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 (HL14387), whether the central performance management framework for the Senior Civil Service has been, or will be, changed in order to deliver the plans set out by the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister in his speech on 20 January.

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

We are in the process of updating the Senior Civil Service (SCS) Performance Management Framework aimed at ensuring performance across the SCS is focused on the Prime Minister’s priorities and that underperformance is held to tougher standards and addressed as soon as it arises.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 16 December 2025 (HL12742), whether the Cabinet Office holds information on the current cash equivalent transfer value of the pension scheme established under the Pensions Increase (Pension Scheme for Keir Starmer QC) Regulations 2013.

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

Information about this Pension Scheme, including a calculation of the cash equivalent transfer value, was included in the Crown Prosecution Service's annual report and accounts for 2013-14. There has been no change to the policy under the last Administration not to publish information about civil servants' individual pensions apart from in the remuneration reports contained in departmental annual reports and accounts.

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 March (HL15443), what steps the Cabinet Office has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

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

The Cabinet Office conducts regular reviews to prioritise the commencement of legislation as soon as is reasonably practicable to do so, and taking into account departmental objectives.

The Cabinet Office has made two Commencement Orders in the past year to bring legislation within its remit into force as appropriate.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Policy teams within the department are responsible for ensuring effective legislative practice within their area, including uncommenced legislation and considering when to bring forward commencement orders. Where needed, they draw on advice of legal professionals and our central legislative functions to support their delivery.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology keeps the commencement and implementation of its legislation under review alongside operational readiness and delivery of wider priorities. This work is undertaken alongside established post‑legislative scrutiny processes.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Department for Business and Trade has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Every year we are in contact with Parliament and the relevant Select Committee’s to undertake required post-legislative scrutiny of relevant legislation. Any post-legislative scrutiny will include a review of the operation of the legislation, and highlight any measures not commenced and plans to commence them.

The department will, as part of its usual process, continue to periodically review legislation within its area of policy development.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Department for Education has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

In the past year, we have committed in Parliament to undertake the required post-legislative scrutiny of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. This will include considering the coming into force of measures, where not yet commenced.

The department will, as part of its usual process, continue to periodically review legislation within its area of responsibility as part of policy development.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Ministry of Justice has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Baroness Levitt - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

Relevant teams keep the commencement and implementation of past Acts under review in light of operational readiness, wider priorities and with consideration to developments across the justice system.

This is conducted alongside established post legislative scrutiny processes where appropriate.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), which department is responsible for considering commencing the Easter Act 1928; when it last carried out a review; and what the outcome was.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Department for Business and Trade is responsible for decisions on whether to commence the Easter Act 1928.

The Department keeps this matter under review and – as part of this – considers whether the Christian churches agree on moving Easter to a fixed date.

The Government does not currently have any plans to commence the Easter Act 1928.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps HM Treasury has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Treasury keeps legislation under review considering operational readiness, Cabinet Office guidance and wider priorities. Policy teams monitor provisions that have not been commenced and consider when to bring forward commencement orders, drawing on legal and legislative advice where needed. The department remains in regular contact with Parliament to undertake required post-legislative scrutiny, including consideration of measures not yet commenced.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Relevant policy teams keep the commencement and implementation of Acts of Parliament under review in light of operational readiness and wider priorities.

This is conducted alongside established post legislative scrutiny processes where appropriate.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office of 29 October 2025, to Question 83801, on Peers and Members: Social Class, and to the answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent of 5 February 2026, to Question HL13977, on Civil Service: Unpaid Work, how should the children of peers self-certify their social class if they apply to the Civil Service Internship Scheme in the absence of a classification by the Office for National Statistics.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

All candidates are required to complete the questions set by ONS for determining socio-economic background based on their individual circumstances. For parental occupation this is at the age the candidate was 14. This allows the Civil Service to make a determination on their eligibility based on their answers. This is the same approach as was used for Fast Stream Internships under the previous administration.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443), what steps the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Department keeps the status of uncommenced legislation falling within its areas of policy responsibility under review and decisions on commencement are taken in the normal course of policy making.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 February (HL Deb col 490), whether there is any constitutional obstacle to the Government hiring an independent King's Counsel to investigate a suspended Minister, rather than asking the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards to do so.

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

As Head of the Executive, the Prime Minister may request that any investigation work in relation to the conduct of serving Ministers is undertaken by a range of relevant individuals, including the Independent Adviser of Ministerial Standards or legal counsel.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 17 March (HL14055), why the Prime Minister’s meeting with Palantir and Lord Mandelson in Washington is not classed as a meeting for the purposes of the Downing Street’s quarterly transparency returns under the Cabinet Office guidance, Ministers' overseas travel and meetings: Publication Guidance, published on 30 January 2025.

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

The visit was part of the Prime Minister's trip to Washington. During this visit the Prime Minister listened to a short presentation about Palantir’s work, followed by a tour of the premises and an introduction to members of staff.

Any contracts for any firm go through the usual rigorous departmental processes and their decision makers.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 10 March (HL15172), on what date the guidance on speaking to the media was last updated.

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

I refer the noble Lady to the answer given in HL15172:

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 3 February (HL13976), and with reference to paragraph 223 of the Cabinet Office Guide to Parliamentary Work and paragraph 1.6(d) of the Ministerial Code, what is the reason why current policy development prevents the publication of the previous guidance to the Civil Service about speaking to the media. HL15172

Answer: This guidance is currently under development in a live policy area. Premature release of this information would inhibit the free and frank provision of advice for policy development.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 11 March (HL14898), what assessment they have made of the cost to the public of multi academy trust chief executives pay in comparison to similar roles in the maintained school sector.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The responsibilities of multi-academy trust chief executives are not directly comparable to those of leaders in the maintained sector.

The department is clear that executive pay must be justifiable, transparent, evidence-based and reflect individual responsibility. Trustees should adhere to these principles in setting pay, supported by our guidance and advice. We are taking steps to respond to instances where we see high salaries compared to peers. This includes tightening the academy trust handbook (ATH) by requiring executive pay increases to be proportionate and justified, to prevent excessive increases for individuals carrying out broadly similar roles.

The department reviews trusts’ annual accounts to identify trusts with outlying levels of executive pay and engages with them to ensure compliance with the requirements of the ATH.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15443) and the remarks by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 5 March (HL Deb col 585GC), what steps the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has taken in the last year to meet its legal duty to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation that falls within its area of responsibility should be brought into force.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The department regularly reviews its forward secondary legislation programme, including commencement orders for as yet uncommenced legislation.

In the last year the department has undertaken a number of separate exercises to review delivery of secondary legislation and to ensure it is being prioritised in line with our legal requirements and the Government’s priorities.

We will continue to keep under review the question of when uncommenced legislation relevant to our department’s work should be brought into force.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 14 October 2025 (HL10630), why the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office did not contribute to the established process to collate relevant information as part of the identification and selection of the appointee for the role of Ambassador to the United States.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided on 14 October 2025 to question HL10630.

Found: Letter dated 09/04/2026 from Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent to Lord Empey regarding the debate on

Found: Letter dated 31/03/2026 from Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent to Baroness Finn regarding the draft