Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, 22 December 2025, what his policy is on the negotiation and adoption of penalty clauses that would impose financial payments if the UK were to (a) amend or (b) withdraw from the new arrangements in a future Parliament, or otherwise restrict or prohibit a future government from changing the policy on engagement with the EU.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The details of any agreements, including specific clauses, are subject to ongoing negotiations with the EU. We will not provide a running commentary on the progress of those negotiations, although I would note termination provisions are routine in international agreements.
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 No10 press release entitled Appointment of Victoria Buhler as the Prime Minister’s Deputy Adviser on Business, Investment, and Trade and Hannah Bronwin as the Prime Minister’s Expert Adviser on Energy and Net Zero, of 2 February 2026, whether Hannah Bronwin is a (a) special adviser, (b) direct ministerial appointment, (c) civil servant appointed by exception and (d) civil servant appointed by open and fair competition.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Both appointments are Direct Ministerial Appointments. Further details are available on the Public Appointments webpage on gov.uk.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2026, to Question 105789, on Ministers and Public Consultation: Evidence, whether the Government accepts evidence in written consultations from organisations subject to the policy of non-engagement.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Rt. Honourable Member to the answer on 21 January 2026, PQ 105789.
Asked by: Tony Vaughan (Labour - Folkestone and Hythe)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what commemorations are being planned to mark the 100th anniversary of the passing of the Representation of the People Act 1928.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are very much aware of this significant milestone and the opportunity it represents; both for celebrating women being granted equal voting rights, and inspiring women and girls to get involved in politics.
We are working with other Departments and with women’s organisations to determine the best ways to mark the occasion.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2025, to Question 97383, on Proof of Identity: Digital Technology, how an individual who declines to have a Digital ID Card will be able to complete the mandatory right to work check in the absence of a digital credential for the employee; and whether the employee will be able to continue to present analogue or hard copy documentation.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As the Prime Minister has stated in the House of Commons, there will be checks. They will be digital and they will be mandatory.
We will consult on the technical detail of how this will be implemented.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Digital ID on Right to Work checks.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As the Prime Minister has recently stated in the House of Commons, there will be checks. They will be digital and they will be mandatory.
We will consult on the technical detail of how this will be implemented.
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 27 November 2025 to Question 92613 on Digital Technology: Identity Cards, whether Digital ID will be required for Digital Right to Work checks.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As the Prime Minister has recently stated in the House of Commons, there will be checks. They will be digital and they will be mandatory.
We will consult on the technical details of how this will be implemented.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the trends in the level of excess mortality above pre-2020 trends in the 50- to 64-year-old age group.
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 lady’s Parliamentary Question of 5th February is attached.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of vacancies in the automotive manufacturing sector in (a) January 2024 and (b) each subsequent month up to and including the most recent month for which data is available.
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 Rt Hon. gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 4th February is attached.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure modelled increases in expected deaths are not used to retroactively redefine excess mortality as normal.
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 lady’s Parliamentary Question of 5th February is attached.