Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 58669 on Cabinet Office: Lanyards, what was the (a) artwork and (b) branding on the 6,376 lanyards purchased for £5,069.99.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
As was the case under the previous administration, the Cabinet Office issues standard Cabinet Office branded lanyards to staff as a default.
On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced a ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. Whilst it was agreed that some expenditure on merchandise items is necessary for operational purposes (for example, security lanyards), all of these orders were made prior to this government’s ban on unnecessary branded merchandise.
The (a) artwork and (b) branding for the 6,376 lanyards purchased prior to this ban, stated in Question 58669, is as follows:
‘reflex blue plain stock’ lanyards
blue lanyards with the Cabinet Office crest and the words "College for National Security" printed on them.
plain purple lanyards, with the Cabinet Office crest and "FS Conference 2024 Committee" printed on them
lanyards featuring a blue style with white print displaying "Crown Commercial Service" and the Crown logo, with metal hooks for attaching passes
“Phase 2 Grenfell Tower Inquiry” with lanyards with Team Member printed in black and 2 colour logo to face
“Government Project Delivery” lanyards printed in full colour to both sides
“Cabinet Office Digital” lanyards printed in full colour to both sides
"100 Year Partnership between Ukraine and the UK" lanyards printed with four colour logo
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the (a) cost to the public purse, (b) number and (c) designs for lanyards bought by (i) 10 Downing Street, (ii) the Office for Women and Equalities, (iii) the Civil Service People Group, (iv) the Crown Commercial Service and (v) the Cabinet Office since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Cabinet Office has purchased a total of 6,376 lanyards for £5,069.99 since 4 July 2024. This includes those bought for the aforementioned business units and Crown Commercial Service as an executive agency.
On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. Whilst it was agreed that some expenditure on merchandise items is necessary for operational purposes (security lanyards), all of these orders were made prior to the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise.
In comparison, the Cabinet Office purchased a total of over 18,000 lanyards for £17,322.76 in the 12 months to July 2024.
Staff will continue to be able to wear existing lanyards.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much (a) his Department and (b) the Office for Equality and Opportunity has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; and what designs of lanyards have been purchased.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Cabinet Office has purchased a total of 6,376 lanyards for £5,069.99 since 4 July 2024. This includes those bought for the aforementioned business units and Crown Commercial Service as an executive agency.
On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. Whilst it was agreed that some expenditure on merchandise items is necessary for operational purposes (security lanyards), all of these orders were made prior to the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise.
In comparison, the Cabinet Office purchased a total of over 18,000 lanyards for £17,322.76 in the 12 months to July 2024.
Staff will continue to be able to wear existing lanyards.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2025 to Question 27921 on Cabinet Office: Secondment, whether (a) any staff in his Department are seconded from other local authorities and (b) the secondee from Camden council works on policy.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Secondments are part of a range of ways of bringing talent and experience into the civil service for short periods of time and have been used by successive governments. Secondments are arranged at a business unit level and must follow the processes as set out in the Civil Service Recruitment Principles.
As the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster set out in his speech in December 2024, we will be bringing in secondees - both frontline workers and digital and data experts - to help deliver public service reform.
This includes the secondee referenced from Camden Council, who works as the Director of Public Service Reform in the Public Sector Reform and Efficiency team. More details will be published in the quarterly Organogram of Staff Roles & Salaries on data.gov.uk.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what data his Department collects on the outcomes of performance management procedures.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Cabinet Office staff, except those on career breaks or new joiners, are allocated a performance marking at mid-year and end of the year. All line managers are instructed to upload these performance markings onto our HR system, which is called SOP.
In March, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster also announced that the Government will be strengthening performance processes for the SCS.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff work in the mission delivery unit; and what its (a) function and (b) remit is.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Mission Delivery Unit has c 30 FTE. The core purpose of the Mission Delivery Unit is to advise the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the delivery of the five Missions.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he had with trade unions representing civil servants prior to the announcement by his Department of the reduction in the number of civil servants by 91,000.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
I did not discuss the matter with Civil Service trade unions prior to the announcement, however officials engaged with unions promptly after the announcement was made and this dialogue will continue. Trade unions have written to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on this matter and will receive a response in due course.
The size of the civil service has swelled by almost 25% since 2016 – the highest numbers for over a decade. This was partly driven by the once in a generation challenge of dealing with a global pandemic, as well as extra staff required to deliver the UK’s departure from the EU.
We are incredibly grateful to the civil service for the outstanding job they do in delivering for the public but when people across the country are facing pressures on living costs, the public rightly expect their government to lead by example and to run as efficiently as possible.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2022 to Question 127423 on Prime Minister: Civil Servants and Special Advisers, how many special advisers are the responsibility of (a) the Prime Minister, (b) the Chief of Staff, (c) the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and (d) other Cabinet Office ministers.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Information about Special Adviser numbers and appointing ministers is published annually under the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. The Annual Report on Special Advisers 2021, published on 15 July 2021, is accessible through GOV.UK.
The Annual Report on Special Advisers for the current year will be published in due course.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2022 to Question 126664 on Undocumented Migrants: English Channel, whether the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is working on the small boats taskforce.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, both in that role and as the Downing Street Chief of Staff, continues to play an important role supporting the Illegal Migration Taskforce. He is assisted by Michael Ellis MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse is of (a) his new Chief of Staff and (b) his new Director of Communications.
Answered by Michael Ellis
In relation to the Chief of Staff, I would refer the Hon. Member back to the reply I gave to her on 7 February 2022 (Hansard volume 708, from column 695).
In relation to the Director of Communications, pursuant to the Constitution Reform and Governance Act 2010, a report is published annually containing information about the number and cost of special advisers. Salaries of individuals above £70,000 are detailed in bands of £5,000.