Charlie Dewhirst

The ‘Writing about ethnicity’ style guide is kept under review, in order to ensure it aligns with government communication preferences.

The guide was updated by the Office for Equality and Opportunity in October 2024.

Dr Stephenson has been selected as the Government Preferred Candidate for the next EHRC Chair, following a fair and open process, in line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. As per the Code, all candidates were asked to declare any conflicts of interest they held as part of the interview process. We will continue to follow the Code as the process continues.

In April 2023, the previous government issued guidance on positive action in the workplace (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/positive-action-in-the-workplace-guidance-for-employers/positive-action-in-the-workplace). This sets out the differences between positive action and positive discrimination and what is permitted under the Equality Act 2010.

Details of ministers’ and senior officials’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.

The Government Car Service (GCS) offers vehicles to government departments as a shared resource. Each department independently determines the allocation of these vehicles to its ministerial cadre/officials, as under previous administrations.

The Attorney General’s Office is currently allocated two vehicles including allocated and shared vehicles.

For security reasons specific details of allocations including make and model of vehicles are not issued.

The average cost to a department for a single DPC (Department Pool Car) in 2024/25 financial years is £108K per annum.

The Government Car Service (GCS) offers vehicles to government departments as a shared resource. Each department independently determines the allocation of these vehicles.

The arrangements relating to the using of vehicles in the Government Car Service is set out in the Civil Service Management Code.

There has been no change in this policy since the general election.

The process for the fact-finding exercise undertaken by the Cabinet Office was set out in the Government’s response to the Urgent Question on 23 February 2026.

The work subsequently undertaken by the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards is set out in his advice to the Prime Minister of 27 February 2026 which is published on GOV.UK.

The UK is committed to harnessing the potential of AI to support growth and innovation. We face similar challenges to the EU and are cooperating on AI under the Trade and Co-operation Agreement.

The government’s ambition is to make the UK a global destination for digital assets, including through a competitive regulatory regime for cryptoassets that balances protecting consumers with allowing innovative firms to invest and grow. We consider that it is in the UK’s national interest to retain the ability to make the rules which govern our financial services sector – supporting open, globally competitive markets while safeguarding financial stability. However, we regularly discuss our respective approaches through the EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government’s statement and release of information on 1st June, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The documents published in the first and second tranches contain the entirety of the documents the Government has available for disclosure, except those being withheld at the request of the Metropolitan police.

The Cabinet Office does not centrally collect or hold data on average workplace attendance for specific days of the week, and therefore the information requested is not held. The monitoring of individual office attendance remains a delegated responsibility managed locally by line managers and business units to ensure compliance with the minimum 60% attendance expectation.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 3 February 2026, Official Report, PQ 110410.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 20 February 2026, Official Report, PQ 113723.

This was an official government event organised by civil servants and special advisers, in line with the relevant guidance.

I refer the Honourable Member to the response to PQ 74185

I refer to my answer for 113705. In accordance with data protection regulations, we do not provide information about candidates in Civil Service recruitment processes.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

I refer you to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, the statement made by the Prime Minister on 20 April, and the Government’s response to the debate of 21 April, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address.

I refer you to the Oral Statement on the 23 February and the Government’s statement on 11 March which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with urgency and transparency ensuring proper process is rigorously followed.

The Cabinet Office holds within its records 118 emails which include the ‘John Pond’ email address. Cabinet Office records are transferred to The National Archives in the usual way, in accordance with Section 3 (4) of The Public Records Act, 1958.

The Cabinet Office holds within its records 118 emails which include the ‘John Pond’ email address. Cabinet Office records are transferred to The National Archives in the usual way, in accordance with Section 3 (4) of The Public Records Act, 1958.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

As per the statement from the Metropolitan Police on 4th February 2026, they are asking us to refrain from publishing any relevant documents that could prejudice their investigation. We do not comment on ongoing police investigations. The Government stands ready to support the police in whatever way it can.

The Government does not comment on the resourcing decisions taken by the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC).

I refer you to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Individual departments are responsible for their own discipline policies and guidance, which detail formal processes and procedures. These policies align with the Civil Service Code and the Civil Service Management Code, which set out the standards and behaviour expected from all employees. Departments collect information internally as required, in accordance with GDPR.

Departments are not required to report details of Civil Service leavers and exit payments under the terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme to HM Treasury. Departments publish information on exit payments and staffing numbers within their Annual Reports and Accounts. Departments are however required to report to HM Treasury the use of all special severance payments paid within the financial year in line with the published transparency requirements.

Public authorities throughout the United Kingdom were given an opportunity to apply for a free portrait of His Majesty The King if they wanted to display it in their building. This was a voluntary scheme to mark the accession of His Majesty The King. The announcement was originally made on 1 April 2023 and the scheme was launched in November that year and closed for applications in August 2024.

As it was a voluntary scheme, there was no obligation for public authorities to apply for a portrait. There may also be a variety of reasons as to why an institution did not order a portrait, such as suitable location or whether they had an existing portrait. It would therefore be inappropriate to release a simple list of individual authorities and institutions which did or did not order a free portrait.

I refer the Honourable Member to the information published on GOV.UK on 28 November 2024 which provided a summary of the His Majesty The King Official Portrait Scheme, including the number of portraits provided and the total cost of the scheme: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/conclusion-of-his-majesty-the-kings-free-portrait-scheme

The HMK Portrait scheme was launched on 14th November 2023 and, including two extensions of scope, ran until 15th August 2024. A total of 20,565 orders were received, the cost of which, including delivery, was £2,710,705.50 with an average price of £131.81 per portrait.

The public consultation is now open and I encourage you and your constituents to respond.

The design and delivery of digital ID are subject to the consultation outcomes. The feedback from the consultation will inform our final approach and enable a more accurate assessment of costs.

As the Government has stated previously, any costs in this Spending Review period will be met within existing settlements.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

No.

Information about this role was published by the government on the new Direct Ministerial Appointments Announcements Portal: https://apply-for-public-appointment.service.gov.uk/direct-ministerial-appointments-announcements.