Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 4161, on Government departments: marketing, how much has been spent on branded goods and merchandise by (a) the Attorney General’s Office and (b) each of its superintended departments since the Government Chief Commercial Officer letter was sent; on what items, and at what cost.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General
The table below contains data for the Attorney General's Office and each of its superintended departments relevant to the question.
Total Spend on branded goods and merchandise
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Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, how many Senior Civil Service away days have taken place in calendar year 2026 to date; in what specific venues across the Attorney General’s Office and each of its superintended departments; at what cost; and if there was any associated social or team-building activity at public expense.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General
The Attorney General’s Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) held no Senior Civil Service (SCS) away days in calendar year to date 2026.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has held two SCS away days, held at the Civil Service Club. The total cost was ÂŁ1,390.75. There were no associated social or team-building activity at public expense.
The Government Legal Department (GLD) has held two centrally organised SCS away days. They were held at Herbet Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, Exchange House and at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. There were no costs attached for the venue or associated social or team-building activity.
The Crown Prosecution Service has held one SCS away day, at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Picadilly. The total cost of this event was ÂŁ37,367.60.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hermer on 27 April (HL16376), what specific criteria ministers are required to apply when determining whether a proposed reporting or consultation requirement meets the Government's “higher bar” for inclusion in new legislation.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
The starting point will be that requirements are in legislation by exception. Then going forward, formal consultation should only take place where there is still a statutory requirement to consult, where it would be conspicuously unfair not to consult, or where Ministers believe there is a good case for seeking external input and that the right vehicle for doing so is a formal consultation. Even where departments have historically consulted or previously promised to consult, it is expected that each individual instance to be considered afresh, thinking about what is fair in the particular circumstances.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 28 July 2026 to Question HL2133, on International Court of Justice, what non-privileged advice and guidance he has given to the Government on the weight to be given to advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice.
Answered by Andy Slaughter - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Law Officers’ Convention applies to advice which may or may not have been given by the Law Officers, or requested of the Law Officers, and the Convention applies to your question.
The Law Officers’ Convention can be found at paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May:
“By long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, the fact of, and substance of advice from, the law officers of the Crown is not disclosed outside government. This convention is referred to in paragraph [5.14] of the Ministerial Code [updated on 13 October 2025]. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.”
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what advice have the Law Officers given on the personal legal liability of a Secretary of State for actions of their department; and what legal indemnifications are in place for Ministers.
Answered by Andy Slaughter - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Law Officers’ Convention applies to advice which may or may not have been given by the Law Officers, or requested of the Law Officers, and the Convention applies to your question.
The Law Officers’ Convention can be found at paragraph 21.27 of Erskine May:
“By long-standing convention, observed by successive Governments, the fact of, and substance of advice from, the law officers of the Crown is not disclosed outside government. This convention is referred to in paragraph [5.14] of the Ministerial Code [updated on 13 October 2025]. The purpose of this convention is to enable the Government to obtain frank and full legal advice in confidence.”
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether departments are required to record formally how a proposed statutory reporting or consultation requirement has satisfied the Government's “higher bar”; and whether that assessment will be included in explanatory notes or impact assessments accompanying legislation.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
At present there is no intention to require an assessment of statutory reporting or consultation duties in explanatory notes or impact assessments accompanying legislation. Alongside the changes to consultation duties, we will encourage more participatory and collaborative methods to ensure the public's views are meaningfully embedded throughout the policy-making process.Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will appoint a new director of the Serious Fraud Office.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
Preparation to recruit the next Director of the Serious Fraud Office is progressing as planned and the Attorney General intends to publish the job advert at the end of this month. This will be a rigorous recruitment exercise in line with the Civil Service Commissioners’ recruitment principles. It is designed to attract and test the strongest field of talent and the selection process is expected to last at least until the end of November. The Attorney General expects to appoint a permanent Director by the end of this year, to take up the post in 2027.
The SFO plays a critical role in prosecuting fraudsters, delivering justice for victims and ridding the economy of corruption, making Britain better off. It is vital that we take the time to find and appoint the correct candidate to lead the organisation for the next five years.
Asked by: Lord Garnier (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will appoint the new Director of the Serious Fraud Office.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Cluny - Advocate General for Scotland
Preparation to recruit the next Director of the Serious Fraud Office is progressing as planned and the Attorney General intends to publish the job advert at the end of this month. This will be a rigorous recruitment exercise in line with the Civil Service Commissioners’ recruitment principles. It is designed to attract and test the strongest field of talent and the selection process is expected to last at least until the end of November. The Attorney General expects to appoint a permanent Director by the end of this year, to take up the post in 2027.
The SFO plays a critical role in prosecuting fraudsters, delivering justice for victims and ridding the economy of corruption, making Britain better off. It is vital that we take the time to find and appoint the correct candidate to lead the organisation for the next five years.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the Answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 110793, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay (1.0 FTE) in (a) her Department and (b) Crown Prosecution Service work compressed hours over a four day week.
Answered by Andy Slaughter - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The tables below contain data for the Attorney General's Office (AGO) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) relevant to the question.
AGO
Working Pattern | Headcount total | Headcount (%) |
Full Time | 68 | 88.3% |
Full Time - Compressed Hours | 8 | 10.4% |
Part Time | 1 | 1.3% |
Grand Total | 77 | 100% |
CPS
Working Pattern | Headcount total | Headcount (%) |
Full Time | 6102 | 71.41% |
Full Time - Compressed Hours | 704 | 8.24% |
Part Time | 1739 | 20.35% |
Grand Total | 8545 | 100.00% |
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the letter entitled, Simplification and Agency of Government - Letter to all ministers, of 7 September 2026, whether she plans to legislate to disapply the Gunning principles and case law on consultation requirements and expectations, including R v London Borough of Brent ex parte Gunning (1985).
Answered by Andy Slaughter - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The government currently has no plans to legislate to disapply the Gunning principles, which will still have a place in the exceptional circumstances where formal consultation is required. Such circumstances should only include where there is a statutory requirement to consult, where it would be conspicuously unfair not to consult, or where ministers believe there is a good case for seeking external input and that the right vehicle for doing so is a formal consultation.