Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 18 December 2025 (HL12683) and 22 January 2026 (HL13471), what is the public interest reason for not disclosing (1) the dates of group phone calls with lobbyists, and (2) the names of the lobbying firms being briefed by the Government, in line with the guidance in the paragraphs 211 and 223 of the Guide to Parliamentary Work, updated 19 November 2024.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the Noble Lord back to HL12683:

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government on what dates calls have been held between the government and corporate lobbyists since 4 July 2024; which lobbying firms joined those calls; and which ministers have joined those calls.

Answer: Details of Ministers and Senior Officials' meetings, including those held using video or audio-conferencing technology, and including phone calls where these replace or take the format of an official meeting, are published by departments on GOV.UK every quarter.

GOV.UK transparency publications list details of Ministers' and Senior Officials' official meetings with all external organisations, including organised group telephone or video calls, where these replace or take the format of an official meeting.

These publications include the dates of meetings or calls, and the name(s) of the organisation(s) with whom the minister or senior official met.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 18 February (HL14450), what was the cost to existing operational budgets of (1) the rebranding of government communications from 'HM Government' to 'UK Government', and (2) any work to explore the redesigning of the Lesser Arms used in government communications.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Any costs associated with routine updates to branding guidance are covered by existing staff costs. The redesign of the Lesser Arms to accommodate the Tudor Crown cost £4,950.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 February (HL14386), how they will monitor whether individual departments and agencies change their hiring procedures and practices to place greater value on frontline delivery, innovation and private sector experience.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Departments and agencies have delegated authority to determine their own practices and procedures for the recruitment of staff to the Civil Service, including the Senior Civil Service (SCS), as outlined in the Civil Service Management Code.

The Government People Group are collaborating with dedicated SCS Recruitment leads from the core Government departments to support them in sharing best practice and making relevant changes to their hiring practices, in line with the ambition set out in the Chief Secretary to the Prime Ministers’ speech of 20 January 2026.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 26 February (HL14633), whether they will publish the (1) relevant stakeholders they consulted, and (2) standard protocols they used, to produce the updated government branding guidance.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The guidance was developed and agreed upon by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Number 10.

There are no plans to discontinue the use of "His Majesty's Government". This term continues to be used on relevant official communications and records, and this will not change.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 18 December 2025 (HL12641) and 21 July 2025 (HL9153), whether the belated second homes premium council tax bill for the then Deputy Prime Minister's Admiralty House residence had been fully paid by the time of the answer of 21 July 2025 stating that the council tax liability was properly discharged.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The former Deputy Prime Minister confirmed to her department (MHCLG) that she would occupy the official residence in Admiralty House on a second home basis, and this information was passed onto the Cabinet Office before the council tax second homes premium came into force on 1 April 2025. As such, the former Deputy Prime Minister had properly discharged her duties at this point, which was to confirm the status of her occupation of the flat.

The Government Property Agency (GPA), an executive agency of the Cabinet Office, is responsible for the administration and payment of any tax liabilities for Admiralty House.The Government Property Agency wrote to Westminster City Council in June to confirm that the former Deputy Prime Minister was residing in Admiralty House on a second home basis. Westminster City Council issued a bill applying the second home premium in July, which was paid in full the same day. The bill was paid for the full year of 1 April 2025 - 31 March 2026.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 27 January (HL13589), what was the rationale for removing the former Duke of York from the Roll of the Peerage and not Lord Mandelson.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was removed from the Roll of the Peerage on 5 November 2025 and his title is no longer used officially. The Government supports this decision taken by His Majesty The King.

The Prime Minister has been clear that Peter Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use the title. Bespoke legislation is currently required to remove a peerage but the Prime Minister has announced that the Government will create a mechanism to remove peerages from disgraced peers; this work is continuing.