Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2026 to question 10063 on Intelligence Services: Recruitment, for what reason are white candidates not eligible to apply for the MI5, MI6 and GCHQ Summer Intelligence Internship.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) runs a number of internships and placement schemes. They are designed to provide insight about what it is like to work in UKIC to individuals who have particular skills and experience, want to work in a particular area, and/or are from demographics and backgrounds under-represented within UKIC. This is a lawful measure (as set out in the Equality Act 2010) used to encourage people from under-represented demographics to consider national security careers.
The eligibility criteria for specific internship schemes in UKIC are made publicly available on agency websites at the time when they are advertised. Any internship participant wishing to subsequently apply for employment with UKIC or the Civil Service is required to take part in fair and open competition, with selection based on merit.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Prime Minister has taken to support the delivery of AUKUS in 2026.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
AUKUS is a unique strategic partnership which is fundamental to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic, as well as to the UK’s NATO-first approach and Trans-Atlantic burden-sharing.
The government has made a landmark £6 billion investment in the UK Submarine Industrial Base to drive forward an 18-month submarine production drumbeat and grow our nuclear-powered, conventionally-armed submarine fleet to up to twelve. The successful deployment of HMS Anson to Western Australia and completion of the Submarine Maintenance Period (SMP) in February 2026 was further demonstration of the UK’s commitment to delivery. Additionally, the Defence Ministerial Meeting in May 2026 announced the first Signature Project under AUKUS Pillar II: cutting-edge payloads and enabling systems for AUKUS partners’ Uncrewed Undersea Vehicles (UUVs).
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason is the MI5, MI6 and GCHQ Summer Intelligence Internship only open to Black, Asian and ethnic minority applicants.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) runs a number of internships and placement schemes. They are designed to provide insight about what it is like to work in UKIC.
The eligibility criteria for specific internship schemes in UKIC are made publicly available on agency websites at the time when they are advertised. Any internship participant wishing to subsequently apply for employment with UKIC or the Civil Service is required to take part in fair and open competition, with selection based on merit.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2026 to question 7853 on George Cross Committee, was the nomination by the Hon. Member for Huntingdon of 12 December 2024 discussed at any of the three dates listed.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds
To ensure the integrity of the honours system and uphold the privacy of nominees, the deliberations of the George Cross Committee must remain strictly confidential. Should the Committee submit a recommendation for an award to the Prime Minister and The Sovereign, the decision will be formally published on gov.uk in accordance with established procedures.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2026 to Question 2212 on Emergencies: Planning, on what dates the Contingency Planning Small Ministerial Group has met since its inception.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the answer provided to PQ 2212.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what dates the George Cross Committee has met to assess gallantry award submissions since 12 December 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds
The George Cross Committee has met on three occasions since 12 December 2024: Thursday 13 March 2025, Thursday 18 September 2025 and Thursday 19 March 2026.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister's announcement of 14 May 2026, by when he expects all delivery advisors to be in post across Government.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds
The recruitment of delivery advisors is a matter for individual departments. Support will be provided so that appropriate appointments can be made in a timely way.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress he has made on removing barriers to workforce mobility across AUKUS partners via mutual recognition of security clearances for AUKUS-related work.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The UK remains fully committed to “full steam ahead” on AUKUS, injecting pace, focus and significant investment to drive delivery, alongside the US and Australia. AUKUS continues to support growth, deliver workforce and skills development and reinvigorate defence industrial bases across the UK, US and Australia. The House of Commons Defence Committee report on AUKUS sets out a recommendation to enable mutual recognition of security clearances for AUKUS-related work. The Government will publish a full response to the Committee report in due course.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing an AUKUS visa across trilateral AUKUS partners.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The UK remains fully committed to “full steam ahead” on AUKUS, injecting pace, focus and significant investment to drive delivery, alongside the US and Australia. The House of Commons Defence Committee report on AUKUS sets out a recommendation to introduce an AUKUS visa across trilateral AUKUS partners. The Government will publish a full response to the Committee report in due course.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of establishing a joint secretariat to support trilateral AUKUS representatives.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
The UK remains fully committed to “full steam ahead” on AUKUS, injecting pace, focus and significant investment to drive delivery, alongside the US and Australia. The House of Commons Defence Committee report on AUKUS sets out a recommendation to establish a joint secretariat to support trilateral AUKUS representatives. The Government will publish a full response to the Committee report in due course.