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Written Question
Civil Service: Workplace Pensions
Thursday 29th January 2026

Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme; and what steps his Department is taking to help tackle reported delays, unanswered correspondence, and difficulties accessing civil service pension records.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

In November 2023, the Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita. This was under the previous government. The Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December 2025. We are aware that Capita’s current performance is having a detrimental impact on some members.

We are working urgently with Capita to resolve these issues, and to ensure that civil servants, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

We have established a cross-departmental team to work with Capita to develop and implement a recovery plan. Alongside this, Capita is increasing staffing in key areas, to increase processing times in relation to new retirements and support for members, particularly those impacted by delays.


Written Question
Civil Service: Workplace Pensions
Thursday 29th January 2026

Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Capita's performance on the delivery of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

In November 2023, the Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita. This was under the previous government. The Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December 2025. We are aware that Capita’s current performance is having a detrimental impact on some members.

We are working urgently with Capita to resolve these issues, and to ensure that civil servants, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

We have established a cross-departmental team to work with Capita to develop and implement a recovery plan. Alongside this, Capita is increasing staffing in key areas, to increase processing times in relation to new retirements and support for members, particularly those impacted by delays.


Written Question
Civil Servants: Workplace Pensions
Thursday 29th January 2026

Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of delays in payment of the Civil Service pension on people in receipt of that pension.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

In November 2023, the Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita. This was under the previous government. The Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December 2025. We are aware that Capita’s current performance is having a detrimental impact on some members.

We are working urgently with Capita to resolve these issues, and to ensure that civil servants, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

We have established a cross-departmental team to work with Capita to develop and implement a recovery plan. Alongside this, Capita is increasing staffing in key areas, to increase processing times in relation to new retirements and support for members, particularly those impacted by delays.


Written Question
Civil Servants: Workplace Pensions
Thursday 29th January 2026

Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle delays in payment of the Civil Service pension.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

In November 2023, the Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita. This was under the previous government. The Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December 2025. We are aware that Capita’s current performance is having a detrimental impact on some members.

We are working urgently with Capita to resolve these issues, and to ensure that civil servants, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

We have established a cross-departmental team to work with Capita to develop and implement a recovery plan. Alongside this, Capita is increasing staffing in key areas, to increase processing times in relation to new retirements and support for members, particularly those impacted by delays.


Written Question
Civil Servants: Workplace Pensions
Thursday 29th January 2026

Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Capita’s performance in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme; and what steps she is taking to improve service levels.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

In November 2023, the Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita. This was under the previous government. The Scheme transferred to Capita on 1 December 2025. We are aware that Capita’s current performance is having a detrimental impact on some members.

We are working urgently with Capita to resolve these issues, and to ensure that civil servants, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

We have established a cross-departmental team to work with Capita to develop and implement a recovery plan. Alongside this, Capita is increasing staffing in key areas, to increase processing times in relation to new retirements and support for members, particularly those impacted by delays.


Written Question
Population: Food
Thursday 29th January 2026

Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Department will make an estimate of the current UK population based on food consumption data.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question’s of 22nd January is attached.


Written Question
Minister for the Union: Expenditure
Thursday 29th January 2026

Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2025 on Question 95787 on the Prime Minister, what is the estimated total departmental spend by his department to supporting the Minister for the Union in their role since the office was established.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As set out in our response from 4th December 2025, budgets are allocated to departments, rather than specific ministerial roles. Departmental expenditure can be reviewed in the Cabinet Office’s published Annual Report and Accounts.


Written Question
Population: Waste Disposal
Thursday 29th January 2026

Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Department will make an estimate of the current UK population based on waste disposal.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question’s of 22nd January is attached.


Written Question
Population: Water
Thursday 29th January 2026

Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Department will make an estimate of the current UK population based on water usage data.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question’s of 22nd January is attached.


Written Question
Equal Pay: Ethnic Groups
Thursday 29th January 2026

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the ethnic pay gap reporting framework will require employers to record and report pay gap data for Jewish and Sikh employees as distinct ethnic groups.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Our consultation on ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting closed in June 2025. The consultation sought views on the proposed approach, including whether ethnicity data should be collected following the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Ethnicity Harmonised Standard. Good progress has been made in analysing the responses and we will publish the Government response to the consultation in due course.

The ONS current harmonised standard does not include specific “Sikh” and “Jewish” categories for a person’s ethnic group. The Office for National Statistics (ONS), which is independent of government, is currently running a public consultation which seeks to review the harmonised standard to ensure it meets the needs of both data users and respondents.

We will monitor the progress of this review during policy development.