11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedPursuant to the Answer of 13 August 2024 to Question HL548 on Government Departments: Remote Working, whether his Department holds comparative headquarters occupancy data for (a) June and (b) July 2024.
ReplyThe publication of this data was suspended in line with pre-election guidance for the duration of the Pre-Election Period. We will provide an update on future publication plans in due course.
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedWhat recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of merging that role into the proposed E
ReplyThe Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests plays a critically important role as a source of trusted, impartial advice.The Government has committed to establishing a new independent Ethics and Integrity Commission, with its own independent Chair. We w...
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedPursuant to the answer of 9 August 2024 to Question 1667 on Prime Minister: Special Advisers, whether the Government plans to introduce collective bargaining agreements for special advisers.
ReplyNo collective bargaining agreements currently apply to special advisers.
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedWhat plans he has to (a) restructure the Cabinet Office and its agencies and (b) transfer responsibilities to Departments.
ReplyFollowing the 4th July 2024 election, there have been two Written Ministerial Statements setting out several Machinery of Government changes, all of which impact the Cabinet Office. The Written Ministerial Statement laid on 24th July 2024 (HCWS19) announc...
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedIf he will publish the application to the Civil Service Commission by the (a) Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and (b) Treasury for the appointment by recruitment principles exception of (i) Emi
ReplyThe Civil Service Commission is operationally independent of the Government. Requests for the disclosure of information sent to the Civil Service Commission by departments should be directed to those departments.
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedIf he will issue guidance on the use of Government funding by third-party organisations to seek (a) to influence regulatory changes and (b) further Government funding.
ReplyThere are existing instructions to Government Funders on the use of government grant funding by third-party organisations. The guidance that the Right Honourable Gentleman is looking for can be found in The Functional Standard for GovS 015: Grants, and as...
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedWhat Prime Minister's policy is on full-time staff in 10 Downing Street working from home; and whether there is a target percentage for workplace occupancy in 10 Downing Street.
ReplyFor management and staffing purposes, the Prime Minister’s Office is a business unit of the Cabinet Office. There is therefore an expectation of a minimum of 60% office attendance for full-time staff in 10 Downing Street.
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedHow many (a) headcount and (b) FTE staff are employed by the Prime Minister's Office; how many such staff are (i) special advisers and (ii) fixed term appointments; and how many desks are provided for staff empl
ReplyI refer the Rt Hon Member to my answer of 23 September 2024, Official Report, PQ 5043 and my answer of 13 September 2024, Official Report, PQ 4663.Sufficient desks are provided to meet the needs of staff in the Prime Minister’s Office.
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedWhether planning applications have been submitted to Westminster City Council in relation to works on the Downing Street estate since 4 July 2024.
ReplyNo planning permissions have been applied for since 4 July 2024.
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedWhat steps the Prime Minister is taking to ensure productive working relations between special advisers in 10 Downing Street.
ReplyDay to day management of special advisers in No10 is delegated to senior Special Advisers who work collaboratively to ensure there are positive working relationships between teams.
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedWhether the Prime Minister's Chief of Staff has a role in the determination of salary levels for special advisers.
ReplySpecial adviser salaries are set according to the special adviser pay framework. Information on Special Adviser numbers and costs will be published in the Annual Report on Special Advisers as per the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governanc...
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedWhat the criteria are for completing a probationary period for special advisers; and who is responsible for determining whether those criteria have been met.
ReplyInformation on the probationary period for special advisers is set out in sections 5 and 6a of the Model Contract for Special Advisers, which is published on gov.uk. There have been no changes to the provisions from when the Rt Hon member was a Minister i...
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedWhat his policy is on Civil Service reform.
ReplyThis Government will develop a strategic plan for a more efficient and effective civil service that is equipped to deliver the Government’s missions for the UK.
11 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedHow many and what proportion of advertised senior civil service vacancies were open to external candidates since 4 July 2024.
ReplyOut of 72 Senior Civil Service vacancies advertised on CS Jobs since 4 July 2024, 59 were open to external candidates. A portion of SCS roles might not be advertised on Civil Service Jobs, due to departments using alternative recruitment platforms and the...
10 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedPursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 904 on Government Departments: Disclosure of Information, what recent estimate he has made of when the platform will go live; and whether each Department will b
ReplyI refer the Rt Hon. Gentleman to my response to PQ09540: that this Government is fully committed to transparency and openness and publishes quarterly transparency data on Gov.uk. The Government is committed to looking at how the range of information publi...
10 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedOn what date Lord Alli was given a Downing Street pass; and on what date it was returned.
ReplyI refer the Rt Hon Member and Hon Member to the answer given by the then Prime Minister on 7 February 2017, Official Report, PQ 62542.
10 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedOn how many days Lord Alli used his Downing Street pass since 4 July 2024.
ReplyI refer the Rt Hon Member and Hon Member to the answer given by the then Prime Minister on 7 February 2017, Official Report, PQ 62542.
10 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedPursuant to the Answer of 13 August 2024 to Question HL548 on Government Departments: Remote Working, if he will publish comparative data for August 2024.
ReplyThe publication of this data was suspended in line with pre-election guidance for the duration of the Pre-Election Period. We will provide an update on future publication plans in due course.
10 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedWhat guidance his Department issues on the number and proportion of (a) Civil Service and (b) public body staff assigned to full-time equivalent staff roles related to equality, diversity and inclusion.
ReplyThere is no guidance issued on the number and proportion of Civil Service or public bodies staff assigned to full-time equivalent staff roles related to equality, diversity and inclusion. Decisions about this are delegated to Civil Service departments and...
10 Sept 2024·Cabinet Office·Answered
AskedWhether his Department has a policy on the (a) purchase of alcohol for workplace social events and (b) location of staff social events outside work.
ReplyAny purchases made using taxpayer money must be evidenced to be necessary to the department’s business. There is no specific policy on the location of staff social events outside work.