Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
What steps he is taking in response to the Dunlop Review on relations between the UK Government and the Governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Chloe Smith
This government is a government for the whole of the United Kingdom.
Yesterday, my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster updated the House on the significant progress we’ve made in implementing Lord Dunlop's recommendations, alongside a progress update on the intergovernmental relations review and our first IGR transparency report.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what machinery of government is responsible for identifying what constitutes the UK's critical national infrastructure; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Government defines the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure as the critical elements of infrastructure (facilities, systems, sites, property, information, people, networks and processes), the loss or compromise of which would result in major detrimental impact on the availability, delivery or integrity of essential services, leading to severe economic or social consequences or loss of life.
The Government has designated 13 sectors as critical to the daily functioning of the UK. Each sector has a lead government department responsible for the resilience and security of their sectors and for designating the critical elements of infrastructure. The elements of the national infrastructure designated as critical are reviewed periodically. The Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) in the Cabinet Office has a coordination and assurance role across all sectors and oversees the Government's infrastructure security and resilience objectives.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the White Paper, The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, published in July 2018, Cm 9593, how many staff members in the Europe Unit worked on that white paper.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The White Paper builds on the Prime Minister’s Mansion House speech and followed months of discussions across Whitehall. Preparation for the White Paper was coordinated, and led by the Department for Exiting the European Union.
Work to support the White Paper required a cross-government effort and included close collaboration with the Cabinet Office Europe Unit, involving a number of staff at all levels.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when officials in the Europe Unit first had discussions with officials of the Department for Exiting the European Union on the Government's Chequers plan for leaving the EU.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The proposals discussed at Chequers and the White Paper built on the position set out by the Prime Minister at Mansion House, which was the subject of wide-ranging discussions across Whitehall.
The Cabinet Office with Europe Unit have close working relationships across Whitehall, especially DExEU. All departments are working closely together to deliver a successful departure from the European Union.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) the cost to the public purse has been of and (b) advice he has sought or received from the Electoral Commission on Government plans to promote public awareness of the (i) forthcoming EU referendum and (ii) need for timely registration in order to participate in that referendum.
Answered by John Penrose
The referendum on membership of the European Union is a decision of fundamental importance for the future of the country. The Government is committed to helping ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote in this referendum is able to do so.
The Electoral Commission’s public awareness campaign plays an essential role in explaining to the electorate the importance of registering to vote. As it has done previously ahead of the 2015 General Election, the Government aims to complement and amplify the Electoral Commission’s work to maximise the number of people reached by voter registration communications to ensure that electors can have their say on 23 June. The Government will allocate up to £7.5m for a range of voter registration activity, including funding local authorities and civil society organisations.
The Electoral Commission and Cabinet Office have been in regular dialogue on encouraging voter registration.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of all activity related to promoting the Government's policy of remaining in the EU, including staff costs and the writing and publishing of documents and web pages by the date of the EU referendum.
Answered by John Penrose
The Government published details of the cost of the production, distribution and publication of its EU Referendum leaflet and associated website on 6th April 2016. The Government continues to take forward its policy on the full range of European business, including the Referendum, as part of the normal work of Departments. Departments will account for expenditure in the normal way, through Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish a list of hon. Members and Members of the House of Lords who he has appointed to serve as his envoy in the current Parliament; what the title and responsibility was of each of those envoys; when each of those envoys was appointed; and of those whose appointment was subsequently terminated, on what date that termination occurred.
Answered by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton - Foreign Secretary
Information regarding trade envoys can be found on the gov.uk website.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse has been of all activity related to promoting the Government's policy of remaining in the EU, including staff costs and the writing and publishing of documents and web pages; and what estimate he has made of the total of such projected expenditure by the date of the EU referendum.
Answered by Oliver Letwin
The cost of the pamphlet and the website will have been just over £9 million.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many special advisers are employed by the Government; and how many such advisers are (a) women, (b) from black and ethnic minority communities and (c) registered disabled.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The Government is committed to publishing information about the cost of special advisers. Information on the numbers, costs and specific salaries of special advisers is therefore published on an annual basis.
The latest publication of this information can be accessed here:
Information on the numbers of Special Advisers employed by the Government is published annually. The most recent publication of this information can be accessed here:
Special Advisers are employees of the specific department they work for. Due to this, demographic information on Special Advisers is not centrally held.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average pay is of (a) all, (b) male and (c) female special advisers.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The Government is committed to publishing information about the cost of special advisers. Information on the numbers, costs and specific salaries of special advisers is therefore published on an annual basis.
The latest publication of this information can be accessed here:
Information on the numbers of Special Advisers employed by the Government is published annually. The most recent publication of this information can be accessed here:
Special Advisers are employees of the specific department they work for. Due to this, demographic information on Special Advisers is not centrally held.