Every parliamentary written question tabled by Richard Holden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 281–300 of 775 · Cabinet Office
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54760 on Civil Servants: London, whether he plans to require any civil servants based in London to compulsorily relocate as part of the Places for Growth scheme.
London-based civil servants will not be required to compulsorily relocate as part of Places for Growth. Role relocations will occur predominantly through churn and some London-based civil servants may choose to voluntarily relocate.
Pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2025 to Question 53204 on Central Government: Empty Property, whether the InSite database is accessible to the public.
The InSite database is an internal government system and is not accessible to the public. While the data held in InSite informs public outputs such as official reports, the platform itself is not publicly available due to data protection, security, and operational sensitivity considerations. Members of the public can view information on vacant or surplus government-owned properties via the Government Property Finder: https://www.gov.uk/find-government-property
With reference to paragraph 1.24 of the Review Body on Senior Salaries publication Forty-seventh annual report on senior salaries published in May 2025, what steps the Government is taking to reduce excessive (a) bureaucracy and (b) process in the Civil Service.
This Government is committed to creating a productive and agile state. This includes reducing bureaucracy and simplifying processes through adoption of digital technology and AI tools, improving Ministerial oversight and accountability in arms-length bodies, streamlining approval processes, creating a cost-conscious culture that relentlessly roots out waste, drives efficiency, and protects taxpayers’ money, and establishing a more productive, higher-skilled civil service with stronger accountability for performance.
Pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59366 on Cabinet Office: staff, whether his Department has a target for (a) voluntary and (b) compulsory exits; and what communications have been sent to civil servants on this matter.
As set out in the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59366, in line with the 2025 Spending Review, we are restructuring the Cabinet Office into a more strategic, specialised, and smaller department to achieve £110 million in annual expenditure savings by the 2028/29 financial year. Our focus is on identifying budgetary savings rather than meeting a specific headcount target.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54800 on Government Departments: Press Offices, if he will publish the guidance on the use of party political commodities at Government press conferences.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to my answer of 21 March 2025, Official Report, PQ 47333.
If he will publish the response to the Freedom of Information Act request reference FOI2025/05753 of 12 June 2025.
The request document will be deposited in the House Libraries.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 57737 on European Parliament Members: Workplace Pensions, which public body holds information on the pension scheme liabilities for UK MEPs from 2009 up to the date the UK left the EU.
The European Parliamentary (United Kingdom Representatives) Pension Scheme closed to new members in 2009. Active members were able to continue contributing to this scheme or to join a new European Union (EU) Members of the European Parliament (MEP) scheme. HMT holds information on the pension scheme liabilities for this scheme and the information is available in the Consolidated Fund Accounts 2023 to 2024 page 37 section 7:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consolidated-fund-account-2023-to-2024In 2009, the EU implemented a uniform pension scheme for all MEPs, replacing the previous system where MEPs received pensions and salaries from their respective member states.MEPs elected from 2009 onwards are members of the EU pension scheme and the UK’s share of the pension liabilities are covered by the EU Exit agreement. Information about the EU scheme liabilities can be found at the following link on the UK Parliament website:https://committees.parliament.uk/work/3906/exiting-the-eu-the-financial-settlement-inquiry/#:~:text=As%20part%20of%20the%20ongoing,the%20estimated%20settlement%20and%20why.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54781 on Arm’s Length Bodies: Equality, whether there is any monitoring of the EDI spending exemptions authorised by Arm’s Length Bodies; and whether there is any requirement on Arm’s Length Bodies to publish details of the exempted expenditure as Whitehall departments are required.
The Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance published on 14 May 2024 applies to all Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) who employ civil servants. As such, those ALBs are required to publish details of the exempted expenditure as Whitehall departments are required.
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49382 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, whether the relevant narrative entry in the transparency data will show which OCS invoice relates to the refurbishment of the Downing Street media room.
The Government Property Agency is awaiting OCS' submission of an application for payment for the costs for the 9DS Media Suite.
What estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse for Senior Civil Service pay in the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial years.
The latest paybill information for the Senior Civil Service can be found in the 2025/26 annual report by the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB).
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54812 on Government Departments: media, if he will list the 180 companies that expressed an interest in providing external public relations under the RM6364 Media and Creative Framework.
The procurement process under RM6364 Media and Creative Framework is currently live. As such, we are unable to disclose details of the interest expressed by individual companies at this stage, as doing so would be likely to prejudice the commercial interests of the Crown Commercial Service and the bidders engaged in the bidding process. Further information will be made available in accordance with procurement confidentiality and competition rules as the process progresses. The agreement is due to be awarded in December 2025.
With reference to the entry in his Department's publication entitled Cabinet Office Commercial Pipeline 2024-26, of 31 October 2024 P2465: CO COMMERCIAL: Venue Booking Services, who the supplier is of those services.
Calder Conferences Limited is the current supplier providing Venue Booking Services to the Cabinet Office. This contract started in February 2023 under the previous administration.
Pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 53901 on Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender Independent Review, how the UK Statistics Authority plans to inform (a) Parliament and (b) the public of whether the recommendations in the Review will be taken forward once the Authority Board has concluded its considerations of the Review.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 2nd July is attached.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54825 on Government Departments: Training, if he will publish the updated guidance on the use of external venues.
A copy of the Cabinet Office's guidance on the use of external venues will be placed in the libraries of both Houses.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54812 on Government Departments: media, what guidance is issued by the Government Communication Service on the procurement of external public relations companies.
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) provides a framework agreement that enables contracting authorities to access suppliers who provide services in this area. As with any procurement through established framework agreements, CCS provides guidance to ensure any procurement is conducted in compliance with UK procurement regulations. Guidance can be found on the CCS webpage: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6125. Individual contracting authorities are responsible for their own procurement processes under this framework agreement. Any campaign spending of £100,000 or more must go through the Government Communication Service’s advertising, marketing and communications (AMC) spend control process. Guidance is available at the following link: https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/guidance/marketing/delivering-government-campaigns/professional-assurance/
With reference to para 3.61 of the Review Body on Senior Salaries, Forty-seventh annual report on senior salaries, published in May 2025, CP 1329, whether he plans to tackle the pay differentials for civil servants at the same grade working in the same building who are employed by the (a) UK, (b) Welsh and (c) Scottish governments.
The Government has recently accepted the recommendation from the Senior Salaries Review Body for a fundamental review of the Senior Civil Service pay and reward frameworks.
Pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54011 on Intelligence and Security Committee, whether there will be a (a) formal and (b) public government response to the ISC press release of 1 May.
The Cabinet Office is engaging constructively with the Intelligence and Security Committee, and will continue to do so.
With reference to para 3.152 of the Review Body on Senior Salaries, Forty-seventh annual report on senior salaries, published in May 2025, CP 1329, what the past-service deficit payment is on the Alpha employer contribution rate.
The employer contribution rate is determined by the Civil Service Pension Scheme Valuation, which takes place every four years, with current rates being set following the 2020 valuation. Details of the past service deficit are available on pages 22-25 of the 2020 Civil Service Pension Scheme Valuation available at https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/media/qgbfvy5h/civil-service-gb-valuation-report_18_9_23_accessible.pdf
Whether his Department plans to publish a response to the press release of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament of 1 May 2025.
The Cabinet Office is engaging constructively with the Intelligence and Security Committee, and will continue to do so.
Whether guidance has been provided on how the provisions of the Bribery Act 2010 could potentially apply to the provision of gifts and hospitality to Ministers.
The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of Ministers, including the overarching duty to comply with the law. The Code sets out guidance on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality, stipulating that Ministers should not accept any gift, hospitality, or service which would, or might reasonably appear to, compromise their judgement or place them under an obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence their work in government. The Code also explains how details of ministerial gifts or hospitality received will be published, and that gifts given to Ministers in their ministerial capacity become the property of the government.