Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that Government data which is shared with third-party organisations is protected.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Central Digital and Data Office, in the Cabinet Office, sets the policy and leads the cross-government approach to the safe, ethical, legal and secure sharing of government data. They work with the Government Security Group, who also lead on the topic of Supply Chain Security.
When sharing personal data with third party organisations, departments must make sure data is used fairly, lawfully and transparently, in compliance with the data protection principles set in UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. This includes having the requisite data protection controls and governance in place and working with vendors and partners to identify and remediate any risks. All government contracts with suppliers must consider the security of all information and set expectations for how it should be protected.
Departments are responsible for managing their security risks, including the risks to their information that is held and processed by authorised third-parties. The Government Security Standard, local security policies and assurance frameworks such as the Cyber Assessment Framework set out how they should do this. These frameworks and good practice have been collaboratively developed by the Cabinet Office, the National Cyber Security Centre and Departments themselves.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse was of the Emergency alert test on 23 April 2023; and whether a value-for-money analysis was carried out.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Government’s number one job is to keep people safe. Emergency Alerts are a critical new tool in the Government’s toolkit for warning and informing people where their lives are at risk.
The total cost to date of developing the technical architecture and systems that underpin the emergency alert system, in addition to the first three years of operational delivery, will be a maximum of £25.3 million.
All the contracts were established using the civil service public procurement policy. The tender process was therefore subject to a legal framework which encountered free and open competition and value for money, in line with internationally and nationally agreed obligations and regulations.
The capability is currently within a trial period, which will review its use in the live and exercise environment. Any assessments of value for money will be carried out on completion of this.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to extend compensation payments to the children of people affected by the infected blood scandal who died before they were able to receive payment.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s second interim report are still under consideration by the Government. I recognise this is a matter of great importance to many in this House, and I was grateful for the opportunity to update the House on this on 22 June.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to extend infected blood compensation payments to the children of people affected who died before they were able to receive payment.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s second interim report are still under consideration by the Government. I recognise this is a matter of great importance to many in this House, and I was grateful for the opportunity to update the House on this on 22 June.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 March 2023 to Question 173042, whether the investigator has reported to the Prime Minister on the investigation into allegations of bullying made against the Rt hon. Member for Esher and Walton.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The findings of Adam Tolley KC have been published and are available on the gov.uk website. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigation-report-to-the-prime-minister
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to publish the results of the inquiry into allegations of bullying made against the Rt hon. Member for Esher and Walton.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
It would not be appropriate to comment on an ongoing independent investigation.
As set out in the published Terms of Reference, the investigator will report to the Prime Minister on the investigation and the report of the investigation will be made public.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the evidence gathering stage of the inquiry into allegations of bullying made against the Rt hon. Member for Esher and Walton has concluded.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
It would not be appropriate to comment on an ongoing independent investigation.
As set out in the published Terms of Reference, the investigator will report to the Prime Minister on the investigation and the report of the investigation will be made public.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) phones were reported as stolen and (b) people were prosecuted for phone theft in each of the last five years.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question of 9 February is attached.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending financial compensation to bereaved parents and children of people given contaminated blood.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Sir Robert Francis QC has been appointed to carry out an independent study to provide Government with advice and recommendations about a potential framework for compensation to the infected and affected communities. The terms of reference of the study includes consideration of whether compensation should be extended to parents and children. These can be found on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/infected-blood-compensation-framework-study-terms-of-reference.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the scientific basis is for the Government's decision to restrict marriage ceremonies to places of worship or public buildings.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Guidance for small marriages and civil partnerships was published on 22 March and can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-small-marriages-and-civil-partnerships/covid-19-guidance-for-small-marriages-and-civil-partnerships#wedding-and-civil-partnership-ceremony-venues
We recognise that any restrictions on wedding venues may be disappointing for those planning such events, but we have to take necessary steps to limit transmission of COVID-19. This includes the closure of some settings and restrictions on social contact, including wedding and civil partnership ceremonies. By their very nature, weddings and civil partnership ceremonies are events that bring families and friends together, making them particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate the sacrifices people have had to make across the COVID-19 pandemic and we do not wish to keep any restrictions in place longer than we need to.
In the COVID-19 Response - Spring 2021, the Government has set out the gradual and cautious approach to reopening in England, guided by science and the data, including the staged return of weddings and civil partnerships, as well as sporting events.
In order to inform the pace and sequencing of the roadmap, the Government commissioned advice and modelling from SAGE and its sub-groups. Scientific evidence supporting the government response to coronavirus is regularly published here - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/scientific-evidence-supporting-the-government-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19.