Written questions by Glen.

Whether the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments considers direct ministerial appointments from the civil service.

The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) provides advice on applications from former ministers and the most senior Crown servants taking up appointments or employment outside of government. As was the case under the previous administration when the Rt Honourable member was a Minister in the Cabinet Office, direct ministerial appointments are not roles outside of government, and do not require an application under the Business Appointment Rules.

What assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of recommendation 3 of His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services' report on An inspection into activism and impartiality in policing, published on 10 September 2024.

Equality and opportunity are at the core of this government's work. We have pledged to uphold Britain’s long-standing record of protecting individuals against unlawful discrimination, and ensuring the Equality Act 2010 continues to provide strong protection for everyone.The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public authorities, and those carrying out public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people. We will preserve and promote the Public Sector Equality Duty and ensure that all bodies exercising public functions comply with its provisions. This includes ensuring effective guidance is available for those exercising the duty.

What recent guidance the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments has provided to special envoys on lobbying.

The Business Rules apply to Ministers and Crown servants. The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) provides advice on applications for advice from Crown servants of grade SCS3 and above, and former ministers. Special envoys are made via a direct ministerial appointment and are not ministerial or civil service roles.

Whether his Department plans to make a submission to the Civil Service Commission review of appointments made by exception at delegated grades.

The Cabinet Office has provided the information requested by the Civil Service Commission regarding their review of appointments made by exception at delegated grades.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 10967 on Government Departments: Disclosure of Information, if he will outline (a) potential changes to the scope, manner and frequency of Ministerial reporting and (b) the extent to which those changes differ from the previous Government's commitments set out in his Department's policy paper entitled Strengthening Ethics and Integrity in Central Government, published in July 2023.

This Government will introduce a register for ministers’ gifts and hospitality bringing publication of ministerial transparency data on a broadly equivalent basis to the parliamentary register.This Government is fully committed to transparency and openness, and is committed to looking at how the range of information published can be improved and made as useful as possible.

With reference to table 5 of the National Security and Investment Act 2021: Annual Report 2023-24, published on 10 September 2024, for what reason each of the withdrawals from a called in acquisition withdrew; and whether he plans to ask companies to withdraw rather than proceeding with formal intervention.

There is no requirement for parties to inform the Government before they withdraw from acquisitions or to tell the Government the reasons behind the withdrawal.Parties might withdraw from deals for a variety of reasons, including reasons unrelated to the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act.All acquisitions are considered on a case-by-case basis.

With reference to the Answer of 15 January 2024 to Question 7805 on Ministers: Members' Interests, what the budget is for the development of the single platform for transparency data; and which organisation has been tasked with developing the platform.

This Government is committed to looking at how the range of information published can be improved and made as useful as possible.This Government will introduce a register for ministers’ gifts and hospitality bringing publication of ministerial transparency data on a broadly equivalent basis to the parliamentary register.

With reference to the Civil Service Fast Stream Recruitment Data 2024 published on 27 September 2024, for what reason the diversity data is collected by gender rather than sex.

The Fast Stream has reported on gender for over a decade, including when the Rt Hon member was a Minister in this department under the previous administration.We keep reporting methods under review to ensure that we align with best practices on statistical analysis and reporting.

With reference to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster's letter to the Senior Salaries Review Body of 30 September 2024, whether public sector pay rises will be linked to productivity improvements in financial year 2025-26.

Pay for most frontline workforces are set through an independent Pay Review Body (PRB) process. The independent PRBs, including the Senior Salaries Review Body, provide evidence-based advice to the government on levels of pay, taking account of a range of factors including the need to recruit, retain and motivate suitably able and qualified people and the financial circumstances of the government.As set out in the Autumn Budget, Departmental settlements for 2025-26 will need to fund the next round of public sector pay awards. Departments will set out their affordability evidence to the PRBs in the usual way, taking account of expected inflation over the next financial year, forecast by the OBR to be 2.6%. If the PRBs recommend pay awards above the level departments have budgeted for, the Government will have to consider the justification – for example where there are especially acute recruitment and retention demands, or where productivity improvements can unlock further funding.

Whether he the Government has plans to reduce the use of non-scheduled flights by Ministers.

Ministerial travel is undertaken using efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. Security considerations are also taken into account. Travel plans will always vary and are decided with consideration of the best use of a Minister’s time and in the interests of the taxpayer. As was the practice under the previous Government, information about official overseas ministerial travel will be published as part of the Cabinet Office transparency returns and made available on the GOV.UK website.

With reference to paragraph 2.51 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what her Department's policy is on the application of inheritance tax to (a) unused pension funds and (b) death benefits in relation to the (i) Ministerial and (ii) Civil Service Alpha pension schemes after April 2027.

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027.These reforms impact on inherited sums arising from both defined contribution and defined benefit schemes. Both the Civil Service Alpha scheme and the Ministerial Pension Scheme are discretionary schemes, which means that lump sum death benefits paid from these schemes would previously not have formed part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes.As a result of these reforms, from 6 April 2027, lump sum death benefits paid from these schemes will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes.It is worth noting that non-discretionary defined benefit schemes, such as the NHS, are already within the scope of inheritance tax.

With reference to Recommendation 3 of the report entitled An inspection into activism and impartiality in policing, published by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services on 10 September 2024, what plans the Government Equalities Office has to (a) update the Public Sector Equality Duty guidance for public authorities and (b) make recommendations for legislative amendments to the Equality Act 2010.

Equality is at the core of this government's mission. We are committed to upholding Britain’s long-standing record of protecting the rights of individuals against unlawful discrimination, and ensuring the Equality Act 2010 protects everyone.The Public Sector Equality Duty requires public authorities, and those carrying out public functions, to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people. We will uphold the Public Sector Equality Duty and ensure that all parties exercising public functions comply with its provisions. This includes ensuring guidance for these parties and updating it if legislative amendments to the duty are made.

With reference to his Cabinet Office’s Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - July 2024, what the purpose was of the payments to (a) the Cookie Jar on 8 July 2024 and (b) Borgo Egnazia 6 on 17 July 2024.

The payment on 08 July to the Cookie Jar was for the accommodation cost of the former Deputy Prime Minister to attend the launch of the National Risk Register in Northumberland, in August 2023. The payment made on 17 July 2024 to Borgo Egnazia was accommodation costs for the former Prime Minister’s attendance at the G7 summit, which was held on 13-15 June 2024.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled National Security and Investment Act 2021: Annual Report 2023-24, published on 10 September 2024, for what reason there was the reduction in the average time taken to issue a final order under the National Security and Investment Act from 81 statutory working days to 34 statutory working days.

The time taken to issue a final order for each called in acquisition will depend on the facts of the case. Given the small number of final orders (five) issued in this reporting period (1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024), no conclusions should be drawn about any trends in the time taken between calling in an acquisition and issuing a final order. It is worth noting that with only two years’ worth of data, and each acquisition assessed on its own merits, the Government expects to see some variation in the majority of statistics from year to year.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of issuing guidance on (a) accepting and (b) declaring (i) donations in kind, (ii) gifts and (iii) sponsorship of retail goods or services by commercial organisations by Ministers' partners.

The new Ministerial Code sets out the guiding principles ministers should consider when offered any gift, hospitality or service. These principles also apply to their family members. The new Ministerial Code also sets out details of a new Register of Ministers' Gifts and Hospitality, which brings the publication of ministerial transparency data more closely into line with the parliamentary regime for gifts and hospitality. Gifts, hospitality or services given to ministers in their capacity as constituency MPs or members of a political party fall within the rules relating to the Registers of Members’ and Lords’ Interests.

With reference to the Written Statement of 14 May 2024 on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Civil Service, HCWS464, and pursuant to the Answers of 19 September 2024 to Question 5049 and of 16 September 2024 to Question 4679, on Civil Service: Equality, what progress he has made on ending standalone EDI roles outside of HR.

The Civil Service Equality Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance published on 14 May, remains in place.

Communities and Local Government, if she will ask the Office for National Statistics to publish data on the number and proportion of households that have only one adult in each local authority.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for collating and publishing official statistics and performs this function independent of the Government.The ONS have published data on household composition at local authority level from the 2021 Census. This can be found here: Household composition - Office for National Statistics.

Who has line management responsibility for the Envoy for the Nations and Regions.

There is no further information to that given in my Named Day Written Answer on 16 October (PQ 8163).

Whether his Department has conducted a Civil Service people survey since 4 July 2024.

The Cabinet Office ran a Civil Service wide people survey from 10 September to 8 October 2024.

If the Prime Minister will re-install the customer experience machines at 10 Downing Street.

No.