Written questions by Holden.

How many staff by headcount are currently assigned to the Office for Value for Money; and what is the annual budget for the business unit.

The Office for Value for Money is a small, time-limited organisation based in HM Treasury. In addition to its independent Chair, the OVfM comprises a team of c.15 officials, including secondees from the National Audit Office (NAO), the Government Commercial Function, and the Evaluation Task Force. Its budget will be published and outturn data will be made available with HM Treasury’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 45908 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Cultural Heritage, which pieces of work have been (a) installed and (b) deinstalled in each (i) Embassy, (ii) High Commission and (iii) Residence since 4 July 2024.

I invite the Rt Hon Member to search any information he requires on the artworks and their locations on the Government Art Collection website.

How many roles in his Department were (a) externally advertised and (b) subject to open competition since 30 May 2024; and how many senior civil servants have been appointed without external advertisement and open competition in that time.

Substantive appointments and promotions to or within Senior Civil Service (SCS) grades at Cabinet Office have to be through fair and open competition. Between 30 May 2024 and 30 April 2025, the Cabinet Office advertised 19 SCS roles through fair and open competition, of which 12 were advertised externally. SCS roles can also be appointed outside of fair and open competition through routes that include temporary promotions, level moves, secondments and identifying roles for returners.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 46285 on Ethics and Integrity Commission, when he will establish the Commission; and whether it will be placed on a statutory basis.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to PQ UIN 46285 on 28 April 2025.

Innovation and Technology, what information his Department holds on the number of Departments that use the Redbox AI chatbot.

Redbox is available in DSIT, the Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Office. The Department for Business and Trade also runs its own instance of Redbox.

What official internal communications (a) his Department, (b) the Civil Service's diversity networks, (c) the Civil Service People Group and (d) the Office for Equality and Opportunity have sent civil servants in the Cabinet Office in relation to the Supreme Court ruling of [2025] UKSC 16, 16 April 2025 since that judgement was published.

The Cabinet Office issued an intranet update on 30 April 2025 confirming a review of relevant policies, guidance and workplace facilities to ensure legal compliance.No communications have been issued by the Government People Group. Any messaging issued by volunteer diversity networks to their members are not official Civil Service communications

Representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 44585 on Winston Churchill: Artworks, which Members’ offices removed the portrait of Churchill; and whether the decision was requested by the hon. Member.

Artworks are removed from offices during dissolution and the General Election to mitigate risk to the collection during this busy period and to ensure availability of suitable works to meet Member requests for office hangs upon their election.Between June and October 2024, the Heritage Collections team moved over 1100 artworks to facilitate dissolution works and election changes. This included seven portraits of Churchill: four from offices of Members, or their staff, who were not returned at the election; two from Members who were returned at the election; and one for conservation. Those removals were not, therefore, requested by the Members who had previously been allocated those offices. One of those works has subsequently been requested for another Member’s office; the other five remain available for Members to request.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 44471 on Civil Service: Survey, if he will publish the Civil Service People Survey 2024 headline results for the No.10 business unit.

Defra does not hold this data. I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 30 April 2025 to PQ 46750.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 44587 on Parliamentary Estates: Artworks, what the (a) nature, (b) title and (c) artist is of each item that was (i) installed and (ii) removed since (A) dissolution of the previous Parliament and (B) 4 July 2024.

The attached data provides detail of individual artworks falling under the following categories:iA) artworks installed between dissolution and 4 July 2024 (40 artworks)iiA) artworks removed between dissolution and 4 July 2024 (80 artworks)iB) artworks installed since 4 July 2024 (185 artworks)iiB) artworks removed since 4 July 2024 (375 artworks)In collating this data, so far as possible we have included neither artworks which were temporarily removed to allow for maintenance works and have since been rehung in the same location, nor artworks which were briefly off display and then moved location with a Member’s office.

What steps she plans to take to speed up the roll out electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

The Government is working with stakeholders, including industry, to accelerate the rollout of chargepoints. We have recently published a call for evidence which aims to gather views on how we can reform the planning system to make EV charging rollout easier, quicker and cheaper. The Government’s £381m Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking.

What plans her Department has to support buyers of second-hand electric vehicles.

Used battery electric vehicle (EV) sales are growing rapidly. According to industry statistics, in 2024 the number of used EVs sold grew 57% compared to 2023. Growth is expected to continue as more and more EVs come onto the used market in the coming years. The Government will continue to work closely with industry to monitor the health of the used market and residual values. We keep all policies under review, to ensure the EV transition takes place in an equitable and fair manner.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 45659 on Admiralty House, what use is being made of the two unoccupied flats in Admiralty House; and whether those flats are furnished as dwellings.

There has been no change to the set up and contents of the two unoccupied flats since June 2024. They remain as they were under the previous government.

With reference to the Regulatory Policy Committee's publication Status of Post Implementation Reviews, published on 24 April 2025, for what reason the post-implementation review of the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017 is outstanding.

The post-implementation review of the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017 was published on 11th April 2023. The post implementation review and supporting documents can be accessed here.

What steps her Department is taking to encourage garage and repair networks to offer (a) accessible and (b) affordable (i) battery health testing and (ii) other maintenance services for owners of electric vehicles.

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles has endorsed the Institute of the Motor Industry’s (IMI) TechSafe scheme, which helps to ensure technicians have the skills they need to safely repair an electric vehicle (EV). It also allows consumers to access a register to find their nearest EV competent technician. According to the IMI, 64,700 technicians are already qualified to work on an EV. This represents 26% of all technicians in the UK. The Department for Transport has also worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to develop a Global Technical Regulation on electric vehicle batteries (GTR No.22). If implemented, the regulation would require that vehicles provide easily accessible, accurate and comparable information about the battery's state of health. The Government aims to consult on options for the implementation of GTR No.22 in the UK later this year.

What progress her Department has made on implementing a standardised battery health certification scheme for electric vehicles.

The Department for Transport has worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to develop a Global Technical Regulation on electric vehicle batteries (GTR No.22). If implemented, the regulation would set standards on the lifespan of a battery and its minimum durability. It would also ensure that information about electric vehicle batteries is easily accessible, accurate and comparable. The Government is currently analysing options for the implementation of GTR No.22 regulations in the UK and aims to consult on these plans later this year. In the meantime, the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate requires all new electric vehicles to be sold with a warranty that includes battery replacement if capacity falls below 70% in the first 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever is sooner.

With reference to the public awareness campaign entitled millions got a pay rise, (a) how many beer mats were (i) printed and (ii) distributed and (b) whether communications consultancies advised on the campaign.

My department is running an awareness campaign following the increase to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates on 1 April 2025, using several advertising channels to ensure workers are aware of the increase and know how to check their pay and avoid underpayment.This includes beer mat advertising, for which we have printed 500,000 beer mats, distributed to pubs, including in areas with higher reported underpayment complaints. My department’s media planning agency Wavemaker advised on the campaign.

Whether he plans to change the 21 employee threshold for the recognition of a trade union.

The exemption for small employers under the statutory recognition scheme where the workplace is comprised of less than 21 workers has been in place for many years. The government has no plans to change it.

Whether appointments to the Passenger Standards Authority will be included in the Public Bodies Order in Council.

The public consultation on the railways bill closed in April 2025 and explored options for a new passenger watchdog. We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will publish a response in due course. As with any public body, the appropriate rules for appointments will be followed. We would therefore expect the new watchdog to be included on the Public Appointments Order in Council; and, for appointments to the board to be subject to the governance code on public appointments and regulated by the commissioner for public appointments.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answers of 25 April 2025 to Question 46855 and 46855 on Government Digital Service: Gender and Government Digital Service: Sex, what his timetable is for the review of the GOV.UK Design System guidance on equality information; and if he will make it his policy to hold a consultation on the draft guidance.

In response to a previous question from the Hon Member, it was noted that GDS would review the Design System’s guidance in line with any changes to the Code of Practice issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The Commission has since confirmed that it will be undertaking a review into the Code of Practice. Once concluded, the Commission aims to provide the updated Code of Practice to HM Government by the end of June for ministerial approval.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2025, to Question 46855 on Government Digital Service: Gender and Government Digital Service: Sex, whether Stonewall advised on the previous guidance.

Stonewall did not advise GDS in developing the extant Design System guidance.