Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of (1) the total value and percentage rate of fraud and error, (2) the number and value of loans flagged for suspected fraud, (3) the number and value of guarantee claims paid on loans with fraud indicators, and (4) the total value of recoveries to date, for the (a) Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, (b) Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and (c) Recovery Loan Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Recovery Loan Scheme 1 & 2, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan scheme (CBILS) and Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Scheme (CLBILS) are now closed.
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan scheme
As at 31 December 2024, lenders have identified facilities with an aggregate drawn value of £55.44m as suspected fraud. This equates to 0.21% of the total drawn down value.
As at 31 December 2024, a total of £0.02 billion has been settled (paid under the Government backed guarantee) with a suspected fraud flag. Recoveries figures are not published.
Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Scheme
As at 31 December 2024, no CLBILS loans subject to the guarantee have been flagged as suspected fraud by lenders.
Recovery Loan Scheme
As at 31 March 2025 lenders have identified 92 RLS 1&2 facilities with an aggregate drawn value of £32.84m as suspected fraud. This equates to 0.46% of the total number of drawn facilities and 0.76% of the total drawn value.
Lenders have currently identified 18 RLS 3 facilities with an aggregate drawn value of £5.04m as suspected fraud. This equates to 0.12% of the total number of drawn facilities and 0.21% of the total drawn value.
The number and value of guarantee claims paid on RLS facilities with fraud indicators is not published. Recoveries figures are not published.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
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 will place in the Library of the House the letters from the Cabinet Office Director of Civil Service Pay, Policy and Pensions (1) to Mark Polin regarding requests for evidence and data ahead of oral evidence, dated 12 February, and (2) to Lea Paterson regarding the oral evidence session, dated 4 April; and if not, why they have not published these documents on Gov.uk.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As has been long standing practice under successive administrations, the Government does not intend to place copies of official-level correspondence to the Senior Salaries Review Body in the Library of the House. All Government Written Evidence to the Senior Salaries Review Body has been published on gov.uk.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Civil Servants at Senior Civil Servant pay band 4 are paid above the pay band maximum of £200,000.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are nine Permanent Secretaries paid above £200,000. Data on pay is published in departments' quarterly transparency reports.