Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 12890 on Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Ministers' Private Offices, how much the Government Property Agency spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and its predecessor Departments between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024; and on what items.

The Government Property Agency confirmed £230,462.01* excluding VAT was spent during the period 4th July 2022 to 4th July 2024 on new furniture and fittings plus other refurbishment (including moves) This is broken down as follows:

• New Furniture and Fittings - £215,030.73*

• Other Refurbishment of Ministerial Offices including moves - £15,431.28*

The full itemised list can be found below:

(a) new furniture and fittings

Covering the period from the creation of DESNZ, as announced by the Prime Minister on 7 February 2023 to 4 July 2024

• Date Reference: 31/10/2023

• What: New office furniture (desks, chairs, tables) as a result of the move from 1 Victoria Street to 55 Whitehall and the creation of DESNZ.

• How Much: £141,781.00 ex VAT

• Date Reference: 31/10/2023

• What: Installation of Audio Visual (AV) Equipment

• How Much: £73,249.73 ex VAT

Please note: the costs above were incurred as part of existing refurbishment and move taking place for DESNZ, and were not costs incurred from additional requests from Ministers.

*Additionally: Additional Changes in 55WH after the handover of the building included the request to swap the Ministerial Office with the Private Office. This was requested on 20/11/2023 and required the use of pre-existing furniture which required porterage, however, unfortunately the GPA has been unable to source the cost or exact details of what was ordered at this time by the deadline.

(b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices

Covering the period from the creation of DESNZ, as announced by the Prime Minister on 7 February 2023 to 4 July 2024:

• Date Reference: 26/10/23 to 03/11/23

• What: Relocation of Ministerial Team 1VS to 55WH

• How Much: £10,362.28 ex VAT

• Date Reference: 06/12/2023

• What: Floorbox changes to ministerial and private office rooms. Please note that we are unable to proportionately split this cost between the minister’s room and the private offices.

• How much: £5,069 ex VAT

During this period, DESNZ was originally part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) which was dissolved on 7th February 2023 and split into DESNZ, DSIT and DBT. As a result of this, the former BEIS departments were moved out of 1 Victoria Street and into different buildings The GPA has no record of any ministerial furniture or refurbishment expenditure at the former BEIS office (1 Victoria Street) during the requested period.