Cabinet Office

The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) will narrow its focus towards the UK’s top national security priorities, as set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 10 February 2026. This includes tackling five key threat areas (Russia; Iran & its proxies; threats emanating from the Asia Pacific region; Serious & Organised Crime; and Terrorism) and building UK sovereign capabilities in four other areas (Cyber & Tech, Biosecurity, Counter State & Hybrid Threats and Economic Security). ISF allocations to each of these areas were driven by an assessment of the UK’s most acute national security threats and programmes’ alignment with the ISF’s principles (agility, integration, high risk appetite and catalytic effect).

The ISF will also continue to deliver conflict and instability programming, where there is a direct link to UK national security. ISF teams are also expected to continue to mainstream gender throughout their work across the ISF’s priorities, including through projects which focus specifically on gender and social inclusion.

The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) will narrow its focus towards the UK’s top national security priorities, as set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 10 February 2026. This includes tackling five key threat areas (Russia; Iran & its proxies; threats emanating from the Asia Pacific region; Serious & Organised Crime; and Terrorism) and building UK sovereign capabilities in four other areas (Cyber & Tech, Biosecurity, Counter State & Hybrid Threats and Economic Security). ISF allocations to each of these areas were driven by an assessment of the UK’s most acute national security threats and programmes’ alignment with the ISF’s principles (agility, integration, high risk appetite and catalytic effect).

The ISF will also continue to deliver conflict and instability programming, where there is a direct link to UK national security. ISF teams are also expected to continue to mainstream gender throughout their work across the ISF’s priorities, including through projects which focus specifically on gender and social inclusion.

The decrease in the Integrated Security Fund’s (ISF) national security programming budget means that we need to focus resources on the highest priority threats to national security, as set out in the Written Ministerial Statement on 10 February. The Government has therefore taken the decision to close the standalone Gender and National Security (GNS) portfolio in 2026/27.

The ISF will continue to provide £0.8m each year to fund the Women, Peace and Security Helpdesk, which forms part of the GNS portfolio this year. The Helpdesk provides high-impact technical and advisory support to teams across Government, including the ISF. This supports delivery of gender-sensitive activity aligned to UK national security priorities.

Teams across government delivering ISF programming are also expected to continue to mainstream gender throughout their work, including through projects which specifically address gender and social inclusion.

They are also expected to monitor the gender and social inclusion impacts of their activity and in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty obligations, programmes will consider the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations across protected characteristics.

I refer the Noble Lady to the Prime Minister’s letter to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards of 12 November which states that in Autumn 2024 the Prime Minister agreed to recuse himself from decisions relating to the Football Governance Bill.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided by the Rt. Hon. Member for Redcar to 95650, which was answered on 9th December.

In accordance with data protection regulations, we do not provide information about candidates in Civil Service recruitment processes.

Sir Chris Wormald has entered a settlement agreement with the Cabinet Office, on his departure from the Civil Service. Financial details will be published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has introduced the RM6364 Media and Creative Services agreement for the procurement of marketing, media, and communication services to replace both RM6125 and RM6123.

There are no further replacement agreements planned for RM6123, in whole or in part, to run in parallel with RM6364.

Contracts awarded under the Procurement Act 2023 which are considered to be below threshold (where the total value of a contract for goods and services is less than £135,018 including VAT) can already be reserved to UK-based suppliers, or suppliers based in specific regions.

The Government is determined to ensure the £400 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually delivers economic growth and supports British businesses. Last year we consulted on a range of procurement reforms and will publish our response imminently.

When considering whether to reserve contracts to UK-based suppliers the Cabinet Office will take into account the current market for the goods/services being bought, and undertake supplier due diligence.

The Cabinet Office uses Fivium's e-Case for the management of Freedom of Information requests made to the department.

Freedom of Information statistics for all central government bodies, including the Cabinet Office, are published on a quarterly and annual basis on Gov.UK at www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics.

The Cabinet Office is the customer for the contract "GBNI - Provision of Public Sector Air Capability (NEWMAT PM-R)".

This Government is determined to ensure the £400 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually delivers economic growth and supports British businesses, especially SMEs.

Since coming into office, this Government has published a new, more ambitious, National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) setting out our vision for public procurement. The NPPS requires contracting authorities to consider ways to increase procurement spend with SMEs and Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises (VCSEs).

We have also introduced changes allowing local councils to reserve over one billion pounds worth of lower value contracts to suppliers based locally or within the UK which has recently become law, a step strongly supported by SMEs.

We will set out further reforms, including the response to the recent public procurement consultation, in due course.

Guidance for Government departments on responding to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's findings and recommendations is published on gov.uk (‘Handling of Parliamentary Ombudsman Cases’, Cabinet Office, May 2022).

Financial redress is governed by HM Treasury’s ‘Managing Public Money’ principles that payments must be fair, reasonable and proportionate.

Thank you for your question, I refer to the terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS), a statutory Scheme for all civil servants, including the SCS and Permanent Secretaries, which allows the payment of compensation to members who leave on early departure terms.

Thank you for your question. I refer to the Minister without Portfolio’s s answer PQ 82675.

The Cabinet Office does not hold the requested information.

The table below shows the breakdown of grades for the vacancies referred to in our previous answer:

In order to release details of roles advertised cross-government, we would need to consult with each vacancy holder/recruitment team to understand why the role was not advertised externally (i.e. was this due to logistics or for security reasons) and seek their consent to public release. This would exceed the cost limit of PQs and, as such, we are unable to provide this information.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 20th February is attached.

This information is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office.

Departments have delegated responsibility for decisions relating to dismissal of an employee.

Civil Service statistics on the composition of the Civil Service workforce, including data on those leaving the Civil Service due to dismissals, are available on GOV.UK.

Since February 2025 there have been three CEO Community Calls. The Chief Executive Officer level attendees numbered 24, 27 and 54. There is no dedicated staff for this work, as the calls were delivered as part of the range of events and services offered by the public sector leadership team.

The Civil Service pension schemes are some of the most generous pension schemes available in the UK, utilising defined benefit arrangements and contractual enrolment to ensure those who dedicate their working lives to public service are rewarded appropriately in retirement. The vast majority of private sector employers utilise defined contribution arrangements and automatic enrolment therefore a comparative assessment of the gender pension gaps could be misleading as it doesn’t account for the overall generosity of the schemes.

The gender pension gap can be measured in different ways. Based on the latest data available, from 2024, the gap has reduced from 47% in 2016 to 42%. This is based on the difference in average pension in payment for men and women, expressed as a percentage of the average pension for men. We fully expect this position to continue to improve as the equality employment legislation reduces historical differences in both the gap in pay and pensions accruing.

The Cabinet Office will be commissioning the Government Actuary’s Department to carry out further analysis of the current position and will then consider next steps.

The Civil Service pension schemes are some of the most generous pension schemes available in the UK, utilising defined benefit arrangements and contractual enrolment to ensure those who dedicate their working lives to public service are rewarded appropriately in retirement. The vast majority of private sector employers utilise defined contribution arrangements and automatic enrolment therefore a comparative assessment of the gender pension gaps could be misleading as it doesn’t account for the overall generosity of the schemes.

The gender pension gap can be measured in different ways. Based on the latest data available, from 2024, the gap has reduced from 47% in 2016 to 42%. This is based on the difference in average pension in payment for men and women, expressed as a percentage of the average pension for men. We fully expect this position to continue to improve as the equality employment legislation reduces historical differences in both the gap in pay and pensions accruing.

The Cabinet Office will be commissioning the Government Actuary’s Department to carry out further analysis of the current position and will then consider next steps.

Please find the information requested below:

The information included in this response also includes those directors working in Government People Group, which is the strategic and functional centre for the cross Government People Function and human resources (HR) for the whole Civil Service.

Our continuing goal is to make recruitment simpler, faster, more efficient and more effective across the Civil Service. We are currently undertaking a review of the Success Profiles framework, considering what the right attributes are to select civil servants with the skills, experience and other attributes that the Civil Service needs. As announced in the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister’s 20 January speech, our approach to hiring for the Senior Civil Service (SCS) will place greater value on frontline delivery, innovation, and private sector skills and experience. This will be reflected in the criteria used to select Senior Civil Servants and the ongoing review.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 20th February is attached.

The Cabinet Office continues to engage fully with departments on the review of the model Gender Identity and Intersex Policy Package. Once the review is completed, we will share the revised policy and guidance with departments.

The Civil Service has had a history of providing benefits that are attractive and value for money and that support green policies such as season ticket and bike loans to help manage travel costs as well as the Cycle to Work Scheme.

As part of work on the future Civil Service Reward Strategy, a wide range of approaches and benefits are currently under consideration.

Officials continue to work closely with government departments and other key stakeholders as this work develops.

The National Security Adviser was appointed on the 8th November 2024 (as announced on gov.uk) and commenced his role on the 2nd December 2024.

The countries of origin for the 39 Civil Servants with skilled worker visas are:

• Australia

• India

• Kenya

• New Zealand

• Nigeria

• Pakistan

The savings from the three central London office closures relate to the annual property running costs. They have not been adjusted for any one-off transition, refit, or redundancy costs.

The work on public bodies is taken forward by the Civil Service Strategy Unit, which comprises approximately 50 people. CSSU deploys its people flexibly across the government’s civil service reform priorities, including public bodies, rather than being a single standing Public Bodies Team. This facilitates join-up across the Productive and Agile State policy landscape and means the right policy, analytical and functional expertise can be deployed to an area when needed.

As a matter of policy, the Government does not publish information relating to individuals’ peerage nominations.

The review is being conducted by the Government Internal Audit Agency and is looking into cross-government website publishing. The aim is to validate and strengthen the effectiveness and consistency of publication processes on GOV.UK and on non-GOV.UK websites, particularly with respect to sensitive information. As it is not standard practice to publish the terms of reference of GIAA reviews, there are no plans to do so; however, the objectives are as follows:

1. Understand and validate the consistency of application of controls designed to secure appropriate publication on GOV.UK.

2. Understand and validate the consistency of application of controls designed to secure appropriate publication on independent websites.

3. Make observations concerning weaknesses in control design and/or effectiveness identified.

Guidance on the declaration of ministers' overseas travel and meetings can be found on GOV.UK at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministers-overseas-travel-and-meetings-publication-guidance/ministers-overseas-travel-and-meetings-publication-guidance.

I refer the Hon. Member to Cabinet Office transparency data, available on GOV.UK.

Ministers, Special Advisers and Civil Service staff are required to follow the Non-Corporate Communication Channels (NCCC) guidance on GOV.UK when using WhatsApp or similar communications tools. This guidance explains ministers’ responsibilities for keeping an accurate official record. Paragraph 24 of this guidance states that ‘disappearing message functions have a role in limiting the build up of messages on devices. You must ensure that any such use does not impact on your recordkeeping or transparency responsibilities’.

The Government is not conducting an investigation into Lord Doyle.

An investigation is being carried out by the Labour Party.

As a matter of policy, the Government does not publish information relating to individuals' peerage nominations.

As a matter of policy, the Government does not publish information relating to individuals' peerage nominations.

An ongoing investigation is being carried out by the Labour Party.

As a matter of policy, the Government does not publish information relating to individuals' peerage nominations.

An immediate update is not scheduled. When the routine review and update is next conducted, all applicable sections could be subject to revision.

As a matter of policy, the Government does not publish information relating to individuals' peerage nominations.