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 681–700 of 818 · this parliament
Pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2024, to Question 17676, on Ministers: Official Cars, if the Chancellor’s car travel arrangements are at public expense.
We do not comment on the specific arrangements in place for the Chancellor for security reasons.
What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the non-domiciled tax regime on the number of non-domiciled people who will relocate to other European countries.
The Government’s priority is improving the UK’s competitiveness internationally and securing economic growth. The reforms to the tax treatment of non-domiciled individuals have been specifically designed to make the UK competitive, with a modern, simple tax regime that is also fair. The reforms establish a tax regime for new residents which is more attractive to new arrivals than the current rules. The OBR have certified that the non-dom reforms the Government is legislating will raise £33.8bn in total revenue over the five-year forecast period. Evidence from the 2017 reforms shows that the vast majority of former non-doms who became liable for tax on their worldwide income and gains remained UK resident and continued to contribute to the UK economy. The Government published a Tax Information and Impact Note for this policy on 30 October. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-changes-for-non-uk-domiciled-individuals/reforming-the-taxation-of-non-uk-domiciled-individuals.
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 November 2024 to Question 9057 on Treasury: Minister’s Private Offices, what was spent on each item.
The below table shows the costs incurred. Instillation of an exhibition in No. 11 Downing Street from the National Maritime Museum.£2,155Office furniture and fittings£160Maintenance£330
Whether the new Cabinet Secretary has recused himself from any policy areas.
Any relevant outside interests for the new Cabinet Secretary will be published in the usual way.The Cabinet Secretary has previously recused himself from aspects related to Infected Blood issues and this remains the case in his current role.
With reference to his Department's press notice on start-ups published on 9 December 2024, how will the new secondment scheme differ from previous secondment schemes.
The scheme will be an inward secondment programme into the Public Sector Reform, Test & Learn team, for public service delivery experts, working near the frontline to help drive public service reform in their field. The scheme will be flexible in terms of duration and location, and specifically for those with experience relevant to the public service reform project. In addition, the Government is encouraging people from startups and tech companies to enter Government for six to twelve month “Tours of Duty”, putting their skills to use tackling big challenges such as criminal justice or healthcare reform in the next phase of the No 10 Innovation Fellows Programme.
How many members of the senior civil service in his Department have been in post on an interim basis for more than 12 months.
There are 13 Senior Civil Servants in the Cabinet Office who have been in post on a temporary promotion for more than 12 months as of the 31st of December 2024.
When the Honours and Appointments Secretariat last updated the guidance on involvement of Ministers in the Honours System; and if he will place a copy of the current guidance in the Library.
Ministerial guidance on their involvement in the Honours System was last issued by the Prime Minister's Office in June 2022.
Pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2024 to Question 14352 on Government Departments: X Corp and with reference to the SAFE Framework for HMG Brand Safety, how many instances have been recorded where HM Government advertising appeared alongside content later deemed unsuitable since 5 July 2024; and what corrective actions were taken in each case.
Our third party supplier uses verification technology to check that advertising only appears next to appropriate content online. This happens automatically on all our campaigns.They also continue to monitor after delivery. If they find an issue, we immediately pause the advertising campaign until the issue is addressed, and we can be sure it is safe.We have not had any reported issues between 5 July 2024 and present.
Pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 18218 on Ministers: Convictions, whether the established process for appointing Ministers involves the Cabinet Office Ethics and Propriety Team asking if an appointee has previous criminal convictions.
Appointees have a declaration of interests conversation with the Propriety and Ethics Team on appointment, the details of which are confidential. All ministers are expected to adhere to the high standards of conduct set out in the Ministerial Code.
Pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2024 to Question 14113 on the Permanent Secretary Remuneration Committee, whether decisions on Permanent Secretary remuneration are subject to ministerial (a) review and (b) approval.
The Prime Minister makes the final decisions on Permanent Secretary remuneration following recommendations made by the Permanent Secretary Remuneration Committee.
With reference to the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance, published on 14 May 2024, who is responsible for authorising external equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in his Department.
The Cabinet Office complies with the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure guidance published on 14 May 2024, where approval of any external spend is signed off by a Minster or delegated to the Permanent Secretary.
Whether agreement is required from a Minister in his Department before departments employ recruitment consultants for use in public appointment campaigns.
The Governance Code on Public Appointments sets out the process for departments to follow when considering the use of recruitment consultants for public appointment campaigns.The Governance Code requires departments to seek ministerial agreement on the use of recruitment consultants. It also requires the Cabinet Office to be consulted.
With reference to the Answer of 13 November 2024 to Question HL2210 on Government Departments: Communication, which communications campaigns have been (a) downsized and (b) ended following the review.
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided by HMT to Question 20957 on 10 January 2025.
Who are the members of the Civil Service Board; how often does it meet; and where does it meet.
The members of the Civil Service Board are listed on the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-service/about/our-governance The Civil Service Board meets approximately 10 times per year. Meetings are generally held at 70 Whitehall, London and virtually.
Pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 14108 on Arm’s Length Bodies, on what statutory basis Permanent Secretaries rather than Ministers approve framework agreements.
Permanent Secretaries are appointed as Accounting Officers for their departments by the Treasury under section 5 of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000. They are directly responsible to Parliament for ensuring that their department's use of public resources are regular and in line with parliamentary expectations. This includes compliance with the wider framework of authorities, which include the various rules and guidance set out in Managing Public Money. As part of these requirements, Accounting Officers are required to have appropriate structures and systems in place to ensure effective governance of the public bodies that they sponsor. These include the Accounting Officer System Statement, and the need for a framework document for each public body sponsored. As such, in general, the requirement for a framework document is not statutory, but does form part of the Accounting Officer’s duties, meaning that the Accounting Officer is responsible for ensuring that a framework document is in place. Framework documents, while not legal documents, set out the terms of the relationship between the arms-length body and the sponsor, including the sponsorship processes by which public bodies align with and deliver on public policy objectives set by Ministers and, in some cases, legislation. They codify a combination of policy decisions made by ministers, parliamentary expectations and general principles of good governance. The processes for approval are not set out in statute, and can vary from department to department, and from arms-length body to arms-length body.
What steps his Department has taken to safeguard British semiconductor firms from hostile foreign involvement; and how many transactions in that sector have been referred to his Department under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 since 5 July 2024.
The National Security and Investment (NSI) Act 2021 gives the Government powers to scrutinise and potentially intervene in acquisitions of control over entities and assets in or linked to the UK that may pose national security risks. All areas of the economy are within scope, and qualifying acquisitions of entities in 17 areas of the economy - of which semiconductors are typically covered by both the Advanced Materials and Computing Hardware areas - must be notified to and receive approval from the Government. The Government publishes annual reports to provide information about the transactions that it has been notified about and those it subsequently called in for a national security assessment. The period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be covered in the next annual report, which will be published later this year.
With reference to paragraph 60 of the Government response to the 17th Report of Session 2022-23 of the House of Lords Constitution Committee, Permanent Secretaries: their appointment and removal, HL 258, published on 20 October 2023, what recent progress his Department has made on preparing guidance on best practice; whether that guidance will apply to civil servants in the devolved administrations on areas relating to reserved matters; and when he plans to publish that guidance.
I refer to the answer to PQ 14099.
With reference to the Security and Intelligence Agencies Financial Statement 2023-24, for what reason the net cash requirement for the Security and Intelligence Agencies was £419.85 million lower than the estimate; and what assessment he has made of the impact of this underspend on the delivery of planned programmes.
As has been the policy of successive governments, the government does not comment on matters relating to the intelligence agencies. The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament scrutinises the policies, expenditure, administration and operations of the intelligence agencies on behalf of Parliament.
Pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2024 to Question 14502 on Gender: Equality, what guidance the (a) Civil Service People Group and (b) Office for Equality and Opportunities has produced on whether positive discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity is permitted under the Equality Act 2010.
In April 2023, the previous government issued guidance on positive action in the workplace (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/positive-action-in-the-workplace-guidance-for-employers/positive-action-in-the-workplace). This sets out the differences between positive action and positive discrimination and what is permitted under the Equality Act 2010.
Pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 15229 on Senior Civil Servants: Freedom of Information, what best practice guidance does the (a) Cabinet Office FOI Clearing House Internal Review and (b) its successor provide to departments on the level of seniority at which information on civil servants should normally be disclosed in response to FOI requests.
The Cabinet Office has not issued either internal or external guidance on whether Freedom of Information Act requests requesting information on senior civil servants should be disclosed. All requests are considered on their own merits in all circumstances.