Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.
Civil Service recruitment must follow the rules set out in legislation within the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaGA) 2010 which outlines the requirements to ensure that civil servants are recruited on merit, via fair and open competition.
Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) accredits life chance recruitment pathways across government. GFiE pathways recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds into the Civil Service, including people from low socio-economic backgrounds, prison leavers, veterans, carers and care leavers.
People recruited by GFiE develop skills, gain experience and build a career, contributing to the Opportunity Mission and to the wider economy.
The Cabinet Office participates in the Great Place to Work for Veterans scheme which offers a guaranteed interview if a veteran meets the minimum criteria for the role. The department also welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction for specific offences.
In the last year, the Cabinet Office has participated in internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce. These were:
Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme (Cabinet Office runs on behalf of the whole Civil Service)
Care Leavers Programme (Run by Department for Education)
Career ready workplace scheme (Run by Cabinet Office Glasgow colleagues)
Cabinet Office/Barnardos internship partnership (Run by Cabinet Office Glasgow colleagues)
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information they hold on the number of workdays that were completed remotely in their Department in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what purposes their Department has used artificial intelligence in the last year.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Over the last year, the Cabinet Office has used artificial intelligence to enhance efficiency, improve productivity, and accelerate operational speed across government.
The Department’s goal has been to use AI - where reasonable and possible to do so - to free up officials to focus on higher value strategic work and delivering on the country’s priorities. There are significant potential gains from safe and responsible AI adoption within the public sector.
Guidance on this can be found in the Government’s AI playbook and strategy.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of people live in private rented accommodation in Ashfield constituency.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 4th July is attached.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many young people he expects to (a) come to the UK from Europe and (b) go to Europe from the UK as a result of a youth experience scheme with the EU and UK.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
We have agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU. We have agreed that any scheme will be capped as well as time-limited. We have also been clear that it should be in line with the UK’s existing schemes with countries like Australia and New Zealand. The exact parameters will be subject to negotiation, but any scheme will need to be in the UK’s national interests.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many knife crimes were reported in Nottinghamshire in each of the last five years.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 22 May is attached.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what diversity, equality and inclusion targets his Department has for staff recruitment.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Cabinet Office has not set diversity, equality and inclusion targets for staff recruitment, but the Civil Service is committed to representing the diversity of the UK population.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department takes to ensure the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by civil servants comply with Civil Service guidance.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Civil Service Code states that Civil Servants must not accept gifts or hospitality from anyone which might reasonably be seen to compromise their personal judgement or integrity. As under the previous government, the Department holds a comprehensive policy and guidance on accepting and giving gifts and hospitality. All Civil Servants are required to declare gifts and hospitality both given and received via a central register and obtain approvals.
The Gifts and Hospitality process is subject to audit in order to provide confidence that the department is fulfilling its obligation.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help increase opportunities for fulfilment companies in Ashfield to secure Government contracts.
Answered by Jacob Rees-Mogg
Small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the UK economy. That is why we are making sure Government spending supports this vital sector, both as part of our economic recovery from COVID-19 and as part of our levelling up agenda. We are increasing opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in a variety of ways - from transparently publishing contract pipelines to simplifying bidding processes.
These measures are working. The latest procurement figures for 2019/20 show that £15.5bn was paid to small and medium sized businesses to help deliver vital public services. This figure is an increase of £1.3bn on the previous year and the highest since records began in 2013.
Now we have left the EU, we are able to redesign our procurement framework to create a simpler regime which will be of great benefit to UK SMEs.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
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 effect of the UK no longer being bound by common EU positions on British delegates' positions on domestic policy at Conferences of Parties within the UN treaty system.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Leaving the EU and the agreement of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) means that the UK has full political and economic independence. The Government is using this opportunity to show what Global Britain means to the rest of the world and play our part as a global leader. We shall do so by advancing UK policies internationally, including through Conferences of Parties within the UN treaty system.