Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (a) how many and (b) of which grades staff are line managed by the Director of Special Advisers and Chancellor Engagement.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The correct processes were followed in the appointment of the Director of Special Advisers and Chancellor Engagement. Louise Tinsley has been a civil servant for 7 years. She had passed a selection board for a role at director level prior to the election being called. A similar Director role had been filled by a civil servant prior to Louise’s appointment. The incumbent has been appointed for an initial period of 6 months.
The Director of Special Advisers and Chancellor Engagement does not currently have line management responsibilities.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 29 July 2024 to Question 1370 on Public Finances, if she will publish assumptions made by the Government's (a) special advisers and (b) Ministers used as the basis for financial estimates on the last Administration's policies and spending decisions, set out in the Command Paper entitled Fixing the foundations.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
On 29th July, the Chancellor set out the £21.9bn pressure on departmental budgets in the 2024-25 financial year. This was accompanied by the ‘Fixing the Foundations’ paper you refer to, which sets out the detail of the pressures on the public finances that the government inherited.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her speech of 8 July 2024, whether her review of public finances has been based on assumptions made by (a) special advisers and (b) Ministers; and if she will publish any such assumptions provided to officials to undertake that review.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The Chancellor has made a statement to Parliament on 29 July. The details of the spending audit are published in the Command Paper, ‘Fixing the foundations’.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her speech of 8 July 2024, whether estimates of growth were based on assumptions made by (a) special advisers and (b) Ministers; and if she will publish assumptions provided to officials to undertake those estimates.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The Chancellor said that, had the UK economy grown at the average rate of OECD economies over the fourteen years from 2010, it would be £143.3 billion larger. This is a comparison based on outturn data, not requiring assumptions. A methodological note setting out the data sources and analytical methods used to estimate comparative growth rates and projections was published as part of the press notice released alongside the Chancellor’s speech.
Asked by: Laura Trott (Conservative - Sevenoaks)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had access to papers produced (a) for and (b) by the previous Administration in the course of her review of public finances.
Answered by Darren Jones - Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
The guidance on access to papers of a previous administration is set out in in the Cabinet Manual and the Directory of Civil Service Guidance and has been followed.