Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what roles (1) the Senior Leadership Committee, (2) the Government People Group, and (3) the Permanent Secretaries Remuneration Committee, play in monitoring and approving remuneration above the Senior Civil Service pay band 4 maximum.

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

The Senior Leadership Committee has no role in Permanent Secretary pay. The Permanent Secretary Remuneration Committee (PSRC) monitors remuneration of the Permanent Secretary group and reviews the recommendations of the Senior Salaries Review Body including the annual pay award. The Government People Group provides secretariat support.

As set out in HL8031, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury approves cases to pay on appointment over the £200,000 band maximum.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government further to the Forty-Seventh Annual Report on Senior Salaries, published on 22 May (CP 1329), what exemptions exist that permit base pay or total remuneration for Senior Civil Servant pay band 4 roles to exceed the published maximum, and under which statutory or delegated authority those exemptions are granted.

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

The Cabinet Secretary seeks approval from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to permit Permanent Secretary remuneration to exceed the published maximum on appointment. This follows the HMT guidance on senior pay.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Forty-Seventh Annual Report on Senior Salaries, published on 22 May (CP 1329), whether they have published online the letter from the Director of Civil Service Talent at the Government People Group regarding Permanent Secretary pay; if not, why not; why that letter was sent by an official rather than a minister; and whether they will place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

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

The letter from the Director of Civil Service Talent sent to the Senior Salaries Review Body was official level correspondence and not formal written evidence.

As outlined in the Written Ministerial Statement on 22 May, recommendations made in relation to the Permanent Secretary group by the Senior Salaries Review Body will be considered by the Permanent Secretary Remuneration Committee. Final recommendations on Permanent Secretary remuneration will be presented to the Prime Minister in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Department for Business and Trade annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024, published on 24 April (HC 391), what evidence supports the decision to reduce the estimated 9.7 per cent fraud and error incidence rate in the Bounce Back Loan Scheme to 6.8 per cent; and whether the assumption that 29.8 per cent of fraudulently obtained loans will be repaid is consistent with observed repayment behaviour for loans confirmed as fraudulent.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

On 30 January, the Department for Business and Trade published its annual report and accounts for 2023/2024.

The report states that the “fraud and error incidence rate” in the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) has increased from 8.0% at 31 March 2023 to 9.7% at 31 March 2024.

There is no published figure for the expected repayment of loans where fraud is suspected. However, the 6.8% figure quoted in the question represents an estimate of “expected lifetime fraud and error loss”. This is based on the observable behaviour of a statistically representative sample.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued about whether, and how, unofficial departmental meetings with trade unions about government business should be declared.

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

Meetings with external organisations and individuals are declared quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include official meetings with trade unions, subject to any exemptions listed in the Guidance.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the 2025–26 policy of the Cabinet Office on awarding bonuses for (1) the Senior Civil Service, and (2) lower grades of the Civil Service; and what is the maximum that can be given to any individual in any financial year.

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

As has been the practice in previous administrations, the arrangements for performance-related pay for the Senior Civil Service (SCS) are published in annual SCS pay practitioner guidance. The 2025-26 guidance, including the controls on performance related pay, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-the-senior-civil-service-pay-award-202526

For grades below the SCS, departments have delegated authority to determine their own performance-related pay arrangements.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the data Expenditure Over £25,000: April 2025 (Cabinet Office Core), published on 29 May, why the payment of £78 million to the Department for Work and Pensions (transaction number 2037003799) is classified as "current grants to private sector – non-profit institutions serving households".

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

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) has started to make payments to claimants using the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) payment capabilities. This is to facilitate the high volume and speed at which IBCA and this government wants to make payments to compensation recipients. The Cabinet Office has to transfer funding to DWP, via a payment service request, so they can make the compensation payments on behalf of IBCA.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 23 April (HL5835), whether at any stage during the life of the contract C2980 KPMG has received any contractual guarantees, exclusivity arrangements, or written assurances, including side letters or informal undertakings, relating to the continuation of work, future procurements or eligibility for subsequent frameworks.

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

During the life of contract C2980 with KPMG there are no contractual guarantees relating to spend or service volumes and no exclusivity arrangements. Furthermore, there have been no written assurances, side letters or informal undertakings relating to the continuation of work, future procurements or eligibility for subsequent frameworks.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 23 April (HL5835), whether they considered a bridging arrangement with an alternative supplier to KPMG before the extension of contract C2980; and if so, what assessment they made of value for money and risk when comparing the options of extending the contract and finding an alternative supplier.

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

Alternatives to a short-term contract extension were considered, and the decision to pursue a short-term extension without an increase to the contract value was taken based on this providing best value for money and other considerations (for example system changes and interoperability) and constraints associated with a short-term bridging opportunity.

At the Spending Review the Cabinet Office secured funding from the Transformation Fund to begin the long-term transformation of the civil service model for learning and development.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a list of the Government Art Collection (GAC) items in each ministerial office that have been selected by ministers since the general election, broken down by (1) minister, (2) artist, (3) title, and (4) GAC number.

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

The Government Art Collection is a working collection, used across government buildings in the UK and the global estate, which means that artworks displayed in ministerial offices may change from time to time in response to new display steers and requests. The Government Art Collection website has all artworks belonging to the Collection and their current location. It is possible to search for all artworks in a specific location.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 14 January (HC22193), whether cross-government special advisers are deemed to be employed by the Cabinet Office or a department; and whether unionised departmental special advisers who have affiliated to the First Division Association can undertake strike action as a consolidated block across government.

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

All special advisers are employees of their appointing minister's department in line with the terms of the Model Contract for Special Advisers.

Special advisers have the same legal rights as other employees regarding the possibility of undertaking industrial action.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the list of Cabinet Committees and their membership updated in October 2024, whether the National Security Adviser is a formal member of any Cabinet Committee or sub-committee.

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

The National Security Adviser is not a member of any Cabinet committees. The full list of Cabinet committees and their membership is available on Gov.uk. Officials and advisers may attend committees with agreement of the Chair.

Found: BARONESS GOLDIE LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN LORD HUNT OF WIRRAL Revised version of the amendment printed

Found: removal of hereditary peers. 5 House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill BARONESS GOLDIE LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN

Found: VISCOUNT YOUNGER OF LECKIE BARONESS FINN 122D_ Clause 95, page 61, lines 9, leave out “reasonably incurs

Found: BARONESS GOLDIE LORD TRUE BARONESS FINN LORD HUNT OF WIRRAL ★_ After Clause 1, insert the following

Found: Clause 88 VISCOUNT YOUNGER OF LECKIE BARONESS FINN 99A_ Clause 88, page 54, leave out lines 5 to 7

Found: OBE Liberal Democrat Party 15 November 2024 - 14 November 2027 Baroness Finn