Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date did the Rt Hon Member for Tottenham vacate the grace-and -favour residence at One Carlton Gardens.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Rt Hon Member for Tottenham had use of the ministerial residence at 1 Carlton Gardens until 12 September 2026. As of 5 October 2026, the residence has not been allocated to another Minister.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026, Tables, Manchester Digital Campus, if a) the new cost plan at the end of RIBA3 and b) the result of the value engineering exercise remain extant or will need to be repeated following the decision to include Number 10 North within the scope.
Answered by Sally Jameson - Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Manchester Digital Campus represents a significant step in strengthening the Government presence in the North West. The Manchester Digital Campus programme continues to progress as set out in the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Major Projects Annual Report 2025 to 2026.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's statistics entitled UK armed forces equipment and formations 2026, published on 20 August 2026, what is the status of the five Pinzgauer vehicles the fleet reduced by between 2025 and 2026.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question 26226 on the 7 September 2026.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-09-01/26226
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to recommendation 32 of the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, what progress she has made in ensuring the National Security Council (Nuclear) committee of senior Ministers reviews progress on the National Endeavour for delivering the UK’s nuclear deterrent at least twice a year.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 April 2026 to Question UIN 125344.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings of the National Security Council (Nuclear) committee of senior Ministers have taken place since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 April 2026 to Question UIN 125344.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been hired in the Government Media Unit since 20 July 2026.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office is currently finalising the operational requirements of the Government Media Unit and we are actively recruiting for this new team.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people are employed in the Government Media Unit.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office is currently finalising the operational requirements of the Government Media Unit and we are actively recruiting for this new team.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what contact did the former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Member for Holborn and St Pancras, have with White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles between April 2025 and July 2026.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
It would not be appropriate to comment on private conversations under the previous Prime Minister. Readouts of the Prime Minister’s conversations with foreign leaders are regularly published on gov.uk.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department's document entitled Annual Report and Accounts 2024-2025, published on 4 November 2025, for what reason was there an Aged Debt Irrecoverable Pension Overpayment of £2,383,000.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
No such figure appears in the referenced document.
However, in the interests of providing a more complete answer, officials were asked to consider if this figure had basis elsewhere and, after some searching, identified that the figure referred to in the question actually came from the Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2025-2026 published on 15 July 2026.
The amount in question was a bulk write-off of irrecoverable War Pension Scheme (WPS) overpayments that were over six years old and fell outside the recoverable timeline by virtue of their age profile. There was no single or systemic cause of the overpayments which were often linked to changes in personal circumstances not promptly reported or identified.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral statement by the First Secretary of State on 2 September 2026, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of removing the defence exemption from social value.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
We are determined to ensure we maximise every opportunity for public contracts to deliver the jobs, skills and opportunities needed to drive economic growth and prosperity in every postcode.