Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency, if he will publish the 1,800 recommendations received in response to his recent article in The Sun newspaper relating to opportunities arising from the UK's departure from the EU.
Answered by Jacob Rees-Mogg
I have taken great personal interest in the recommendations received so far in response to The Sun newspaper article. My officials in the Brexit Opportunities Unit will work with government departments to consider recommendations. We will announce any and all future regulatory reforms in the normal way.
As per the department’s privacy notice, the Cabinet Office does not routinely publish correspondence received from members of the public and does not intend to make an exception for these recommendations.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will answer questions in the House of Commons in his capacity as the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the Hon. Member to the reply I gave the Hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne on 7 February 2022 (Hansard Volume 708, from Column 695).
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
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 ministerial responsibilities of the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the Hon. Member to the reply I gave the Hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne on 7 February 2022 (Hansard Volume 708, from Column 695).
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department approached any groups to invite expressions of interest after the closing date for applications to the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum.
Answered by Michael Ellis
An extension to the expression of interest application deadline was requested by the Federation of Small Businesses, European Union Relationship & Industrial Strategy Taskforce (EURIS), Human Rights Consortium Scotland and States of Guernsey on behalf of their stakeholders.
The Department did not approach groups to invite expressions of interest after the closing date for applications to the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will provide a list of stakeholders who requested an extension to the application membership deadline for the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum.
Answered by Michael Ellis
An extension to the expression of interest application deadline was requested by the Federation of Small Businesses, European Union Relationship & Industrial Strategy Taskforce (EURIS), Human Rights Consortium Scotland and States of Guernsey on behalf of their stakeholders.
The Department did not approach groups to invite expressions of interest after the closing date for applications to the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether applicants to the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum will be informed of the outcome of their applications before the House rises for the Christmas 2021 recess.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Expression of Interest was reopened from 9 November until 15 November and again on 24 November until 29 November. This was communicated through GOV.UK and the Cabinet Office Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. The Devolved Administrations, Whitehall Departments and Crown Dependencies were informed through emails and/or verbally so they could update their stakeholders.
We have confirmed receipt of applications upon request and communicated the reopening of the Expression of Interest through GOV.UK and the Cabinet Office Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.
Applicants to the Domestic Advisory Group will be informed of the outcome of their applications in the coming weeks, probably early in the New Year. Applicants to the Civil Society Forum will be informed of the outcome of their applications once the guidelines which underpin the forum are agreed by the UK-EU TCA Partnership Council.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department has conveyed to applicants of the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum since the first closing date for applications on 9 November 2021.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Expression of Interest was reopened from 9 November until 15 November and again on 24 November until 29 November. This was communicated through GOV.UK and the Cabinet Office Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. The Devolved Administrations, Whitehall Departments and Crown Dependencies were informed through emails and/or verbally so they could update their stakeholders.
We have confirmed receipt of applications upon request and communicated the reopening of the Expression of Interest through GOV.UK and the Cabinet Office Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.
Applicants to the Domestic Advisory Group will be informed of the outcome of their applications in the coming weeks, probably early in the New Year. Applicants to the Civil Society Forum will be informed of the outcome of their applications once the guidelines which underpin the forum are agreed by the UK-EU TCA Partnership Council.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how the extension to the Expression of Interest to determine membership of the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum was communicated to (a) the devolved administrations and (b) wider stakeholders.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Expression of Interest was reopened from 9 November until 15 November and again on 24 November until 29 November. This was communicated through GOV.UK and the Cabinet Office Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. The Devolved Administrations, Whitehall Departments and Crown Dependencies were informed through emails and/or verbally so they could update their stakeholders.
We have confirmed receipt of applications upon request and communicated the reopening of the Expression of Interest through GOV.UK and the Cabinet Office Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.
Applicants to the Domestic Advisory Group will be informed of the outcome of their applications in the coming weeks, probably early in the New Year. Applicants to the Civil Society Forum will be informed of the outcome of their applications once the guidelines which underpin the forum are agreed by the UK-EU TCA Partnership Council.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he will advise applicants for places on the (a) Domestic Advisory Group and (b) Civil Society Forum of the outcome of their applications.
Answered by Michael Ellis
We launched an Expression of Interest campaign on 19 October to determine membership of the Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) and Civil Society Forum (CSF). The expression of interest campaign was extended from 9 November until 29 November following requests for an extension from a number of stakeholders.
We received 83 Expressions of Interest for the DAG or the CSF (or both). We are working closely with departments and devolved administrations to ensure a balanced representation of civil society organisations, including business organisations, Trade Unions, NGOs and charities, to represent all four nations of the UK.
To be considered for appointment under this campaign, the organisations must meet the eligibility criteria outlined on the Expression of Interest page on GOV.UK. We have encouraged applications from the widest range of qualified groups in line with our Public Sector Equality Duty.
Successful candidates for the DAG will be informed in the coming weeks. The participants for the Civil Society Forum will be confirmed once the guidelines which underpin the forum are agreed by the UK-EU TCA Partnership Council.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many applications for membership of the Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum were received by organisations in each devolved nations.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The first meeting of the Domestic Advisory Group will be early in the New Year in London.
The timing and location for the Civil Society Forum will be confirmed once the guidelines which underpin the forum are agreed through the UK-EU TCA Partnership Council.
Of the 83 applications received, 16 were from organisations representing Scotland (7), Wales (2), Northern Ireland (3) as well as three from organisations representing England and Wales and one representing England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The final membership of the DAG has not yet been determined.