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)
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)
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.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
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, who will be responsible for appointing staff to the new Office of the Prime Minister; and what plans he has for staff of that department to be (a) special advisers and (b) officials.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Appointments will be made in accordance with the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.
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, if he will publish the whistleblowing guidance in place for his Office in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) January 2022.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Cabinet Office is committed to ensuring high standards of conduct in all that it does. Ministers and civil servants share this commitment. If individuals suspect wrongdoing, they have a responsibility to speak up. The Cabinet Office also makes clear to staff that they should not make the assumption that someone else will come forward to report wrongdoing.
In December 2019, the Cabinet Office enhanced its ‘Raising a Concern’ policy (previously Whistleblowing) to align with recent changes introduced by Civil Service HR. These changes were introduced as a result of some confusion in navigating the process and from staff feedback suggesting the term ‘whistleblowing’ has negative connotations. The Cabinet Office will review the existing policy and procedures in line with recently updated cross-government guidance.
The associated guidance is attached.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 25 January 2021 to Question 107597, on Government Departments: Coronavirus, what guidance was issued to Cabinet Office staff on managing the risk of covid-19 in the workplace was in place as of 13 November 2020.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Throughout the pandemic, Cabinet Office has followed Government guidance on ensuring safety in the workplace, particularly the Working Safely during Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance - recognising the different approaches taken by the devolved administrations. Our position has aligned with cross-government guidance issued centrally by Civil Service HR.
On 13 November 2020, in line with the PM announcement on 31 October, Cabinet Office advised that office workers who could effectively work from home should do so with extra consideration given to people at higher risk. Those who needed to come into the workplace for essential business activity and/or for personal circumstances were able to do so.
A list of every piece of guidance issued to Cabinet Office staff relating to managing the risk of COVID-19 in the workplace cannot be provided due to the disproportionate cost.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 25 January 2021 to Question 107597 on Government Departments: Coronavirus, what additional guidance issued to staff in his Department in relation to managing the risk of covid-19 in the workplace was in force on 20 May 2020.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Throughout the pandemic, Cabinet Office has followed Government guidance on ensuring safety in the workplace. The Cabinet Office has aligned with cross-government guidance issued centrally by Civil Service HR.
On 20 May 2020, in line with the Government’s advice on unnecessary travel, the Cabinet Office default position was for employees to work from home where practical. Employees who were fit for work and required to be in the workplace were advised to follow the guidance on handwashing and respiratory hygiene, the relevant social distancing measures and government/transport provider guidance on safe travel on public transport.
Some operational and specialist teams were identified as essential roles, for which remote or home working may not have been an option for some or all of their working time. Cabinet Office advised that these teams should make sensible arrangements to protect employees, for example, rotas and staggered start and finish times to avoid busy commuting times on public transport. Where possible, business units were asked to ensure that they put arrangements in place to allow employees to adhere to social distancing guidance whilst in the workplace.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the staff turnover rate is in his Department by (a) job grade, (b) race, (c) gender and (d) disability.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Turnover is calculated using Headcount on the basis of staff leaving CO over a 12 month period and includes planned and unplanned leavers. The information requested, as recorded on Cabinet Office systems on 31 January 2022, is outlined in the tables below.
Job Grade
ALL CO | 24.1% |
PERM SEC | 40.0% |
SCS3 | 17.8% |
SCS2 | 25.2% |
SCS1 | 25.5% |
G6 | 23.3% |
G7 | 18.6% |
SEO | 20.4% |
HEO | 30.9% |
EO | 25.4% |
AO | 23.9% |
Parliamentary Counsel Grades | 2.0% |
Commercial Grades | 14.2% |
Race
ALL CO | 24.1% |
E/Minority | 25.3% |
White | 21.1% |
Not Declared | 26.9% |
Gender
ALL CO | 24.1% |
Female | 23.9% |
Male | 24.4% |
Disability
ALL CO | 24.1% |
Yes | 21.2% |
No | 22.2% |
Not Declared | 26.7% |
Special Advisers have been excluded, all Parliamentary Council and Commercial Grades have been grouped together, Faststream numbers have been grouped with HEO grade.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Hemsworth)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Cabinet Office report entitled Investigation into alleged gatherings on Government premises during covid restrictions - update published on 31 January 2022, what the full-time equivalent head count of staff working at (a) 10 Downing Street and (b) 70 Whitehall has been in each year since 2010.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Owing to security considerations, I am unable to provide occupancy information specifically relating to the sites for which you have requested information. However, in each year since 2010, the total full-time equivalent headcount of staff recorded as working across both buildings never exceeded 1,500.