Every parliamentary written question tabled by Richard Holden this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 301–320 of 760 · Cabinet Office
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 Made by Cooper was for.
The spend referred to was for the GREAT campaign, with the invoice dated 27 February 2025. The items procured were pin badges and associated branded packaging in support of GREAT events.
Pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 53899 on Cabinet Office: pay, what the median salary is of a civil servant in (a) the Civil Service and (b) the Cabinet Office averaged across all grades.
Data on median salaries for the Civil Service, also aggregated by department, can be found in the Civil Service Statistics publication. The latest data published on 31 July 2024 can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2024
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 56482 on Civil Service: London allowances, if he will take steps to ensure that the London weighted salaries for his Department's civil servants only apply to employees that work in London.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer on 10 June 2025 (PQ 56482). Pay arrangements, including those for London, are delegated to each department. The Cabinet Office does not have a London Weighting Allowance. There are separate London and National pay ranges. An individual’s pay, paid as a salary, is determined by the location of their designated office, as set out in their contract.
Whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
There are no plans of this kind.
What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that Capita PLS meets its contractual milestones for the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
The pension scheme administration is transitioning from MyCSP to Capita, with a formal transfer scheduled for December 2025. The Cabinet Office has outlined 12 Transition Milestones to ensure a smooth transfer, with payments to Capita contingent on meeting deliverables to the standards set by the Cabinet Office Future Services Team.After the transition, the new contract includes 38 Performance Indicators that monitor service delivery to ensure accountability and high-quality service throughout the contract period.
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 54833 on DCMS: Equality, whether his Department has issued guidance on employing Standalone EDI roles.
The Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Expenditure Guidance, published on 14 May 2024, sets out a number of controls in relation to Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) spend and activity across the Civil Service, including: Standalone EDI staffing roles should be incorporated into broader HR.
With reference to the planning application submitted to Westminster City Council on 19 May 2025, reference 25/03467/CLLB, what the nature is of the internal alterations being made to 70 Whitehall; and what the budget is for the works.
As part of the ongoing refurbishment works on the 4th Floor of 70 Whitehall, the Cabinet Office has submitted an application for the installation of a ceiling within the southern lift shaft. The total budget for this work, including all fees and VAT, is £280k.
How many and what proportion of the Prime Minister’s international flights on (a) the Envoy IV, (b) Voyager and (c) GB-NI have been carbon offset since July 2024.
Official Prime Ministerial flights are carbon offset where that is possible.
With reference to the transparency data entitled Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - April 2025 (Cabinet Office Core), published on 29 May 2025, for what reason his Department spent £729.99 at Maray Albert Dock.
The referenced cost declared in the Cabinet Office transparency return was associated with the UK-Ireland Summit.
Pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 59753 on Civil Servants: Media and Public Speaking, whether guidance has been provided on Permanent Secretaries giving press conferences with Ministers.
The Government Communication Service (GCS) Propriety & Ethics Guidance applies to all civil servants.
How the Crown Commercial Service determines when to insert break clauses in procurement contracts.
This information is not held by the Cabinet Office. Contracts are established by the contracting authority (customer) with the supplier. It is the contracting authority's responsibility to assess the need for, and timing of, any break clauses in the contract based on their specific requirements.
What the average length of time is for MyCSP to respond substantively to a query relating to the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
I refer the right hon. member to the answer given to PQ 60018, given on 19 June 2025.
What steps he is taking to improve Departmental compliance with Open Government Partnership data requirements on property condition reporting.
There are no specific data requirements under the UK’s membership of the international Open Government Partnership (OGP) relating to property condition reporting. The Government Property Data Standard (GPDS), specified by the government’s functional lead for property, the Office of Government Property (OGP), within the Cabinet Office, does include a defined building condition metric. The Government Property Data Standard is mandated for use across all central government departments. The standard currently includes requirements for reporting on building condition metrics using a four-tier rating system. Departments are expected to report against this standard as part of business-as-usual property data returns. Plans are underway to improve the quality of this data and work towards making condition data publicly available in due course.
Whether his Department plans to take steps to expand the method by which UK companies can appeal decisions made by the government under the powers of the National Security and Investment Act.
Decisions made under the Act may be subject to judicial review. The Government currently has no plans to change this. All acquisitions considered under the NSI Act are assessed on a case by case basis, taking account of all relevant considerations.
Whether the government has altered its risk assessment criteria for foreign-state linked acquisition companies under the National Security and Investment Act since 5 July 2024.
Decisions made under the Act may be subject to judicial review. The Government currently has no plans to change this. All acquisitions considered under the NSI Act are assessed on a case by case basis, taking account of all relevant considerations.
What information his Department holds on the number of foreign owned companies using shell companies in an attempt to bypass the National Security and Investment Act since 5 July 2024.
I refer the Rt Hon member to the answer given on 22 May in response to question 54012.
Whether he plans to lay a new Official Statistics Order to include the Passenger Standards Authority.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 16th June is attached.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2025 to Question HL6032 on Arms Length Bodies, what the target date is for each of those bodies listed in the answer to be operational.
The Cabinet Office does not centrally estimate, nor hold information on when proposed arm’s-length bodies will be operational. Departments are responsible for setting target dates for the establishment of their proposed new bodies.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 5278 on Cabinet Office: Departmental responsibilities, whether he plans to further transfer Cabinet Office functions or agencies to other departments.
In addition to the Machinery of Government changes set out in the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 5278, there have been two further Written Ministerial Statements on changes which affect the Cabinet Office: On 17 January 2025, it was announced that responsibility for all of the Infrastructure and Project Authority’s functions and responsibilities, including the Government’s project delivery expertise and functions, and assurance reviews for the Government’s largest projects, will move from the Cabinet Office to HM Treasury.On 3 June 2025, it was announced that responsibility for government and public sector cyber security will move from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Any other such changes would be announced in the normal way.
Whether he plans to establish a social value council.
The Government is determined to ensure the £385 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually delivers economic growth, supports small businesses, champions innovation, creates good jobs and skills opportunities across the country, and maximises social value. To build on progress made to date and the Government’s new National Procurement Policy Statement, we will consult with stakeholders on further reforms to public procurement to drive economic growth and support jobs and skills.