Every parliamentary written question tabled by Charlie Dewhirst this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 621–640 of 845 · this parliament
With reference to the Government Communication Service's SAFE framework, how many instances of campaign-specific flexibility have been approved in the last 12 months.
There were 7 instances of campaign-specific flexibility in the last 12 months.
Pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2024, to Question 21064, on Military Aircraft: Helicopters, whether senior leaders who will have access to the helicopter service include (a) Ministers, (b) Members of the Royal Family and (c) senior officers.
Under the Commercial Air Transport Contract, Ministry of Defence Ministers, senior Department officials and senior officers will have access to helicopter transport. The Royal Household make independent arrangements for Royal Helicopter transport.
Pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2024 to Question 8425 on Prime Minister: Special Advisers and with reference to the Freedom of Information Act request with reference FOI2024/14571, for what reason the requested information was released under the Freedom of Information Act; and if he will publish that response.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to PQ23470.
With reference to the oral statement of 17 December 2024, Official Report, Column 167, on Women’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO Report, if she will publish the internal Equality Impact Assessment.
The Equality Analysis requested was published as part of the Government response to Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s Investigation into Women’s State Pension age communications and associated issues, which is available at the following link: Government response to Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s Investigation into Women’s State Pension age communications and associated issues - GOV.UK No additional internal Equality Analysis was undertaken to support this decision.
With reference to the letter from the Deputy Prime Minister to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments dated 2 May 2024, whether he plans to exempt (a) media appearances, (b) books and (c) journalism roles from Business Appointment Rules.
The government has committed to reviewing and updating the post-government employment rules. We will provide an update in due course.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2025 to Question 22200 on Ministers: Aviation, what quantity of carbon emissions have been offset since 5 July 2024; and what the cost to the public purse has been of this offsetting.
I refer the Hon Member to the response I gave to PQ22200. At this time there is nothing further to add.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2025 to Question 21347 on Conditions of Employment, if she will ensure that answers to written parliamentary questions provide relevant hyperlinks.
It is important that Members receive full and helpful responses to parliamentary questions.The Guide to Parliamentary Work (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work), published by my office, states that “if referring to documents in the public domain, you should include the relevant extracts in your written response as well as the relevant hyperlink”.I take these matters seriously and have raised this particular question with the Cabinet Office to ensure the link is sent to the Hon. Members for Bridlington and The Wolds and for Brentwood and Ongar at the earliest opportunity.
Whether the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme will apply to the 48 Group.
As I said to Parliament on the 16th December, the government plans to lay the regulations that underpin the scheme in early 2025, ahead of the scheme going live in the summer. I also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to provide three months’ notice of the scheme’s go-live date to give all those affected by it adequate time to prepare.Once the scheme is in force those carrying out political influencing activities at the direction of a foreign power will need to register under the political influencing tier. Work is underway to identify which foreign entities will be placed on the enhanced tier. It would not be appropriate to comment on the scope of any specifications under the enhanced tier at this stage.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2025 to Question 22360 on Intelligence Services: Unpaid Work, which internship schemes for (a) MI5 and (b) MI6 were open to people from white British backgrounds in 2025.
Details of MI5 and SIS internship schemes running in 2025 and their eligibility criteria are publicly available on Agency websites. Across Government, individual Departments and Agencies are responsible for recruitment decisions and required to meet all obligations of relevant legislation, including the Equality Act 2010.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2025 to Question 22191 on Public Bodies: Reviews, which reviews (a) are in progress and (b) have been paused; and what the status is of reviews in the 2024-25 financial year.
Of the reviews planned for 2024/25, four are completed. Nine remain in progress and ten are paused. The government has also announced the first zero-based review of government spending in 17 years, with departments expected to go line-by-line to find savings and efficiencies, including in bodies and agencies that they sponsor. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has also announced regular, thematic reviews of areas of spending to ensure value for money.
Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the public appointment advertisement for Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, published on 19 December 2024, for what reasons equality, diversity and inclusion are listed as a desirable criteria for this position.
Equality, diversity and inclusion are a priority for this Government, as they were under the last. Defra wants Kew’s Board to continue to have skills in those areas, in order for Kew to effectively implement their ten-year Manifesto for Change, which was launched in 2021. For example, one aim of the ten-year plan is to increase the number of visitors to Kew from under-represented communities whilst another is to train the next generation of plant experts, attracting a wide range of people to a career working in and with nature.
Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 18221 on Supreme Court: Judgments, whether he plans to change his Department's workforce policies.
While legal proceedings remain ongoing, and there will be a need to assess the position on an ongoing basis, there is currently no intention to change the Defra policy on the provision of the check-off facility.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2025 to Question 22184 on Cabinet Office: 48 Group, if he will make it his policy to provide guidance to (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants on engagement with the 48 Group in the context of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission judgment of 12 December 2024.
The Cabinet Office routinely assesses and updates advice on engagement with external organisations to support ministerial and official engagement.
Pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 18402 on Freedom of Information, if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent FOI Round Robin list, redacting the personal names of any requester.
As with the previous administration, this Government does not publish Freedom of Information round robin lists. Freedom of Information round robin lists contain a reference number, the text of the request, and any advice or guidance on the approach to be taken. The lists do not include the names of the requestor. Further information on round robin lists can be found on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-and-freedom-of-information.
Whether the Second Permanent Secretary, European Union and International Economic Affairs has made a declaration of political activity; and if he publish the declared interests of the Second Permanent Secretary.
There are established processes in place to declare and manage interests in the Civil Service, which were followed during the Second Permanent Secretary's appointment.
If he will make it his policy to reduce the size of the Government Communications Service as part of the Spending Review Phase 2.
The Government Communications Service constantly assesses all teams to ensure they are delivering value for money and operating in the most effective and efficient way possible. Decisions on the outcome of Spending Review Phase 2 will be announced in the normal way.
Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2024 to Question 8803 on Cabinet Office: Software, whether additional work under existing contracts has been awarded to Fujitsu since 4 July 2024.
Details of central government contracts where the contract value is above £12,000 are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search As with any service, during the life of the contract there may be periods when suppliers are required to perform more work, as allowed under the contract, and periods when they do less. The ability of the authorities to vary the amount of work is detailed in each specific contract. If there is significant additional work required, which exceeds what is allowed under the contract, that is also published on Contracts Finder, in line with the publication requirements.In January 2024, Fujitsu said it would withdraw from bidding for contracts for new work with new Government customers until the Post Office Horizon inquiry concludes – it would only bid for work with existing Government customers where it already has a contract with them, or where there is an agreed need for Fujitsu’s skills and capabilities.Fujitsu's bid approach is detailed in this letter, deposited in Parliament. For more details, please see here.
Pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17545 on Prime Minister: Public Appointments, what the (a) bodies and (b) offices are.
There is nothing further to my answer of 11 December 2024, Official Report, PQ 17545. Individual appointments made by the Prime Minister are publicly announced on gov.uk at the time of appointment.
Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 13808 on 9 Downing Street: Media, what (a) alterations and (b) other works have taken place in the media room since November 2024; what the cost of those works was; which contractors were used; and which Department authorised the cost of these works.
A one-off refresh of the facility was undertaken in December 2024. This has restored the room back to its original politically neutral state. The cost of these works will be published in due course in Cabinet Office transparency returns. The works were carried out by OCS, and authorised by the Cabinet Office.
If he will ask the Office for National Statistics to make an assessment of the potential impact of the purchase of the Wylfa power station site by Great British Nuclear on the public sector classification of the borrowing for that nuclear programme.
Great British Nuclear purchased the Wylfa site in 2024, which is recorded as an asset on the Government's balance sheet. As part of its SMR competition, GBN is negotiating with four shortlisted companies, with final decisions to be taken in the spring. No decisions have yet been taken on projects or sites.