Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 33 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, published on 23 October 2025, whether his Department is currently in full compliance with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures Phase 2 requirements.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office is compliant with Phase 2 TCFD requirements for the 2024-25 financial year, covering Governance, Risk Management, and Metrics and Targets (p45 of the annual report). These disclosures were reviewed by the NAO audit to ensure mandated requirements were published. We reported Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions and are proceeding with Phase 3 implementation in the 2025-26 Annual Report.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish the Freedom of Information Act disclosure with reference Internal Review response to FOI252626.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

HM Treasury does not recognise the Freedom of Information case reference FOI252626.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who the internal and external members are of each Mission Board.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

It is for the lead Secretary of State to determine the membership of their Mission Board.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 16 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, what proportion of the downward revision of the Resource AME was due to a recalculation of the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) was formed last year, began processing compensation claims within two months of receiving the legislative powers to do so. It has been set an unprecedented challenge and is working hard to meet the needs of all those it serves in delivering justice to victims.

Of the £5.278bn downward revision of the Resource AME requirement, £5.118bn (97%) was related to the recalculation of the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme future payment provision.

Estimating eligible claim volumes is challenging, relying on various assumptions which are refined on an ongoing basis. Changes in the overall provision stem from evolving assumptions and estimates, updates to regulations and other factors. Crucially, these estimates do not limit IBCA’s ability to make payments and everyone who is eligible and makes a claim will be paid in accordance with the legislation.

As of 2 December, 2,867 people have received an offer of compensation, and over £1.7 billion has been paid.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 95639 on Civil Service: Redundancy, whether the Redundancy and Compensation Control process holds or collates data on departmental spending on exit payments and the number of civil servants leaving the Civil Service through such processes.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Whilst indicative figures are part of the cases submitted to Cabinet Office, the Redundancy and Compensation control does not hold data on the final number or cost of exits payments. This data is available in each department’s annual report and accounts.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Public-sector trade union facility time data, updated on 27 November 2025, if he will define trade union (a) duties and (b) activities.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office guidance on reporting trade union facility time data includes examples of what counts as trade union duties and activities. See, the Cabinet Office guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-trade-union-facility-time-data

For detailed definitions of trade union duties and activities, please refer to the Acas Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities:

Acas Code of Practice: https://www.acas.org.uk/acas-code-of-practice-on-time-off-for-trade-union-duties-and-activities

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91375 on Cabinet Office: Facilities Agreements, whether paid trade union activity facility time in a (a) department and (b) Arm’s Length Body must be approved by a Minister.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office issued Facility Time Framework is intended to apply to all departments and executive agencies employing civil servants. It encourages Arms Length Bodies to adopt the Framework where possible.

The Framework specifies that paid time off to undertake trade union activities should be agreed by the department’s Secretary of State or Permanent Secretary.

A copy of the Facility Time Framework and its supporting guidance was deposited in the House Library earlier this year.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025 to Question 94201 on Trade Union Officials: Facilities Agreements, if he will publish that guidance.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

A copy of the Facility Time Framework and its supporting guidance was deposited in the House Library in May of this year.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91375 on Cabinet Office: Facilities Agreements, if he will publish the full facility time guidance.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

A copy of the Facility Time Framework and its supporting guidance was deposited in the House Library in May of this year.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the estimated cost is of the Census 2031 in cash terms.

Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 12th of December is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 132 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, published on 23 October 2025, for what reason his Department retained £90 million of dividends and returned £71 million of dividends to HM Treasury from the Crown Commercial Service.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In the spending review 2021, HM Treasury agreed that dividends received from Crown Commercial Service were to be returned to HMT and would be compensated with an annual reserve claim of up to £71 million.

In the Autumn Budget 2024, HMT approved that in 2024-25, in addition to the annual reserve claim, the Cabinet Office may retain up to £196 million in income from dividends from the Crown Commercial Service.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Information Commissioner decision notice of 29 October 2025, ref IC-362303-N0J6, if he will publish his Department's submission to the ICO, with personal information redacted.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Information Commissioner’s Office summarises the position of a public authority and the requester within its published decision notice.

As has been the case under successive administrations, the Cabinet Office does not publish the submissions it makes to the Commissioner during the course of his investigations.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2025 to Question 93002 on Devolution, and with reference to his Department's joint press release entitled UK Minister vows to work with devolved nations to deliver growth in first visit to Northern Ireland, published on 3 October 2024, for what reason the press release referred to the devolved nations.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Reminders on terminology have been issued to relevant teams and departments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 91374 on List of Ministerial Responsibilities, for what reason the updated list has not been published.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

An updated list of ministerial responsibilities is still in production.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has held discussions with his NATO counterparts on the EU's position on requiring SAFE payments.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The UK has and will continue to hold a ‘NATO First’ approach. While it is disappointing that we were not able to positively conclude discussions on UK participation in the first round of SAFE, the UK continues to step up on European security in the face of rising threats, including through Foreign and Defence Secretary engagements at NATO ministerial meetings in October and December. Our Security and Defence Partnership with the EU will complement and reinforce NATO’s role as the cornerstone of Euro Atlantic Security and our defence firms will continue to be a vital part of defence supply chains across the continent; in the last year alone, we have struck significant deals with Norway, Türkiye, and Germany.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025 to Question 90739 on Ministers: Public Appointments, what his Department's definition of a desk note is.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The guidance on making direct ministerial appointments that was published on 30 October replaced an internal desk note, with some expanded expectations on due diligence, conflicts of interest, and transparency. It was also expanded to provide greater clarity on direct ministerial appointments for a wider audience, including setting out publicly where such roles sit within the various routes into government.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to to the Freedom of Information response by the Cabinet Office, Ref: FOI2025/18068, published on 5 December 2025, if he will publish the proprietary guidance on paid publicity.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

For proprietary guidance on paid publicity, please refer to the following link:

https://www.communications.gov.uk/publications/propriety-guidance/#Paid-publicity

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 95647 on Government Department: Advertising, in what formats are data held for spending on public relations, marketing and advertising firms, other than social media firms.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Data is held under categories: Digital, Out of Home, Press, Radio and Television.

As with any media planning approach, channels are selected based on their ability to engage with relevant audiences in alignment with the government's strategic objectives.

The Cabinet Office is consistently tracking and reviewing spending on communications to ensure efficiency, efficacy, and value for the taxpayer.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 94699 on Spectator: Advertising, for what reason GB News has not received a SAFE framework approval.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Although the GB News website is not assessed, GB News is utilised for radio and television advertising.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the Cabinet Office disclosure, Ref: FOI2025/18072, of 5 December 2025, on Ministerial Gifts.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office confirmed in its response to this FOI that it does not hold any information in scope of the request.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to deposited paper DEP2025-0768, committed on 21 November 2025, further to paragraph 18 of the desk note, how many direct ministerial appointments have been made since July 2024 where the name of the appointment has not been placed in the public domain.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Since July 2024, the Cabinet Office has given advice on the announcement of one Direct Ministerial Appointment being exempt from publication, who was providing short-term advice on security and defence policy.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has a book of precedents.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office Precedent Book was last updated in 1992 and has been largely superseded by other documents, including the Cabinet Manual.

The Cabinet Office does not maintain a book of precedents.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, to ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office further to the Answer of 4 November 2025, to Question 85708, on Honours: Forfeiture, if he will publish the criteria for removal from the Roll of the Peerage.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

There are no set criteria for removal from the Roll of the Peerage.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91376 on Government Hospitality: Wines, how much his Department spent with Berry Bros for invoices under £25,000 since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 25 November 2025, Official Report, PQ 91376.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department operates a code system to determine when and what replies are given to written parliamentary questions.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

It is for the answering Minister to determine how to reply to a written parliamentary question.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Public Appointments Data Report 2024-25, published on 2 December 2025, and with reference to previous reports, for what reason the Public Appointments Data Report 2024-25 does not include information on political activity.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Public Appointments Data Report 2024-25 did not include information on the political activity of public appointees due to the transition to the public appointments digital service in 2023. This data is now being collected and will be considered for inclusion in future reports.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to The Public Appointments Data Report 2024-25, published on 2 December 2025, whether Ministers requested that the socio-economic background of the applicants for public appointments to be monitored.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The government is committed to ensuring that public appointments are more representative of our nations and regions, including socio-economic background.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 3 September 2025 to Question 69366 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, what is the reason for the delay in submitting the invoice for the works in 2024.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The invoice submission was delayed by the contractor. Payment could not be made until the invoice was received.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to his Department's publication entitled Public-sector trade union facility time data, updated on 27 November 2025, how many and what proportion of public bodies required to submit facility time data did not submit data, including data by (a) civil service, (b) education, (c) local authorities, (d) NHS, (e) police and (f) other bodies in (i) 2023-24 and (ii) 2024-25.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

A list of the Public Bodies which are required to submit facility time data can be found in Schedule 1 of The Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017.

The public-sector trade union facility time data for the year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 has been published on .gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91381 on Tom Kibasi, what the length of his secondment to Downing Street was.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Tom Kibasi was hired on secondment for a period of 2 months.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 95640 on Senior Civil Servants: Redundancy Pay, what was the legal basis for the previous Cabinet Secretary being given an exit payment.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Employment Rights Act 1996 defines contracts and employee rights for pay, leave, dismissal and other employment rights.

The model Permanent Secretary contract mentioned in the answer of 9 December 2025, states the terms and conditions and is used for Permanent Secretary level appointments including the Cabinet Secretary.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92016 on Civil Service: Management, for what reason the Terms of Reference are not subject to external publication.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Corporate governance in central government departments: code of good practice (2017) does not require publication of board and committee Terms of Reference.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91618 on Cabinet Office: Social Media, on what topics, campaigns and programmes the expenditure on each platform was for.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Please see below for the requested breakdown:

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any publications have failed SAFE assessments due to gender-critical content.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

There have been no such instances of failure.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on what leadership and promotion schemes run by the Civil Service are restricted to people (a) from ethnic minorities and (b) with other protected characteristics.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Promotion in the Civil Service is through fair and open competition and is overseen by the Civil Service Commission.

The Cabinet Office is responsible for centrally managed leadership development programmes for staff at G7 to DD (the Accelerated Development Schemes). Recruitment to these programmes is guided by the same principles. Participation in the Accelerated Development Schemes is not restricted to ethnicity or other protected characteristics.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the Civil Service Recruitment Framework.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Civil Service Recruitment Framework exists to ensure vacancies are consistently accessible to the widest possible pool of talent. There are no plans to publish this internal-facing framework to the public domain, as it constitutes HR-to-HR guidance designed for departments to integrate into their respective policies and processes.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what is the timetable for Departments to implement the Civil Service diversity network guidance in their own departmental diversity networks; and whether the diversity policies adopted by individual departments are centrally monitored or held by the Cabinet Office.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Responsibility for, and management of, departmental diversity networks, is delegated to individual departments as the employer. This includes the decision to adopt or align with the Staff Network Policy. The Cabinet Office has not set a timetable for departments. Departmental policies are not monitored or held centrally by the Cabinet Office.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether civil servants who act as coaches within the Internal Coaching Service are permitted to provide coaching sessions during their contracted working hours.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Civil servants who act as coaches within the Internal Coaching Service are permitted to provide coaching sessions during their contracted working hours. Participation in the coaching service often forms an additional work objective, and coaches are responsible for discussing their participation with their line managers.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2025, to Question 93384 on Permanent Secretaries: Redundancy Pay, if he will publish that list.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

I refer to my answer for 93384. Payments are published in departmental Annual Reports and Accounts for the financial years in which they were made. These are available on GOV.UK

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2025 to Question 93375 on Government Departments: Facilities Agreements, whether his department holds information on which departments have given agreement to allow paid time to be used for trade union activities.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office does not hold any central records on which departments have given agreement to allow paid time to be used for trade union activities.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 50576, on Cabinet Office: Recruitment, what is a level move.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

In the Civil Service a level move is when a civil servant moves from one role to another at the same grade as their current one. This can be from one government department to another or within the same department.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2025, to Question 50576 on Cabinet Office: Recruitment, whether members of the Senior Civil Service can be permanently promoted up a grade without open and fair competition.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Promotion on a permanent basis can only take place after fair and open competition. Senior Civil Service vacancies are advertised externally by default and exceptions must be approved by a Minister or Permanent Secretary equivalent in non-Ministerial departments. Civil Service Commissioners chair all competitions for SCS3 and SCS4 posts to ensure appointments are made on merit.

Found: response to the Minister’s statement on 17 December 2025, the Conservative Cabinet Office spokesperson Mike Wood