Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) digital identity systems and (b) online application platforms on access to public services by Irish citizens living in the UK.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The government will launch a public consultation on the design of the new digital ID, and has already started to engage with a range of expert organisations. Stakeholder and public views, including those in response to the future consultation, will inform ongoing policy development and assessments of impacts.
We have been in touch with our counterparts in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and will continue to engage with them to ensure systems work for people on both sides of the border, as committed to in the Good Friday Agreement and the Common Travel Area.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department issues to (a) university staff and (b) student support services on the rights of Irish citizens under the Common Travel Area.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Information for Irish Students accessing higher education in the UK is available at https://www.ucas.com/international/international-students/support-for-international-students/students-from-ireland.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to (a) update or (b) consolidate the legal framework governing the rights of Irish citizens in the UK, including the (i) Ireland Act 1949 and (ii) post-Brexit guidance.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
We remain firmly committed to both the Good Friday Agreement and protecting the integrity and security of the Common Travel Area, which provides reciprocal rights for Irish citizens in the UK and UK citizens in Ireland. The UK Government and Irish Government work closely together to ensure that the rights continue to operate fully and correctly.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made a recent assessment of the level of efficiency across government in answering correspondence from members of the public.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office works with Government departments and agencies to monitor the quality and timeliness of correspondence, providing support and guidance as necessary.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) transparency, (b) impartiality and (c) equality of the public procurement process for government contracts.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Government has recently implemented the Procurement Act 2023 which has introduced significantly enhanced transparency throughout the commercial lifecycle. Alongside this, a new Central Digital Platform has been rolled out and captures this data in the public domain- from publishing tender notices to contractual key performance indicators. Other measures introduced include requiring conflicts of interest assessments to ensure impartiality and equal treatment obligations that require suppliers participating in the procurement to be treated the same. A new Procurement Review Unit will additionally provide oversight for the regime and ensure it is functioning well. The Government is considering new legislation and has launched a consultation that is currently seeking views.