Written questions by Hollinrake.

When he intends to publish an answer to Question 113780, tabled on 20 February 2026, on Labour Together.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to PQ 113780 on 24 March 2026.

With reference to the publication of the remuneration of the Prime Minister’s Chief Economic Advisor on the Direct Ministerial Appointments portal, published on 24 February 2026, whether any special advisers are paid £151,778 or more per annum.

Special adviser salaries are published in the Annual Report on Special Advisers, which are published on GOV.UK. Current special adviser salaries will be published as part of the 2026 Annual Report for Special Advisers in due course.

Whether the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists has assessed whether IM01 LIMITED trading as Inter-Mediate should be registered.

The Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists is a statutory independent office holder, responsible for keeping and publishing the Register of Consultant Lobbyists. Requests for information can be sent to office@orcl.gov.uk

What is the make and model of the safe used by the Cabinet Office Propriety and Ethics Team in 70 Whitehall.

We do not comment on security matters.

With reference to the then Deputy Prime Minister's Oral Statement of 25 March 2024 on Cyber-security and UK Democracy, Official Report, columns 1261 to 1264, what was the name of the Chinese state-sponsored group which undertook the cyber-attack.

The then Deputy Prime Minister’s Oral Statement of 25 March 2024 on Cyber-security and UK Democracy refers to two malicious cyber campaigns by Chinese state-affiliated actors: “first, compromising the United Kingdom’s Electoral Commission between 2021 and 2022, as was announced last summer, and secondly, by attempting reconnaissance activity against UK parliamentary accounts in a separate campaign in 2021”. Attribution for cyber-attacks is a formal process. The Government will only attribute a cyber-attack to a specific actor when we are confident that we have the evidence to do so, and when it is in the UK’s national interest. In the oral statement dated 25 March 2024, the National Cyber Security Centre attributed the second campaign to the Chinese state-affiliated cyber actor known as APT31.

Whether the new Cabinet Secretary is on a level transfer from her previous role.

The Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service is the most senior role in the Civil service and a level transfer is not possible.

With reference to the Cabinet Office news story entitled Dame Antonia Romeo appointed as first female Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service to drive change and implement the government’s agenda, published on 19 February 2026, if he will publish the recruitment process to select the Cabinet Secretary, including whether it was a open and fair competition.

I refer to my answer for 115556, following the departure of Sir Chris Wormald as Cabinet Secretary, the Prime Minister and the First Civil Service Commissioner agreed a process to appoint a new Cabinet Secretary.

What the criteria are for the forfeiture of a (a) Ministerial and (b) civil service pension.

Information on the criteria for forfeiture of a Civil Service pension is provided on the scheme website within the Employer Pension Guide.The Ministerial Pension Scheme is part of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund (PCPF) and there is no provision in the scheme rules for the forfeiture of benefits.

What the average salary is for a (a) male and (b) female Permanent Secretary.

Of the 21 Heads of Department: For (a) Male Heads of Department the average salary as of 16 March 2026 is £200,324.For (b) Female Heads of Department the average Salary as of 16 March 2026 is £199,329.

Whether the hon. Member for Makerfield is eligible for a Ministerial severance payment.

No. Unpaid ministers are not entitled to a severance payment under the terms of the Ministerial and Other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991.

What guidance his Department has issued on the use of merit order when using a reserve list for the appointment of a (a) Cabinet Secretary and (b) Permanent Secretary.

The Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles set out rules on reserve list appointments (here, page 5). This applies to all appointments, and there is no separate guidance for appointment of a Cabinet Secretary or Permanent Secretaries.

Whether the Leader of His Majesty’s Official Opposition is consulted on Cabinet Secretary appointments.

The Leader of His Majesty’s Official Opposition is not required to be consulted on these appointments. The First Civil Service Commissioner published the letter she sent to the Leader of His Majesty’s Official Opposition on the recent appointment of the Cabinet Secretary (here).

Whether the Prime Minister plans to appoint a permanent Chief of Staff.

A complete list of Special Advisers is published on an annual basis in the Special Advisers Annual Report. It would not be appropriate to comment on individual staffing matters.

Whether Jonathan Powell attended the meeting between the Prime Minister and Pravind Jugnauth on 23 July 2024.

The meeting between the Prime Minister and Pravind Jugnauth was before Jonathan Powell’s appointment as Special Envoy for BIOT negotiations.

With reference to the Answer of 12 March 2024 to Question 16665 on Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Offenders, whether Ministers are asked to declare a criminal convention when joining the Department.

I refer the Honourable Member to the government’s response to his previous question of 9 December 2025, reference 96210.

Whether his Department has issued guidance on whether Ministers on official overseas visits are required to declare visits to external commercial organisations.

Guidance on the declaration of ministers' overseas travel and meetings can be found on GOV.UK at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministers-overseas-travel-and-meetings-publication-guidance/ministers-overseas-travel-and-meetings-publication-guidance.

Whether the self-employed earnings are included in the (a) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, (b) Average Weekly Earnings and (c) Labour Force Survey.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 20th February is attached.

Whether there is a desk note on exit payments to (a) Senior Civil Servants and (b) Permanent Secretaries.

Thank you for your question, I refer to the terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS), a statutory Scheme for all civil servants, including the SCS and Permanent Secretaries, which allows the payment of compensation to members who leave on early departure terms.

What the name is of his Department's Freedom of Information casework database.

The Cabinet Office uses Fivium's e-Case for the management of Freedom of Information requests made to the department.

Who is responsible for his Department's review of Labour Together; or whether any Ministers has recused themselves.

The Prime Minister asked civil servants in the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team to establish the facts in relation to allegations concerning the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State jointly in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Cabinet Office, Josh Simons MP. These facts were reported to the Prime Minister, who referred the matter to the independent adviser on Ministerial standards. The Independent Adviser’s subsequent advice to the Prime Minister is published on gov.uk As a private organisation, any questions related to Labour Together are a matter for the board of Labour Together.