Written questions by Holden.

If she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Government's compliance with section 9.8 of the Ministerial Code in the context of answers provided to written parliamentary questions.

Parliament has a right to hold Ministers to account. I have written to all members of Cabinet to remind Ministers of their responsibilities to provide helpful and timely responses to Members' PQs.As a member of the Procedure Committee, the hon. Member will be aware that the Committee has a keen interest in the timeliness and quality of PQ responses, and will have seen the recent government response to the predecessor Committee’s report on the 2022-23 session (available at: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/45585/documents/225592/default/). I look forward to working with the hon. Member and the Committee on this important matter.As I have previously said, I encourage hon. Members to raise any specific issues they may have with myself and my office.

Representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church plans to amend the Table of Kindred and Affinity to exclude first cousins from marriage.

The ‘Table of Kindred and Affinity’ is part of the Book of Common Prayer. The Book of Common Prayer can be changed by a Measure from the General Synod of the Church of England, which would come to Parliament for approval in the usual manner. The Church of England has no plans currently to change the text.

What information the Government Communications Service holds on the level of cross-government spending on external public relations firms in the last year for which figures are available.

This information is not centrally held by the Cabinet Office.

Whether the Civil Service pension scheme administrator MyCSP is a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

MyCSP is a private company and carries out most of the day-to-day administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme, under a contract with the Cabinet Office. As a private company, MyCSP is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act. The Cabinet Office is a public authority for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13746 on FCDO: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, for what reason the Cabinet Office postponed the September 2024 transparency publication.

The data relating to Government Procurement Card (GPC) covering June 2022 - October 2024 was published on 28 November and is available here. The FCDO interpreted the communication regarding the postponement to also apply to GPC spend, as the FCDO's general approach is to link GPC publications with wider transparency returns.

How much funding was provided by NHS England to the Culturally Sensitive Genetic Literacy project in the current financial year.

NHS England does not recognise the title ‘Culturally Sensitive Genetic Literacy project’, we believe this was used in a job advert by an NHS trust involved in the Genetic Risk Equity project.

What information his Department holds on whether the former Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. hon. Member for Doncaster North, accepted a severance payment upon his departure as Leader of the Opposition via the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991.

Certain office-holders, including the Leader of the Opposition, are entitled to a severance payment when they leave office under the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991. Under this provision, the Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP received a severance payment when he left the office of Leader of the Opposition in 2015. Severance payments to office-holders are paid from the Consolidated Fund and published in the Consolidated Fund Annual Account. The relevant account is available on gov.uk at the following address: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a75a0dfe5274a545822cfbe/consolidated_funds_web.pdf.

How many close relative marriage neonatal nurses there are in the NHS.

The Department does not hold the data requested.

How many non-departmental public bodies has the Government (a) announced it will open, (b) opened, (c) announced it will close and (d) closed since 4 July 2024.

Cabinet Office maintains records and oversight of formally established Arm’s Length Bodies, including NDPBs. No NDPBs have been formally established since 4 July 2024. Similarly, there have been no formal closures of NDPBs since 4 July 2024.

What estimate her Department has made of levels of net migration in (a) 2024-25, (b) 2025-26, (c) 2026-27, (d) 2027-28, (e) 2028-29 and (f) 2029-30.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate her Department has made of the number of houses that will be built in the (a) 2024-25, (b) 2025-26, (c) 2026-27, (d) 2027-28, (e) 2028-29 and (f) 2029-30 financial years.

The government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament. Progress will be measured through the number of net additional dwellings and we will update Parliament in the usual manner.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13327 on DCMS: Official Visits, when he plans to announce when he plans to publish the (a) Q1 and (b) Q2 transparency data.

Quarterly transparency data for 1 April to 30 June 2024 was published on 28 November 2024. Quarterly transparency data for 1 July to 30 September 2024 will be published shortly.

Representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England has a formal process for the removal of an Archbishop.

The duration of appointments of office holders in the Church of England is governed by statutory provisions. Under section 3 of the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Measure 2009, the term of office of a person who holds office under Common Tenure (which includes archbishops, bishops and most other clergy) is terminated:• on the death of the office holder• by resignation• on attaining the mandatory retirement age (subject to any extension)• where the office ceases to exist• where the office holder is removed from office under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003• on the expiry of a fixed term appointment (where applicable)• under the capability procedures.https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukcm/2009/1/contents

With reference to his Department's transparency data on meetings with senior media figures, whether (a) Meta, (b) X and (c) other social media organisations are classed as media.

Guidance on ministers’, special advisers’, and senior officials’ transparency returns is published on GOV.UK and includes details of who would be considered senior media figures for these purposes.

With reference to the Answer of 19 November 2024 to Question HL2359 on Ministers: Pay, which Minister is paid by the Labour Party; and whether they receive a Ministerial pension contribution.

The Member for Lewisham West and East Dulwich is paid by the Labour Party for her position as party chair. She also serves as the Minister without Portfolio in the Cabinet Office. She does not receive a salary under the provisions of the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975, and therefore is not entitled to receive a ministerial pension contribution.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 15230 on 10 Downing Street: Government Art Collection, whether the Government Art Collection website shows what artworks have been removed from 10 Downing Street since 5 July 2024.

The Government Art Collection website has all artworks belonging to the Collection and their current location. You can also search for all artworks in a specific location.The website does not have lists of works removed from a location.

With reference to his Department's guidance entitled Freedom of Information - FOI Clearing House Review, updated on 14 December 2023, if he will make it his policy to produce a regular digest of Round Robin lists.

Details of the FOI Round Robin process are published on GOV.UK at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-and-freedom-of-information. As with the previous administration, this Government will continue to look into the possibility of producing a regular digest of Round Robin lists.

How many civil servants work in the Government People Group; and what the annual cost of the Group is.

As at 9th December 2024, 836 (789 full time equivalent) civil servants work in Government People Group. Government People Group also currently directly employs 2097 Fast Streamers, through 14 centrally managed, profession based Fast Stream leadership development schemes. All Fast Streamers are deployed across government in roles covering a range of government professions.2023/24 financial year operating costs relating to activities and services delivered by the Group were £254m. This includes the cost of Fast Streamers employed and deployed across government on non Government People Group activities.

Pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 13821 on Infrastructure and Projects Authority: Departmental Responsibility, which Minister will be responsible for the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.

The Government will confirm the responsible Minister for the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority in due course.

When the Prime Minister became aware of the previous fraud conviction of the former Transport Secretary, the Rt Hon. Member for Sheffield Heeley.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the statements the Prime Minister has already made about the former Transport Secretary’s resignation at Prime Minister’s questions on 4 December.