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Written Question
Cabinet Office: CK Hutchison Holdings
Tuesday 18th July 2023

Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has held meetings with representatives of CK Hutchison in the last 12 months.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)

Details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Vodafone Group
Friday 23rd June 2023

Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment their Department has made of the potential effect of the merger between Three and Vodafone on their Department's contracts with Vodafone.

Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As an open economy, we welcome investment where it supports UK growth and jobs, meets our stringent legal and regulatory requirements, and does not compromise our national security. The Government has robust powers under the National Security & Investment Act to block or impose remedies on transactions that pose a national security risk.

As you will appreciate, we cannot comment on specific acquisitions nor the applicability of the National Security and Investment regime.

It is the responsibility of Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to assess the impact on consumers and competition in the market, with input from sectoral regulators.


The Investment Security Unit works closely with the Competition and Markets Authority on cases that are being considered for both national security and competition reasons. A memorandum of understanding has been agreed between the Investment Security Unit and the CMA to assist joint working. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/operation-of-the-national-security-and-investment-act-2021-memorandum-of-understanding/mou-between-beis-and-the-cma-on-the-operation-of-the-national-security-and-investment-act-2021


Written Question
Domestic Abuse: Coronavirus
Friday 11th December 2020

Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on levels of domestic abuse.

Answered by Chloe Smith

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.


Written Question
Domestic Abuse: Poplar and Limehouse
Friday 11th December 2020

Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the level of domestic abuse and violence in Poplar and Limehouse constituency.

Answered by Chloe Smith

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.


Written Question
Government Departments: Living Wage
Thursday 17th September 2020

Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Government departments can apply to the Living Wage Foundation to become a Living Wage Accredited Employer; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Cabinet Office employment practices are in compliance with the monitoring requirements set out in the EHRC Statutory code of practice of employment. All permanent external recruitment within the Cabinet Office is based on the Civil Service recruitment principles which is done on merit and on the basis of fair and open competition. The information on promotions is not held centrally.

The Crown is the legal employer of civil servants but, practically, as a result of delegation, the employment relationship for all civil servants is with their department or agency.

Government departments have delegated authority to set pay arrangements to allow them to put in place reward arrangements for civil servants that best suit their business needs.

The Government will always award contracts on the basis of value for money for the taxpayer. Employers must pay at least the National Minimum Wage, or the National Living Wage for workers over 25.


Written Question
Government Departments: Living Wage
Thursday 17th September 2020

Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Government departments are able to specify that wages of at least the Real Living Wage as determined by the Living Wage Foundation must be paid to all workers employed under Facility Management contract let by that Department; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Cabinet Office employment practices are in compliance with the monitoring requirements set out in the EHRC Statutory code of practice of employment. All permanent external recruitment within the Cabinet Office is based on the Civil Service recruitment principles which is done on merit and on the basis of fair and open competition. The information on promotions is not held centrally.

The Crown is the legal employer of civil servants but, practically, as a result of delegation, the employment relationship for all civil servants is with their department or agency.

Government departments have delegated authority to set pay arrangements to allow them to put in place reward arrangements for civil servants that best suit their business needs.

The Government will always award contracts on the basis of value for money for the taxpayer. Employers must pay at least the National Minimum Wage, or the National Living Wage for workers over 25.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Public Inquiries
Thursday 17th September 2020

Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether officials in (a) his Department, and (b) the wider Civil Service have been advised not to destroy covid-19-related records that could be considered relevant in the event of a potential public inquiry.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Advice and guidance on record keeping in the context of Covid-19 was first issued to officials in the Cabinet Office on 25 March. Staff were asked to “ensure that the record of what we do at this time, which is of vital importance to our nation, is preserved for future inquiries, and valuable knowledge is preserved.” Each department is responsible for its own record keeping processes.


Written Question
Civil Servants
Thursday 17th September 2020

Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the legal employers of all categories of civil servants by Government department.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Cabinet Office employment practices are in compliance with the monitoring requirements set out in the EHRC Statutory code of practice of employment. All permanent external recruitment within the Cabinet Office is based on the Civil Service recruitment principles which is done on merit and on the basis of fair and open competition. The information on promotions is not held centrally.

The Crown is the legal employer of civil servants but, practically, as a result of delegation, the employment relationship for all civil servants is with their department or agency.

Government departments have delegated authority to set pay arrangements to allow them to put in place reward arrangements for civil servants that best suit their business needs.

The Government will always award contracts on the basis of value for money for the taxpayer. Employers must pay at least the National Minimum Wage, or the National Living Wage for workers over 25.


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Ethnic Groups
Thursday 17th September 2020

Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 October 2019 to Question 292944 on Cabinet Office: Ethnic Groups, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of his Department’s employment practices with monitoring requirements set out in the EHRC Statutory Code of Practice on Employment.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Cabinet Office employment practices are in compliance with the monitoring requirements set out in the EHRC Statutory code of practice of employment. All permanent external recruitment within the Cabinet Office is based on the Civil Service recruitment principles which is done on merit and on the basis of fair and open competition. The information on promotions is not held centrally.

The Crown is the legal employer of civil servants but, practically, as a result of delegation, the employment relationship for all civil servants is with their department or agency.

Government departments have delegated authority to set pay arrangements to allow them to put in place reward arrangements for civil servants that best suit their business needs.

The Government will always award contracts on the basis of value for money for the taxpayer. Employers must pay at least the National Minimum Wage, or the National Living Wage for workers over 25.


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Ethnic Groups
Thursday 17th September 2020

Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 October 2019 to Question 292944 on Cabinet Office: Ethnic Groups, what recent assessment he has made of equal opportunities for people who have identified as BAME in his Department's promotion system.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Cabinet Office employment practices are in compliance with the monitoring requirements set out in the EHRC Statutory code of practice of employment. All permanent external recruitment within the Cabinet Office is based on the Civil Service recruitment principles which is done on merit and on the basis of fair and open competition. The information on promotions is not held centrally.

The Crown is the legal employer of civil servants but, practically, as a result of delegation, the employment relationship for all civil servants is with their department or agency.

Government departments have delegated authority to set pay arrangements to allow them to put in place reward arrangements for civil servants that best suit their business needs.

The Government will always award contracts on the basis of value for money for the taxpayer. Employers must pay at least the National Minimum Wage, or the National Living Wage for workers over 25.