Written questions by Dewhirst.

Whether the Autumn Budget 2025 made changes to efficiency savings required of departments in (a) 2025-26, (b) 2026-27 and (c) 2027-28.

No changes were made to efficiency targets in 2025-26, 2026-27 or 2027-28.

With reference to page 48 of the Autumn Budget HC1492, published on 26 November 2025, if she will publish the monetary savings in each year on which the 16% back-office administrative costs figure is based.

These are published in Table 1.1 of the Spending Review 2025 (page 13).

Which pension provider maintains the staff pension scheme for the National Energy System Operator; and whether staff are offered (a) defined benefit and (b) defined contribution pensions.

The employees of the National Energy System Operator (NESO) are not civil servants and are not part of civil service pension schemes. As noted in NESO’s latest annual report and accounts, Legal & General administer the company’s defined contribution pension scheme. There is a legacy defined benefit scheme, transferred as part of the acquisition by government, however this scheme is closed to new members/employees.

With reference to paragraph 9 of the document entitled Outcome of the exploratory discussions on the possible participation of the United Kingdom in the European Union’s internal electricity market, published on 22 December 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential of the environmental protection clause on costs for consumers.

An electricity agreement with the EU will cut the cost of trading electricity with the EU - this means lower wholesale costs and ultimately lower bills. Any agreement will naturally involve a balance of rights and obligations to ensure a level playing field in the trade of electricity between the Parties. The detail of environmental commitments in this agreement, as with other areas, is a matter for negotiations.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2025 to Question 86245 on Alex Chisholm and Simon Case, what was the business case for the approval of the severance payment for Simon Case in March 2025.

The severance payment for Simon Case was made in line with his contract of employment, and guidance concerning special severance payments as defined in HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money.

Whether staff at the National Energy System Operator are permitted to own shares in National Grid.

New employees at the National Energy System Operator (NESO) are required to divest any holding of energy sector shares, including in National Grid plc. For employees transferring from National Grid Energy System Operator there are legacy arrangements in place. They have been allowed to keep their existing shares in the energy sector to prevent any individuals unfairly losing out in the NESO transaction. Employees are required to disclose shareholdings, seek approval for any share sales, and cannot purchase new shares. The board and Executive team cannot acquire new energy sector shares and have to divest all existing holdings over time.

Further to the Commissioner for Public Appointment’s annual report 2024-25, published December 2025, Appendix: direct appointments, what the business case was for appointing Climate Change Committee members for three years without open and fair competition; and if he will publish relevant correspondence to and from the Public Appointments Commissioner.

Professor Swenja Surminski was appointed to the CCC's Adaptation Committee in 2022 following a fair and open competition. She was subsequently appointed as a member of the Climate Change Committee to enhance collaboration between the two Committees, as allowed for under the Climate Change Act 2008. The Commissioner for Public Appointments was consulted, in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Further to the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts, Data for July to September 2025, published by Cabinet Office on 25 December 2025, for what reason the requirement to reduce dependency on advisory services based in the Global North is a key performance indicator in the contract with DAI Global UK.

This KPI relates to a contract with DAI Global UK for the delivery of an overseas development assistance (ODA) funded programme to strengthen institutional capacity in developing countries. The KPI aims to encourage delivery through downstream partners based in developing countries in order to build local leadership and expertise, reducing long-term reliance on UK aid. The headline contract was competitively tendered and awarded to a UK-based supplier.

Whether any gifts or hospitality given to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in a Ministerial capacity since July 2024 by Lord Alli have been returned or refunded.

The Chancellor has not received any gifts or hospitality from Lord Alli since July 2024.

How much HMRC has spent on social media influencers through (a) Pablo in partnership with the Unlimited Group and (b) OmniGov since July 2024.

Spend since July 2024 totals £436,700 through Pablo/Unlimited Group (excluding agency fees) and £85,719 through OmniGov. This expenditure has primarily been directed at campaigns promoting digital channels for interacting with HMRC. In 2025, this activity generated an additional 4.2 million HMRC app downloads, taking total users during this period to over 7 million.

How much the National Wealth Fund spent on trade union facility time in the 2024-25 financial year; how many FTE staff were funded by facility time, and if this included paid time for trade union activities.

As set out in the National Wealth Fund’s Annual Report and Accounts for the 2024-25 financial year, no expenditure was incurred.

With reference to Box 2.D of the Autumn Budget 2025, HC1492, published on 26 November 2025, what information will Departments’ published delivery plans include.

Departmental Efficiency Plans were published alongside the Spending Review 2025 on 11 June 2025 and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/departmental-efficiency-delivery-plans/departmental-efficiency-plans

Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025, to Question 93748, on 10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, how much has been spent from public funds by Cabinet Office, HM Treasury or the Government Property Agency on the Chancellor’s official Ministerial residence in 10 Downing Street since 4 July 2024.

Following the departure of previous occupants, the official Ministerial residence was provided unfurnished. To address this, £19,759.61 was spent since 4 July 2024 on furnishings which remain government property and will be retained for future occupants.

With reference to the Downing Street press release, "Appointment of Axel Heitmueller as Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit and Expert Adviser on Delivery", of 6 January 2026, what is (a) the time commitment expected of the role, (b) the expected end date of the appointment, (c) the monetary amount of his remuneration, and (d) his terms of reference.

Information about this role was published by the government on the new Direct Ministerial Appointments Announcements Portal: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/direct-ministerial-appointments-announcements.

What estimate she has made of the potential financial impact on overseas residents of the removal of Class 2 National Insurance Contributions in relation to their UK state pension entitlement.

The previous rules around voluntary National Insurance Contributions (NICs) allow those with a limited connection to the UK to build UK State Pension entitlement at a very cheap rate. At Budget 2025 the Government took two immediate steps to fix the most unfair elements of these rules. From April 2026 we are removing most access to Class 2 voluntary NICs for periods abroad. This will prevent thousands of people who are not in the UK from building entitlement to a UK State Pension far more cheaply than working people here. Secondly, we are strengthening the link a person needs to have to the UK before they can build their National Insurance record abroad. A person will now need to have spent 10 years living or building their NI record in the UK, up from three years. A Tax Information and Impact Note for these changes will be published alongside the introduction of legislation.

Pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2025 to Question 88684 on Government Department: Cost Effectiveness, whether efficiency savings are reported to her Department.

Departments report efficiency savings to HM Treasury every quarter, as set out in the Government Efficiency Framework.

With reference to the report by the Office for Value for Money entitled The OVfM report, published on 26 November 2025, if she will provide a breakdown and profile of the £14 billion of efficiency savings per year by 2028-29; and whether those savings are (a) in cash terms and (b) cumulative.

The full breakdown of the £14 billion in total annual efficiency gains by 2028-29 can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/departmental-efficiency-delivery-plans/departmental-efficiency-plans

Pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2025, to Question 88682, on Civil Service: Redundancy Pay, whether departmental spending from the exit fund, and numbers of civil servants who will leave, have to be reported by departments to HM Treasury.

Information on how much departments have spent and the number of leavers resulting from exit schemes will be published in Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 95649 on Inflation, whether any public body undertakes assessments of the adequacy of GDP deflator forecasts.

Forecasts for the UK economy, including assessments of the impact of policy decisions, are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR publishes its forecast in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO). The OBR’s latest EFO can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – November 2025 - Office for Budget Responsibility. The OBR’s EFO includes a forecast of the GDP deflator. The OBR is required to produce a Forecast Evaluation Report (FER) each year under the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act (2011). The OBR is required to explain reasons for divergence between its forecasts and subsequent outturns, to support future forecast improvements. The latest Forecast Evaluation Report can be found here: Forecast evaluation report 2025 - Office for Budget Responsibility . Evaluation of the GDP deflator can be found on pages 29-30.

Whether she has accepted the recommendations in the report by the Office for Value for Money entitled The OVfM report, published on 26 November 2025.

The government has accepted the recommendations set out by the Office for Value for Money. This was set out in paragraph 1.7 of the OVfM report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-office-for-value-for-money-report.