Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to reassess compensation amounts under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
In line with recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry, the Government has publicly consulted on proposed changes to the compensation scheme. The consultation closed on 22nd January, and we will publish our response within 12 weeks of the consultation’s closing date. The Government is keen to prioritise amendments to the compensation scheme as recommended, while continuing to focus on the swift delivery of compensation to all victims of this scandal.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential implications for its policies of the Carnegie UK report entitled Life in the UK 2025.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
This government is already strongly committed to ensuring that everyone, no matter their background, can thrive. Our mission-led government is delivering on our Plan for Change to secure opportunity for all, economic stability, and improved living standards.
We are progressing our mission on opportunity for all to break the link between background and success. We are fixing the foundations of our education and care systems, hiring more teachers, social workers and nursery staff. We have also launched our Best Start in Life strategy and are rolling out Best Start Family Hubs investing £1.5 billion.
More widely, this government is investing £820 million creating 350,000 workplace opportunities to support young people not in education or training under the Youth Guarantee; and £5bn in the Pride of Place programme to empower local people to shape the future of their neighbourhoods.
Work is also underway to deliver our manifesto commitment to commence the socio-economic duty in England. The duty will require specified public bodies to actively consider how their strategic decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department made of the potential impact of a legal duty to implement public enquiry recommendations on public trust in government.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Public inquiries are independent of Government and can make recommendations of their choosing. Government takes the recommendations of inquiries very seriously, and determines which recommendations it accepts. To ensure clarity and transparency of progress on the recommendations that Government has accepted, we have established a record on GOV.UK of inquiry recommendations, starting with the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and Infected Blood Inquiry. This will be periodically updated and expanded to capture future inquiry recommendations. This will be an enduring mechanism for monitoring and tracking government implementation of inquiry recommendations. It will allow the public to track the progress of implementation enhancing public trust in Government.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take legislative steps to require public sector organisations to publish reports on (a) internal culture, (b) risk management and (c) the implementation of inquiry recommendations.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Public Office (Accountability) Bill is currently progressing through parliament. The legislation will include a requirement that all public bodies establish a professional duty of candour for staff set out within a wider code of ethics. This obligation will require public bodies to promote the ethical conduct of their employees. The Government will drive forward implementation with determination and hold public sector organisations accountable. Public Sector leaders will join ministers on a dedicated new implementation board to monitor progress.
Public inquiries are independent of Government and can make recommendations of their choosing. Government takes the recommendations of inquiries very seriously, and determines which recommendations it accepts. To ensure clarity and transparency of progress on the recommendations that Government has accepted, we have established a record on GOV.UK of inquiry recommendations, starting with the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and Infected Blood Inquiry. This will be periodically updated and expanded to capture future inquiry recommendations. This will be an enduring mechanism for monitoring and tracking government implementation of inquiry recommendations. It will allow the public to track the progress of implementation enhancing public trust in Government.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will set out the appointment process for the Permanent Secretary, Director of Government Communications.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The appointment process for the Director of Government Communications followed the process for Permanent Secretary recruitment set out in the Civil Service Recruitment Principles (here, paragraphs 44 - 47).
The role was advertised on Civil Service Jobs from 19 May to 15 June 2025.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time taken for civil servants to access the ill health retirement scheme.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department recognises the importance of timely access to ill health retirement and there is a process in place to ensure that members, employers, the scheme medical advisor and, where appropriate, the pension scheme administrator, all work together to complete this as quickly as possible.
Whilst there are indicative timelines for various steps, timelines may vary due to the complexity of each case and complex cases may take longer when external parties are also required to contribute to the process.
Employers and members have oversight of progress of their own individual cases and the Cabinet Office continues to monitor the contractual performance of the scheme medical advisor and the pension scheme administrator.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the eligibility criteria for the civil service ill health retirement scheme.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme are eligible for ill-health retirement benefits under the Scheme if the Scheme Medical Adviser is of the opinion that they have suffered a permanent breakdown in health involving incapacity for employment. The eligibility criteria was reviewed on the introduction of the Alpha scheme in 2015, and are consistent with those in other public service pension schemes.
The Cabinet Office regularly monitors ill-health retirement cases and currently 99.9% of quotes for ill health retirement are being issued within 10 days by the scheme administrator.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of moving civil servants to Cheltenham on his Departments staffing costs.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The 2025 Spending Review confirmed £244 million investment supporting the relocation of roles out of Whitehall to complete the development of new hubs in the regions.
Cheltenham will continue to be a vibrant Civil Service location and home to one of GCHQs strategic hubs. The Government Property Agency continues to work closely with departments based in Cheltenham.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much and what proportion of the £244 million to be spent on the development of new government hubs fund will be spent on relocating civil servants to Cheltenham.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The 2025 Spending Review confirmed £244 million investment supporting the relocation of roles out of Whitehall to complete the development of new hubs in the regions.
Cheltenham will continue to be a vibrant Civil Service location and home to one of GCHQs strategic hubs. The Government Property Agency continues to work closely with departments based in Cheltenham.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether he plans to allow cyber security entrepreneurs to have access to a proportion of the additional funding provided to the Single Intelligence Account for research and development.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare
As has been the policy of successive governments, the government does not comment on matters relating to the intelligence agencies.