Asked by: Owen Thompson (Scottish National Party - Midlothian)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the administration costs of his Department were in each year since his appointment.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Scotland Office and Office for the Advocate General publish an Annual Report and Accounts which contains the information requested. The latest version can be found at Scotland Office Annual Report 2022-23. Prior year Annual Reports and Accounts for the Scotland Office and Office for the Advocate General are available online or can be obtained from the Library of the House.
Asked by: Owen Thompson (Scottish National Party - Midlothian)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the cost to the public purse was of (a) staff and (b) running costs for his Department in financial year 2023-24; and how much he has allocated for 2024-25.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Scotland Office and Office for the Advocate General are currently in the process of finalising the department’s figures for financial year 2023-24. These figures are subject to external audit and the department’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2023-24 are expected to be available later this year. The budget for the department for financial year 2024-25 as agreed in Spending Review 2021 is £13.354m.
Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had recent discussions with the Scottish Government on the (a) reasons for which they have appointed and (b) cost of appointing an international development Minister.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
I have had no discussions with the Scottish Government in regards to the appointment of an international development Minister. Under the devolution settlement, Ministerial appointments, including pay, are a matter for the Scottish Government.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what the destinations were of domestic overnight visits undertaken by Ministers within their Department in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to UIN 17535 on 13 March 2024.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to paragraphs 7.16 and 7.17 of the Ministerial Code, on how many occasions Ministers in his Department have 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 Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
As per paragraph 2.13 of the Ministerial Code, it is not possible to disclose whether Law Officers have or have not provided advice on such matters. Paragraph 2.13 states: “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”.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many domestic overnight visits were undertaken by Ministers within his Department in each of the last three financial years; and what the cost to the public purse was of these visits.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Government publishes on GOV.UK details of the cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and on other costs (visas, accommodation, meals). But as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what estimate he has made of the amount of money lost to fraud and error by his Department in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Government is proud of its record in proactively seeking to find and prevent more fraud in the system. We have established the dedicated Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). In its first year, it delivered £311 million in audited counter fraud benefits.
The PSFA produces a Fraud Landscape Report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cross-government-fraud-landscape-annual-report-2022). This provides data on fraud and error detection, loss and recoveries in central government, outside of the tax and welfare system. The 2020/21 Report was published in March 2023.
There has been no reported or detected fraud and error in the Department during the last three financial years.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what guidance his Department issues on the use of WhatsApp.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
All Departments in central government, including arms-length bodies apply the published guidance: Using non-corporate communication channels (e.g. WhatsApp, private email, SMS) for government business published by Cabinet Office in March 2023. It applies to all individuals in central government (ministers, special advisers, officials, contractors, non-executive board members and independent experts advising ministers). The Scotland Office uses the central guidance and has applied it since March 2023.
Asked by: Nia Griffith (Labour - Llanelli)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what reports and guidance their Department has produced in the last three years; and how much was spent on their (a) printing and (b) distribution.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (OSSS) produced the following reports during the last three years.
Financial Year | Reports Produced | Spend on Printing & Distribution (£) |
2023-24 to date | OSSS Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23 | 859 |
2023-24 to date | 7th Annual Report on the Implementation of the Scotland Act 2016 | 916 |
2022-23 | OSSS Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 | 901 |
2022-23 | 6th Annual Report on the Implementation of the Scotland Act 2016 | 1,140 |
2021-22 | OSSS Annual Report and Accounts 2020-21 | 1,158 |
2021-22 | 5th Annual Report on the Implementation of the Scotland Act 2016 | 1,672 |
Total |
| 6,646 |
*The Department outsources its printing and the invoices received do not split the costs between printing and distribution.
Asked by: Douglas Ross (Conservative - Moray)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the strength of the economy in Scotland.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
Scotland’s economy grew in 2023 and our back to work plan is working with fewer people inactive. We have achieved this alongside our priority of halving inflation.I’m sure my Honourable Friend was also pleased to hear the growth measures we will take to keep Scotland prospering that were announced at the Budget today.