Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in The Sunday Telegraph, when her Department is expected to terminate its contract with the Prince's Trust, order reference C191156; and whether a notice period is required under the provisions of clause 10.2.2 of that contract.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in The Sunday Telegraph, when the Royal Botanic Gardens is expected to terminate its contract with Red Snapper Ltd., procurement reference BIP829617988; and whether a notice period will be required under the provisions of that contract.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is an operationally independent arm’s length body (ALB). Civil Service EDI expenditure guidance does not extend to organisations outside the Civil Service or ALBs not employing Civil Servants.
The contract with Red Snapper Ltd is due to expire on 21 February 2025.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in the Sunday Telegraph, when he expects the Office for Nuclear Regulation to cancel its contract with Lisa Ellis Training for diversity and inclusion training, procurement reference ONR/T974; and whether a notice period will be required under the provisions of that contract.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The ONR contract with Lisa Ellis of Bespoke Business Solutions for diversity and inclusion training was implemented in January 2024 for a period of three years to deliver 24 courses per annum with a total value of £36k over the three-year period. ONR has no plans to terminate this contract.
As a public corporation, ONR sits outside the civil service and is not subject to the Guidance on Diversity and Inclusion and Impartiality for Civil Servants, published on 14 May.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department's publications entitled DSIT: spending over £500, October 2023 and DSIT: spending over £500, November 2023, published on 17 May 2024 for what reason payments of (a) £794.50 were made to Trove on 18 October 2023 and (b) £700 were made to Blue Orchid Hotels on 27 November 2023.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department spent a) £794.50 at Trove on catering for 70 people attending an all-day staff training event held off-site and b) £700 with Blue Orchid Hotels on the hire of a venue and equipment for an all-day staff training event for 100 people.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in The Sunday Telegraph, when the Equality and Human Rights Commission is expected to withdraw the requirement in their contract with Be Applied Ltd., procurement reference EHRC 2021-29, for organisational wide diversity reporting; and whether the projected cost of that contract up to 24 January 2025 will be reduced through the withdrawal of that requirement.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in The Sunday Telegraph, when her Department intends to withdraw the requirement set out in Clause 4.6 of her Department's contract with VSC Plus Limited (The Staff College), procurement reference 352575/1322575; and whether the projected cost of the contract up to 29 December 2028 will be reduced through the withdrawal of that requirement.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
There should be no external equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) spend in the Civil Service unless cleared and authorised by Ministers.
The contract with VSC Plus Limited (The Staff College) is due to expire on 31 December 2026. We do not intend to terminate it early.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in The Sunday Telegraph, when the UK Infrastructure Bank is expected to cancel its contract with Constellia Public Ltd, procurement reference CO313; and whether a notice period will be required under the provisions of that contract.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK Infrastructure Bank is an operationally independent arms-length body. Civil Service EDI expenditure guidance does not extend to organisations outside the Civil Service or ALBs not employing Civil Servants.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2024 to Question 25195 on Inheritance Tax, for what reason he has not provided the requested data for the number of people waiting for (a) one to two, (b) two to three, (c) three to four, (d) four to five, (e) five to six and (e) more than six months since submitting their IHT400 form to receive the unique code from HMRC as of 8 May 2024.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC's service level agreement is to process 80% of Inheritance Tax forms within 15 working days. From January to April 2024, their data shows they met or exceeded this target, with most people receiving their codes within the 15-day timeframe. However, HMRC does not provide specifics on longer wait times beyond 15 working days, such as how many people waited 1-2 months or more after submitting forms. While most individuals received codes on time during this period, the exact breakdown for longer waits is not publicly available.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2024 to Question 25812 on Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Contracts and with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in The Sunday Telegraph, whether the DVLA intends to cancel the contract with Political Engagement Ltd.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The DVLA is reviewing a range of commitments, in line with Cabinet Office guidance. There has been no spending under this particular contract.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's publication of spending over £500 using a government procurement card from October to December 2023 on 17 May 2024, for what purpose payments were made of (a) £662.70 to Paul on 10 October 2023, (b) £2,157.60 to Revolution Events on 6 November 2023, (c) £865.64 to Hilton International on 16 November 2023, and (d) £1,023.02 to Orbis Coffee on 17 November 2023.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We can confirm that the only information we hold regarding the purpose of these payments is related to the provision of catering, conference attendance and accommodation.