Written questions by Holden.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 8434 on Prime Minister: Aviation, which (a) company and (b) commercial facility the Government uses to carbon offset its (i) domestic and (ii) international flights for Ministerial air travel.

All travel using the HMG wet-leased A321 aircraft (known as GBNI) is fully offset. This is done at the end of the financial year to correctly reflect the emissions. The Cabinet Office utilises the HMG Crown Commercial Services (CCS) RM6251 Energy Supply Framework with EDF to offset these emissions.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 22993 on Cabinet Office: Directors, for what reason the declaration of political activity was not published with the announcement of the appointment.

As was the case under the previous administration, the relevant interests of non-executive board members and public appointments will continue to be updated and published bi-annually as part of an established process as set out in the Non-Executive Board Member declaration of interests process - GOV.UK. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-executive-board-member-declaration-of-interests-process/non-executive-board-member-declaration-of-interests-process)

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18670 on DCMS: Official Visits and with reference to the guidance entitled Ministers’ gifts (given and received), travel, hospitality received and meetings with external organisations and individuals, published on 2 April 2024, for what reason data from 1 July to 30 September 2024 was not published by the end of December 2024.

Transparency data for Ministers, Special Advisers and Senior Officials, including for the period of 1 July to 30 September 2024, was published on GOV.UK on 30 January 2025. This data was published alongside the new monthly Register of Ministers' gifts and hospitality, which can be found at the following address - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/register-of-ministers-gifts-and-hospitality.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23481 on Government Departments: Directors, what steps his Department is taking to avoid conflicts of interest in relation to consultant lobbyists serving as a non-executive director of a Department.

The interests of non-executive board members and public appointments will continue to be updated and published bi-annually as part of an established process as set out in the Non-Executive Board Member declaration of interests process - GOV.UK. All financial interests and all remunerated outside employment, work, memberships and appointments should be declared. Disclosure requirements and clear conflict of interest policies are detailed in the guidance to support the department in managing any conflicts of interest. These include recusal from relevant matters, limitations on any gifts, transparent lobbying practices and robust mechanisms for ethics enforcement within government.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 to Question 24650 on Special Advisers: Pay, what changes were made to special adviser pay policy since October 2024.

The updated pay ranges for Special Advisers will be published in the next Annual Report on Special Advisers, which will include the changes referenced in answer to Question 24650.

If he will list (a) each (i) scheme and (ii) programme for the Civil Service Fast Stream and (b) how many people were recruited to the civil service through each in 2024.

There were 15 separate Fast Stream schemes in 2024. The information requested is publicly available within the Fast Stream Annual Report 2024 linked below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-fast-stream-recruitment-data-2024

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23478 on Admiralty House, for what reason the Secretary of State for Defence occupied Admiralty House on a time-limited basis.

As has been the case under successive administrations, the Prime Minister allocates official residences to ministers, either on the grounds of security or to allow them to better perform their official duties.

What discussions the (a) Cabinet Office and (b) 10 Downing Street had with the French Government on the renaming of HMS Agincourt.

The name was proposed by the Royal Navy Ships Names and Badging committee and approved by His Majesty the King.

With reference to Cabinet Office’s FOI disclosure referenced FOI2024/14571 of 4 December 2024, on which dates the Special Adviser People Board has met since the 5 July 2024; and which special advisers attended each meeting.

Alongside the wider work of the Special Adviser People Board, it met on 17 October 2024 and was attended by Morgan McSweeney.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 21390 on Armed Forces: Equality and with reference to the written ministerial statement of 14 May 2024, HCWS464, on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Civil Service, whether his Department's review of the cost of equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure by civil service organisations in the 2022-23 financial year included the Armed Forces.

The review into Equality, Diversity and Equality (EDI) expenditure carried under the previous administration did not include the Armed Forces.

What guidance his Department has issued to Ministers on what costs for moving (a) in and (b) out of official residences can be paid for from the public purse.

No standing guidance is issued to Ministers on this specific issue, as was the case under the previous administration. The appropriate use of public resources is a matter for the relevant Accounting Officer and their individual ministers.

Whether the UK Statistics Authority plans to lay a new Official Statistics Order to designate the National Wealth Fund's statistical outputs as official statistics.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 4th February is attached.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 23894 on Eurostat: Office for National Statistics and the associated correspondence of 17 January 2025 from the National Statistician, if he will make it his policy to (a) publish on gov.uk and (b) deposit in the Library of the House the agreement with Eurostat.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 4th February is attached.

What guidance his Department has issued to Ministers on declaring dual nationality to (a) their department and (b) the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.

There is an established process in place for the declaration and management of ministers’ private interests, which ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest. More information about the process by which ministers declare interests and the categories of interests declared is available in the List of Ministers’ Interests, which is published on Gov.uk

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 18211 on Prime Minister: Aviation, whether this approach is different to that of the previous Prime Minister.

The approach remains the same as that of previous Prime Ministers.

If he will make it his policy to fly the Cross of St George from 10 Downing Street on Saint Crispin’s Day in 2025.

I refer the Rt hon. Member to the answer of 18 December 2024, Official Report, PQ 21060. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-12-18/21060

What the email address is for correspondence from hon. Members to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.

As was the case when the Rt Hon member was a Minister in the department, correspondence from Members of Parliament addressed to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards can be submitted to the Cabinet Office using the contact details available in the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-ministers-and-responsibilities/list-of-ministerial-responsibilities-html

What the estimated spending on Government (a) communications and (b) marketing is in 2024-25 (a) before and (b) after the Autumn Budget 2024.

Historical data on communication and marketing spend is listed by department on the Government efficiency, transparency and accountability page on GOV.uk. The Government Communications Service is expecting to save £85 million in 2024-25 from reducing unnecessary communications spend.

How many all-staff calls have been held in his Department since 4 July 2024; and how many staff attended each of those calls.

There have been a total of 10 all-staff calls during this period. The number of staff attending these calls were:2552233219262078188519161702390327253003

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question HL2719 on Legislation: Impact Assessments, if he will publish that letter.

It is a long-established precedent that internal government correspondence is not normally shared publicly, therefore we will not publish the letter. However, we continue to press Departments on their responsibility on these matters.