Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, how many parliamentary private secretaries have undertaken travel (a) within the UK and (b) overseas with or on behalf of ministers since she became Prime Minister.
Answered by Baroness May of Maidenhead
There is no requirement for domestic visits to be authorised and the information is not held centrally. I have not authorised overseas travel by any Parliamentary Private Secretary in an official capacity since I took Office.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, what the total cost of redundancy payments made to (a) Ministers and (b) special advisers has been since she became Prime Minister.
Answered by Baroness May of Maidenhead
The Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975 sets out severance entitlements for Ministers. Severance payments made to Ministers are published in departmental annual reports.
Severance entitlements for special advisers are set out in the model contract for special advisers. The cost of severance paid to special advisers is published annually on gov.uk. The last publication was December 2016 and is available here https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/579892/List_of_special_advisers_in_post_as_at_21_December_2016.pdf.
An updated version will be published in due course.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many special advisers the Government employs, by Department.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
The Government publishes an annual report on the number and cost of special advisers. Previous reports are available here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/special-adviser-data-releases-numbers-and-costs. An updated version will be published in due course.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the total cost to the public purse was for special advisers, including the cost of redundancies, across all Government departments in each of the last five years.
Answered by Chris Skidmore
A list of special advisers and costs is published annually on gov.uk and deposited in the libraries of both Houses. The information can be accessed here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/special-adviser-data-releases-numbers-and-costs
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, how many parliamentary private secretaries she has authorised to travel overseas with or on behalf of their Ministers since she became Prime Minister.
Answered by Baroness May of Maidenhead
I have not authorised overseas travel by any Parliamentary Private Secretary in an official capacity since I took Office.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, how many Parliamentary Private Secretaries have travelled (a) with and (b) on behalf of their Ministers since she came into office.
Answered by Baroness May of Maidenhead
Travel arrangements are made in accordance with the Ministerial Code. This information is not held centrally.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, how many special advisers have notified the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary that they are supporting ministers who are campaigning against the Government's position on the EU referendum.
Answered by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leicester South (Mr Ashworth) on 29 February 2016, UIN 28380.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, how many special advisers have (a) requested and (b) been granted the Prime Minister's approval for working part or full-time for a Leave campaign in the EU referendum.
Answered by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leicester South (Mr Ashworth) on 29 February 2016, UIN 28380.
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the standard office hours are of special advisers.
Answered by Matt Hancock
As set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers, full time special advisers are required to work a minimum of 37 hours over a 5 day week, excluding breaks. Copies of the Model Contract are available in the Libraries of the House, and on GOV.UK
Asked by: Chris Bryant (Labour - Rhondda and Ogmore)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there is, or has been within the last 10 years, a requirement on (a) applicants to the civil service and (b) civil servants upon entry to the civil service to disclose party political membership.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The restrictions on civil servants’ involvement in political activities are set out in the Civil Service Management Code. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/418696/CSMC-_April_2015.pdf