Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2025 to Question 59412 on Government Departments: Reviews, if his Department will publish the line by line review of its spending conducted for the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office is committed to delivering the 5% savings and efficiency target, with Spending Review funding allocations agreed on this basis.
These funding allocations – informed by the findings of the Zero Based Review – are the first step in a wider plan to finalise budgets for different projects and programmes, with any necessary savings decided through that process. The savings taken forward will be subject to the normal rigorous business planning processes, and in-year financial management.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, what his planned timetable is to agree arrangements for UK participation in EU electricity trading platforms.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 19 May, the Government published a renewed agenda for UK-EU cooperation. The Government agreed with the European Commission to proceed swiftly with the commitments and will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, when measures relating to UK passport holders using EU eGates will be able to take effect.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The UK-EU Common Understanding confirms that there will be no legal barriers to eGate use for British Nationals traveling to and from EU Member States after the introduction of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). This is a positive step forward and we are now working quickly with Member States to get these arrangements in place and improve our citizens’ travel experience reducing lengthy and imbalanced queues at various entry points across the EU.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, what his planned timetable is for discussions with (i) the EU and (ii) EU Member States on improving access arrangements for touring in Europe.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 19 May, the Government published a renewed agenda for UK-EU cooperation. The Government agreed with the European Commission to proceed swiftly with the commitments and will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, what his planned timetable is for agreeing measures for increased exchange of criminal records for (i) third country and (ii) other nationals in the UK and EU.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 19 May, the Government published a renewed agenda for UK-EU cooperation. The Government agreed with the European Commission to proceed swiftly with the commitments and will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, what his planned timetable is to agree arrangements enabling information exchange between the UK and the EU Drugs Agency on drug-related threats.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 19 May, the Government published a renewed agenda for UK-EU cooperation. The Government agreed with the European Commission to proceed swiftly with the commitments and will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the (a) UK-EU Summit - Joint Statement, updated 19 May 2025, (b) UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated 19 May 2025 and (c) UK-EU security and defence partnership, published 19 May 2025, what his planned timetable is for discussions on arrangements to enable information exchange between the UK and the EU Drugs Agency.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
On 19 May, the Government published a renewed agenda for UK-EU cooperation. The Government agreed with the European Commission to proceed swiftly with the commitments and will keep Parliament updated on significant developments.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent on (a) maintenance and (b) refurbishment of 36 Whitehall in each of the last three years.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Whilst 36 Whitehall is currently unoccupied, the Government Property Agency (as owner of the freehold) has an obligation to maintain essential health and safety systems. Essential fire maintenance costs at 36 Whitehall totalled £5k in 2022-23, £3k in 2023-24 and £1.5k in 2024-25. In 2024-25, £362k was allocated to replace the fire alarm system as part of the GPA’s Lifecycle Replacement (LCR) programme, which replaces office assets that are at the end of their useful life.
Costs related to professional fees for project management and design to develop a scheme to bring the building back into use totalled £661k in 22/23 and £763k in 23/24 with £0 in 24/25. Options for the future use of the building continue to be discussed as part of plans for the Government’s London office estate, with any final decisions being made as part of the ongoing Spending Review process.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans his Department has for the use of 36 Whitehall.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
36 Whitehall is a GPA freehold building currently unoccupied. Options for the future use of the building continue to be discussed as part of plans for the Government’s London office estate, with any final decisions being made as part of the ongoing Spending Review process.
Asked by: James Wild (Conservative - North West Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's publication entitled UK Covid-19 Inquiry Management Statement, published in August 2022, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the Covid-19 public inquiry represents value for money.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is an independent public inquiry, established by the previous administration.
In line with the UK Covid-19 Management Statement, the Inquiry’s Accounting Officer must conform to value for money and good financial management requirements and must provide financial updates to the Cabinet Office as its sponsor department.
The Chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the Inquiry’s work and she has been clear that she intends to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible.