Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which departments use external contractors to prepare responses to questions tabled by members of the House of Lords and Members of Parliament; and, in each case, how often such contractors are used.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
Departments are responsible for their responses to written parliamentary questions. Written parliamentary questions receive final sign off from Ministers.
The Cabinet Office has produced guidance for civil servants on drafting answers to parliamentary questions. This can be found on the gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drafting-answers-to-parliamentary-questions-guidance.
Civil servants and Ministers conduct these duties in line with their respective codes of conduct.
The Department of Health and Social Care has outlined that the department’s contract included a general clause for Deloitte to provide support to civil servants in responding to written questions, freedom of information requests and media queries. They have not been directly responsible for drafting replies.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the Prime Minister was first briefed by officials on the potential threats posed by COVID-19 to the UK economy.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Prime Minister and Cabinet have been regularly briefed on COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus. These briefings have included assessments of the potential impacts to the UK economy and public health. These issues have also regularly been discussed at meetings of the COBR Committee. Additionally, since 16 March, a series of Cabinet Committees have convened to support the Government’s efforts.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the Cabinet was first briefed about the threats posed to public health and the economy by COVID-19.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Prime Minister and Cabinet have been regularly briefed on COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus. These briefings have included assessments of the potential impacts to the UK economy and public health. These issues have also regularly been discussed at meetings of the COBR Committee. Additionally, since 16 March, a series of Cabinet Committees have convened to support the Government’s efforts.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the Prime Minister was first briefed by officials about COVID-19 and its potential impact on public health.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Prime Minister and Cabinet have been regularly briefed on COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus. These briefings have included assessments of the potential impacts to the UK economy and public health. These issues have also regularly been discussed at meetings of the COBR Committee. Additionally, since 16 March, a series of Cabinet Committees have convened to support the Government’s efforts.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a report at the conclusion of their inquiry into allegations of bullying by the Home Secretary.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the noble Lord to my answer on 12th March 2020 to Lord Young of Cookham (Official Record, House Of Lords,Vol. 802. Col. 1158).
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many, and which, enquiries into breaches of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) rules resulted in findings against former ministers since 2010; and on how many occasions ACOBA recommendations have not been adhered to since 2010.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) is independent from Government and its role is to provide advice on applications submitted under the Government's Business Appointment Rules (the Rules) from the most senior Civil Servants and former Ministers. In doing so it considers the risks posed by an application and advises on the conditions that should apply. Relevant correspondence is published on ACOBA’s website.
ACOBA is only one part of the Business Appointments system. Other applications are considered by the responsible department; and departmental boards are responsible for the oversight of the Rules within each department, via Audit and Risk Committees.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on which policy areas the guidance in the Ministerial Code prevents the former Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, from conducting lobbying.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The Business Appointment Rules (para 8), attached at Annex B of the Ministerial Code, defines lobbying as:
…communication with Government (Ministers, civil servants, including special advisers, and other relevant officials/public office holders) – wherever it takes place - with a view to influencing a Government decision, policy or contract award/grant in relation to their own interests or the interests of the organisation by which they are employed, or to whom they are contracted or with which they hold office. This does not prohibit contacts, including at a social or party political level which is unrelated to such lobbying.
Former Ministers remain personally responsible for deciding how to act and conduct themselves in the light of the Ministerial Code and for justifying their actions and conduct to Parliament and the public. This includes following the correct process for seeking advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.
Individuals who are serving Members of Parliament should also be mindful that any outside activity must comply with the Commons Code of Conduct.