Written questions by Holden.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 53901 on Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender Independent Review, how the UK Statistics Authority plans to inform (a) Parliament and (b) the public of whether the recommendations in the Review will be taken forward once the Authority Board has concluded its considerations of the Review.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 2nd July is attached.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54825 on Government Departments: Training, if he will publish the updated guidance on the use of external venues.

A copy of the Cabinet Office's guidance on the use of external venues will be placed in the libraries of both Houses.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54812 on Government Departments: media, what guidance is issued by the Government Communication Service on the procurement of external public relations companies.

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) provides a framework agreement that enables contracting authorities to access suppliers who provide services in this area. As with any procurement through established framework agreements, CCS provides guidance to ensure any procurement is conducted in compliance with UK procurement regulations. Guidance can be found on the CCS webpage: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6125. Individual contracting authorities are responsible for their own procurement processes under this framework agreement. Any campaign spending of £100,000 or more must go through the Government Communication Service’s advertising, marketing and communications (AMC) spend control process. Guidance is available at the following link: https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/guidance/marketing/delivering-government-campaigns/professional-assurance/

With reference to para 3.61 of the Review Body on Senior Salaries, Forty-seventh annual report on senior salaries, published in May 2025, CP 1329, whether he plans to tackle the pay differentials for civil servants at the same grade working in the same building who are employed by the (a) UK, (b) Welsh and (c) Scottish governments.

The Government has recently accepted the recommendation from the Senior Salaries Review Body for a fundamental review of the Senior Civil Service pay and reward frameworks.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54011 on Intelligence and Security Committee, whether there will be a (a) formal and (b) public government response to the ISC press release of 1 May.

The Cabinet Office is engaging constructively with the Intelligence and Security Committee, and will continue to do so.

With reference to para 3.152 of the Review Body on Senior Salaries, Forty-seventh annual report on senior salaries, published in May 2025, CP 1329, what the past-service deficit payment is on the Alpha employer contribution rate.

The employer contribution rate is determined by the Civil Service Pension Scheme Valuation, which takes place every four years, with current rates being set following the 2020 valuation. Details of the past service deficit are available on pages 22-25 of the 2020 Civil Service Pension Scheme Valuation available at https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/media/qgbfvy5h/civil-service-gb-valuation-report_18_9_23_accessible.pdf

Whether his Department plans to publish a response to the press release of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament of 1 May 2025.

The Cabinet Office is engaging constructively with the Intelligence and Security Committee, and will continue to do so.

Whether guidance has been provided on how the provisions of the Bribery Act 2010 could potentially apply to the provision of gifts and hospitality to Ministers.

The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of Ministers, including the overarching duty to comply with the law. The Code sets out guidance on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality, stipulating that Ministers should not accept any gift, hospitality, or service which would, or might reasonably appear to, compromise their judgement or place them under an obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence their work in government. The Code also explains how details of ministerial gifts or hospitality received will be published, and that gifts given to Ministers in their ministerial capacity become the property of the government.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 54806, on Disaster Relief and Emergencies: Equality, if he will publish the documentation on the Risk Vulnerability Tool.

A Quality and Methodology Information report on the Risk Vulnerability Tool will be published, as is usual for government statistics.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 54806 on Disaster Relief and Emergencies: Equality, for what reason the Risk Vulnerability Tool uses gender rather than sex.

The Risk Vulnerability Tool will use data that relates to both sex and gender, depending on data availability, alongside other vulnerability indicators.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - April 2025 (Spending by Business Units no longer part of Cabinet Office), published on 29 May 2025, what the spending at Total Conflict Mgmt was for.

The expenditure was for a training course for a member of the Government Commercial Function.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 53528 on Admiralty House for what reason the offices in Admiralty House are no longer used for a Minister and Ministerial private office.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, Official Report, PQ 43478.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54760 on Civil Servants: London, if he will publish his Department's relocation policy; and whether voluntarily relocated civil servants continue to receive a London weighting.

This policy has not been previously published, and as with many internal staff policies, there are no current plans to publish it.

What his Department's policy is on flying the Armed Forces flag on Armed Forces Day.

The Government Property Agency takes instruction from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for when to fly flags as part of events, ceremonies and celebrations such as Armed Forces Day.

With reference to the transparency data entitled Cabinet Office: Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - December 2024, published on 30 January 2025, what the spending on PYM ARTEMISPLUS EXPRE was for.

The spend on Pym Artemisplus Expre was for catering for an event delivered as part of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's funded "Green Cities and Infrastructure Programme".

Pursuant to the Answers of 18 June and 6 March 2025 to Questions 54778 and 34454 on Prime Minister: Aviation, whether the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme offsets other domestic flights; and if the Government will make it their policy to ensure that all the Prime Minister’s flights are carbon offset.

Official Prime Ministerial flights are carbon offset where that is possible.

Whether the Government’s Lead Non Executive Director is a member of any Government (a) board and (b) committee.

The Government Lead Non Executive is not currently a member of any Government board or committee. Baroness Casey oversees non-executives from across government to support the delivery of the Plan for Change. She works closely with the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Cabinet Secretary, the Civil Service Chief Operating Officer, and other ministers and senior civil servants across government.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 53888 on Civil Service: Equality, how many civil servants work in the CSIP Team; and what the annual operating cost is of that business unit.

For the year 2024-2025, the CSIP Team had 11.16FTE; the annual operating cost including non-pay costs for that business unit the same year was £1,092,548.37. This includes all staff costs and overheads as well as operational non-pay costs and overheads (such as Estates, IT and Shared Services).

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - April 2025 (Spending by Business Units no longer part of Cabinet Office), published on 29 May 2025, how many (a) virtual and (b) physical Government Procurement Cards are held by his Department.

The Cabinet Office has 37 staff who have access to raise virtual cards and has 214 physical Government Procurement cardholders. Approximately half of the physical cards are held by the Government Car Service, which was transferred to the Cabinet Office in April 2025.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Cabinet Office: Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - March 2025, published on 24 April 2025, what the spending to the House of Commons was for.

The spending in question was incurred by the Civil Service Commission, and entailed room hire and catering for an event to recognise the award of Civil Service Commission’s Commissioners' Mark of Excellence (CME), held on 6 March 2025.