Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that there is no gap between the end of the term of office of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and their successor.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Paula Sussex has been appointed Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). Arrangements are now in place, meaning all casework can progress as normal.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the planning application submitted to Westminster City Council on 19 May 2025, reference 25/03467/CLLB, what the nature is of the internal alterations being made to 70 Whitehall; and what the budget is for the works.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
As part of the ongoing refurbishment works on the 4th Floor of 70 Whitehall, the Cabinet Office has submitted an application for the installation of a ceiling within the southern lift shaft. The total budget for this work, including all fees and VAT, is £280k.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 54833 on DCMS: Equality, whether his Department has issued guidance on employing Standalone EDI roles.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Expenditure Guidance, published on 14 May 2024, sets out a number of controls in relation to Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) spend and activity across the Civil Service, including: Standalone EDI staffing roles should be incorporated into broader HR.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 54806 on Disaster Relief and Emergencies: Equality, for what reason the Risk Vulnerability Tool uses gender rather than sex.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Risk Vulnerability Tool will use data that relates to both sex and gender, depending on data availability, alongside other vulnerability indicators.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent on equipment for civil servants to work from home in each of the last three years.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The requested information is not centrally held, and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.
Heads of departments have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service, as was the case under the previous administration.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the National Security Adviser is (a) secretary of the National Security Council, (b) head of the National Security Secretariat and (c) Principal Accounting Officer for the Single Intelligence Account.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The role of secretary to the National Security Council is fulfilled by the Deputy National Security Advisers. The Executive Deputy National Security Adviser is the corporate head of the National Security Secretariat. The Cabinet Secretary is the Principal Accounting Officer for the Single Intelligence Account.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 54806, on Disaster Relief and Emergencies: Equality, if he will publish the documentation on the Risk Vulnerability Tool.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
A Quality and Methodology Information report on the Risk Vulnerability Tool will be published, as is usual for government statistics.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the value of trade between the UK and Tuvalu in each year since 2020.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman or lady Parliamentary Question of 26th June is attached.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister raised the issue of human rights in Bahrain, including the plight of political prisoners, during his meeting with the Crown Prince of Bahrain on 19 June.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lord to the read out of the meeting:
The Prime Minister welcomed His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain to Downing Street today.
The leaders reflected on the strength of the UK-Bahrain relationship, and welcomed the UK becoming a full member of the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA) today. The agreement will deepen trilateral cooperation with Bahrain and the United States on regional security at a critical time, both agreed.
The Prime Minister also welcomed the signing of the Strategic Investment and Collaboration Partnership, building on the two-way investment partnership between the countries, and how this will unlock new investment, growth and jobs into the UK, delivering on the Plan for Change.
The leaders also underscored the importance of the new Defence Cooperation Accord between the two countries, deepening joint military training and building on the two nations’ strong naval ties.
Highlighting the strength of the 200-year relationship between both nations, the leaders looked forward to further cooperation, including trade negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Turning to the situation in the Middle East, the leaders called for de-escalation and both agreed on the need for enduring and closer relationships across the region to support stability.
The Prime Minister and Crown Prince looked forward to speaking again soon.
Asked by: Liam Conlon (Labour - Beckenham and Penge)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent steps he has taken to develop relations between the UK Government and the European Union.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
At the first UK-EU Summit held on 19 May, the Government agreed a substantial package to take forward our future partnership. The Government will now move forward to begin negotiations to conclude as swiftly as possible. We will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.