Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of applications from (a) ministers to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments were processed with substantive advice within 15 working days and (b) all other crown servants at SCS3 or equivalent and above were processed with in 20 workings days of receipt of that application; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that future applications under the Business Appointments Rules are processed quickly.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The latest report from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments for its work between 2020 and 2024 sets out the proportion of cases completed within the 15 and 20 working day timelines, for ministers and crown servants, at page 6: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669923de0808eaf43b50d22c/Advisory_Committee_on_Business_Appointments-21st_Report_-_April_2020_to_March_2024_PDF.pdf
The Government is determined to create a more efficient and responsive system, for example by streamlining the application process for roles where there is lower threat to the integrity of Government, such as journalism, media appearances, and academia.
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 Written Statement of 21 July 2025, HCWS870, on Government of service, whether he plans to amend the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 to implement the changes on Ministerial severance payments.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The government does not intend to amend the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 to implement changes on ministerial severance payments. These changes will be implemented via a waiver system.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department's planned timetable is for publishing details of the new arrangements for applications relating to Business Appointments Rules.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Information on the new Business Appointments Rules process will be published when it becomes operational on 13 October 2025.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has provided guidance on whether Ministerial meetings arranged through the Labour Infrastructure Forum should be declared in Ministerial transparency returns.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Ministerial Code sets out principles for Ministers on meetings with external organisations.
Guidance published by the Cabinet Office at the following link sets out the information departments are required to publish as part of their Ministerial transparency return: -https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministers-overseas-travel-and-meetings-publication-guidance/ministers-overseas-travel-and-meetings-publication-guidance.
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 14 July 2025 to Question 66650 on Industrial Disputes, what guidance his Department provides on undertaking Ministerial duties in 70 Whitehall during periods of strike action by (a) staff and (b) contractors who work in 70 Whitehall.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
No such guidance has been issued by the Cabinet Office.
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 27 May 2025 to Question 53094 on Second Homes: Council Tax, whether his Department has issued guidance on applying for a job-related (a) council tax second homes discount and (b) exemption from the council tax second homes premium on Ministerial residences.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office has not issued any such guidance.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the letter from the Director General of the Cabinet Office Propriety and Constitution Group of 24 July 2025 to the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton, what his planned timetable is for the updated guidance to special advisers on what support can be provided to different types of events during periods of sensitivity in the run up to local elections.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Elections guidance for civil servants, including special advisers, is kept under review and will be published in advance of local elections in 2026.
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 Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, whether he plans to permit retrospective applications for business appointments to the (a) Civil Service Commission and (b) Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Business Appointment Rules state that retrospective applications will not normally be accepted. While the Rules rightly discourage retrospective applications in order to ensure initial compliance from applicants, the Government believes that, should someone acknowledge their error and agree to follow the process, there should be an opportunity for them to receive advice and be subject to conditions.
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 Written Statement on Government of service, HCWS870, of 21 July 2025, whether he plans to amend the Civil Service Management Code to reflect the transfer of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments' functions to the Civil Service Commission.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Civil Service Management Code will be updated in due course to reflect the transfer of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments' functions to provide independent advice on the application of the Business Appointment Rules in respect of the most senior civil servants and special advisers to the Civil Service Commission.
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 Written Statement on Government of service, HCWS870, of 21 July 2025, whether the new Business Appointment Rules administered by the Civil Service Commission will apply to (a) special advisers below SCS Pay Band 2, (b) special advisers at other pay bands and (c) special advisers previously covered by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The transfer of responsibility for the administration and advice on applications for the most senior civil servants and special advisers from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments to the Civil Service Commission, will only affect those at the SCS Pay Band 3 and equivalent, and above. Applications from those civil servants and special advisers at the SCS Pay Band 2 and equivalent, and below, will continue to be processed by their respective departments.