Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's cyber resilience.
Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
As the Government outlined in the National Cyber Strategy 2022, significant progress has been made in the last decade in improving the UK’s cyber resilience but further work remains.
The Strategy sets out the Government’s ambitions to raise levels of resilience across all sectors by 2025, with a particular focus on our Critical National Infrastructure and making government an exemplar. We are also strengthening protections to online services and connected consumer devices to reduce the cyber security burden on UK citizens.
The Government continually assesses cyber risk and implementation of the National Cyber Strategy and we will publish annual reports on our progress.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support veterans and their families with the cost of living crisis.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Through its Veterans’ Welfare Service, Veterans UK provides one-to-one welfare support and advice to veterans or anyone supporting a veteran, their families and dependants. We are also working with the charitable sector to continue to signpost dedicated support available to veterans.
We are also providing significant support to help people through these tough times by holding down energy bills and delivering up to £1,350 in direct cash payments to millions of vulnerable households.
The Government is committed to supporting all households with the current cost of living, through the Help for Households initiative. This includes serving personnel and veterans. Veterans are able to access all the support that the rest of the UK is eligible for, including the Energy Price Guarantee, Cost of Living Payment and the Disability Cost of Living Payment.
Tackling inflation is this government’s number one priority. We have a plan that will help to more than halve inflation this year and lay the foundations for long-term growth to improve living standards for everyone, including veterans.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the value for money of the use of external consultants by the civil service.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Consultants can bring highly valuable expertise to support Government in delivering outstanding public projects. It is essential that Government continues to be able to access the right skills at the right time, but also that we do so in the right way and deliver the desired outcomes. Government is committed to working together to get the most value from our spend and to achieve the highest quality results.
The Consultancy Playbook, published in May 2021 alongside the Sourcing Playbook, provides additional guidance when buying consultancy services. This supports Government’s agenda to commission and engage with consultants more effectively, achieving better outcomes, better value for money, and improved civil service capability through the transferral of knowledge and skills.
Consultancy spend by department is published on GOV.UK
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to his oral contribution of 17 November on G20, Official Report, column 835, when he plans to write to the Rt hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North about unaccompanied children under the age of eight being held at Manston on 17 November.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
A reply has been sent.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether every individual affected by the infected blood scandal who is eligible for an interim compensation payment of £100,000 will receive their payment by the end of October 2022.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I can confirm infected individuals and bereaved partners who are registered with any of the four UK infected blood support schemes received their payments by 28 October.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the rates of economic inactivity within Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in the UK.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Rt hon. Member's Parliamentary Questions of 4 July is attached.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate he has made of the rates of economic inactivity within Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in the UK.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Rt hon. Member's Parliamentary Questions of 4 July is attached.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish Sir Robert Francis' Infected Blood Compensation Study before the Easter recess 2022.
Answered by Michael Ellis
It is my intention to publish Sir Robert Francis’ study alongside the Government’s response. Before I am able to do so, you will understand that work must be undertaken within Government to formalise our response. That work is already underway.
I recognise how important it is for the Inquiry and its core participants to have sufficient time to consider the study before Sir Robert gives evidence to the Inquiry. It is my intention to publish the study alongside the Government’s response as soon as possible.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to Answer of 24 February 2022 to Question 125039, what plans he has to publish Sir Robert Francis' Infected Blood compensation framework study before the publication of the Government's response.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave on 24 February to PQ 125060.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to publish Sir Robert Francis' Infected Blood compensation framework study on the same day that it receives it.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The study will report to the Paymaster General no later than 14 March 2022. The Government will give full consideration to Sir Robert's study - which is separate from the independent public inquiry. The Government's response and Sir Robert's study will be published.