Every parliamentary written question tabled by Alex Burghart this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 121–140 of 336 · this parliament
Whether Senior Civil Servants can be temporarily promoted without open and fair competition.
SCS roles can be filled on a temporary basis through temporary promotions without fair and open competition. Cabinet Office issues guidance to departments and agencies, who have the authority to determine promotion and lateral transfer arrangements for their own staff.
Whether the Cabinet Secretary was appointed on the advice of the retiring Cabinet Secretary.
I refer to the Hon. Member to the Gov.uk announcement, “the Prime Minister and the First Civil Service Commissioner agreed on a process to appoint a new Cabinet Secretary.”
Whether the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards’ review into Labour Together is being assisted by the Propriety and Ethics Team.
The Prime Minister asked officials in the Cabinet Office to establish the facts in relation to allegations about the conduct of the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State jointly in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Cabinet Office, Josh Simons MP. Following completion of that work, the matter was referred to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards. The Independent Adviser’s subsequent advice to the Prime Minister is published on gov.uk. The Independent Adviser is independent of government.
With reference 23 February 2026, Official Report, Column 29, on Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review, whether the Government is able to appoint an independent KC to investigate a suspended Government Minister.
I refer the Honorable Member to UIN HL15093.
Pursuant to the answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office of 12 February 2026, Official Report, Column 932, on Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address Motion, if he will publishing the findings of the investigation into Matthew Doyle.
The Government is not conducting an investigation into Lord Doyle. An investigation is being carried out by the Labour Party.
With reference to the Ministerial Direction of 16 February 2026, whether the outgoing Cabinet Secretary will receive an early termination exit payment based on the same methodology as the previous Cabinet Secretary, or whether the payment will exceed Civil Service Compensation Scheme terms.
Details of any payments made to the previous Cabinet Secretary will be published in the Cabinet Office Annual report and Accounts for 2025-26.
Pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2026 to Question 109158, if he will publish a breakdown of political activity data of public appointments made in 2024-25.
I refer the Hon. Gentleman to PQ 103784.
Pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2026 to Question 110416 on Government Departments: Publicity, if he will publish the revised branding guidance.
There are currently no plans to publish this guidance.
With reference to the No10 press release entitled Prime Minister to warn that Europe must move away from overdependence on the US, to interdependence - and a more European NATO, of 13 February 2026, whether the £270 billion includes security spending; whether that figure is in cash terms; and what the monetary amount is in each year of this Parliament.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided on 9 February 2026 to Question 110442, tabled on 3 February 2026 by the hon. Member for South Suffolk (James Cartlidge). All figures provided in the response are in cash terms.
How many candidates were assessed as appointable in the competition for the post of Cabinet Secretary that resulted in the appointment of Sir Chris Wormald.
In accordance with data protection regulations, we do not provide information about candidates in Civil Service recruitment processes.
With reference to the Budget Information Security Review, February 2026, paragraph 4.7, whether the new rules that media contact must be authorised by the communications team will (a) allow or (b) prohibit, the pre-Budget briefing of Budget announcements or speculation by HM Treasury special advisers to the media where that briefing has been authorised by Treasury Ministers, but not authorised by Civil Servants.
As explained by the Budget Information Security Review (BISR), the information security policies at para 4.7 are not new The approach that applies to briefing is set out in paras 5.19 and 5.20 of the BISR, which notes that they apply to all staff including Special Advisers.
Whether the Office for Budget Responsibility will publish a fiscal mandate assessment alongside the Spring Statement.
As the Chancellor announced at Budget 2025, the OBR will assess performance against the fiscal rules once a year at the Budget, in line with the government’s commitment to a single major fiscal event per year.
With reference to the Budget Information Security Review, February 2026, paragraph 1.2, if she will publish the terms of reference of the Cabinet Secretary’s review of cross-government publishing of sensitive information.
The review is being conducted by the Government Internal Audit Agency and is looking into cross-government website publishing. The aim is to validate and strengthen the effectiveness and consistency of publication processes on GOV.UK and on non-GOV.UK websites, particularly with respect to sensitive information. As it is not standard practice to publish the terms of reference of GIAA reviews, there are no plans to do so; however, the objectives are as follows:Understand and validate the consistency of application of controls designed to secure appropriate publication on GOV.UK.Understand and validate the consistency of application of controls designed to secure appropriate publication on independent websites.Make observations concerning weaknesses in control design and/or effectiveness identified.
Pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2026, to Question 107374, on Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure, whether regulatory costs imposed through implementation of EU laws in Northern Ireland, and the application of EU laws through dynamic alignment across the wider United Kingdom, would score towards the administrative burden of business.
The target to cut the administrative burden of regulation by 25% by the end of the Parliament covers the burden of central UK government regulation, whether this is to implement domestic or international commitments.
Pursuant to the answer of 23 December 2025, to Question 98157, on Customs: Digital Technology, what is the status of the Single Trade Window programme, how many HMRC staff now work on it, and whether it has been funded in the Spending Review 2025.
The delivery of the Single trade Window (STW) has been paused and additional funding was not provided in the Spending Review 2025. Therefore, there are currently no HMRC staff assigned to the operational delivery of the STW programme. However, policy development continues with resources from a range of teams including Customs Policy and Strategy and Customer Services and Operations. The government’s policy development work is focussed on understanding industry needs and designing a service that delivers genuine value to businesses and strengthens the UK’s border system. The STW programme had £180 million funding allocated at the 2021 Spending Review across three financial years - 2022/23 to 2024/25. The final spend on STW over 22/23, 23/24 and 24/25 was £111.44 million.
|To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 23 December 2025 to Question 98157 on Customs: Digital Technology, how much has been spent on the Single Trade Window programme.
The delivery of the Single trade Window (STW) has been paused and additional funding was not provided in the Spending Review 2025. Therefore, there are currently no HMRC staff assigned to the operational delivery of the STW programme. However, policy development continues with resources from a range of teams including Customs Policy and Strategy and Customer Services and Operations. The government’s policy development work is focussed on understanding industry needs and designing a service that delivers genuine value to businesses and strengthens the UK’s border system. The STW programme had £180 million funding allocated at the 2021 Spending Review across three financial years - 2022/23 to 2024/25. The final spend on STW over 22/23, 23/24 and 24/25 was £111.44 million.
Whether Sir Chris Wormald has entered into a (a) confidentiality, (b) non-disclosure and (c) settlement agreement in connection with his departure as Cabinet Secretary.
Sir Chris Wormald has entered a settlement agreement with the Cabinet Office, on his departure from the Civil Service. Financial details will be published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.
What data (a) her department and (b) NISTA holds on the number of PFI contracts which are due to expire in each of the next three years; and what guidance has been given to central government on PFI expiry and next steps.
HM Treasury publishes aggregate information on PFI and PF2 projects annually, including data on contract expiry dates. NISTA has published guidance for contracting authorities on managing PFI contract expiry and next steps.
With reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office of 12 February 2026, Official Report, Column 923, on Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address Motion, if he will publish the instruction given to Government departments on retaining relevant material.
I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
Whether voluntary disclosures by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment will be treated as indicative of the proper scope of disclosure under the Government response to the Humble Address of 4 February 2026.
I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.