Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to reply to the letter of 6 November 2025 from the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
A reply was sent by Cat Little, Civil Service Chief Operating Officer and Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary, on 30th January 2026.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, 22 December 2025, what plans he has to align with the EU Single Market in relation to manufactured goods.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
This government remains committed to reducing barriers to trade and cutting red-tape. There are clear areas where closer alignment with the EU can benefit UK businesses, as demonstrated by our negotiations on a food and drinks agreement. However, the government’s red lines are clear: there will be no return to the Single Market, Customs Union or freedom of movement.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Cabinet Office has agreed a workplan, or commissioned any projects or programmes, with the Ethics and Integrity Commission.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC), which launched on 13 October 2025, was established by strengthening and reforming the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL).
Its purpose is to promote the highest standards in public life, as set out in its Terms of Reference. The EIC has published an implementation plan, which sets out an 18-24 month plan for the transition of the CSPL into the EIC, which can be found at the following link:
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish an update to the December 2024 Plan for Change, and updated statistics on the delivery of the missions and milestones.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
In the Plan for Change document, there are linked statistics in the final "Statistical Sources" section Plan for Change – Milestones for mission-led government. These continue to be published and updated in line with best practice guidance for statistical releases.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 105698 on Erasmus+ Programme, what estimate her Department has made of the number of inbound EU students who will study in the UK.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The UK has agreed to associate to Erasmus+ in 2027 on terms that represent a fair balance between the UK’s contribution and the benefits the programme offers.
We have agreed a 30% discount compared to the default terms in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as a review of the UK’s participation in the programme ten months after our association, including data concerning demand for funding in the UK.
In 2018/19, there were approximately 31,000 inbound higher education (HE) student mobilities via the Erasmus+ programme. There were approximately 16,000 outbound HE student mobilities in the same year. The department expects there will be a greater number of HE mobilities on reassociation, given the expansion of the programme.
In real terms, the Erasmus+ budget for 2027 is 50% higher than in 2019. Due to this increased budget, we expect that over 100,000 people could benefit from mobility and partnership opportunities from participation in 2027 across all sectors.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026 to Question 105701 on Turing: Finance, whether the Turing scheme will continue in 2027-28; and what her target is for the number of outbound UK students using the Turing scheme in 2026-27.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Guidance on the Turing Scheme for the 2026/27 academic year has been published on GOV.UK, with applications for funding now open and closing at 16:00 on Monday 16 March. Looking ahead, we remain committed to international mobility. That’s why the UK has agreed association with Erasmus+ on better financial terms for the UK. Decisions on the Turing Scheme for future years will be shared in due course.
The Turing Scheme is a demand led, competitive programme, so providers can shape applications to the needs of their students. The department does not set targets for the number of Turing Scheme placements in each year as this is highly dependent on the numbers of students that individual providers intend to send, where they intend to go and how long they intend to go for. Instead, we allocate funding in a way that prioritises the participation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and disabilities.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the Crown Commercial Service contractfinder entry, Provision of a Systematic evidence review on the impact of the pandemic on mental health, published March 2025, Procurement reference: CCZZ24A16, awarded to the Centre for Strategy and Evaluation Services, if he will publish the report.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is independent of government. The systematic evidence review on the impact of the pandemic on mental health, commissioned by the UK Covid-19 Inquiry to support its investigation into the impact of the pandemic on society, will be published on the Inquiry's website during hearings for Module 10, to be held between 16th February 2026 and 5th March 2026.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, 22 December 2025, whether he plans to make additional financial contributions to the European Union as a consequence of the new provisions on Development and disaster cooperation.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
We have agreed to regular UK-EU dialogue on development issues and to seek to enhance our cooperation on international disaster and humanitarian response.The details of any agreements, including financial contributions, are subject to ongoing negotiations with the EU.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 105241 on Public Sector: Reform, what the nature is of the commercial confidentiality.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The transparency obligations under the Procurement Act only apply to the overarching contractual agreement between the Contracting Authority and the Supplier. It does not cover Statements of Work subsequently agreed under the contract.
This is in line with common practice across government procurement.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many civil service jobs the Office for Women and Equalities has advertised in the last 12 months which have only been listed on the internal civil service jobs website.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
All vacancies for OEO are advertised via Civil Service Jobs, ensuring the recruitment process is appropriately followed.
Recruitment is by exception where there is a clear business critical need or specialism that can not be found within the Department.