Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions the Prime Minister had with Lord Lebedev on 21 May 2022; where they met; whether (a) officials and (b) advisers were present; whether minutes were taken of the meeting; and whether his Department holds any other records about the meeting.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Since July 2011, on the initiative of the then Prime Minister, David Cameron, the Government has published in its Ministerial transparency data details of meetings with senior media executives, including not only official meetings, but social and political meetings.
As outlined in the transparency return for the Q2 2022 period, this was a social meeting. The Government does not hold details of such informal, non-governmental meetings.
I would observe that since 2016, it is the Labour Party which has stopped publishing transparency data on frontbench meetings with senior media executives, breaking a commitment made during the Leveson Inquiry.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what dates the five further complaints against the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 14 December 2022 were received.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the Rt Hon lady to the Answers of 19 December 2022 to Questions 110722 and 110723. The investigation is being carried out in line with the Terms of Reference. Decisions on the conduct of that investigation will be for the investigator.
The government confirmed on 14 December that additional formal complaints had been passed to the investigator. These had been received by the Cabinet Office late in the previous week and were addressed promptly.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his Answer of 29 November 2022 to Question 92230 on Dominic Raab, whether Adam Tolley KC has the power to investigate any informal complaints or expressions of concern on the conduct Deputy Prime Minister except those specified in the Terms of Reference of the investigation.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the Rt Hon lady to the Answers of 19 December 2022 to Questions 110722 and 110723. The investigation is being carried out in line with the Terms of Reference. Decisions on the conduct of that investigation will be for the investigator.
The government confirmed on 14 December that additional formal complaints had been passed to the investigator. These had been received by the Cabinet Office late in the previous week and were addressed promptly.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2022 to Question 92230 on right Hon. Member for Esher and Walton, whether the Prime Minister has asked Adam Tolley KC to investigate further complaints about the Deputy Prime Minister since 29 November; and whether he plans to amend further the published terms of reference for the investigation.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Further to my answer of 29 November, the Government confirmed publicly on 14 December that the Prime Minister has asked the investigator to include five further formal complaints relating to conduct at the Ministry of Justice as part of the ongoing investigation, and in line with the existing Terms of Reference.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2022 to Question 92230 on right Hon. Member for Esher and Walton, whether his Department has received any further formal complaints regarding the conduct of the Deputy Prime Minister since 29 November.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Further to my answer of 29 November, the Government confirmed publicly on 14 December that the Prime Minister has asked the investigator to include five further formal complaints relating to conduct at the Ministry of Justice as part of the ongoing investigation, and in line with the existing Terms of Reference.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department is taking steps to monitor profits made by public procurement suppliers that accrue to offshore trusts.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The driving principle behind public procurement policy is to award contracts on the basis of value for money, which means the optimum combination of cost and quality over the lifetime of the project.
The Government expects businesses to take all necessary steps to enable themselves to comply with their tax obligations, to ensure a fair and level playing field.
HM Revenue & Customs require certain large multinational enterprises to report details of their economic activities in each country where they operate and the taxes paid in each country. There are penalties for those that file late or fail to do so.
The Procurement Bill introduces new mandatory grounds for the exclusion of bidders which are found guilty of tax evasion or involvement in abusive tax avoidance schemes, whether in the UK or overseas.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much of the Public Sector Fraud Authority target of identified fraud benefits has been recovered as of 18 November 2022.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The £180m target for the PSFA in 2022/23 includes recovered fraud and fraud prevented by early action. Therefore, all fraud benefits are required to go through a multi stage review process and also be independently audited. Until this audit process has been completed, we are unable to report progress against the target. However, early indications are that we are on track to meet the target.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the Answer to the answer of 31 October 2022 to Question 74642 on Electronic Messaging, when his Department plans to publish new guidance on the use of personal email addresses by Ministers.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Cabinet Office intends to issue guidance to departments on the use of non-corporate communications channels early in 2023. This will replace the guidance on the use of private email that was issued in 2013.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has with the Public Sector Fraud Authority on protecting the public purse by reducing fraud.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I had an introductory meeting with the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA) on 31 October. We discussed how the PSFA is providing expert support to departments and public bodies about the fraud risks and threats they face, and its progress towards delivering £180m of identified fraud benefits within its first year.
Asked by: Angela Rayner (Labour - Ashton-under-Lyne)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants have been assigned to work on the investigation into the conduct of the Deputy Prime Minister as of 24 November 2022.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
As set out in the published Terms of Reference, the investigation will be undertaken by Adam Tolley KC, with support from officials in the Cabinet Office.
Those officials will work under the direction of the investigator and in line with the Civil Service Code.
The number of officials assigned to the investigation at any one time will vary. The investigation will be provided with the necessary resources to be carried out in line with the Terms of Reference.