Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Investigation into alleged gatherings on government premises during Covid restrictions has cost in terms of staff time.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Cabinet Office investigation is being funded from the Cabinet Office existing core administration budget for the financial year 2021/2022.
In that context, such information is not recorded within the Cabinet Office's financial or management information systems.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) the Cabinet Secretary and (b) any officials working on the Cabinet Secretary's Inquiry into government staff parties were in attendance at any of the gatherings under investigation.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the Hon. Member to the Cabinet Office update from the Second Permanent Secretary which has been published on GOV.UK and placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his new Chief of Staff will receive remuneration for that role in addition to his Ministerial salary.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the Hon. Member to the reply I gave to the Hon. Member for Blackpool South on 7 February 2022 (Hansard volume 708, column 700).
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South and South Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of managers within his Department and its arms-length bodies have completed equalities training within the last (a) 12 months, (b) 24 months and (c) 36 months.
Answered by Michael Ellis
As with other Government departments, Cabinet Office (CO) utilises the Civil Service Learning (CSL) offer for all of its mandatory learning. This includes the training package, ‘Inclusion in the Civil Service’, which all Cabinet Office staff are expected to complete on an annual basis.
In early 2021, ‘Inclusion in the Civil Service’ replaced the CSL’s previous package, ‘Diversity and Inclusion 2019’, following the Chief People Officer Rupert McNeil’s instructions in late 2020 for all Civil Service departments to withdraw any learning that included reference to unconscious bias training. As such, we can advise that around 25% of CO colleagues completed ‘Inclusion in the Civil Service’ in the year 2021.
It is worth noting that as part of the CO’s move to continue to improve and enhance the department’s L&D offer across 2022/2023, we will be working closely with colleagues in Government Skills and Curriculum Unit (GSCU) to review all CO mandatory learning, as well as introducing a new process to help capture completion rates of mandatory learning, as the current CSL system does not allow for this.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South and South Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how often managers within his Department and its arms-length bodies are expected to undertake equalities training.
Answered by Michael Ellis
As with other Government departments, Cabinet Office (CO) utilises the Civil Service Learning (CSL) offer for all of its mandatory learning. This includes the training package, ‘Inclusion in the Civil Service’, which all Cabinet Office staff are expected to complete on an annual basis.
In early 2021, ‘Inclusion in the Civil Service’ replaced the CSL’s previous package, ‘Diversity and Inclusion 2019’, following the Chief People Officer Rupert McNeil’s instructions in late 2020 for all Civil Service departments to withdraw any learning that included reference to unconscious bias training. As such, we can advise that around 25% of CO colleagues completed ‘Inclusion in the Civil Service’ in the year 2021.
It is worth noting that as part of the CO’s move to continue to improve and enhance the department’s L&D offer across 2022/2023, we will be working closely with colleagues in Government Skills and Curriculum Unit (GSCU) to review all CO mandatory learning, as well as introducing a new process to help capture completion rates of mandatory learning, as the current CSL system does not allow for this.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the union density is in his Department.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Cabinet Office staff are able to join a Trade Union if they choose. This is done directly with the Trade Union and not shared with us. We are, therefore, unable to provide the information requested.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Leader of the House of Commons on (a) answering oral questions and (b) a select committee in relation to his role as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Government has accepted the Second Permanent Secretary’s general findings in full and is in the course of making changes. Further details will be announced in due course.
I refer the Hon. Member back to the reply I gave to her on 7 February 2022 (Hansard volume 708, from column 695).
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral answers of the Paymaster General on 7 February 2022, on his appointment as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister and associated Machinery of Government changes, what plans he has to (a) combine the Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Office and (b) create a separate Office of the Prime Minister department.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Government has accepted the Second Permanent Secretary’s general findings in full and is in the course of making changes. Further details will be announced in due course.
I refer the Hon. Member back to the reply I gave to her on 7 February 2022 (Hansard volume 708, from column 695).
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on whether the Deputy Chief of Staff at Downing Street is a designated member of Francis Maude Associates; and what shareholding she retains in that partnership.
Answered by Michael Ellis
All special advisers make a declaration of interests to their employing department. Steps are then taken to ensure no conflict of interest or mitigate any potential conflict to the satisfaction of the relevant Permanent Secretary, and relevant interests are published on GOV.UK. This process has been followed and overseen by the Cabinet Office.
Baroness Finn's relevant interests were duly and transparently declared in this register, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-publication-of-special-adviser-interests
As noted in this register: “Baroness Finn has undertaken not to have any involvement in, or association with, the activities of Francis Maude Associates LLP or FMAP Ltd”.
Francis Maude Associates LLP is dormant and does not trade. There has been no activity other than filing (limited) accounts for the dormant company as required by company law.
This is separate from the advisory company (FMAP Ltd) that still trades. Baroness Finn resigned as a Director in February 2021 - this was made clear in Baroness Finn's Lords register of interests, and on the Companies House record.
This approach was agreed with the Cabinet Office. It is in line with the Special Adviser Code, the House of Lords Code of Conduct, and the Principles on Standards in Public Life.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South and South Bedfordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the oral answers of the Paymaster General on 7 February 2022, whether he will have authority in his capacity as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister to direct (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a Minister of the Crown and will have all the attendant powers and functions of a Minister of the Crown, including the authority to direct civil servants and special advisers in the normal way.