Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the Cabinet committee on Science and Technology has been replaced with a committee on Digital and Technology; and how matters related to science will be considered.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The membership and terms of reference of Cabinet committees is decided by the Prime Minister, as set out on gov.uk and the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology is a member of the Digital and Technology Committee. Matters related to science may be considered by a range of committees as relevant to their terms of reference.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any former Cabinet Ministers who are not former Prime Ministers retain access to the Government Car Service.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government Car Service (GCS) does not provide services to any former Cabinet Ministers.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will prepare an updated version of a cross-Whitehall Government War Book.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Developing plans for civilian assistance to the military in a time of conflict is a key component of the Cabinet Office’s Home Defence Programme. It is an evolving and enduring programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK. This work is informed by and reflects the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 18 December 2025 (HL12743), whether guidance or advice on the use of email has been provided to cross-government special advisers other than non-corporate communications guidance in the past six months; and if so, whether that advice included guidance on (1) placing, or not placing, specific content on government email accounts, and (2) the application of the Freedom of Information Act to corporate and non-corporation communications.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of 18 December 2025, Official Report, PQ HL12743:
$08122025|4|W|22122025|Lord Jackson of Peterborough||To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Answer by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 25 November (HC91373), whether guidance has been given informally to special advisers through cross-government special adviser meetings about (1) including, or (2) excluding, information on email or other corporate communications. HL12743
Answer: There is guidance in place when it comes to the use of non-corporate communications channels, available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister plans to recommend to the Sovereign that Lord Mandelson be removed from the Roll of the Peerage.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Lord Mandelson is currently on a leave of absence from the House of Lords.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 16 December 2025 (HL12632), what is the public interest rationale for not disclosing information that is not routinely published to Parliament about public spending on the Downing Street flats.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of 16 December 2025, Official Report, PQ HL12632.
PQ HL12632 Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 4 November (HC85501) and Lord True on 23 April 2021 (HL14191), and with regard to paragraph 1.6(d) of the Ministerial Code, what is the public interest argument for not releasing details to Parliament of public spending on the Downing Street flats.
Cabinet Office response: As was the case under successive administrations, an itemised list is not routinely published. Total expenditure from the Prime Minister’s allowance on their official residence is disclosed in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what arm's-length bodies have been created since July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government was elected on a mandate of change. In order to deliver the promises we made in our manifesto, the following arms length bodies have been legislated for, launched or announced:
Great British Energy (DESNZ)
National Wealth Fund (HM Treasury)
Skills England (DWP)
Independent Football Regulator (DCMS)
Ethics and Integrity Commission (CO)
Single Construction Regulator (MHCLG)
Local Audit Office (MHCLG)
Government Commercial Agency (CO)
Great British Railways (DfT)
Fair Work Agency (DBT)
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants employed by their Department work in roles primarily focused on (a) transgender policy, (b) diversity, (c) equity and (d) inclusion; and at what annual salary cost.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office has less than 5 civil servants who work in roles primarily focused on those areas internally in the department. We cannot provide annual salary cost details in such cases as that disclosure of the information would contravene principle A under article 5(1)(a) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much the Cabinet Office has spent at Berry Bros. & Rudd since 4 July 2024 through Government Procurement Card spending transactions under £500 that are not listed on gov.uk.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of 25 November 2025, Official Report, PQ HC91376.
PQ 91376 Mike Wood: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent via Berry Bros Ltd since 4 July 2024.
Cabinet Office response, on 25 Nov: All relevant spending is available in the Cabinet Office’s government procurement card transparency return for March 2025 which can be found on gov.uk
Asked by: Baroness Shawcross-Wolfson (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many consultations they have launched since July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
All government consultations are published on GOV.UK. Individual government departments are responsible for the consultations they lead on.