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Written Question
Government Departments: Mobile Phones
Tuesday 6th September 2022

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance has been issued to (a) Ministers and (b) officials on the retention of (i) social media and (ii) other content on phones provided to them for official use.

Answered by Michael Ellis

Departments set guidance on the retention and disposal of information, for both their ministers and officials, based on the requirements of the Public Records Act 1958.

In order to support Departments, the Cabinet Office has previously published Guidance on the Management of Private Office Papers and Guidance to departments on use of private emails. In addition, a revised Code of Practice on Records Management, issued under Section 46 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, was laid on 15 July 2021 by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.


Written Question
United Kingdom Security Vetting: Standards
Monday 25th April 2022

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment has he made of the (a) efficiency and (b) effectiveness of UK Security Vetting.

Answered by Michael Ellis

UK Security Vetting is subject to an agreed set of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) measures which are monitored by the government at ministerial level and by the customers serviced by UKSV.

In relation to the effectiveness of UK Security Vetting, National Security Vetting is conducted and security clearances provided by UK Security Vetting in line with a robust set of Personnel Security Controls and Security Policy Framework as set out by the Cabinet Office and adhered to across government and by industry partners. Work is ongoing within the Government Security Group to improve and modernise the effectiveness of vetting overall, in line with the Government’s wider modernisation agenda and to keep pace with the threats faced by the UK today.


Written Question
Members: Correspondence
Thursday 31st March 2022

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he will reply to the correspondence of 12 August 2021 from the hon. Member for Warley on Mr Zaman.

Answered by Heather Wheeler

The Rt Hon Member wrote to Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO), which is independent of the Cabinet Office. I understand that the PHSO did receive the Rt Hon Member’s letter of 12 August 2021, and will respond shortly.


Written Question
Cobra
Wednesday 20th October 2021

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether COBRA has met since 16 September 2021 to discuss fuel supply shortages.

Answered by Michael Ellis

As a matter of policy, the government does not comment on COBR meetings.

With respect to the fuel crisis more generally, the Government acted swiftly to respond to the rapid increase in demand for fuel (observed from 24 September 2021) which caused shortages at forecourts around the UK. Regular ministerial and senior officials' meetings were convened, both before and after the peak in demand. These meetings were all supported by data feeds collated by departments that informed Government of consumer demand, forecourt stock levels, fuel delivery capabilities and other key metrics.

The government has tried and tested plans in place to manage fuel supply. The Government implemented a range of timely measures to resolve the situation, including deployment of military drivers to staff the Reserve Tanker Fleet, the activation of the Downstream Oil Protocol, the relaxation of drivers’ hours regulations and the roll out of short-term visas so that haulier firms could source trained drivers from overseas.


Written Question
Civil Servants: Dual Jobholding
Thursday 29th April 2021

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many serving civil servants are also employed by or on behalf of another employer.

Answered by Chloe Smith

On 23 April, the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on the management of outside interests in the Civil Service. The Committee published this letter on 26 April. It can be found here:

https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/5623/documents/55584/default/

The Cabinet Secretary’s letter sets out a series of steps to improve processes. This programme of work will also take account of any recommendations that emerge from Nigel Boardman’s review.

The Civil Service Management Code sets out, at paragraph 4.3.4, the requirement that civil servants must seek permission before accepting any outside employment which might affect their work either directly or indirectly. The applicable principles are those set out in the Business Appointment Rules. The Civil Service Management Code is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-servants-terms-and-conditions .

Where the civil servant is a member of the departmental board any outside employment, as well as other relevant interests will be published as part of the Annual Report and Accounts or other transparency publication.


Written Question
Cabinet Office: Written Questions
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason Question 164350 tabled by the Rt Hon Member for Warley on 8 March 2021 has not received an answer; and when he plans to answer that Question.

Answered by Chloe Smith

I apologise for the delay in responding to the question raised by the Rt Hon. Member. I refer him to the answer given to PQ164350 on 25 March 2021.


Written Question
10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Cabinet Secretary was consulted on the financing of the recent refurbishment of No. 10 Downing St.

Answered by Chloe Smith

The Downing Street complex is a working building, as well as containing two Ministerial residences. As has been the case under successive administrations, refurbishments and maintenance are made periodically.

Works to the Downing Street estate are overseen by the Cabinet Office. It is not the practice of successive administrations to comment on which officials have been consulted or advised on matters.


Written Question
Government Departments: Internet
Wednesday 24th February 2021

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to remove websites from search engines that appear to be from Government departments but are companies charging a fee.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Further to the answer to PQ59372 on 22 June 2020, Government Departments have a number of processes in place to ensure users seeking information from Government Departments, including on search engines, are not diverted to fee-charging and misleading websites.


Written Question
Public Sector: Procurement
Tuesday 9th February 2021

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The end of the Transition Period provides an historic opportunity to overhaul our outdated public procurement regime. Cabinet Office undertook an extensive programme of stakeholder engagement during 2019 to identify where improvements could be made and the recently published Green Paper Transforming Government Procurement shapes those findings into concrete proposals.


Written Question
Remembrance Day: Coronavirus
Thursday 22nd October 2020

Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if his Department will urgently co-ordinate advice on the management of services and parades on Remembrance Sunday to assist local councils, the police, the Royal British Legion and other service and uniformed organisations in organising covid-safe events.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Published guidance for local authority preparations for Remembrance Sunday can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-preparations-for-remembrance-sunday/local-authority-preparations-for-remembrance-sunday