Written questions by Dewhirst.

With reference to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question HL2426 on Ministers: Official Cars, how many vehicles of the Government Car Service were available for senior official use in (a) 2023 and (b) in the latest period for which data is available.

The Government Car Service (GCS) does not determine the allocation of vehicles to senior officials, this is carried out by individual Departmental Private Offices. The arrangements relating to the use of vehicles from the Government Car Service are set out in the Civil Service Management Code. There has been no change in this policy since 2023.

With reference to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question HL2426 on Ministers: Official Cars, how many of those cars in each year listed were electric cars.

The number of electric vehicles in the Government Car Service operational fleet for the specified years is:1.2016: 42. 2023: 363.2024: 36

Whether his Department has provided (a) media and (b) speech training to Ministers across government.

Since July 2024, there has been no provision of media or speech training to Ministers from the Cabinet Office.

Innovation and Technology, what the cost to the public purse is of AI training programmes for civil servants.

Learning in the civil service can be sourced either at a department level or centrally via a cross government learning framework. We are unable to share total consolidated spend but the spend associated with AI training purchased via the learning framework in 2024 is £107,000.

With reference to his Department's advert for Second Permanent Secretary, European Union and International Economic Affairs, reference number 380316, if he will publish the panel members of that competition.

Details of the panel members will be confirmed and published in due course.

With reference to the Register Of Interests Of Members' Secretaries And Research Assistants, published on 11 October 2024, whether Nicholas Garland (a) attends meetings in her Department and (b) has provided policy advice in relation to her Ministerial responsibilities.

Nicholas Garland is not a Special Adviser to the Chancellor or a Civil Servant and therefore does not attend meetings or provide policy advice to the Chancellor in this capacity.

How many meetings Kamella Hudson attended with her Department since 5 July 2024.

All meetings held by Ministers are published on a quarterly basis on gov.uk. Any meetings held between July and September will be published in late December here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

For what reason his Department renamed the Cross-Government Women’s Network as the Cross-Government Gender Network.

The network has been operating under this name since it was changed in July 2020, under the previous administration. The decision was made by the Cross-Government network itself, not by the Cabinet Office.

If she will list each of the business attendees who accompanied Arden Strategies at her Department's roundtable on 17 September 2024.

The Government engaged with a number of different businesses and trade bodies in the run up to the International Investment Summit to help coordinate meetings with key investors as part of the usual course of business. It also has an ongoing business engagement programme run by officials. All external meetings between senior officials at Permanent Secretary and Director General are published on gov.uk in the usual way as part of the department’s quarterly transparency return.

If she will place in the House of Commons Library a copy of each (a) equality assessment and (b) environmental principles assessment released by her Department under the (i) Freedom of Information Act 2000 and (ii) Environmental Information Regulations since 4 July 2024, redacting the name of individual applicants.

Since 4 July 2024, HM Treasury has released two impact assessments in response to Freedom of Information requests. The first, on targeting the Winter Fuel Allowance is available publicly on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/responses-to-freedom-of-information-requests-on-equality-impact-assessments-produced-for-targeting-winter-fuel-payment. The second, on removing the temporary £20-per-week uplift for Universal Credit during the Covid-19 pandemic March 2020 has been provided to the House of Lords library.

Media and Sport, what the reference numbers are of Government Art Collection works that have been removed from 11 Downing Street since the general election; and what the reference numbers are of works that are scheduled to be removed.

GAC artworks removed from 11 Downing Street since the General Election can be found in the table below. In some cases, artworks have been removed from No.11 as they have been committed as loans to public exhibitions at other museums or galleries. GAC Inventory137831835518114/418114/318114/218114/117717474212552619324642721636279121100/8613349186241333392678765876487628761875772646670368617233500/25

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13512 on Employers’ Contributions: Public Sector, if she will publish a list of each public body within the public sector boundary for the purpose of compensation for the National Insurance rise in the Autumn Budget 2024.

The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way.This is in line with the approach taken under the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.The Government plans to update Parliament on allocations by department in the usual way as soon as possible.

What the cost to the public purse was of Government Campus ministerial induction sessions since July 2024; and what the estimated cost is of future scheduled sessions.

In July 2024, two ministerial induction events were held. One event was in-person and incurred costs of £55.00 for refreshments. One was held online and incurred no specific costs. The cost of future events will depend on the format chosen for delivery, but will be based on an appropriate use of public money.

Whether Ian Corfield has left his role at her Department following the International Investment Summit in October 2024.

Ian Corfield was appointed on a short-term basis to carry out urgent work in support of the government’s International Investment Summit on 14 October. He has now left the department, as planned.

What the mean full-time equivalent salary is of staff in the (a) Office for Equality and Opportunity, (b) Women’s Equality Unit, (c) Race Disparity Unit and (d) Disability Unit in the most recent period for which data is available.

Salaries ranges for each civil servant grade are set by the Cabinet Office and are not at the discretion of the individual business units such as the Office for Equality and Opportunity. The mean full time equivalent salary of staff in the Office for Equality and Opportunity (which includes the sub-units of Women's Equality Unit, Race Disparity Unit and Disability Unit) is £54,400, rounded to the nearest £100.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase the screening rates for prostate cancer in men aged over 50; and if he will take steps to increase the level of funding available to help screen more men over 50 for prostate cancer.

Screening for prostate cancer is currently not recommended by the UK National Screening Committees (UK NSC) due to the inaccuracy of the current best test called the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). A PSA-based screening programme could harm some men as many would be diagnosed with a cancer that would not have caused them problems during their life. This would lead to additional tests and treatments which can also have harmful side effects, for example, sexual dysfunction and incontinence.That is why no steps have been taken to increase the screening rates and funding for prostate cancer screening for men over 50. However, the Government have invested £16 million into a trial seeking to find better methods of detecting prostate cancer.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of offering a single social tariff for water for customers on a low income.

It is clear consumers are concerned about their bills. We are therefore continuing to work with water industry to explore options to improve affordability arrangements, including holding the sector accountable for their public commitment to end water poverty by 2030. The Government is also committed to taking action to address water poverty and help vulnerable customers with their water bills. All water companies have measures in place for customers who struggle to pay for their water and wastewater services, including measures such as WaterSure, social tariffs, payment breaks and holidays, and debt management support. Water companies should ensure that their customers know what support schemes are available and how to use them if they need help.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2024 to Question 11965 on Cabinet Office: Official Cars, how many senior officials had use of an official car from the Government Car Service on (a) 3 July and (b) 8 November.

The Government Car Service (GCS) offers vehicles to government departments as a shared resource. Each department independently determines the allocation of these vehicles. For security reasons specific details of car allocations are not issued. The arrangements relating to the using of vehicles in the Government Car Service is set out in the Civil Service Management Code.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2024 to Question 11964 on Cabinet Office: Official Cars, what the security reasons are for not disclosing the number of allocated departmental Government Car Service cars that are electric.

For security reasons specific details of allocations including make and model of vehicles, or any other information which could identify the vehicle are not issued.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 16 October 2024 to Questions 7002 and 7003 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Official Cars, if he publish a list of senior officials with access to a government car; and whether those officials had access to a government car before the general election.

For security reasons specific details of usage patterns and allocations including make and model of vehicles are not issued.The arrangements relating to the usage of vehicles are set out in the Civil Service Management Code.