Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department’s publication of government procurement card spending over £500 for February 2023, how many staff in his Department received training as a result of the payments to (a) The Hawkhills on 16 February and (b) Bristol Beacon on 22 February; and for what purpose each training course was required.

(a) The payment made on the government procurement card on 16 February was for one member of the Incident Response and Coordination team attending the Strategic Emergency Management course delivered by the Emergency Planning College at The Hawkhills in York on 23 and 24 March 2023. The cost covered the Emergency Planning College’s two day residential Strategic Emergency Management training and accommodation, as published in their course prospectus.

This course is available to all organisations with a role in strategic emergency management and is not specifically for Cabinet Office staff. The delegate attended to further develop their skills and abilities to provide strategic management to critical incidents in line with their job role.

(b) The event at the Bristol Beacon was aimed at 47 members of the Government Property Agency (GPA). The purpose was to launch the GPA South West and South Wales Community Group. The event was important given the essential role of the community in:

• Supporting the Levelling up agenda and connecting with Head of Place activities

• Delivering the GPA strategic objectives within the region

• Driving cross-organisational working to enable GPA to best support its customers - civil servants working in GPA offices in the area