Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 23 December 2025 (HL12792), whether (1) Treasury ministers, or (2) their special advisers, had any involvement in media briefings prior to the Budget 2025 which were not issued alongside a Government press release or statement to Parliament.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Treasury, its ministers, and special advisers place the utmost importance on budget security. A leak inquiry is currently underway, alongside a review of security processes to inform future fiscal events.

The Permanent Secretary to HM Treasury told the Treasury Select Committee on 10 December 2025 that he expects the review to conclude ahead of the Spring Statement on 3 March. The outcome of the review will be published.

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 December 2025 (HL12743), whether guidance or advice on the use of email has been provided to cross-government special advisers other than non-corporate communications guidance in the past six months; and if so, whether that advice included guidance on (1) placing, or not placing, specific content on government email accounts, and (2) the application of the Freedom of Information Act to corporate and non-corporation communications.

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

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of 18 December 2025, Official Report, PQ HL12743:

$08122025|4|W|22122025|Lord Jackson of Peterborough||To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Answer by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 25 November (HC91373), whether guidance has been given informally to special advisers through cross-government special adviser meetings about (1) including, or (2) excluding, information on email or other corporate communications. HL12743

Answer: There is guidance in place when it comes to the use of non-corporate communications channels, available on gov.uk.

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 10 April 2025 (HL6032), whether the arm's-length body "Project Seahorse" has been established; what is the proposed function of that body; and what budget has been allocated to that body in the period covered by the Spending Review 2025.

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

The body in question is the Warm Homes Agency, which is a new public body being set up to support the delivery of the Warm Homes Plan. The Agency will provide trusted consumer advice, support the supply chain, and consolidate some existing delivery organisations into an Executive Agency. The Government has committed £15 billion in the wider Warm Homes Plan. Specific operational budget allocations for the Agency will be determined in due course and are subject to standard Government approval processes.

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 (HL12632), what is the public interest rationale for not disclosing information that is not routinely published to Parliament about public spending on the Downing Street flats.

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

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of 16 December 2025, Official Report, PQ HL12632.

PQ HL12632 Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 4 November (HC85501) and Lord True on 23 April 2021 (HL14191), and with regard to paragraph 1.6(d) of the Ministerial Code, what is the public interest argument for not releasing details to Parliament of public spending on the Downing Street flats.

Cabinet Office response: As was the case under successive administrations, an itemised list is not routinely published. Total expenditure from the Prime Minister’s allowance on their official residence is disclosed in the Cabinet Office Annual Report 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 18 December 2025 (HL12683), on what dates organised group telephone or video calls with consultant lobbyists not otherwise listed in gov.uk transparency publications have taken place since July 2024.

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

I refer the Noble Lord back to HL12683.

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

As has been policy for successive administrations, the Government does not publish the details of meetings held by Special Advisers (with the exception of meetings with senior media figures) or the meetings of officials at Director rank or below (with the exception of Finance and Commercial Directors, or Directors who are Senior Responsible Owners of projects in the Government Major Projects Portfolio).