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Written Question
GREAT: Costs
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Jonathan Ashworth (Labour (Co-op) - Leicester South)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse has been of the GREAT campaign since its re-launch in 2021.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign is the UK’s international brand marketing campaign, which works closely with UK businesses, not-for-profit organisations and high-profile figures to promote the best of the UK abroad. Since 2021/22, the GREAT campaign has had an annual overall budget of circa £60m (2021/22: £60m; 2022/23: £57.12m; and 2023/24: £57.12m). The results of individual GREAT campaigns vary but, on average, externally verified analysis shows £1 of GREAT spend on marketing generates £15 for the UK by encouraging people to visit, study, trade, invest, live and work in the UK.

Encouraging prospective international students to choose to study in UK higher education institutions brings strong return on investment. For example, the GREAT Study UK campaign generated £407m in 2021/22 and £548m in 2022/23 (specifically from international students studying for up to three years in the UK). The 2023/24 results are currently being verified and are expected by June 2024.


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Defamation
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraphs 7.16 and 7.17 of the Ministerial Code, on how many occasions have ministers in his department informed the Law Officers that they are the defendants in a libel action in (a) their personal capacity, (b) their official position and (c) both since 19 December 2019.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As set out in paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code: “The fact that the Law Officers have advised or have not advised and the content of their advice must not be disclosed outside Government without their authority”. As a result, the Government is unable to provide the details requested.


Written Question
Vetting
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average wait time for each of the eight levels of security vetting by United Kingdom Security Vetting, from 'Baseline Personnel Security Standard' to 'Enhanced Developed Vetting'.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

As Minister for State at the Cabinet Office I am able to provide a response in relation to National Security Vetting (NSV). UKSV acts as the service provider for NSV across His Majesty’s Government (HMG). NSV remains a separate and distinct process to recruitment and onboarding processes and provides an additional personnel assurance within both public and private sector for roles and projects that require access to the sensitive assets and Protectively Marked Materials (PMM).

The government does not comment on the workings of the NSV process at the strategic or tactical level for security reasons and thereby details of numbers awaiting NSV cannot be shared. However the following information may be useful.

The Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is not a level of NSV, nor conducted by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV); it is a separate pre-employment check conducted locally by recruiting departments. As this is a localised departmental element, no central record of data for BPSS is held within HMG at this time.

Following a stabilisation programme initiated in 2023, there have been sustained and stable improvements in performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPI) across all service levels of National Security Vetting clearances which includes Counter Terrorist Check (CTC), Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV). Across core services:

  • Accreditation Checks (AC), a level of NSV, primarily used by the aviation industry, are being completed in five days or less.

  • The KPIs for both CTC and SC are 25 days, on 29th February 2024 96% of cases were being processed within that time frame.

  • The KPI for DV is 95 days; on 29th February 2024 93.48% of initial DV cases were being processed within that time frame.The Performance Indicator for DV Renewals is also 95 days; on 29th February 2024 13.78% of these cases were being processed within that time frame. However we expect that DV renewals submitted from 1st April 2024 will be delivered within the KPI of 95 days.

The requirements for security cleared roles across HMG vary and are set by individual department and partner agencies dependent on duties and level of access to Protectively Marked Materials (PMM). It is, therefore, not possible to provide confirmation of the performance of NSV in relation to specific roles. In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters, including average actual processing times.


Written Question
Private Sector: Vetting
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people employed by the private sector are currently awaiting security vetting by United Kingdom Security Vetting.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

As Minister for State at the Cabinet Office I am able to provide a response in relation to National Security Vetting (NSV). UKSV acts as the service provider for NSV across His Majesty’s Government (HMG). NSV remains a separate and distinct process to recruitment and onboarding processes and provides an additional personnel assurance within both public and private sector for roles and projects that require access to the sensitive assets and Protectively Marked Materials (PMM).

The government does not comment on the workings of the NSV process at the strategic or tactical level for security reasons and thereby details of numbers awaiting NSV cannot be shared. However the following information may be useful.

The Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is not a level of NSV, nor conducted by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV); it is a separate pre-employment check conducted locally by recruiting departments. As this is a localised departmental element, no central record of data for BPSS is held within HMG at this time.

Following a stabilisation programme initiated in 2023, there have been sustained and stable improvements in performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPI) across all service levels of National Security Vetting clearances which includes Counter Terrorist Check (CTC), Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV). Across core services:

  • Accreditation Checks (AC), a level of NSV, primarily used by the aviation industry, are being completed in five days or less.

  • The KPIs for both CTC and SC are 25 days, on 29th February 2024 96% of cases were being processed within that time frame.

  • The KPI for DV is 95 days; on 29th February 2024 93.48% of initial DV cases were being processed within that time frame.The Performance Indicator for DV Renewals is also 95 days; on 29th February 2024 13.78% of these cases were being processed within that time frame. However we expect that DV renewals submitted from 1st April 2024 will be delivered within the KPI of 95 days.

The requirements for security cleared roles across HMG vary and are set by individual department and partner agencies dependent on duties and level of access to Protectively Marked Materials (PMM). It is, therefore, not possible to provide confirmation of the performance of NSV in relation to specific roles. In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters, including average actual processing times.


Written Question
Vetting
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people are currently awaiting security vetting by United Kingdom Security Vetting.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

As Minister for State at the Cabinet Office I am able to provide a response in relation to National Security Vetting (NSV). UKSV acts as the service provider for NSV across His Majesty’s Government (HMG). NSV remains a separate and distinct process to recruitment and onboarding processes and provides an additional personnel assurance within both public and private sector for roles and projects that require access to the sensitive assets and Protectively Marked Materials (PMM).

The government does not comment on the workings of the NSV process at the strategic or tactical level for security reasons and thereby details of numbers awaiting NSV cannot be shared. However the following information may be useful.

The Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is not a level of NSV, nor conducted by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV); it is a separate pre-employment check conducted locally by recruiting departments. As this is a localised departmental element, no central record of data for BPSS is held within HMG at this time.

Following a stabilisation programme initiated in 2023, there have been sustained and stable improvements in performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPI) across all service levels of National Security Vetting clearances which includes Counter Terrorist Check (CTC), Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV). Across core services:

  • Accreditation Checks (AC), a level of NSV, primarily used by the aviation industry, are being completed in five days or less.

  • The KPIs for both CTC and SC are 25 days, on 29th February 2024 96% of cases were being processed within that time frame.

  • The KPI for DV is 95 days; on 29th February 2024 93.48% of initial DV cases were being processed within that time frame.The Performance Indicator for DV Renewals is also 95 days; on 29th February 2024 13.78% of these cases were being processed within that time frame. However we expect that DV renewals submitted from 1st April 2024 will be delivered within the KPI of 95 days.

The requirements for security cleared roles across HMG vary and are set by individual department and partner agencies dependent on duties and level of access to Protectively Marked Materials (PMM). It is, therefore, not possible to provide confirmation of the performance of NSV in relation to specific roles. In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters, including average actual processing times.


Written Question
Government Departments: Contracts
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department issues guidance for Departments on ensuring (a) fiscal responsibility and (b) propriety in international contract management.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

a) Senior commercial professionals in central government are required to hold a commercial accreditation that demonstrates they meet the People Standards, as agreed by the Civil Service Board. The Commercial accreditation process involves a rigorous day-long capability assessment and ensures that responsible individuals have the commercial skills required to execute their fiscal responsibilities.

b) Professionals responsible for management of relevant international programmes within the FCDO are required to complete the Contract Management Capability Programme, which is grounded in the Contract Management People Standards. The Programme is tiered and provides rigorous training as well as assessment. Again, this ensures that responsible individuals have the skills required to execute their contract management responsibilities.


Written Question
Yvonne Fletcher
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he last reviewed the classification status of files relating to the death of PC Yvonne Fletcher in 1984; and what his planned timetable is for reviewing those files.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The murder of PC Yvonne Fletcher was one of the most notorious crimes of the past 40 years and my thoughts remain with all who loved her.

However, as is usual in the case of records relating to security and intelligence matters, the report and the other records relating to this matter have been retained in line with the Public Records Act 1958.


Written Question
Yvonne Fletcher
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the preliminary report by Sir Anthony Duff into the events outside the Libyan People’s Bureau and murder of PC Yvonne Fletcher on 17 April 1984, dated 29 April 1984.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The murder of PC Yvonne Fletcher was one of the most notorious crimes of the past 40 years and my thoughts remain with all who loved her.

However, as is usual in the case of records relating to security and intelligence matters, the report and the other records relating to this matter have been retained in line with the Public Records Act 1958.


Written Question
Yvonne Fletcher
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many files relating to the death of PC Yvonne Fletcher that are not classified have been published.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The murder of PC Yvonne Fletcher was one of the most notorious crimes of the past 40 years and my thoughts remain with all who loved her.

However, as is usual in the case of records relating to security and intelligence matters, the report and the other records relating to this matter have been retained in line with the Public Records Act 1958.


Written Question
Special Forces: Afghanistan and Iraq
Monday 18th March 2024

Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Minister for Veterans plans to correct the record of his oral contribution of 7 January 2020, Official report, column 362.

Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Minister for Veterans' Affairs is reviewing the record in light of the Afghanistan Inquiry which is currently underway. The Minister is fully aware of his obligations to Parliament and holds his responsibilities to the House in the highest regard.