Written questions by Dewhirst.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 18216 on Senior Civil Servants: Training, where the two SCS Leadership Conferences took place; and what the cost was of each event.

The two SCS Leadership Conferences were delivered as part of a wider leadership development programme. The SCS Conference (Summer 2024) took place at the DeVere Grand Connaught Room, London. The venue hire and catering for this event cost £12,520.42. The SCS Conference (Autumn 2024) took place at The Royal Horseguards Hotel, & One Whitehall Place, London. The venue hire and catering for this event cost £11,250.00.

Whether public appointment competitions under the Governance Code for Public Appointments can be (a) extended before the public deadline for the closure of applications and (b) re-opened to new applicants after the public deadline has passed.

I refer the honourable member to the answer given in my Named Day Written Answer on 20 January (PQ 24247).

What oversight his Department provides towards the Government's progress on the Places for Growth targets; and whether his Department produces RAG ratings for each Department based on their performance in meeting those targets.

Places for Growth is overseen by the Places for Growth Portfolio Oversight Board, led by Beth Russell, the Second Permanent Secretary at HM Treasury. Departments provide updates on their commitments to relocate roles, including relocation data. This information is published on gov.uk.

If he will make an assessment of the (a) efficiency and (b) effectiveness of the propriety and ethics team.

All teams within the Cabinet Office are subject to the department's performance management processes.

Pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2024, to Question 15236, on Cabinet Office: Staff, how many individuals are registered with the Skills Match Hub; what grades those individuals hold; what the average time is for an individual to spend in the hub before being redeployed; how many individuals have been redeployed since 4 July 2024; what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time individuals spend in the hub; and how many individuals have been without a substantive post for more than six months.

At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact number changes on a day-to-day basis. The grades of the individuals range from Executive Officer to SCS2. The average time for an individual to spend in the hub is fluid. Whilst these individuals are attached to the Skills Match Hub, they remain in their business units and are managed by their line managers to ensure they continue to receive meaningful work and are appropriately supported, while they work through the redeployment process. The department is increasing emphasis and priority on more swiftly matching displaced people to new vacancies before any formal recruitment is undertaken. As was the case under the previous administration, any new vacancies in Cabinet Office cannot be advertised until the role has been reviewed first by the Skills Match Hub for a possible match to anyone registered. If there are no suitable candidates registered, the vacancy can then be advertised.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many farm visits he has made since his appointment; and where those farms were located.

Since the Secretary of State’s appointment, he has visited: the Great Yorkshire Agriculture Show on 10 July 2024a farm in Essex on 25 September 2024a farm in Oxford on 8 January 2025a farm in Gloucestershire on 7 March 2025a farm in Herefordshire on 7 March 2025. As well as visiting 3 farms, he has spoken at 3 farming conferences, and has had 5 meetings with the NFU, 3 with the CLA and, 7 with other organisations and farming representatives.

Whether guidance has been issued to Government Departments on the difference between (a) positive action and (b) positive discrimination in recruitment processes.

Under the previous administration, guidance for employers was published in regards to positive action in the workplace which highlights the difference between positive action and positive discrimination.It is the responsibility of each department to ensure their recruitment practices align fully with all relevant legislation, including the Equality Act 2010. Managers and vacancy holders are accountable to their HR Director for ensuring that vacancies are filled in accordance with departmental processes and legislation. HR Directors are responsible for assurance of the process.

How many staff are employed in the Policy Profession Unit; what the headcount allocation for that Unit is; what grades each civil servant who works in the Unit is; and how many of these are (a) policy professionals and (b) administrative support staff.

The Policy Profession Unit is the central unit supporting policy professionals across the UK civil service. The Unit holds the competency framework for the profession and supports policy professionals to build, maintain and grow their professional capability. The Unit also supports departments in reviewing the environment in which policy is made. Other examples of projects and initiatives the Unit runs are the new Government Policy Fast Stream, which launched in autumn 2024, the annual Policy Festival, with invited speakers from inside and outside government, and the Policy Awards, which aim to recognise high-quality contributions by individuals and teams across the civil service.The Unit is hosted by the department, as the Permanent Secretary is the Deputy Head of the Government Policy Profession, although the Unit works across government with all departments, agencies and devolved governments.The following table shows:How many staff are employed in the Policy Profession Unit on both a temporary and a permanent basis.The headcount for the Unit (there are currently 8 vacant posts).The grade mix of staff in the Unit.The profession mix of staff in the Unit. GradeCurrent Full Time Equivalent (FTE)Total FTEExecutive Officer6.26.2Higher Executive Officer89Senior Executive Officer812Grade 710.813.8Grade 633SCS 1 (Deputy Director)22Total38.046.0 (headcount) The table below shows the primary government profession for each member of the Policy Profession Unit. Four of these staff provide administrative support across the Unit:Government professionNumber of staffPolicy Profession21Human Resources7Communications6Operational Delivery1Government Science & Engineering1Analysis Function1Knowledge & Information Management1Total38

Pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2024, to Question 17676, on Ministers: Official Cars, if the Chancellor’s car travel arrangements are at public expense.

We do not comment on the specific arrangements in place for the Chancellor for security reasons.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the non-domiciled tax regime on the number of non-domiciled people who will relocate to other European countries.

The Government’s priority is improving the UK’s competitiveness internationally and securing economic growth. The reforms to the tax treatment of non-domiciled individuals have been specifically designed to make the UK competitive, with a modern, simple tax regime that is also fair. The reforms establish a tax regime for new residents which is more attractive to new arrivals than the current rules. The OBR have certified that the non-dom reforms the Government is legislating will raise £33.8bn in total revenue over the five-year forecast period. Evidence from the 2017 reforms shows that the vast majority of former non-doms who became liable for tax on their worldwide income and gains remained UK resident and continued to contribute to the UK economy. The Government published a Tax Information and Impact Note for this policy on 30 October. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-changes-for-non-uk-domiciled-individuals/reforming-the-taxation-of-non-uk-domiciled-individuals.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2024 to Question 9057 on Treasury: Minister’s Private Offices, what was spent on each item.

The below table shows the costs incurred. Instillation of an exhibition in No. 11 Downing Street from the National Maritime Museum.£2,155Office furniture and fittings£160Maintenance£330

Whether the new Cabinet Secretary has recused himself from any policy areas.

Any relevant outside interests for the new Cabinet Secretary will be published in the usual way.The Cabinet Secretary has previously recused himself from aspects related to Infected Blood issues and this remains the case in his current role.

With reference to his Department's press notice on start-ups published on 9 December 2024, how will the new secondment scheme differ from previous secondment schemes.

The scheme will be an inward secondment programme into the Public Sector Reform, Test & Learn team, for public service delivery experts, working near the frontline to help drive public service reform in their field. The scheme will be flexible in terms of duration and location, and specifically for those with experience relevant to the public service reform project. In addition, the Government is encouraging people from startups and tech companies to enter Government for six to twelve month “Tours of Duty”, putting their skills to use tackling big challenges such as criminal justice or healthcare reform in the next phase of the No 10 Innovation Fellows Programme.

When the Honours and Appointments Secretariat last updated the guidance on involvement of Ministers in the Honours System; and if he will place a copy of the current guidance in the Library.

Ministerial guidance on their involvement in the Honours System was last issued by the Prime Minister's Office in June 2022.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2024 to Question 14352 on Government Departments: X Corp and with reference to the SAFE Framework for HMG Brand Safety, how many instances have been recorded where HM Government advertising appeared alongside content later deemed unsuitable since 5 July 2024; and what corrective actions were taken in each case.

Our third party supplier uses verification technology to check that advertising only appears next to appropriate content online. This happens automatically on all our campaigns.They also continue to monitor after delivery. If they find an issue, we immediately pause the advertising campaign until the issue is addressed, and we can be sure it is safe.We have not had any reported issues between 5 July 2024 and present.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 18218 on Ministers: Convictions, whether the established process for appointing Ministers involves the Cabinet Office Ethics and Propriety Team asking if an appointee has previous criminal convictions.

Appointees have a declaration of interests conversation with the Propriety and Ethics Team on appointment, the details of which are confidential. All ministers are expected to adhere to the high standards of conduct set out in the Ministerial Code.

Pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2024 to Question 14113 on the Permanent Secretary Remuneration Committee, whether decisions on Permanent Secretary remuneration are subject to ministerial (a) review and (b) approval.

The Prime Minister makes the final decisions on Permanent Secretary remuneration following recommendations made by the Permanent Secretary Remuneration Committee.

How many members of the senior civil service in his Department have been in post on an interim basis for more than 12 months.

There are 13 Senior Civil Servants in the Cabinet Office who have been in post on a temporary promotion for more than 12 months as of the 31st of December 2024.

With reference to the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance, published on 14 May 2024, who is responsible for authorising external equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in his Department.

The Cabinet Office complies with the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure guidance published on 14 May 2024, where approval of any external spend is signed off by a Minster or delegated to the Permanent Secretary.

Whether agreement is required from a Minister in his Department before departments employ recruitment consultants for use in public appointment campaigns.

The Governance Code on Public Appointments sets out the process for departments to follow when considering the use of recruitment consultants for public appointment campaigns.The Governance Code requires departments to seek ministerial agreement on the use of recruitment consultants. It also requires the Cabinet Office to be consulted.