Written questions by Wilkinson.

Whether he plans to reassess compensation amounts under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

In line with recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry, the Government has publicly consulted on proposed changes to the compensation scheme. The consultation closed on 22nd January, and we will publish our response within 12 weeks of the consultation’s closing date. The Government is keen to prioritise amendments to the compensation scheme as recommended, while continuing to focus on the swift delivery of compensation to all victims of this scandal.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential implications for its policies of the Carnegie UK report entitled Life in the UK 2025.

This government is already strongly committed to ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, can thrive. Our mission-led government is delivering on our Plan for Change to secure opportunity for all, economic stability, and improved living standards. We are progressing our mission on opportunity for all to break the link between background and success. We are fixing the foundations of our education and care systems, hiring more teachers, social workers and nursery staff. We have also launched our Best Start in Life strategy and are rolling out Best Start Family Hubs investing £1.5 billion. More widely, this government is investing £820 million creating 350,000 workplace opportunities to support young people not in education or training under the Youth Guarantee; and £5bn in the Pride of Place programme to empower local people to shape the future of their neighbourhoods. Work is also underway to deliver our manifesto commitment to commence the socio-economic duty in England. The duty will require specified public bodies to actively consider how their strategic decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.

If he will take legislative steps to require public sector organisations to publish reports on (a) internal culture, (b) risk management and (c) the implementation of inquiry recommendations.

The Public Office (Accountability) Bill is currently progressing through parliament. The legislation will include a requirement that all public bodies establish a professional duty of candour for staff set out within a wider code of ethics. This obligation will require public bodies to promote the ethical conduct of their employees. The Government will drive forward implementation with determination and hold public sector organisations accountable. Public Sector leaders will join ministers on a dedicated new implementation board to monitor progress. Public inquiries are independent of Government and can make recommendations of their choosing. Government takes the recommendations of inquiries very seriously, and determines which recommendations it accepts. To ensure clarity and transparency of progress on the recommendations that Government has accepted, we have established a record on GOV.UK of inquiry recommendations, starting with the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and Infected Blood Inquiry. This will be periodically updated and expanded to capture future inquiry recommendations. This will be an enduring mechanism for monitoring and tracking government implementation of inquiry recommendations. It will allow the public to track the progress of implementation enhancing public trust in Government.

What assessment his Department made of the potential impact of a legal duty to implement public enquiry recommendations on public trust in government.

Public inquiries are independent of Government and can make recommendations of their choosing. Government takes the recommendations of inquiries very seriously, and determines which recommendations it accepts. To ensure clarity and transparency of progress on the recommendations that Government has accepted, we have established a record on GOV.UK of inquiry recommendations, starting with the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and Infected Blood Inquiry. This will be periodically updated and expanded to capture future inquiry recommendations. This will be an enduring mechanism for monitoring and tracking government implementation of inquiry recommendations. It will allow the public to track the progress of implementation enhancing public trust in Government.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the eligibility criteria for the civil service ill health retirement scheme.

Members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme are eligible for ill-health retirement benefits under the Scheme if the Scheme Medical Adviser is of the opinion that they have suffered a permanent breakdown in health involving incapacity for employment. The eligibility criteria was reviewed on the introduction of the Alpha scheme in 2015, and are consistent with those in other public service pension schemes. The Cabinet Office regularly monitors ill-health retirement cases and currently 99.9% of quotes for ill health retirement are being issued within 10 days by the scheme administrator.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken for civil servants to access the ill health retirement scheme.

The Department recognises the importance of timely access to ill health retirement and there is a process in place to ensure that members, employers, the scheme medical advisor and, where appropriate, the pension scheme administrator, all work together to complete this as quickly as possible. Whilst there are indicative timelines for various steps, timelines may vary due to the complexity of each case and complex cases may take longer when external parties are also required to contribute to the process. Employers and members have oversight of progress of their own individual cases and the Cabinet Office continues to monitor the contractual performance of the scheme medical advisor and the pension scheme administrator.

If he will set out the appointment process for the Permanent Secretary, Director of Government Communications.

The appointment process for the Director of Government Communications followed the process for Permanent Secretary recruitment set out in the Civil Service Recruitment Principles (here, paragraphs 44 - 47). The role was advertised on Civil Service Jobs from 19 May to 15 June 2025.

With reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether he plans to allow cyber security entrepreneurs to have access to a proportion of the additional funding provided to the Single Intelligence Account for research and development.

As has been the policy of successive governments, the government does not comment on matters relating to the intelligence agencies.

How much and what proportion of the £244 million to be spent on the development of new government hubs fund will be spent on relocating civil servants to Cheltenham.

The 2025 Spending Review confirmed £244 million investment supporting the relocation of roles out of Whitehall to complete the development of new hubs in the regions. Cheltenham will continue to be a vibrant Civil Service location and home to one of GCHQs strategic hubs. The Government Property Agency continues to work closely with departments based in Cheltenham.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of moving civil servants to Cheltenham on his Departments staffing costs.

The 2025 Spending Review confirmed £244 million investment supporting the relocation of roles out of Whitehall to complete the development of new hubs in the regions. Cheltenham will continue to be a vibrant Civil Service location and home to one of GCHQs strategic hubs. The Government Property Agency continues to work closely with departments based in Cheltenham.

What changes he plans to make to rules governing SME procurement in public contracts, in the context of the Spring Statement 2025.

This Government is taking major steps to give SMEs greater access to public contracts - including the publication of the National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) which sets out a mission-led procurement regime focused on driving economic growth that supports Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSEs), giving them greater opportunities to win public contracts by instructing contracting authorities to maximise their spend with these organisations. To support implementation of the NPPS in central government, we have announced new rules requiring all government departments and their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to set three-year targets for direct spend with SMEs from 1 April 2025, and from 1 April 2026 for VCSEs, and publish progress annually. We will be consulting on more reforms including a requirement for large contracting authorities to publish their three-year targets for small business and social enterprise spend and report on this annually - as well as the exclusion of suppliers from contracts worth more than £5million if they don’t complete prompt payments of invoices. In the Spring Statement, the Chancellor also announced measures to reform our procurement system to give small businesses across the UK better access to Ministry of Defence contracts.

With reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 25 February 2025, Official Report, column 634, if he will make an assessment of the potential contribution of (a) GCHQ and (b) the Golden Valley Development in Cheltenham to the UK’s (i) intelligence services and (ii) cyber security expertise and capabilities as part of the upcoming national security strategy.

The Prime Minister announced a single national security strategy will be published ahead of the NATO Summit in June. This will bring together the national security related reviews underway. As part of creating this strategy, the drafters will consult with relevant Departments and Agencies, including intelligence services.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of relocating civil service offices to Cheltenham via the Places for Growth Scheme.

We are working with departments on their future workforce and location plans as part of the upcoming Spending Review.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of relocating civil servants working on cyber security and technology to be closer to the cyber industry in Cheltenham as part of the Places for Growth Scheme.

We are working with departments on their future plans as part of the upcoming Spending Review.

How much funding the Government has allocated for spending on advertising (a) in total and (b) by Department over the next Parliament.

The Cabinet Office operates spend control on behalf of HMT on an annual basis. During this process departments and ALBs submit an overview of any spend (including marketing and advertising) planned for the next financial year. Historical data on advertising spend is listed by department on the Government efficiency, transparency and accountability page on GOV.uk.

How much funding the Government allocated to spend on advertising in each year since 2015, broken down by Department.

The Cabinet Office operates spend control on behalf of HMT on an annual basis. During this process departments and ALBs submit an overview of any spend (including marketing and advertising) planned for the next financial year. Historical data on advertising spend is listed by department on the Government efficiency, transparency and accountability page on GOV.uk.