Written questions by Hollinrake.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025, to Question 92612, whether Tim Allan is required to recuse himself from government policy or communications on matters relating to the clients of Strand Partners.

Before joining the government, Mr Allan sought and received advice on his interests. He has followed every element of the advice received. As a result of that advice, he resigned his directorship with Strand and ceased any involvement in its governance or operations. Mr Allan has recused himself from engagement with Strand Partners in relation to the firm’s business, and from involvement in any procurement relating to Strand Partners during his period of employment.

If he will publish the correspondence from the Permanent Secretary to his Department to the Hon Member for Thirsk & Malton of 24 November 2025.

There are no plans to publish this correspondence.

Who is responsible for paying the council tax surcharge on Chequers.

Chequers is owned by The Chequers Trust, and therefore payment of Council Tax is not a matter for the government.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2025 to Question 90311 on Prime Minister: Conflict of Interests, whether the Prime Minister has recused himself from policies on football following advice from the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.

I refer to Hon Member to the answer of 2 December 2025, Official Report, PQ 92608.

Pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2025, to Question 85501, on 11 Downing Street: Flats, to the answer of 21 October 2025, to Question 73315, on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, and to the answer of 20 November 2025, to Question 91457, on Written Questions: Government Responses, whether information on itemised spending on the Downing Streets flats has been released by the Cabinet Office under the Freedom of Information Act.

As was the case under successive administrations, an itemised list is not routinely published. Total expenditure from the Prime Minister’s allowance on their official residence is disclosed in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

With reference to the letter from the Permanent Secretary to the hon. Member for Thirsk & Malton, dated 24 November 2025, on what dates Tim Allan met Tom Baldwin since Mr Allan's appointment, and whether Government business was discussed.

The Special Adviser Code of Conduct sets out the categories of meetings, gifts and hospitality that are declared publicly. Any relevant meetings within this category will be published via this process in the normal way.

Further to Cabinet Office Publication of Special Adviser Interests 2024-2025, published on 17 July 2025, what matters Varun Chandra is recused from.

There is an established system in place for the declaration and management of special advisers' interests. As has been the case under successive administrations, interests deemed relevant for publication for special advisers in No10 and the Cabinet Office are published on an annual basis by the Cabinet Office.

With reference to the letter from the Permanent Secretary to the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton, dated 24 November 2025, whether the measures allow Tim Allan to potentially benefit from a rise in the value of his shares in Strand Partners.

Before his appointment as a special adviser, Mr Allan sought and received advice on his interests. He has followed every element of the advice received. Mr Allan has formally waived his rights as a shareholder over any matter requiring consent or approval of investors, as well as rights to receive shareholder information. He has also waived his rights to receive any dividend, and will not receive any share options. He agreed not to increase his shareholdings in Strand Partners during his time as a special adviser. Mr Allan has recused himself from engagement with Strand Partners in relation to the firm’s business, and from involvement in any procurement relating to Strand Partners during his period of employment. He retains an investment in the company.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025, to Question 88674 on Admiralty House: Council tax and the Answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 88718 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, on what specific date in May the Cabinet Office informed Westminster City Council that the occupied Ministerial residence was occupied as a second home and should be charged the second homes council tax premium.

A response has been issued to the hon. Member.

How many Direct Ministerial Appointments are in post across government; and how many are paid.

The Cabinet Office does not hold data from across government on all direct ministerial appointments. As set out in the recently published Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments, the Cabinet Office has recently made changes to its public appointments digital platform, which will allow departments to record and track their data on such appointments.

With reference to page 122 of the OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2025, CP1439, 26 November 2025, if he will itemise the cost of Digital ID Cards in each of those three years.

The number was an initial, and early, estimate, spread over a number of years. We do not recognise it as an accurate cost of the program. Any costs in this Spending Review period will be met within existing settlements. The Government will run a public consultation in the new year.

Whether any Ministers have unspent criminal records.

There is an established process in place for the appointment of ministers. Any conversations held take place in confidence. All ministers are expected to adhere to the high standards of conduct set out in the Ministerial Code.

Whether he has issued recent guidance to Departments on the disclosure of political activity at the same time as the announcement of appointments.

For public appointments, the Governance Code on Public Appointments requires that relevant political activity, as defined within the Code, should be publicly disclosed for successful candidates. This is expected to happen at the time that a department or appointing body announces the successful candidate. Or in the case of those appointments subject to pre-appointment hearing by a House of Commons select committee, the preferred candidate. Direct ministerial appointments are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. This requires declaration of political activity where that is an actual or perceived conflict to their role. This is administered by the appointing body.

What the name of each Mission Board is.

The Mission Boards are:Growth Mission Board;Clean Energy Mission Board;Safer Streets Mission Board;Opportunities Mission Board; andHealth Mission Board.

If the Prime Minister will make it his policy to appear before the Liaison Committee before Christmas recess.

I refer the Hon Member to the Liaison Committee's website, which has published that the Prime Minister is due to appear before the Committee on 15 December.

With reference to the Information Commissioner decision notice of 29 October 2025, Ref IC-362303-N0J6, para 27, whether Lord Alli was on the list provided.

Yes. The UK’s constitutional arrangements require an immediate transition of power the day after a general election. A list of individuals is provided to the Cabinet Secretary’s Office by political parties, so that the incoming Prime Minister has the ability to begin work immediately.

With reference to the answer of 28 October 2025 to Question HL10808 on Official Residences, for what reason the Defence Secretary was allocated use of Flat 2 of Admiralty House.

The Government has a number of official residences that are allocated to ministers to support them to discharge their duties, or on the grounds of security. Admiralty House has been used as an official residence under successive administrations.

With reference to the answer of 28 October 2025 to Question HL10808 on Official Residences, whether his Department paid council tax on the Ministerial residence in Admiralty House between 9 September and 4 November 2024.

The Government paid council tax on the Ministerial residence in Admiralty House between 9 September and 4 November 2024. In line with longstanding precedent, where a minister occupies an official residence as a second home, the responsibility for payment of council tax falls to the Government.

How many months each of the Ministerial flats in Admiralty House have been empty for.

Official residences are allocated to Ministers at the Prime Minister's discretion, to support them in their official duties. This has been the case under decades of successive governments, and it is not usual practice to publish specific dates of their occupation.

Pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 85827 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, for what reason the second homes council tax premium was billed in July 2025.

Before the Second Home premium was introduced in Westminster, the Cabinet Office were aware that the former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was occupying Admiralty House (AH) as a second home and that council tax would therefore be payable by Government. In line with long standing precedent under successive administrations, as the property was a second residence the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former DPM. Similarly, the Cabinet Office is responsible for liaising with Westminster City Council (WCC) for matters concerning residency at Admiralty House. WCC were notified at the beginning of May that the former DPM was occupying AH as a second home for council tax purposes, and details were provided for WCC to issue a bill accordingly.GPA wrote to WCC in June to confirm that the second homes premium applied. WCC issued an invoice in July which was paid the same day.