Every parliamentary written question tabled by Charlie Dewhirst this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 301–320 of 859 · this parliament
With reference to page 139 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, if he will provide a breakdown of the expenditure, including for individual fixtures and fittings, for the (a) refurbishment and (b) furnishing of the empty Downing Street flat; and if he will name which was empty flat.
As was the case under successive administrations, an itemised list is not routinely published.
For what reason the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, HC1372, was published in October.
The Cabinet Office Annual Report and Account 2024-25 was laid on 23 October 2025. Departments seek to lay their 2024-25 annual reports as soon as they are able to do so before the statutory deadline of 31 January 2026. This publication is in line with those of previous years, and comes earlier than the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Account 2023-24, published in December 2024.
Pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 81875 on Senior Civil Servants: resignations, if he will list the Permanent Secretaries that have received severance payments for which the latest information is available.
Pursuant to the previous answer, all details of any payments made to Permanent Secretaries are available in the appropriate Departmental Annual Report and Account for the financial year, or will be published in the annual reports for the upcoming financial year.
With reference to page 110 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, what was the business case for the increase in the number of hours of facility time compared to 2023-24.
In 2024-25, the Cabinet Office spend fell well below the recommended 0.1% maximum spend laid out in the facility time framework guidance. Trade Union representatives have a statutory right to be granted reasonable paid time off to undertake trade union duties and reasonable unpaid time to undertake trade union activities. The facility time guidance sets out the requirement to monitor and report on facility time spend in the Cabinet Office.
What recent assessment he has made of the gender pay gap for special advisers.
The gender pay gap for Special Advisers is published annually on GOV.UK as part of the Cabinet Office Gender Pay Gap Report. The next annual report, covering the most recent period, will be published in due course.
With reference to page 94 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, for what reason Alex Chisholm was given a £57,521 severance payment.
It is a longstanding policy not to comment on individuals. Details of any payments are published in the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts.https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68fb37aec18f97edd2b63756/36.17_CO_ARA_24-25_00-Book_v16A_WEB.pdf Guidance on managing public money effectively is issued by HMT Treasury and it sets out rules and responsibilities, as well as best practice to achieve value for money. This guidance details the circumstances in which severance is payable. All special severance payments are approved by HMT.
With reference to his Department's contract with Goaco Group Ltd, notice identifier 2025/S 000-063254, published on 8 October 2025, if he will list the countries in which subcontractor resources are now located.
This notice relates to the development of the Central Digital Platform for procurement. Goaco Group Ltd sought permission from the Cabinet Office to engage the Open Contracting Partnership (OCP) to undertake independent data quality analysis, so that the continuous improvement of the Platform is supported by the highest level of expertise available. OCP is an independent non-profit charity and has a presence in Spain and Canada. All development work related to this contract remains onshore in the UK. As is the long-standing practice, the Cabinet Office as the contracting authority has given notice of amendment to the Goaco Contract to facilitate this work.
With reference to page 86 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, for what reason Simon Case was given a £201,402 severance payment; and whether this payment was approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
It is a longstanding policy not to comment on individuals. Details of any payments are published in the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68fb37aec18f97edd2b63756/36.17_CO_ARA_24-25_00-Book_v16A_WEB.pdf). Guidance on managing public money effectively is issued by HMT Treasury and it sets out rules and responsibilities, as well as best practice to achieve value for money. This guidance details the circumstances in which severance is payable. All special severance payments are approved by HMT.
With reference to page 79 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, if he will name the SCS2 civil servant who breeched the business appointment rules.
In compliance with the Business Appointment Rules (BARs) the Cabinet Office is transparent in the advice given to individual applications from senior staff, including special advisers. Advice given to senior civil servants regarding specific business appointments is published quarterly on GOV.UK as part of our ongoing transparency obligations. We do not comment on specific individuals or BARs applications.
With reference to page 35 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, if he will list each (a) Minister and (b) senior official who made use of the Government Car Service; and what were the greenhouse gas emissions reported for 2024-25.
The Government Car Service (GCS) provides vehicles to departments as a shared resource and does not record the use of the vehicle on an individual basis. In relation to the specific greenhouse gas emissions of GCS reported for 2024-25, GCS was transferred from the Department for Transport to the Cabinet Office in April 2025. The Cabinet Office does not, therefore, hold information on GCS prior to this date.
Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 74185 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, on what date his Department informed Westminster City Council that the residence in Admiralty House was occupied as a secondary residence.
As the property was a second residence, the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former Deputy Prime Minister - in line with long-standing precedent under successive governments. As has been the case under successive administrations, the Government Property Agency is responsible for liaising with Westminster City Council for matters concerning residency at Admiralty House. Following the introduction of the second homes premium, this has been paid in full in a one-off full payment in July 2025. This payment was made on the date the invoice was received from Westminster City Council.
With reference to page 250 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, what is the (a) purpose and (b) function of the Gresham Estate contract.
The responsibility of the Gresham Estate was transferred to the Office of Government Property (OGP) in 2018. This is an annuity payment which dates back to an Act of Parliament in 1768, when Lord Gresham gave the site to the Crown to use. The Act said he would be paid £500 per annum, and this liability passed to the Gresham Trust when he died, and this is now managed by the Mercers’ Company.
Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 74185 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, whether his Department claimed single person discount for Admiralty House before August 2025.
Westminster City Council’s single person discount can only apply to residences that are your sole or main residence, therefore, the Admiralty House residences are currently ineligible for the discount and a discount was not claimed for or applied to the former DPM’s tenure.
With reference to page 67 of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts 2024-25, published on 23 October 2025, if he will list the venues that Cabinet away days took place in 2024-25.
Cabinet away days taking place in 2024-2025 have been located at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Lancaster House and Chequers.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish a copy of all due diligence and vetting reports produced for the appointment of Lord Mandelson.
It has been the longstanding policy under successive governments not to publish clearances or national security vetting reports.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Lord Mandelson will receive severance pay following his withdrawal as Ambassador to the United States of America.
Lord Mandelson's withdrawal is undergoing normal HR processes.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish a list of each guest entertained by Lord Mandelson during his tenure as Ambassador to the United States of America.
UK Ambassadors and High Commissioners host a wide range of guests. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not publish details of such meetings.
How many houses in multiple occupation are currently being funded by the Home Office to house migrants, broken down by local authority area.
The Home Office does not publish detailed information on the location of asylum accommodation sites for safety and security reasons. Data, published quarterly, on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation can be found within the Asy_D11 tab of our most recent statistics release. The data can broken down by local authority rather than by constituency.Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UKThe Home Office, and its accommodation providers, take into account a range of issues when considering the suitability for dispersed accommodation. Local authorities are consulted on bedspaces before they are procured.
Food and Rural Affairs, when the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund will open for applications.
The Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund is a £360 million long-term investment, delivered over 12 years. We are working closely with industry to identify priority areas for support and to ensure funding is targeted where it will have the greatest impact. Following the conclusion of this engagement phase, we will establish and confirm timelines for the scheme’s launch. This will not open before March 2026 but will be communicated once finalised.
When the Lords' Commissioners of the Treasury will next meet.
There are no plans for the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury to meet. As set out in the Annual Report and Accounts, the Treasury Board met once since July 2024 and the Chancellor of the Exchequer was in attendance.