Asked by: Lord Gilbert of Panteg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Minister for Social Security and Disability attended the Labour Muslim Network panel event on 6 December 2025 in a ministerial capacity.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Minister did not attend the Labour Muslim Network panel event on the 6th December in his Ministerial capacity.
Asked by: Lord Gilbert of Panteg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Livermore on 9 December 2025 (HL12629) and 27 January (HL13469), whether any special advisers briefed Budget 2025 policy announcements to the media (1) prior to formal ministerial statements made to Parliaments, and (2) without an accompanying official government announcement.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Treasury, its Ministers and Special Advisers place the utmost importance on Budget information security. As set out in the Budget Information Security Review, Ministers, officials and Special Advisers act in line with the Macpherson Principles, the Civil Service Code and the Special Advisers’ Code.
Consistent with these principles, 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.
For Budget 2025, Special Advisers acted in accordance with these rules and principles.
Asked by: Lord Gilbert of Panteg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Government Secure Zone Security Monitoring and Control Centre is still operational; and if so, what is its annual cost.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government Security Zone Monitoring and Control Centre (known as the Government Security Zone Information Room) is operational. In line with the policy followed by successive administrations, the Government does not comment in detail on security arrangements within the Zone.
Asked by: Lord Gilbert of Panteg (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 5 February (HL13975), and in light of the statutory prohibitions under section 8(5)(b) of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 on exercising any power in relation to the management of any part of the civil service, why Jonathan Powell is listed as management on the Cabinet Office website.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Security Adviser sets direction on behalf of the Prime Minister for national security and foreign policy in the National Security Secretariat. Some leadership and corporate responsibilities, such as the line management of civil servants, accounting or matters affecting a civil servant’s career (including recruitment, promotion, reward and discipline), are not carried out by the National Security Adviser.
Asked by: Lord Gilbert of Panteg (Conservative - Life peer)
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 11 November 2025 (HC87333), whether there is a government policy on which colours are (1) politically neutral, and (2) politically affiliated.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given on 19 February 2025, Official Report, PQ30826.
PQ30826 - To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 25454 on 9 Downing Street: Media, what advice the (a) Cabinet Secretary and (b) Cabinet Office Propriety and Ethics Team provided on whether the colours (i) red and (ii) blue are party political.
Answer - As has been the case under successive administrations, it is a long-standing principle that Civil Service advice is given and treated in confidence. This includes detailing whether or not advice has been given and by whom.
Asked by: Lord Gilbert of Panteg (Conservative - Life peer)
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 24 February (HC113702), and with reference to paragraph 223 of the Guide to Parliamentary Work, updated on 19 November 2024, what is the public interest rationale for not publishing the guidance on the rebranding of HM Government to the UK Government in public communications.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This guidance is currently under development in a live policy area. Premature release of this information would inhibit the free and frank provision of advice for policy development.
Asked by: Lord Gilbert of Panteg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the Child Poverty Strategy, published on 5 December 2025, whether the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team approved the references to the Labour government in that strategy.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
It is longstanding practice not to comment on the provision of internal advice, including whether or not particular advice has been provided.
Asked by: Lord Gilbert of Panteg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government why the information on the staff breakdown by public body under the Government Communication Service audit was disclosed in the FOI Internal Review response IR2025/05101 of 29 May 2025 and the Written Answer by the former Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 4 September 2025 (HC70468), but was not published by the Cabinet Office in Written Answer by the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 24 February (HC113610).
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There had been no plans to routinely publish this information as this information is collected for operational purposes.
The data provided for HC70468 had already been published in the public domain via the referenced Internal Review.
Asked by: Lord Gilbert of Panteg (Conservative - Life peer)
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 11 December 2025 (HC96206), whether the Prime Minister approved the inclusion of Lord Alli on the list of individuals to be given security passes to 10 Downing Street.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK’s long-standing constitutional arrangements require an immediate transition of power. A list of staff is provided to the Cabinet Secretary’s Office by political parties, so that the incoming Prime Minister has the ability to begin work immediately.
Asked by: Lord Gilbert of Panteg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of generative AI in schools and its impact on (1) children's education and long-term skills, and (2) children’s safety and well-being.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department recognises the transformative potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education and is taking a measured, evidence-led approach to its adoption. In January 2025, the department published updated guidance on the safe and effective use of generative AI in schools, including product safety expectations that prioritise child-centred design and safeguarding.
Secondly, to assess the impact of AI on children’s education and long-term skills, the department is investing over £1 million in a test-and-learn pilot with schools, colleges, and educational technology (EdTech) firms. This EdTech Impact Testbed Pilot is designed to evaluate how AI tools affect staff workload, pupil outcomes, and inclusivity. The department is also funding Ofsted to research how early adopter schools are using AI to support teaching and learning, with findings due in June 2025.
Additionally, the EdTech Evidence Board pilot launched in partnership with the Chartered College of Teaching is developing criteria to assess the effectiveness of EdTech tools. This will support schools in making evidence-based decisions about AI adoption.
Finally, to ensure safety and well-being, the department has published free training materials for educators and continues to work with regulators and the sector to ensure AI tools are safe, effective, and inclusive.