Written questions by Glen.

If he will list his Department's trade envoys.

We are carefully considering the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy programme in the context of the new Government’s trade objectives. We will update the house in due course on the programme’s future.

Which special advisers (a) are members of and (b) attend as observers of the National Security Council.

Membership of the National Security Council is restricted to Ministers. A list of members can be found on Gov.uk. To protect cabinet collective responsibility, observer attendance is strictly controlled.

Which Minister is responsible for ethics and integrity in government.

I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the answer given to PQ6394.

Whether individuals of pension age receiving a pension from the security and intelligence services are able to accrue a civil service pension if employed by the civil service.

The security and intelligence services' pension scheme is separate from the Civil Service Pension Scheme. It is possible for an individual, in receipt of benefits from the pension scheme for the security and intelligence services, to accrue a Civil Service pension if employed in the Civil Service, and then receive a pension from both schemes when they retire.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 September to Question 5051 on Civil Servants: Trade Union Officials, whether the Government plans to (a) issue new guidance on and (b) renegotiate existing facility time agreements.

The Government is committed to ensuring there is sufficient facility time for all trade union representatives in the public sector. Existing guidance remains in place.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2024 to Question 4703 on Public Sector: Pay, if he will take steps to collate this information.

This information was not collected centrally by previous administrations, including the administration in which the Right Honourable member served as a minister in this department, and there are no plans to do so in the future.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2024 to Question 2067 on Government Hospitality: Wines, what the (a) full name, (b) vintage and (c) cost was of each (i) wine and (ii) spirit that has been used for hospitality in Downing Street since the general election.

The Government Wine Cellar has not been used for hospitality at Downing Street since the general election.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 4258 on Treasury: public appointments, if she will provide this data by the recruitment principles exception used by each grade.

Since 30 May 2024, the following appointments by exception have been made:Exception 1 (Temporary Appointments) – 22 appointments. The grades of these appointments are Student, Senior Executive Officer, Grade 7, and SCS2.Exception 3 (Secondments) – 8 appointments. The grades of these appointments are Higher Executive Officer, Senior Executive Officer, Grade 7 and SCS1.Exception 10 (Conversion to permanency for those appointed under Exception 1 or 2) – Fewer than 5 appointments.Where the number of individuals covered is fewer than 5, we consider that to provide an exact figure would constitute the disclosure of personal data. The ‘Student’ grade is used for staff appointed to short term roles via cross Civil Service internship schemes.

Whether theft of a Minister’s personal possessions while on official business is covered by Departmental insurance.

Government departments do not generally purchase commercial insurance cover except in the most exceptional circumstances.Instead, each government department, in accordance with Treasury guidance, carries its own risk and meets any valid liabilities arising.In the event of loss or theft of personal effects whilst travelling on official duty, claims will be considered on a case-by-case basis having regard to normal terms and conditions of service.

Whether the Civil Service has employed any (a) staff and (b) contractors on zero-hours contracts since 5 July 2024.

The number of (a) civil servants and (b) contractors employed on zero hour contracts is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office. Zero hours contracts are not the normal practice or a recommended approach within the Civil Service. Departments may use them in very limited circumstances to help meet exceptional or fluctuating demands on the business. The flexibility offered by zero hours contracts, zero hour arrangements and low hour contracts can benefit both workers and employers, but without proper safeguards this flexibility can become one-sided, with workers bearing all the financial risk. The Government’s Employment Rights Bill will end one-sided flexibility, ensuring that jobs provide a baseline of security and predictability so workers can better plan their lives and finances. We will consult extensively on the implementation of the legislation to ensure it works for workers and employers alike, and anticipate this meaning the majority of reforms will take effect no earlier than 2026. Government understands that adjusting to these new reforms will take time and is committed to ensuring that all stakeholders receive appropriate time to prepare for these changes ahead of their commencement.

Pursuant to the answer of 17 September 2024 to Question 4655 on Public Sector: Directors, which Non-Executive Board Members have left which Departments since 4 July 2024.

The list of Non-Executive Board Members who have left government departments since 4 July 2024 was provided in my previous answer of 13th November, PQ 9162.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 September 2024 to Question 5009 on Government Departments: Disclosure of Information, whether he has issued guidance to Departments on the frequency of publishing (a) core and (b) other transparency data.

Transparency reporting requirements remain in place, with data regularly being published on GOV.UK. I refer the Right Honourable Member to the debate in the House on Reporting Ministerial Gifts and Hospitality, debated on Monday 14 October 2024. The Government will set out further details in due course.

What the (a) substantive information requested and (b) decision was for each (i) Freedom of Information Act and (ii) Environmental Information Regulation request received by his Department since the general election; and what exemption was used to (A) refuse and (B) part-refuse each request.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer I gave on 22 October. (UIN 8811)

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2024 to Question 2633 on Admiralty House, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) renting out the empty flats and (b) converting the empty flats to office use.

The Cabinet Office currently has no plans to rent out or convert the flats in Admiralty House.

Whether the Covid Corruption Commissioner will be a direct Ministerial appointment.

The government will shortly appoint a Covid Corruption Commissioner - this follows an open competition that closed on 30 September. The details can be found at https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/roles/8362?titleSearch=&bodySearch=&regulated=&bodyJustice=&remunerated=&status=open&sort=openingAt%3Adesc#attachmentsThe Commissioner will lead work to recover public funds from companies that took unfair advantage of government schemes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2024 to Question 4682 on Prime Minister's Chief of Staff: Workplace Pensions, whether other public bodies hold information on the Cash Equivalent Transfer Value of civil service pensions of special advisers.

I refer the RH member to PQ9163.

Whether direct ministerial appointments are eligible for the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Direct ministerial appointments are not employees of their sponsor department, and therefore not members of the civil service.It is only civil servants and persons serving in an office or employment listed in Schedule 1 to the Superannuation Act 1972 who are eligible for pension and other benefits which derive from schemes made under section 1 of the Act.The Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme is a scheme made under section 1 of the Act.

What guidance has been provided by (a) the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff or (b) Cabinet Office special adviser HR to special advisers on the Alpha Civil Service Pension scheme.

As with other Civil Servants, special advisers are provided with guidance regarding Civil Service Pension schemes and are directed to published Civil Service Pension scheme resources.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 September 2024 to Question 2301 on Cyber-security: EU law, whether the National Cyber Security Centre has made an assessment of the potential risks to (a) public and (b) private sector cyber security of his policy on kernel level software; and whether he plans to amend that policy.

Technical experts at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) have reviewed this issue, including in the context of the global IT outage that occurred in July. Allowing third party software into the kernel is still necessary to ensure a vibrant, diverse, effective and adaptive cyber security ecosystem on some platforms. This is because not all operating systems provide non-kernel routes to get the data that third party security tools need for their analyses. Vendors that have a genuine need to run code in the kernel have a responsibility for doing that in the lowest risk way that they can. This includes running thorough tests on new versions of that code, keeping the kernel code simple, and moving code out of the kernel that doesn't need the full power, or justify the associated risk, that such access offers.

With reference to the answer of 16 September 2024 to Question HL667 on Government Departments: Remote Working, when he plans to provide an update on future publication plans.

Civil Service Headquarters (HQ) Occupancy Data publication resumed on 24 October 2024, for the period July - September 2024, with further publications to now happen on a quarterly basis. Data can be found on GOV.UK.