Written questions by Dewhirst.

With reference to his Department's contract with Goaco Group Ltd, notice identifier 2025/S 000-063254, published on 8 October 2025, if he will list the countries in which subcontractor resources are now located.

This notice relates to the development of the Central Digital Platform for procurement. Goaco Group Ltd sought permission from the Cabinet Office to engage the Open Contracting Partnership (OCP) to undertake independent data quality analysis, so that the continuous improvement of the Platform is supported by the highest level of expertise available. OCP is an independent non-profit charity and has a presence in Spain and Canada. All development work related to this contract remains onshore in the UK. As is the long-standing practice, the Cabinet Office as the contracting authority has given notice of amendment to the Goaco Contract to facilitate this work.

With reference to page 139 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, if he will provide a breakdown of the expenditure, including for individual fixtures and fittings, for the (a) refurbishment and (b) furnishing of the empty Downing Street flat; and if he will name which was empty flat.

As was the case under successive administrations, an itemised list is not routinely published.

Pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 81875 on Senior Civil Servants: resignations, if he will list the Permanent Secretaries that have received severance payments for which the latest information is available.

Pursuant to the previous answer, all details of any payments made to Permanent Secretaries are available in the appropriate Departmental Annual Report and Account for the financial year, or will be published in the annual reports for the upcoming financial year.

With reference to page 110 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, what was the business case for the increase in the number of hours of facility time compared to 2023-24.

In 2024-25, the Cabinet Office spend fell well below the recommended 0.1% maximum spend laid out in the facility time framework guidance. Trade Union representatives have a statutory right to be granted reasonable paid time off to undertake trade union duties and reasonable unpaid time to undertake trade union activities. The facility time guidance sets out the requirement to monitor and report on facility time spend in the Cabinet Office.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 74185 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, on what date his Department informed Westminster City Council that the residence in Admiralty House was occupied as a secondary residence.

As the property was a second residence, the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former Deputy Prime Minister - in line with long-standing precedent under successive governments. As has been the case under successive administrations, the Government Property Agency is responsible for liaising with Westminster City Council for matters concerning residency at Admiralty House. Following the introduction of the second homes premium, this has been paid in full in a one-off full payment in July 2025. This payment was made on the date the invoice was received from Westminster City Council.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 74185 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, whether his Department claimed single person discount for Admiralty House before August 2025.

Westminster City Council’s single person discount can only apply to residences that are your sole or main residence, therefore, the Admiralty House residences are currently ineligible for the discount and a discount was not claimed for or applied to the former DPM’s tenure.

With reference to page 250 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, what is the (a) purpose and (b) function of the Gresham Estate contract.

The responsibility of the Gresham Estate was transferred to the Office of Government Property (OGP) in 2018. This is an annuity payment which dates back to an Act of Parliament in 1768, when Lord Gresham gave the site to the Crown to use. The Act said he would be paid £500 per annum, and this liability passed to the Gresham Trust when he died, and this is now managed by the Mercers’ Company.

With reference to page 67 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, if he will list the venues that Cabinet away days took place in 2024-25.

Cabinet away days taking place in 2024-2025 have been located at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Lancaster House and Chequers.

With reference to his Department's news story entitled Appointment to Cabinet Office Board, published on 19 August 2025, for what reason Greg Jackson’s appointment was announced after his term started.

Greg Jackson was appointed before the Summer Recess on 21 July to allow for the onboarding process, including conducting security checks, to be completed over the recess period. The announcement was made on 19 August, following fact checking and clearances as part of the onboarding process.

What assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the Review of the Arms Length Body Landscape; and if he will provide an update.

The government is undertaking a comprehensive review of the entire Arm's Length Body (ALB) landscape, as announced on 6 April 2025, and is a core part of creating a productive and agile state. The review is ongoing, and outcomes will be communicated in due course.

If he will publish the FOI disclosure reference (a) IC-390141-T8J5 and (b) FOI2025/01532.

I refer the honourable member to PQ 69874 where the FOI information sought is disclosed.

Whether (a) the National Security Adviser and (b) his Department has had meetings with Inter Mediate since 4 July 2024.

The National Security Adviser meets with a range of individuals and organisations as part of his role providing advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on national security matters. Such meetings are often sensitive in nature, and the Government does not routinely comment on them or their content.

With reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority's Annual Report 2024–25, published on 11 August 2025, for what reason no evaluation was completed for the Rosa renewal project.

The Rosa Renewal Project was subject to the appropriate National Infrastructure Service Transformation Authority oversight, with the project coming to a formal close in March 2025. The project achieved a GREEN Delivery Confidence Assessment as part of its final Gate 5 assessment. Delivery of the specific products set out in the business case was achieved and, therefore, has now formally closed but evaluation and lessons learned activity continue under the Rosa Service Organisation’s business as usual governance.

With reference to the Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, whether the appointment of members to the Ethics and Integrity Commission will be made under the Public Appointments Order in Council; and which Department will be responsible for approving those appointments.

The Ethics and Integrity Commission will be established on 13 October 2025 by the Government strengthening and reforming the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL). The appointment of independent members to the Ethics and Integrity Commission will continue to be subject to the Governance Code for Public Appointments and regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, as has been the case with CSPL. As an Arm's Length Body of the Cabinet Office, appointments to the Ethics and Integrity Commission will be the responsibility of Cabinet Office Ministers.

What his policy is on the (a) re-use and (b) disposal of branded (i) goods and (ii) signage out of date following machinery of Government changes.

The Cabinet Office does not issue guidance on the re-use and/or disposal of branded goods and signage made obsolete as a result of Machinery of Government changes. It is the responsibility of individual departments to ensure their branded assets are managed appropriately following changes in government structures.

With reference to the written ministerial statement of 21 July 2025, HCWS870, on Government of service, ⁠what criteria will be used to distinguish a breach from a serious breach for the purposes of severance payment recovery.

Issues that arise under the Ministerial Code are handled on a case by case basis. From 13 October 2025, if a minister leaves office having been found to have seriously breached the Ministerial Code, they will be expected to forgo a ministerial severance payment.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Extension of Generalist Member to the Senior Salaries Review Body, published on 5 August 2025, whether the Public Appointments Commissioner was consulted on the decision to reappoint the Generalist Member for 12 months.

Under the Governance Code on Public Appointments, departments must notify the Commissioner for Public Appointments of “exceptional reappointments or extensions”. An exceptional reappointment or extension is one that requires a postholder to serve for more than two terms or ten years.On 10 July 2025, Pippa Greenslade’s appointment to the Senior Salaries Review Body was extended for 12 months. This is not considered an “exceptional extension” and therefore the Commissioner for Public Appointments was not notified.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 32929 on Cabinet Office: Palantir, which non-civil service organisations have seconded staff to the Downing Street business unit since July 2024.

There have been no secondments from non-Civil Service organisations to Downing Street since July 2024.

How much has been spent on alcohol for the 10 Downing Street business unit via (a) the Government Wine Cellar, (b) Berry Bros and (c) other suppliers since 4 July 2024.

Official receptions in 10 Downing Street are hosted by Ministers across Government, with details published each quarter as part of the Government's transparency returns. The cost of hospitality in 10 Downing Street is published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

How much funding (a) his Department and (b) the Crown Commercial Service has provided to the DigiGov Expo 2025.

No funding has been provided to DigiGov Expo 2025 by either the Crown Commercial Service or the Cabinet Office.