Written questions by Timothy.

How much has been spent on foreign travel for the Deputy Prime Minister since September 2025 by trip.

Awaiting answer.

Whether he will take steps to prevent organisations with which the Government has a policy of non-engagement from submitting written evidence to (a) ministers, (b) officials and (c) public consultations.

The government does not and will not engage with organisations with whom they have a policy of non-engagement.

Whether the Undersea Infrastructure Security (UIS) Oversight Board report to ministers in (a) his department, and (b) other government departments.

The senior official-level Undersea Infrastructure Security Oversight Board will escalate issues to Cabinet Office ministers and the National Security Council as required.

If he will publish the (a) terms of reference and (b) membership of the Undersea Infrastructure Security Oversight Board.

The Undersea Infrastructure Security Oversight Board provides a joined-up function and sets strategic direction across government on undersea infrastructure security. The core membership includes key government stakeholders with an interest in undersea infrastructure security. This includes representation from DSIT, DESNZ, MOD, Defra, DFT, Home Office, Royal Navy and others as required. It is chaired and convened by the Cabinet Office.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the maximum residency period for UK citizens in the EU from 90 days to 180 days.

HMG officials and Ministers, including myself, regularly engage EU and EU Member State counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals. The EU allows for travel within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period; this is standard for third countries travelling visa-free to the EU. UK nationals planning to stay longer will need permission from the relevant Member State. The UK Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.

Whether his Department has conducted an impact assessment for the introduction of a youth mobility scheme with the European Union.

We have agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU. We have agreed that any scheme will be time-limited and capped, and we have also been clear that it should be in line with the UK’s existing schemes with countries like Australia and New Zealand. The exact parameters will be subject to negotiation

Whether the National Security Secretariat uses Gaza Health Ministry statistics in its cross-Whitehall briefings.

NSS does use Gaza Health Ministry casualty figures for briefing. It is difficult to verify casualty statistics accurately during an active conflict. FCDO and CO rely on the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports which use figures issued from the Gazan Ministry of Health (MoH). Over the course of this conflict FCDO has consulted experts from the London School of Tropical Medicine, OCHA, WHO and Every Casualty Counts, and assesses that the total number of deaths in Gaza since 7 October 2023 is a reliable figure. The MoH collates information on casualty statistics using a health information system derived from eight major hospitals across the Strip. They verify and identify the dead by age, gender and ID number.

Whether his Department takes steps to verify statistics published by the Gaza Health Ministry.

I refer the Right Honorable Gentleman to the response given for PQ 49111.

Whether his Department uses Gaza Health Ministry statistics in cross-Whitehall briefings.

I refer the Right Honorable Gentleman to the response given for PQ 49111.

What guidance his Department issues on whether third parties should declare their political interests when recording official videos for government departments.

There is no standalone Cabinet Office policy or guidance that addresses the declaration of political interests of third parties when recording official videos.

Whether the Prime Minister and the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East discussed (a) delivering UNRWA operations in Hamas-controlled areas and (b) steps UNRWA is taking to ensure the political neutrality of its staff during their meeting on 11 December 2024.

I refer the Hon Member to the read-out of the meeting on GOV.UK

What estimate he has made of the average cost, as a percentage of the total paybill, of trade union facility time in the (a) public sector and (b) private sector in the latest period for which data is available.

Under the Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017, relevant public sector authorities are required to publish certain information annually on facility time usage in their organisation. The most recently available data, for 2022/23, is published on gov.uk. It provides data on the total cost of facility time for public sector organisations, including as a percentage of total pay. The Cabinet Office does not hold information on the cost of facility time within the private sector. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has made impact assessments relating to the Employment Rights Bill, which have been published on .gov.uk

What senior leadership positions are vacant in the EU Directorate within his Department.

The EU Relations Secretariat was established in the Cabinet Office to give effect to the Government's manifesto commitments to reset the relationship with the EU, implement the Windsor Framework in good faith and protect the UK's internal market, as well as responsibility for the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement and Trade and Cooperation Agreement. All Senior Civil Servant roles within the EU Relations Secretariat are currently filled. We are recruiting for the new role of Second Permanent Secretary; the advert for which closed on 8 December.

How many officials at each civil service grade have been allocated to the EU Directorate within his Department.

The EU Relations Secretariat was established in the Cabinet Office to give effect to the Government's manifesto commitments to reset the relationship with the EU, implement the Windsor Framework in good faith and protect the UK's internal market, as well as responsibility for the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement and Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The EU Relations Secretariat brings together civil servants who were already working on EU relations from across the government. The data on this headcount will be published in 2025.

How many civil servants have been suspended due to allegations of misconduct since in each year since 2020.

Decisions to suspend an employee are delegated to individual departments. Data on the number of civil servants who have been suspended due to allegations of misconduct are therefore not held centrally. Civil Service statistics on the composition of the Civil Service workforce, including data on those leaving the Civil Service due to dismissals, are available on GOV.UK.

What the average salary was of each civil service grade in each Department in each year since 2010.

The Cabinet Office publishes data annually on civil servants’ median pay by department and grade. The relevant data for the years between 2010 and 2024 are available via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics

What discussions (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers, and (c) officials in (i) the Cabinet Office and (ii) 10 Downing Street have had with the Muslim Council of Britain since 5 July.

There has been no change to HMG policy on engagement with the Muslim Council of Britain.

What industrial disputes are ongoing within (a) his Department and (b) each of the arm’s length bodies connected to his Department; how many (i) staff and (ii) contractors are involved in each dispute; what the form of industrial action is in each dispute; which recognised trade union is involved in each dispute; what the substantive matter is that is being disputed in each case; and what steps he plans to take to end each dispute.

There are currently no ongoing industrial disputes with Cabinet Office employees within the Cabinet Office or any of its arms length bodies. There are, however, ongoing disputes between PCS and G4S Security Company (G4S) and International Services System - Facilities Management Services (ISS) who provide facilities management services to the Cabinet Office. The hard work of security guards and other staff keeps the government running. As is longstanding practice under successive administrations, the Government does not provide a running commentary on ongoing disputes.

Whether he plans to decolonise the (a) artwork and (b) heritage assets in (i) his Department and (ii) each of it's Arm's Length Bodies; and what the policy of the Government Property Agency is on this.

There has been no change in the Cabinet Office’s management of artwork or heritage assets since the previous administration. As separate entities, the responsibility for creating policy and guidance for artwork sits with each individual Arm’s Length Body, rather than with the Department. The Government Property Agency does not have a national policy on this topic and will follow any policy and/or guidance provided by relevant client departments.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 July 2024 to question 1252 on 10 Downing Street: Government Art Collection, if he will publish a list of all art work, including reference numbers from (a) the Government Art Collection and (b) his Department's own collection that are on display within the offices of No.10 Downing Street; and whether any such art is on display in the Prime Minister's personal residence.

The Government Art Collection website lists the artworks on display in Downing Street https://artcollection.dcms.gov.uk/?s=&display=artworkonly&search_place=Downing+Street. There are currently no Government Art Collection pieces in the Prime Minister’s official residence.There have been no changes to displayed artworks owned by the Cabinet Office since July 4, 2024.