Every parliamentary written question tabled by Matt Vickers this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 681–700 of 769 · this parliament
How many non-disclosure agreements have been signed by staff in central government departments in the last 12 months.
Departments are required to report to the Cabinet Office on an annual basis the number of confidentiality clauses used in connection with special severance payments, however full information on the use of non-disclosure agreements is held by individual departments.
How many government contracts have been awarded without competitive tender since January 2023.
Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search). The details published online include whether each contract was let through competitive tendering or via direct award.
Innovation and Technology, how many data breaches have been recorded in Government departments in the last 12 months.
The Government does not record or monitor data breaches across government departments centrally.
What recent progress he has made on the Places for Growth programme.
On 14 May, the Government announced it will be: Strengthening its presence in 13 cross Government locations across the UK.Ensuring that 50% of UK-based SCS are located outside of London by 2030.Strengthening the talent pipeline by launching a new apprenticeship programme, setting an ambition for 50% of Fast Stream roles to be based outside London by 2030, and committing to develop and launch a local government interchange programme in partnership with the Local Government Association (LGA).Reducing the number of Civil Service buildings in London, closing 11 buildings by 2030 to deliver £94m in savings per year.Launching two new thematic campuses, an Energy Campus in Aberdeen and a Digital & AI Innovation Campus in Manchester. In June, the Government announced that PfG’s existing thematic campuses in Darlington, Sheffield and Leeds will be leading a new approach to bring together policy makers with those on the frontline to support mission delivery.
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of the Government Major Projects Portfolio.
The government recently created the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) which will have an impactful role in supporting and monitoring major projects on the GMPP. NISTA conducts regular deliverability assessments of major projects in the Government Major Project Portfolio. Data on major projects, including this deliverability assessment, is published each year in the Annual Report on Major Projects. The 2024/25 Annual Report will be published in due course. NISTA has already supported the development of the “UK Infrastructure: A 10-Year Strategy” which sets out government's long-term plan for driving more effective delivery of economic, housing and social infrastructure across the country, alongside the vital reforms to planning.
What was the cost to the public purse of central Government spending on external consultants in each of the last three years.
Individual Central Government departments publish expenditure on external consultants in their annual reports and accounts. The Government is committed to stopping all non-essential expenditure on consultants, and reducing the reliance on contingent labour.
What steps he is taking to ensure timely responses to ministerial correspondence.
We are committed to providing timely and high-quality responses to ministerial correspondence. We regularly review our departmental performance and adjust internal processes accordingly. Departmental performance in responding to Ministerial correspondence is published annually on GOV.UK.
Whether he plans to (a) consolidate and (b) relocate departmental property estates outside of London.
On 14 May, the Government announced it will:strengthen its presence in 13 cross Government locations across the UK;ensure that 50% of UK-based SCS are located outside of London by 2030;strengthen the talent pipeline by launching a new apprenticeship programme, setting an ambition for 50% of Fast Stream roles to be based outside London by 2030, and committing to develop and launch a local government interchange programme in partnership with the Local Government Association (LGA);reduce the number of Civil Service buildings in London, closing 11 buildings by 2030 to deliver £94m in savings per year; andlaunch two new thematic campuses: an Energy Campus in Aberdeen; and a Digital & AI Innovation Campus in Manchester.
If she will restrict the number of new international students sponsoring institutions currently subject to action plans can recruit.
The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out a wide range of reforms, including to student visas, further details of which will be set out in due course.
What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of action plans in preventing compliance breaches by licensed sponsors of student visas.
The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out a wide range of reforms, including to student visas, further details of which will be set out in due course.
With reference to her Department’s white paper Restoring Control over the Immigration System, published in May 2025, when her Department will publish the Red-Amber-Green basic compliance assessment ratings for student sponsor institutions.
The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out a wide range of reforms, including to student visas, further details of which will be set out in due course.
What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) internal checks and (b) admission procedures of sponsor institutions currently subject to action plans in relation to international students from countries with higher rates of subsequent asylum claims.
The Immigration White Paper, published 12 May, set out a wide range of reforms, including to student visas, further details of which will be set out in due course.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of value for money of his Department’s day to day spending.
Value for money is an intrinsic part of what we do and is embedded in our work. We have effective systems and frameworks to deliver good value for money outcomes, and we are always looking for ways to improve. The Minister for Development recently appeared before the International Development Committee to reconfirm our commitment to value for money and our plan to modernise the UK's approach to development.The FCDO2030 reform programme is also focused on delivering the greatest possible impact for the benefit of the British people. This will be our key priority for the next Parliament.
What recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on school standards in Wales.
I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on a range of issues, including Education. In addition, officials from the Department for Education (DfE) and the Welsh Government regularly meet and share best practice as do DfE Ministers and their Welsh Government counterparts. As Education is devolved, the Welsh Government is responsible for school standards in Wales. The UK Government delivered the biggest budget settlement in the history of devolution, with £21 billion of new money for the Welsh Government to spend on public services such as schools. In Financial Year (FY) 2024/25, the Welsh Government provided almost £200 million to support school standards across Wales. For FY 2025/26, the Welsh Government is awarding a further almost £170 million for school standards, which the Conservative and Plaid Cymru parties in the Senedd decided to vote against.
What discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on steps to support the tourism industry in Wales.
Although tourism is devolved, the UK Government is firmly committed to working with the Welsh Government to support Wales’ tourism industry.In March, my colleague the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, alongside the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, visited Elan Valley Lakes. This project, which will benefit from £11.8 million investment from both UK and Welsh Governments, will enhance visitor experience to the site and safeguard the natural beauty and biodiversity of the Elan Valley.In addition, in February, the UK Government announced £15 million in funding for Venue Cymru and the Newport Transporter Bridge. These are three key projects that will strengthen Wales’ tourism industry and attract more visitors.I also support the millions of pounds of investment into the tourism industry in Wales made by the Welsh Government in their Budget, which the Conservative and Plaid Cymru parties in the Senedd decided to vote against.
What recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government on steps to improve infrastructure in Wales.
I have regular discussions with Welsh Government colleagues on a range of issues, including improving infrastructure across Wales.Improving infrastructure is key to this Government’s mission to kick-starting economic growth across the UK. This government acknowledges that its predecessors have short-changed Wales for years on rail investment, including because of HS2. One of my top priorities is to reverse years of historic underfunding in Wales’ rail infrastructure. The UK and Welsh governments have agreed a prioritisation of rail improvement projects developed by the Wales Rail Board and this has informed our work in the run up to the Spring Spending Review.This government is also committed to improving our energy infrastructure as part of our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets out a clear pathway to delivering a secure, affordable, and fully decarbonised electricity system by the end of the decade. We are putting Wales at the forefront of our clean energy mission by supporting green energy innovation such as tidal power in North Wales, floating offshore wind development in the Celtic Sea and investing in the Celtic and Anglesey Freeports.The Chancellor confirmed two Investment Zones and two Freeports for Wales at the Autumn Budget. Each Freeport will receive £26 million which can be spent on infrastructure improvements, while simultaneously unlocking significant inward investment. In addition, our Welsh Investment Zones and Freeports will support tens of thousands of new jobs.The Port of Mostyn recently announced a major expansion to make the port ready for the next generation of larger offshore wind turbines, expected to create 130 jobs during construction and 300 permanent jobs to follow.In the Port Talbot area, over £28 million of Transition Board funding will support four regeneration projects and over 370 jobs.
What the (a) total headcount and (b) full-time equivalent number of police officers was in England and Wales as of 30 June in each year from 2015 to 2024.
The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales, as at 31 March and 30 September each year, on a full-time equivalent (FTE) and headcount basis, in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.While data as at 30 June has not historically been routinely collected, between 31 March 2020 and 2023, during the Police Officer Uplift Programme, the Home Office published quarterly data on the number of police officers (headcount only) in England and Wales. This included quarterly data for June 2020 to June 2022 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-officer-uplift-statisticsAdditionally, the latest release of the Police Workforce statistics included an ad-hoc Annex to show the number of officers in England and Wales, on a headcount basis, at 30 June 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-30-september-2024/police-workforce-england-and-wales-30-september-2024#annexaInformation prior to June 2020 was not collected centrally.
What steps she has taken with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle poverty in Wales.
The Government is committed to tackling poverty and we will achieve this by increasing living standards through our Plan for Change. Up to 160,000 workers across Wales received a record pay rise through the UK Government’s increases to the living wage and minimum wage. For full time workers 21 and over, this means up to £1,400 a year more for these individuals and up to £2,500 a year more for full time workers between 18-20. These increased incomes are set to boost financial stability for millions of families. We are creating tens of thousands of jobs in every corner of Wales through our Freeports, Investment Zones, support for steelworkers, inward investments and our thriving green industries. The positive impact our UK and Welsh Labour Governments are having is clear in how the Welsh economy is changing. Unemployment fell significantly last quarter. And, since we came into office, real wages have continually increased while interest rates have been cut four times. We are creating jobs and putting more pounds in the pockets of working families across Wales. The Government is also developing a Child Poverty Strategy that will be UK-wide, building on shared effort across all nations and regions of the UK and placing children and families at its centre.
When she plans to send the allocation towards the operation of free breakfast clubs to primary schools.
The government is committed to offering a free and universal breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged pupils in England. Breakfast clubs support children’s attendance and attainment, enabling them to thrive academically and socially, and supporting working families.From this summer term, we are funding 750 early adopter schools to test and learn our new free breakfast clubs, ahead of national rollout. Early adopter schools have already received their first payments and will continue to receive termly fixed payments, plus attendance-based payments based on the number of children who attend, over the course of the scheme.Funding for breakfast clubs beyond the current financial year will be confirmed through the next phase of the spending review. Payment schedules and allocations for the next academic year will be confirmed in due course.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help negotiate a ceasefire in Sudan.
We are engaging with a range of international partners on Sudan including through our role as penholder on Sudan at the UN Security Council. On 15 April, the Foreign Secretary gathered Foreign Ministers and high-level representatives from 21 countries and multilateral bodies at the London Sudan Conference. Discussions focussed on how to make progress on shared goals of ending the conflict, protecting civilians and scaling-up the delivery of humanitarian aid. Participants agreed on the need for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and committed to proactively support efforts to find a peaceful solution. The UK continues to work alongside the international community in the follow-up to the London Sudan Conference to encourage the warring parties to return to the negotiating table and commit to a meaningful, sustainable ceasefire in Sudan.