Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the transparency data, Expenditure Over £25,000 - February 2026 (Cabinet Office Core), published on 26 March 2026, what is the purpose and nature of the expenditure relating to GRS - SURGE CONTRACT via PEREGRINE INTERNATIONAL.

The expenditure relating to "GRS - SURGE CONTRACT via PEREGRINE INTERNATIONAL" in February 2026 refers to the provision of flexible, ad-hoc recruitment support for the Government Recruitment Service (GRS).

This contract enables GRS to scale its capacity to meet fluctuations in customer demand. In February 2026, the expenditure covered 41 unique recruitment actions across 13 government departments. These actions included application sifting, interview scoring, the provision of virtual panel members, and candidate support sessions for reasonable adjustments. This model ensures the timely delivery of essential recruitment services while maintaining financial efficiency.