Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, on 14 July 2009 (HC Deb col 373W), what plans they have to investigate whether official government information regarding the sale of the student loan book was passed by Lord Mandelson to Jeffery Epstein or his associates.

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

The sale of student loans forms part of a loan sale programme established under the Sale of Student Loans Act 2008, which enables the government to sell certain income‑contingent student loans while preserving borrowers’ terms and conditions.

The first sales under the programme were delivered through two transactions completed in 2017 and 2018, following decisions taken under subsequent administrations and several years after Lord Mandelson had left office. Those sales were undertaken in accordance with the relevant statutory and contractual framework and were subject to established governance and assurance arrangements.

There is no evidence of any unauthorised disclosure of official government information in relation to the student loan sales.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development internal policy basis, for the decision to grant Lord Mandelson access to classified briefings at higher tiers from 6 January 2025, before his Developed Vetting was completed.

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

I refer the Noble Lord to the Government's statement (Official Report, vol. 782, cols. 359-374) and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, whether, when conducting vetting for the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the USA, due diligence was undertaken in relation to Global Counsel’s work in Russia and China.

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

I refer the Noble Lord to the Government's statement (Official Report, vol. 782, cols. 359-374) and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any reasons for the 2.8 per cent take-up of His Majesty The King’s Portrait Scheme by hospitals.

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

His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme was a voluntary programme offering a free, framed portrait of The King to any eligible public institution that requested one.

The Cabinet Office did not require public bodies and institutions to ‘opt out’ of the scheme, and therefore the reasons for not applying for His Majesty's Official Portrait were not requested and so are not recorded.

Following the conclusion of the scheme, a breakdown of the take up, including percentage take-up figures was published on gov.uk.

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 2026 (HL14055), what is (1) the Prime Minister’s Office, and (2) their definition of a “meeting”.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 5 March, Official Report, PQ HC110411:

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77563 on Palantir, whether there is a record of who the Prime Minister (a) met and (b) spoke to during that visit.

Answer: 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.

In December 2025, the MOD signed an extension to the Enterprise Agreement with Palantir that had been initially awarded in November 2022, by the previous Government, and via a direct award. This extension covered existing services and ensured there was no drop-off in MOD capability in critical areas.

This contract - and all other 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 what consideration the Cabinet Office's Propriety, Ethics and Constitution Group gave to interviewing Lord Mandelson before his appointment as ambassador to the USA; and whether the Group offered to undertake such an interview.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March which sets out the process of appointment and the steps the Government is taking to strengthen the process going forwards.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether each of their Five Missions remain a priority, or whether they have been downgraded or superseded.

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

Missions remain a priority across Government departments.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office gave to facilitating a diplomatic service role for Lord Doyle in the British Embassy in Washington.

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

I refer the Noble Lord to the answers given on this matter by the Foreign Secretary in the most recent session of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office oral questions in the House of Commons on 21 April, when she said: "As for the case that the hon. Member raised, I can confirm that it would also not have been an appropriate appointment."

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 4 March (HC110410), whether the 10 Downing Street email address of John Pond belonged to a civil servant or was email alias for the then Prime Minister.

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

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual staffing matters.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 9 March (HL14364), whether they will publish the arrangements and mitigations that were put in place in relation to Lord Mandelson's Global Counsel shareholdings when he was appointed Ambassador to the United States.

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

I refer the Noble Lord to the Government's statement (Official Report, vol. 782, cols. 359-374) and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government which Secretary of State is responsible for any decision related to the forfeiture of a ministerial pension.

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

The Prime Minister, as Minister for the Civil Service, is responsible for the Ministerial Pension Scheme and has delegated day to day responsibility for the scheme to the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

It should be noted that there is no provision in the scheme rules for the forfeiture of benefits.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 17 March (HC119326), whether the Cabinet Office holds a list of the public sector organisations to which the reminder electronic communication was sent; and through what process the Cabinet Office drew up the list of public sector organisations to contact.

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

Following the repeal of the requirement to report facility time data to the Cabinet Office, as part of the Employment Rights Act (2025), the Cabinet Office does not hold a list to which the reminder electronic communication was sent. The list was manually maintained and based on the email addresses associated with the submitted public sector facility time data in the previous year.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 17 April (HC123654), and with reference to paragraph 1.6 of the Ministerial Code, what is the public interest reason for disclosing the information on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) artwork held on FCDO premises abroad in the Freedom of Information FOI2025/05106, but not publishing the equivalent information for FCDO premises in London in that Written Answer.

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

I will deposit a copy of the equivalent information for FCDO premises in London in the Libraries of both Houses. This will be published in due course in the deposited papers database on Parliament’s website.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government on what dates since July 2024 the Cabinet Office has issued or amended the guidance to the Civil Service on speaking to the media.

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

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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 16 April (HC124632), whether local authorities are recommended to comply with the guidance advising local authorities against translating into foreign languages set out in the Written Statement on 12 March 2013 (HC Deb Col 5WS).

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

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

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 March (HL15004), whether they consulted any external groups about the rebranding of HM Government to UK Government.

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration the Office of the Prime Minister gave to facilitating a diplomatic service role for Lord Doyle in the British Embassy in Washington.

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield on 13 June 2025 (HL8431), whether there is any guidance or policy on whether Ministers attend their departments to undertake ministerial duties during periods of strike action.

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

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether all decisions of the Prime Minister in relation to the appointment of Lord Mandelson and his security vetting are in scope of the Government response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson; and why the decision of the Prime Minister on appointing Lord Mandelson is not recorded in Volume 1 of the Government response to the Humble Address.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Prime Minister has had with Jonathan Caplan KC in relation to Lord Mandelson since 20 December 2024.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 2 March (HL14051), whether the Prime Minister’s recusal from decisions relating to the Football Governance Act 2025 before it was enacted extends to recusal from appointments to the Independent Football Regulator.

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

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15644), what assessment the Minister for the Civil Service has made of whether the Child Poverty Strategy complies with the Civil Service Code and Ministerial Code in relation to party political content.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 30 March (HL15584), whether the trailing of the Budget 2025 policy in advance of the budget statement included briefings to the media that were not accompanied by a formal ministerial statement to Parliament or an official government press release.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

I refer the noble lord to the Answer on 30 March (HL15584). Consistent with the Macpherson Principles, the Civil Service Code and the Special Advisers’ Code, there are occasions where the Government will trail and/or announce policy ahead of a Budget to provide context and help the public understand major fiscal events.

Any such communications are tightly controlled, respect Parliament, and protect market‑sensitive information

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 April (HL15582), whether 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 is held by the Crown Prosecution Service.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.