Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 December 2024 to Question 18212 on Prime Minister: Special Advisers, when he plans to publish a list of special advisers and their salaries.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Information on Special Adviser numbers and costs will be published in the Annual Report on Special Advisers as per the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, as was the case under the previous Administration.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what dates the Prime Minister’s Office has held conference calls with public affairs companies; and if he will list each organisation that attended each one.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 17 March 2025, Official Report, PQ 37798.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the National Police Chiefs' Council on the handling of FOI requests by the Central Referral Unit.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

Responding to Freedom of Information requests and ensuring compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), or any public authority which receives such a request.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14976 on Cabinet Office and Prime Minister: Travel and with reference to the Freedom of Information Act response with reference FOI2025/01531, disclosed on 28 February 2025, if he will publish that response.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

We have deposited a copy of the policy in the House library.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that the National Security Adviser gives evidence to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government welcomes the important work of the JCNSS to scrutinise the national security decision making.

I refer the Honourable Member to the letter sent by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 24 February 2025, to the Chair of the JCNSS, which has been published here https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/46888/documents/241917/default/.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many photographers are employed by Government Departments.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Departments may employ photographers in order to support government’s priorities, enable effective operation of public services and improve people’s lives.

The Cabinet Office Communications team employs two Digital Media Officers who support government work in Departments and undertake photography as a small part of their duties.

There are also 2 full time, dedicated photographers in the No10 team. Although they are funded by the Cabinet Office, their work is managed by No10.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 18 September 2024 to Question HL835 on Government Departments: Remote Working, what steps his Department is taking to monitor compliance with the attendance requirement for locations outside of London.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Line Managers are expected to be aware of, and ensure compliance with, the minimum 60% expectation for their direct reports. This approach is the same both in and outside of London.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 6416 on Cabinet Office: Building, who owns 36 Whitehall; for what reasons the building is unused; and whether he has considered re-occupying the building.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

36 Whitehall is not in use and there are no current plans to bring it back into use. Its return to use is regularly reviewed. There are no plans to dispose of the property.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2024 to Question 5035 on Civil Servants: Muslims, how many hours of network time his Department allocates to that network; and who the senior sponsors are that have been appointed.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Staff Network time allocation is agreed between networks and departments as the employer. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid. The Cabinet Office doesn’t allocate any hours of network time to the Civil Service Muslim Network.

The current senior sponsor for the Civil Service Muslim Network is the Director of Civil Service Employee Engagement & People Performance, Government People Group.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to publish a further round of the UK National Action Plan for Open Government; and which department is the lead for progress on previous action plans.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office holds responsibility for coordinating the UK National Action Plan for Open Government 2024-2025, including leading progress on actions set out in the current plan. Named departments hold responsibility for specific commitments, as set out on gov.uk.

We will share a further update in due course.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how his Department monitors the attendance of civil servants in Departmental headquarters outside of London.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Line Managers are expected to be aware of, and ensure compliance with, the minimum 60% expectation for their direct reports. This approach is the same both in and outside of London.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many full-time civil servants in his Department work a four day working week using compressed hours.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Compressed working arrangements are agreed and recorded at a team level. The information requested can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2024 to Question 14067 on Civil Servants: Freedom of Expression, whether the (a) the Civil Service People Group and (b) Office for Equality and Opportunity are taking steps to help prevent the bullying of civil servants who express gender-critical views.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

​​​​The Civil Service is committed to creating a safe and supportive work environment for all its employees and will not tolerate any form of harassment, unacceptable behaviour or abuse by any party, towards any employee.

Departments have their own policies and guidance on dealing with any such behaviour.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release entitled Mass cancellation of government credit cards in crackdown on wasteful spend, published on 18 March 2025, how many Government Procurement Cards were held by 10 Downing Street as of January 2025; and what is the timetable for reducing the number.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As of January 2025, 10 Downing Street held 45 Government Procurement Cards. In the Cabinet Office instructions were issued to the bank on 18 March 2025 to freeze the cards. The number of cards held by No. 10 remains under review.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 34459 on Government Departments: Official Cars, whether the decision on whether specific departmental officials may have use of a car from the Government Car Service is made by (a) the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster’s Private Office, (b) the Cabinet Secretary’s Private Office, (c) the Permanent Secretary’s Private Office, (d) the Cabinet Office Chief Operating Officer’s private office and (e) the Prime Minister’s Private office.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer to Question 34459. The arrangements relating to officials' use of vehicles from the Government Car Service are set out in the Civil Service Management Code. In particular, section 8.2.7 states the conditions under which Permanent Secretaries may use official cars, and states that Permanent Secretaries may determine whether, exceptionally, other senior staff are allowed to use official cars on the same conditions. Departmental Private Offices will administer the allocation; ministerial private offices would not be involved in any such decisions other than in determining if a car is available.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Mass cancellation of government credit cards in crackdown on wasteful spend, published on 18 March 2025, how many Government Procurement Cards are held by each (a) Ministerial and (b) senior official private office in his Department.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has one cardholder in Ministerial Private Offices and six cardholders in senior official private offices.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the difference is between (a) government diversity networks and (b) trade union diversity networks in government.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Government Equality, Diversity and Inclusion networks are internal, volunteer staff networks that work to improve internal culture and workforce representation.

Trade unions are separate distinct organisations, who may have their own separate diversity networks for their members.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 March 2025 to Question 37425 on Office for National Statistics: Industrial Disputes, what the disputed issues are.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question of 26th March is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's Civil Service HQ occupancy data transparency data, last updated on 28 February 2025, which changes in reporting methodology lead to a revision of the figures.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The revision of figures applied to the Home Office occupancy stats only. This was because of a change in reporting by the Home Office.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Secret Intelligence Service is a paid member of Stonewall.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) is a paid member of Stonewall.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 25454 on 9 Downing Street: Media, whether his Department has paid OCS; and in which month's transparency data will the cost of the works be published.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Payment will be made through the Government Property Agency, and the cost of these works will be published in due course in Cabinet Office transparency returns.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 25452 on Cabinet Office: Staff, how many staff were attached to the Skills Match Hub on 1 February 2025.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact number changes on a day-to-day basis.

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