Every parliamentary written question tabled by Richard Holden this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 701–720 of 760 · Cabinet Office
Pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2024 to Question 8436 on Government Departments: Disclosure of Information, if he will make it his policy that all transparency publications currently published quarterly will be published monthly.
The Government publishes a wide range of transparency data. Reporting requirements remain in place, with data regularly being published on GOV.UK. The Cabinet Office will publish, monthly, a Register of Ministers’ Gifts and Hospitality in due course.
Whether the Government’s Mission Boards have quantifiable targets.
The five Missions are focused on delivering outcomes that offer real and tangible benefits to citizens: higher living standards, protection for energy billpayers with secure home-grown energy, safer streets, longer healthier lives, and a renewed confidence that the future will be better for our children.
If he will allow the Civil Service Commission to reply directly to hon. Members by correspondence.
The Civil Service Commission is operationally independent from the government and is already able to respond to correspondence from parliamentarians as it sees fit.
What recent assessment the Office for National Statistics has made of the accuracy of UK resident population statistics.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 27 November is attached.
What estimate the Office for National Statistics has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of the UK population that have migrated to the UK in the last two years.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 27 November is attached.
Whether the Office for National Statistics has made an assessment of the causes of reductions in levels of fertility; and which Department is responsible for Government policy relating to the (a) size and (b) demographics of the UK population.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 26 November is attached.
What guidance his Department issues on (a) Ministers and (b) special advisers meeting lobbying firms which have made donations to hon. Members from the governing party.
There is longstanding guidance on meetings between ministers and external organisations which is set out in the Ministerial Code. Similar guidance for special advisers is set out in the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers. Further guidance on ministers’ and special advisers’ transparency returns is published on GOV.UK.
With reference to the Written Statement of 6 November 2024 on Transparency and Accountability, HCWS198, whether special adviser salaries will increase in line with (a) senior and (b) junior civil service salaries.
Details of the special adviser pay award will be detailed in the relevant Annual Report on Special Advisers, published in line with the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.
What progress the Mission Delivery Boards have made.
The government has already made significant progress on its missions since July; fixing the foundations of the country and kicking off the first steps to deliver real change. This has included stabilising the economy, the launch of Great British Energy, investing an extra £22bn to build an NHS fit for the future, establishing a new Border Security Command that will smash the gangs and tackle small boat crossings, and an additional £1.8bn to continue the expansion of government-funded childcare and help more parents stay in and return to work.
Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November to Question 15230 on 10 Downing Street: Government Art Collection, what the reference numbers are of Government Art Collection works that have been (a) added to and (b) removed from Downing Street since 5 July 2024.
I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 31 October 2024, Official Report, PQ 8943.
Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2024 to Question 11270 on Special Advisers: Industrial Disputes, to which specific answer of 25 July 2024 he was seeking to refer to.
The answer referred to was PQ 1667.
Whether the Office for National Statistics has made an estimate of the number of registered overseas electors at the 2024 general election.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 26 November is attached.
Whether the Office for National Statistics has made an estimate of the (a) number and (b) proportion of people who are potentially in the UK illegally.
The Home Office publishes a statistical release with an overview of people who come to the UK irregularly. It includes those arriving on a small boat across the English Channel, along with some other groups arriving without prior lawful permission. The Office for National Statistics does not publish this information. The most recent Home Office statistics, for the year ending June 2024, are available on gov.uk. As was the case under the previous administration, these statistics should not be used to infer the size of the irregular population in the UK, nor the total number of people entering the UK irregularly.
Pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 8943 on 10 Downing Street: Government Art Collection, what works from the Government Art Collection with what reference numbers have been (a) added to and (b) removed from Downing Street since 5 July 2024.
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
Pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2004 to Question 4680 on Civil Service, how many staff in the Cabinet Office have no post.
At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact number changes on a day-to-day basis. These individuals are attached to the Skills Match Hub but remain in their business units and are managed by their line managers to ensure they continue to receive meaningful work and are appropriately supported, while they work through the redeployment process. As was the case under the previous administration, any new vacancies in Cabinet Office cannot be advertised until the role has been reviewed first by the Skills Match Hub for a possible match to anyone currently registered. If there are no suitable candidates registered, the vacancy can then be advertised.
What (a) internal and (b) external guidance his Department has produced for Departments on whether Freedom of Information Act requests requesting information on senior civil servants should be disclosed.
The Cabinet Office has not issued either internal or external guidance on whether Freedom of Information Act requests requesting information on senior civil servants should be disclosed. All requests are considered on their own merits in all circumstances.
Whether his Department has issued guidance on the minimum length of time since leaving government a previous (a) Minister and (b) senior official can be appointed as (i) an Independent Panel Member and (ii) a Senior Independent Panel Member on a public appointments Advisory Assessment Panel.
The Cabinet Office has not issued guidance on the composition of Advisory Assessment Panels for public appointments that is specifically in relation to ex-ministers and ex-senior officials becoming panel members. However, the Cabinet Office publishes the Governance Code on Public Appointments, which sets out general guidance on Advisory Assessment Panels, including requirements around the independence and political activity of panel members.
Pursuant to the Answer of 8 October 2024 to Question 5742 on Civil Servants, whether his Department has a policy on recruitment to the civil service in advance of the spending review.
The Government is committed to delivering value for money for the taxpayer. In the Budget, the Chancellor announced a 2% productivity, efficiency, and savings target for all government departments. Decisions on the future size of the Civil Service will form a part of the comprehensive Spending Review. The Government is committed to attracting, retaining and developing the very best talent to create a more efficient and effective civil service that is equipped to deliver the Government’s missions for the UK.
With reference to the Answer of 7 October 2024 to Question HL1058 on Civil Service: Equality, whether the exemptions process applies to arm's length bodies.
Yes. As paragraph 4 of the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance makes clear, the same exemptions process applies to Civil Service arm’s-length bodies, except the ALB’s Principal Accounting Officer, in consultation with the Board, must authorise the expenditure.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2024 to Question 5290 on Civil Servants: Trade Union Officials, whether he plans to (a) collate and (b) publish data on trade union facility time after the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016.
I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 5290 on 11 September 2024.