Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to encourage civil servants based in (a) West Yorkshire and (b) England to return to their offices full time.

Departments, as separate employers, have the flexibility to make their own corporate decisions on working arrangements. Throughout the pandemic, many Cabinet Office staff have continued to work in the office in order to deliver key functions, in line with government guidance. We are now steadily and safely increasing numbers in the office, in line with the latest government guidance and as building risk assessments are reviewed and updated.

We continue to communicate regularly with our staff about our plans.