Every parliamentary written question tabled by Alex Burghart this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 341–360 of 482 · this parliament
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2024 to Question 54793 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, what proportion of the costs will come from the (a) Ministry of Defence and (b) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office budgets.
The payments to Mauritius will be split between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Ministry of Defence. They will be published in the normal manner alongside other departmental spend in the annual accounts.
Whether her Department has a target for the number of staff it plans to employ over the period of the Spending Review.
The Department’s SR settlement of a 10% real terms reduction to admin budgets by 2028-29 means HM Treasury will need to get smaller, necessitating a reduction in resource in some areas. Headcount reductions will be subject to future business planning where the department will take decisions on how the savings will be delivered.
With reference to Minister for the Cabinet Office's Oral Statement of 24 June 2025 on the National Security Strategy, Official Report, columns 974-76, what estimate he has made of the proportion of GDP spent on broader resilience and security spending in the most recent period for which data is available.
The National Security Strategy 2025 was published on 24 June 2025. It confirms that by combining an increase in funding with recognition of the vital contribution the Single Intelligence Account plays to our national defence, the UK will spend 2.6% on NATO qualifying defence spending from 2027. This will be considered core spending.NATO provides reporting guidelines for the 1.5% defence and security related spending. It will include investments that raise the overall resilience of our societies, such as energy security, telecommunications, and infrastructure, as well as the execution of defence plans, expanding industrial capacity and innovation and counter hybrid actions.Along with all other NATO allies, the UK will report against the new categories of defence spending at the next NATO reporting deadline.
Whether the appointment of the (a) chair and (b) members of the Ethics and Integrity Committee will be (i) a regulated public appointment and (ii) subject to Select Committee pre-appointment scrutiny.
We are restoring confidence in government and the highest standards in public life and have already taken steps to improve probity and transparency, including through issuing a new Ministerial Code which highlights the importance of the principles of public life, by strengthening the terms of reference for the Independent Adviser, and by introducing a new monthly Register of Gifts and Hospitality. An update on the Ethics and Integrity Commission will be provided in due course.
Whether Departments will be required to produce internal Outcome Delivery Plans (a) to monitor spending outlines in the Spending Review 2025 and (b) as part of the Mission Board delivery programme.
The Government has published its Plan for Change, which sets out clear and ambitious milestones to reach over this Parliament from each of the Government’s national missions. Detail on wider government commitments will continue to be provided by relevant departments.
Whether she plans to (a) amend and (b) review the definitions of (i) defence and (ii) national security spending, for the purposes of (A) statistical and (B) NATO targets.
NATO has a common definition of defence expenditure which is agreed by all NATO Allies. A full definition can be found here: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49198.htm
If he will place in the Library a copy of the standard template for submissions to (a) Cabinet Office Ministers and (b) the Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer on 17 February 2025 (PQ HL4631) and on 7 April 2025 (PQ 42819).
What metrics are tracked on his Department's internal dashboards; and if he will make it his policy to publish them on gov.uk.
The Cabinet Office does not centrally record the total number of metrics captured. Our teams and business units maintain a wide array of dashboards tailored to their specific functions and business requirements. A precise, aggregated figure is not available. The dashboards contain internal management information, and it is not Cabinet Office policy to publish them.
How much funding he has allocated to the Finucane Inquiry.
As I outlined in my oral statement of 11 September 2024, I considered the likely costs and impact of the Patrick Finucane Inquiry on public finances. It is the Government’s expectation that the Inquiry will avoid unnecessary costs given all the previous reviews and investigations and the large amount of information and material that is already in the public domain. Public inquiries regularly publish financial reports on their expenditure in the course of their work.
Pursuant to the answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 57308, on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, if she will place in the Library a copy of the (a) calculations and (b) analysis produced by the Government Actuary’s Department.
Details of the calculations have been agreed by the Government Actuary’s Department and are in the Explanatory Memorandum laid alongside the Treaty. However, it is not normal practice for government departments to release details of corresponding financial analysis. Any financial obligations, including departmental budgetary responsibilities, will be managed responsibly within the government’s fiscal framework. No payments will be made until the Treaty is legally binding.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution at Prime Minister's Questions on 4 June 2025, Official Report, column 302, what the evidential basis is for the statement that China opposes the Chagos Islands deal.
The deal to secure the base on Diego Garcia is vital for our national security.Our Five Eyes allies - the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada - as well as India, South Korea and Japan, all put out formal statements welcoming the deal.There are clear safeguards in the treaty, including a clear prohibition to prevent any other foreign security forces, civilian or military - including the Chinese - from establishing themselves on the outer islands.
With reference to his Department's press release on the award of a £1.6 billion contract to Thales in Belfast for the manufacture of lightweight-multirole missiles, published on 2 March 2025, whether the contract was reviewed by the Single Source Regulations Office.
The Ukraine Government selected the lightweight-multirole missile because it has demonstrated itself to be a highly effective short range air defence capability. Because the UK Ministry of Defence is acting on behalf of the Ukrainian Government in procuring these missiles, pursuant to an international agreement between the UK and Ukraine, and the contract is being funded by the Ukraine Government with support from UK Export Finance, the procurement is excluded from the procurement legislation which would normally be applicable.
With reference to his Department's press release on the award of a £1.6 billion contract to Thales in Belfast for the manufacture of lightweight-multirole missiles, published on 2 March 2025, what (a) transparency reporting obligations and (b) performance milestones have been placed on Thales Northern Ireland.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him to Question 40323 on 28 March 2025.
With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Historic £1.6bn deal provides thousands of air defence missiles for Ukraine and boosts UK jobs and growth, published 2 March 2025, whether contractual contingency measures exist within the contract in the event of (a) production delays, (b) cost overruns and (c) failure to meet performance criteria.
The contract includes provisions to incentivise the specified delivery dates and, where relevant, performance criteria, with remedies available if those contractual obligations are not met. The scope will be placed in a phased manner, with the intent being that each phase is subject to a firm price.
With reference to his Department's press release on the award of a £1.6 billion contract to Thales in Belfast for the manufacture of lightweight-multirole missiles, published on 2 March 2025, whether the contract was awarded via (a) the Dynamic Purchasing System and (b) a Crown Commercial Service framework.
No. Procurement of this type of capability is not available through the Dynamic Purchasing System or a Crown Commercial Service framework.
With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Historic £1.6bn deal provides thousands of air defence missiles for Ukraine and boosts UK jobs and growth, published 2 March 2025, whether an assessment was conducted under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 to determine whether a direct award was justifiable based on (a) extreme urgency and (b) operational necessity.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him to Question 40323 on 28 March 2025.
With reference to his Department's press release on the award of a £1.6 billion contract to Thales in Belfast for the manufacture of lightweight-multirole missiles, published on 2 March 2025, whether regulatory compliance audits were undertaken on the contract.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him to Question 40323 on 28 March 2025.
With reference to his Department's press release on the award of a £1.6 billion contract to Thales in Belfast for the manufacture of lightweight-multirole missiles, published on 2 March 2025, whether procurement thresholds were considered when awarding the contract.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him to Question 40323 on 28 March 2025.
With reference to his Department's press release on the award of a £1.6 billion contract to Thales in Belfast for the manufacture of lightweight-multirole missiles, published on 2 March 2025, whether his Department considered procuring the contract through a competitive tendering process under the Defence and Security Public Contracts Regulations 2011.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him to Question 40323 on 28 March 2025.
With reference to his Department's press release on the award of a £1.6 billion contract to Thales in Belfast for the manufacture of lightweight-multirole missiles, published on 2 March 2025, what relative weight was given to (a) technical capability, (b) cost, (c) delivery timelines and (d) risk assessment when awarding the contract.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him to Question 35735 on 12 March 2025.