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 681–700 of 763 · Cabinet Office
When the Prime Minister became aware of the previous fraud conviction of the former Transport Secretary, the Rt Hon. Member for Sheffield Heeley.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the statements the Prime Minister has already made about the former Transport Secretary’s resignation at Prime Minister’s questions on 4 December.
With reference to his Department's press release entitled Conclusion of His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme, published on 28 November 2024, if he will list each (a) UK, (b) Welsh and (c) Scottish Government public body which was eligible for but did not order a free portrait.
Public authorities throughout the United Kingdom were given an opportunity to apply for a free portrait of His Majesty The King if they wanted to display it in their building. This was a voluntary scheme to mark the accession of His Majesty The King. The announcement was originally made on 1 April 2023 and the scheme was launched in November that year and closed for applications in August 2024.As it was a voluntary scheme, there was no obligation for public authorities to apply for a portrait. It would therefore be inappropriate to disclose the list of individual authorities and institutions which did not order a free portrait.
Whether Ministers are required to declare (a) spent and (b) unspent criminal convictions when they are formally appointed.
There is an established process in place for the appointment of ministers.Expectations of the standards of conduct expected of all government ministers are set out in the Ministerial Code.
What assessment he has made of the implications for the Government's policies on departmental check-off arrangements of Supreme Court judgment [2024] UKSC 41 relating to (a) Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs v Public and Commercial Services Union [2023] UKSC 75; (b) Commissioners for His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs v Public and Commercial Services Union [2023] UKSC 76 and (c) Secretary of State for the Home Department v Public and Commercial Services Union [2024] UKSC 77.
Departments are responsible for the development of their own workforce policies, subject to the framework of instructions set out in the Civil Service Management Code. This includes the administration of check-off arrangements.
If he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of variations in practice on the publication of Government Procurement Card and Electronic Purchasing Card transaction data by Government Departments.
The policy setting out the requirement to publish Government Procurement Card transactions over £500 remains in place. This is available to all government departments on gov.uk at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e8b402686650c18ce2cb541/Procurement_Cards_-_Pan_Government_Policy_V4_06042020.pdf The policy clearly sets out the standard that departments must publish to, which includes transaction date, transaction reference, merchant name and the amount spent.
With reference to the Civil Service Jobs advertisement reference 378636, why four positions are being recruited; whether they are new positions; and whether the former incumbents left since 4 July 2024.
The roles advertised are to support No10 buildings facilities team. They are replacement roles due to vacancies and upcoming retirement, which existed under the previous government – not new roles.
Whether his Department has organised away days for Senior Civil Service officials since the dissolution of Parliament.
From the dissolution of Parliament on 30 May 2024 until the State Opening of Parliament on 17 July 2024, the Cabinet Office has not organised any away days for Senior Civil Servants (SCS). There have been two SCS Leadership Conferences since then, one on 23 July 2024 and another on 10 October 2024.
What plans he has to amend the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991.
The Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 (MoPSA) includes provision for severance payments to ministers and certain office-holders.The Chancellor announced in July that ahead of the Spending Review she would review eligibility for ministerial severance payments based on time in office, as set out in MoPSA. This review is ongoing.
When Sue Gray's employment as a special adviser ended.
Sue Gray’s employment as a special adviser ended on 6 October 2024 following her resignation that day.
How many special advisers in 10 Downing Street cover foreign affairs.
Special adviser appointments are published annually.
Whether members of the Lobby may take photographs on flights travelling with the Prime Minister.
The lobby is able to take photographs on flights with the Prime Minister when conditions allow.
Whether there are plans for 10 Downing Street to communicate via the Blue Sky social media channel.
The Government continues to look at ways to make sure the government’s digital communications better reflect the way the public now consumes information online.
Whether the Prime Minister plans to publish his tax return on gov.uk for 2023-24.
There is an established process in place for the declaration and management of interests held by ministers. This ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest.As set out in the List of Ministers' Interests (November 2024), as part of the ministers' interests process, Ministers are asked to confirm that their tax affairs are up to date and that the arrangement of their affairs is consistent with their overarching duty to comply with the law. The List of Ministers' Interests is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-ministers-interests
With reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 4 December 2024, Official Report, column 291, on what evidential basis he stated that two of the Leader of the Opposition’s predecessors had convictions for breaking covid rules.
My Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister was referring to the Fixed Penalty Notices received by two former Prime Ministers for breaking COVID lockdown rules. The Prime Minister is happy to clarify that a Fixed Penalty Notice does not constitute a criminal conviction. He stands by the relevance of raising to the attention of the House that two former Conservative Prime Ministers were fined by the police for breaking the COVID rules that they put in place for others.
Whether club memberships are paid for from the public purse for (a) staff, (b) contractors and (c) other employees.
The Cabinet Office does not pay for staff membership fees for any clubs.
How long after the end of the relevant month ministerial (a) gift and (b) hospitality data will be published.
The Government will publish, monthly, a register of ministers’ gifts and hospitality. Work on the new register is progressing and further details will be published in due course.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2024 to Question 5574 on Lord Alli, whether any political receptions held in Downing Street have been billed through the Cabinet Office and recharged to the governing party since 5 July 2024.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to my answer of 09 October 2024, Official Report, PQ 5574.
What changes have been made to the planned delivery date of the Rosa Renewal Project since inception.
The Rosa Renewal Project remains on track to complete by March 2025. It is an agile project planned to ensure the resilience of HMG’s existing shared service capability for working on very sensitive information, and managed under the Government Major Projects Portfolio.
Pursuant to the answer of 4 October 2024 to Question 4668 on Government Communication Service, for what reason the Government will not provide this information.
The audit contains the personal information of circa 6,500 communicators across government. Even if the data was anonymised, there is still a risk that individuals could be identified.
Pursuant to the Answer of 7 October 2024 to Question 5121 on Employment, whether he has made an estimate of the potential cost to public authorities of the Government’s procurement reforms on (a) new social value requirements and (b) trade union recognition and access requirements.
The Employment Rights Bill was published in October along with a full Impact Assessment. The government will also publish a new National Procurement Policy Statement that will set how we will ensure that public procurement supports the Government’s missions, drives value for money and delivers social value.