Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the total cost of Ministerial salaries to the Exchequer was in (a) July 2021, (b) August 2021, (c) September 2021, (d) October 2021, (e) November 2021, (f) December 2021, (g) January 2022, (h) February 2022, (i) March 2022, (j) April 2022, (k) May 2022, (l) June 2022 and (m) July 2022.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Limits on the number of salaries that can be paid and at what level are imposed by the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975. Government departments are responsible for paying ministerial salaries and publish relevant information in their annual reports and accounts, which can be found on gov.uk. Salary information for 2021-22 will be included in departments’ 2021-22 annual reports and accounts currently being published.
The Government also publishes information about the salary entitlements and salaries claimed at different ministerial ranks. This information can be found at the following link:
Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish details of all (a) communications and (b) meetings held between (i) No.10 special advisors and (ii) David Cameron or wider representatives of Greensill Capital (UK) Limited, Greensill Capital Management (UK) Limited and associated companies including but not limited to (A) the parties such communications or meetings were between, (B) how and when such communications or meetings took place, (C) the subject matter of such communications or meetings, and (D) how the details of such communications or meetings were recorded.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Prime Minister has asked Mr Boardman to conduct a review that will look into the decisions taken around the development and use of supply chain finance (and associated schemes) in government, especially the role of Lex Greensill and Greensill Capital. The full terms of reference are set out at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/review-into-the-development-and-use-of-supply-chain-finance-in-government-terms-of-reference
The review will report to the Prime Minister by 30 June 2021. The Government will publish and present to Parliament the Review’s findings and the Government’s response in due course thereafter.
Correspondence between the Cabinet Office and the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/crothers-bill-government-chief-commercial-officer-cabinet-office-acoba-recommendation
Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to next publish the Register of Minsters’ Financial Interests.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Prime Minister yesterday announced the appointment of Rt Hon Lord Geidt to serve as the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests. The Independent Adviser oversees the production of a List of Ministers' Interests, and the next publication will occur once Lord Geidt has concluded that process.
Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to give the next Independent Advisor on Ministerial Standards the power to initiate investigations.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Prime Minister yesterday announced the appointment of Rt Hon Lord Geidt to serve as the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests. Lord Geidt is a Crossbench Member of the House of Lords, a Privy Councillor and a former Private Secretary to The Queen. He brings a distinguished record of impartial public service and experience of Government to bear on the appointment.
The Prime Minister has agreed Terms of Reference for the role with Lord Geidt. These have been published on Gov.uk and will be deposited in the House libraries.
As part of these new Terms of Reference, and taking into account the recommendations of the Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the Independent Adviser will now have the authority to advise on the initiation of investigations.
Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government plans to fill the vacancy for the Independent Advisor on Ministerial Standards.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Prime Minister yesterday announced the appointment of Rt Hon Lord Geidt to serve as the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests. Lord Geidt is a Crossbench Member of the House of Lords, a Privy Councillor and a former Private Secretary to The Queen. He brings a distinguished record of impartial public service and experience of Government to bear on the appointment.
The Prime Minister has agreed Terms of Reference for the role with Lord Geidt. These have been published on Gov.uk and will be deposited in the House libraries.
As part of these new Terms of Reference, and taking into account the recommendations of the Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the Independent Adviser will now have the authority to advise on the initiation of investigations.
Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the date on which the Prime Minister repaid the costs of the refurbishment of the 11 Downing Street flat.
Answered by Chloe Smith
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on who paid the invoices for the refurbishment of the Prime Minister’s 11 Downing Street flat.
Answered by Chloe Smith
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much and what proportion of the Government's £290 billion annual public sector procurement expenditure has been spent (a) with businesses that use or have used child labour and (b) on products manufactured in, or using materials manufactured in, Xinjiang in each of the last five financial years.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This information is not held centrally.
The UK spends some £290 billion on public procurement every year. This huge amount of government spending must be leveraged to play its part in the UK’s economic recovery, opening up public contracts to more small businesses and social enterprises to innovate in public service delivery, and meeting our net-zero carbon target by 2050. The Government has already reviewed the Green Book to ensure it supports “levelling up” and is taking other steps for example through the National Infrastructure Strategy to ensure vibrant and resilient supply chains. Our ambitious plans for reform, set out in our recently published Green Paper on transforming procurement, aim to create a simpler regime that reduces costs for business and the public sector alike whilst complying with our international obligations.
The Government is committed to working to improve action to tackle modern slavery in supply chains, and has published commercial policy and guidance which advocates a systematic approach to identifying and tackling modern slavery and labour abuses in government supply chains, focussing on areas of the highest risk. We are keeping this matter under close review.
Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much and what proportion of the Government's £290 billion annual public sector procurement expenditure has been spent on (a) goods made in the UK, (b) services provided by UK-owned companies, (c) goods made outside of the UK and (d) services provided by overseas-owned companies in each of the last five financial years.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This information is not held centrally.
The UK spends some £290 billion on public procurement every year. This huge amount of government spending must be leveraged to play its part in the UK’s economic recovery, opening up public contracts to more small businesses and social enterprises to innovate in public service delivery, and meeting our net-zero carbon target by 2050. The Government has already reviewed the Green Book to ensure it supports “levelling up” and is taking other steps for example through the National Infrastructure Strategy to ensure vibrant and resilient supply chains. Our ambitious plans for reform, set out in our recently published Green Paper on transforming procurement, aim to create a simpler regime that reduces costs for business and the public sector alike whilst complying with our international obligations.
The Government is committed to working to improve action to tackle modern slavery in supply chains, and has published commercial policy and guidance which advocates a systematic approach to identifying and tackling modern slavery and labour abuses in government supply chains, focussing on areas of the highest risk. We are keeping this matter under close review.
Asked by: Rachel Reeves (Labour - Leeds West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much and what proportion of the Government's £290 billion annual public sector procurement expenditure has been disbursed by each (a) Government department, (b) local authority, (c) university, (d) research institute or research council, (e) NHS Trust and (f) further education institute in each of the last five financial years.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This information is not held centrally.
The UK spends some £290 billion on public procurement every year. This huge amount of government spending must be leveraged to play its part in the UK’s economic recovery, opening up public contracts to more small businesses and social enterprises to innovate in public service delivery, and meeting our net-zero carbon target by 2050. The Government has already reviewed the Green Book to ensure it supports “levelling up” and is taking other steps for example through the National Infrastructure Strategy to ensure vibrant and resilient supply chains. Our ambitious plans for reform, set out in our recently published Green Paper on transforming procurement, aim to create a simpler regime that reduces costs for business and the public sector alike whilst complying with our international obligations.
The Government is committed to working to improve action to tackle modern slavery in supply chains, and has published commercial policy and guidance which advocates a systematic approach to identifying and tackling modern slavery and labour abuses in government supply chains, focussing on areas of the highest risk. We are keeping this matter under close review.