Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of Digital ID in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government intends to work closely with each of the Devolved Governments.
My colleague, the Minister for Digital Government and Data, Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, was in Northern Ireland on 7 October 2025. He had meetings with representatives across parties in the Northern Ireland Executive, where the issue of the Government's proposed digital ID scheme was discussed.
The Government has made a commitment that the new government-issued digital ID will respect the Good Friday Agreement and the Common Travel Area.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to help prevent data breaches associated with the proposed digital ID cards.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The National Cyber Security Centre is advising the Government on how the new credential is built to the highest standard of security. This would operate a three lines of defence process - this helps ensure data is protected, fraud is deterred and detected, and threats are monitored and responded to.
Ensuring that security arrangements for the proposed digital ID scheme keeps pace with the changing threat landscape will be central to its development.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy not to introduce ID cards.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
On 26 September 2025, the Prime Minister announced plans for free digital ID to be available to all UK citizens and legal residents. This is not an ID card.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to help support people who are digitally excluded to work, in the context of the implementation of the proposed digital ID card.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The digital ID scheme will be underpinned by the principle that no one should be left behind. Making this system work for everyone will be a top priority, including those who do not have smartphones, are elderly, or are less digitally confident, so everyone will benefit from simpler, safer access to services.
To support those who are digitally excluded, including those from work, the Government will deliver an ambitious digital inclusion programme across the country to ensure they are able to access the new digital ID scheme, and use public services with ease.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether children and young people will be required to hold an ID card if they work.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
On 26 September 2025, the Prime Minister announced plans for free digital ID to be available to all UK citizens and legal residents. This is not an ID card.
The scope of the digital ID scheme is still in development and we are inviting the public to have their say in the upcoming consultation as we develop an inclusive, secure, and useful system.
Employers already conduct right to work checks using proof of ID. The new credential will enable these to be fully digitised by the end of this Parliament.
Asked by: Rebecca Smith (Conservative - South West Devon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which department has lead responsibility for policy on online pornography regulation; and with reference to Baroness Bertin's independent report entitled Creating a Safer World – the Challenge of Regulating Online Pornography, published in February 2025, what assessment she has made of that report's finding that fragmented Government responsibilities impede effective regulation of online pornography.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Baroness Bertin’s independent report made 32 recommendations, including on governance and oversight of pornography policy. The ‘Freedom from Violence and Abuse: a cross-government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’, published on 18 December 2025 commits to creating a joint team to address the issues detailed in the report. As this team is not yet set up, I am answering this question from the Cabinet Office, as there is currently no lead department for this work.
The team will be formed by the Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Ministry of Justice and Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It will examine the evidence to inform the government’s approach to pornography policy, including the question of departmental responsibility.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to pages 131–132 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, what the annual cost is of operating the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists; whether registration fee income was netted off against those costs; and what net (a) surplus and (b) deficit was recorded in each of the last three financial years.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In each of the last three years - two of which were under the last government - the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists has recorded a consistent net deficit as shown below:
| 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
| £’000 | £’000 | £’000 |
Annual cost of operating the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists | 321 | 324 | 353 |
Registration Fee income was netted off against those costs | -212 | -217 | -246 |
Net Deficit/Cost | 109 | 107 | 107 |
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued on the use of targeted advertising on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit for Government communications campaigns.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government uses a range of channels to reach and engage the public. Any use of these platforms is assessed against the high standards for digital safety set out in the Government Communication Service (GCS) SAFE framework.
To ensure all government communications are clear, accurate and authoritative, GCS has established general guidance at https://www.communications.gov.uk/guidance/. This includes the Generative AI Policy (https://www.communications.gov.uk/publications/gcs-generative-ai-policy/) and the Framework for Ethical Innovation in Government Communications (https://www.communications.gov.uk/publications/gcs-framework-for-ethical-innovation/) .
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the use of digital and AI‑driven communications provides clear, accurate and authoritative information to the public.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government uses a range of channels to reach and engage the public. Any use of these platforms is assessed against the high standards for digital safety set out in the Government Communication Service (GCS) SAFE framework.
To ensure all government communications are clear, accurate and authoritative, GCS has established general guidance at https://www.communications.gov.uk/guidance/. This includes the Generative AI Policy (https://www.communications.gov.uk/publications/gcs-generative-ai-policy/) and the Framework for Ethical Innovation in Government Communications (https://www.communications.gov.uk/publications/gcs-framework-for-ethical-innovation/) .
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Freedom of Information requests his Department has received relating to the Government Car Service since 1 April 2025; and how many have been (a) refused and (b) disclosed.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government Car Service (GCS) transferred to the Cabinet Office from the Department for Transport, as a result of a machinery of government change, on 1st April 2025. Freedom of Information (FOI) requests relating to GCS prior to that date were answered by the Department for Transport.
Since 1 April 2025, the Cabinet Office has received 15 FOI requests relating to the GCS. Of the 11 requests that have been closed, five requests were granted in full and one request was refused in full. Other outcomes were that the information was already planned for publication, that the information was not held, or that responding to the request would have exceeded the cost limit.