-tipping, including local authority use of enforcement powers such as vehicle seizure.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62768 on Pay: Publicity, what the aggregate value was of the payments to the six digital influencers; and if he will name those influencers.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Influencer marketing is a credible paid communications channel, which is considered for government advertising campaigns and can be an effective way in reaching audiences that the Government and traditional marketing channels find hard to reach.

We used this channel to raise awareness of the new National Minimum and Living Wage rates to ensure audiences such as young people, part-time female workers, ethnic minorities and disabled groups are paid correctly.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2025 to Question 63032 on National Security: Expenditure, if she will publish the NATO reporting guidelines.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

NATO has a common definition of defence expenditure that is agreed by all NATO allies.

The definition of NATO defence expenditure, and the recently announced defence and security related spending, can be found on the NATO website.

NATO - Topic: Defence expenditures and NATO’s 5% commitment

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether appointments to the School Support Staff Negotiating Body will be included in the Public Bodies Order in Council; and whether the chair appointment will be classified as a Significant Appointment.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The Chair of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body will be appointed in line with normal practice and the Governance Code on Public Appointments with guidance from the department’s Public Appointments Team.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54274 on Government Departments: Publicity, if he will publish the spending control business case and approval for the 2025 National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage campaign.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28^th May 2025 to question 52688 (Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament).

Found: application on a cross-party basis, including Ruth Cadbury, Greg Smith, Alec Shelbrooke, Leigh Ingham, Richard Holden

Found: _NC2 Mr Richard Holden .

Found: REPORT STAGE Friday 11 July 2025 2 _NC2 Mr Richard Holden .

Found: REPORT STAGE Thursday 10 July 2025 2 _NC2 Mr Richard Holden .

Found: _NC2 Mr Richard Holden .

Found: • Richard Holden MP (Con) suggested the government should legislate to address the problems associated

Found: REPORT STAGE Wednesday 9 July 2025 2 _NC2 Mr Richard Holden .

Found: _NC2 Mr Richard Holden .

Found: Presented by Nick Timothy supported by John Cooper, Dr Luke Evans, Mr Richard Holden, Robert Jenrick

Found: REPORT STAGE Tuesday 8 July 2025 2 _NC2 Mr Richard Holden .

Found: _NC2 Mr Richard Holden .

Found: _NC2 Mr Richard Holden .

Found: Presented by Mr Richard Holden supported by Rebecca Harris, Mr Mark Francois, Dr Neil Hudson, Mr Peter

Found: Rebecca Paul Bob Blackman Kit Malthouse Mr Alistair Carmichael Sir John Hayes Jesse Norman Mr Richard Holden