Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2025, to Question 70489 on Government Communication Service: Marketing, and with reference to paragraph 211 of the Cabinet Office Guide to Parliamentary Work, for what reason the information was released under the Freedom of Information Act but not disclosed to Parliament.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Influencers have proven to be effective in reaching audiences that traditional marketing channels find hard to reach.
Influencer work is supported primarily via the agencies OmniGov and Pablo Unlimited via the Campaign Solutions 2 framework, detailed at the following link:
https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6125
While there were no immediate plans to release the guidance at the time of Question 70489, increased public interest in this topic has now led us to conclude that the public interest favours its release.
I can confirm that the Guidance for Influencer Marketing will be placed in the House Library.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2025, to Question 74206, on Government Departments: Social Media, which external firms are used to procure social media influencers across government under CCS Framework RM6125 – Lot 1 End.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Influencers have proven to be effective in reaching audiences that traditional marketing channels find hard to reach.
Influencer work is supported primarily via the agencies OmniGov and Pablo Unlimited via the Campaign Solutions 2 framework, detailed at the following link:
https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6125
While there were no immediate plans to release the guidance at the time of Question 70489, increased public interest in this topic has now led us to conclude that the public interest favours its release.
I can confirm that the Guidance for Influencer Marketing will be placed in the House Library.
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 the Freedom of Information response by the Cabinet Office, Ref: FOI2025/18068, of 5 December 2025, if he will publish the Guidance for Influencer Marketing.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Influencers have proven to be effective in reaching audiences that traditional marketing channels find hard to reach.
Influencer work is supported primarily via the agencies OmniGov and Pablo Unlimited via the Campaign Solutions 2 framework, detailed at the following link:
https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6125
While there were no immediate plans to release the guidance at the time of Question 70489, increased public interest in this topic has now led us to conclude that the public interest favours its release.
I can confirm that the Guidance for Influencer Marketing will be placed in the House Library.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 103782 on Ministers: Official Cars, what is the estimated, non-granular aggregate expenditure by the Government Car Service on official cars for civil servants in the Cabinet Office in the last 12 months.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the answer provided to Question 103782. The Government Car Service (GCS) does not invoice separately for ministerial or civil servant use.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what is the remuneration and terms of reference of Varun Chandra as the Prime Minister’s special envoy to the US on trade and investment; and whether he is a special adviser, civil servant or direct ministerial appointment.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Special Adviser Annual Report, and the press release on gov.uk which sets out the responsibilities associated with the role. No additional remuneration will be made for the role of Special Envoy.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 103782 on Ministers: Official Cars, which team within the Government Car Service prepares the financial accounts for vehicles provided to Government Departments.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The finance team.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2025, to Question 94700, on Tim Allan, whether the records held by the Cabinet Office as part of the declaration of interests process for special advisers show that Tim Allan has any shareholdings or share options in lobbying firm, BB Partners Advisory Holdings Limited.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
There is an established system in place for the declaration and management of special advisers' interests, including their financial interests. As has been the case under successive administrations, interests deemed relevant for publication for special advisers in No10 and the Cabinet Office are published on an annual basis by the Cabinet Office. Mr Allan sought and received advice on his interests. He has followed every element of the advice received.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the level of the gender pension gap within the civil service pension scheme.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The gender pension gap can be measured in different ways. In order to answer this question, we have used the difference in average pension in payment for men and women, expressed as a percentage of the average pension for men. Based on the latest data available, from 2024, the gap has reduced from 47% in 2016 to 42%.
We fully expect this position to continue to improve as the equality employment legislation reduces historical differences in both the gap in pay and pensions accruing.
The Cabinet Office will be commissioning the Government Actuary’s Department to carry out further analysis of the current position and will then consider next steps.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help close the gender pension gap in the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The gender pension gap can be measured in different ways. In order to answer this question, we have used the difference in average pension in payment for men and women, expressed as a percentage of the average pension for men. Based on the latest data available, from 2024, the gap has reduced from 47% in 2016 to 42%.
We fully expect this position to continue to improve as the equality employment legislation reduces historical differences in both the gap in pay and pensions accruing.
The Cabinet Office will be commissioning the Government Actuary’s Department to carry out further analysis of the current position and will then consider next steps.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2026 to Question 103795 on Government Property Agency: Empty Property, if he will list the addresses of the 13 vacant properties and their last Government occupier.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Details of vacant space across the government estate, aggregated from departmental submissions, are published annually in the State of the Estate Report. This includes total square metre figures by department, but not individual property-level occupancy or address data.
Members of the public can view information on vacant or surplus government-owned properties via the Government Property Finder: https://www.gov.uk/find-government-property