Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85499 on Cabinet Office: Facility Agreements, how facility time is authorised; and whether Ministers approve it.

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

Trade Union representatives have a statutory right to be granted reasonable paid time off to undertake trade union duties and reasonable unpaid time to undertake trade union activities.

The facility time guidance sets out that Civil Servants who are Trade Union representatives will spend at least 50% of their time delivering their Civil Service role. Where time is required above this figure including acting in a 100% role, this will be by exception and will need to be agreed by the Secretary of State.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Admiralty House residences will be offered to another Minister.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 13 October 2025, Official Report, PQ 77624.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has issued guidance to special advisers on the use of government email in 2025.

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

Special advisers are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers at all times. No specific guidance has been issued centrally from the Cabinet Office to special advisers on the use of government email in 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to increase Ministerial pay in the next four years.

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

The entitlement of government ministers to receive a salary is set out in the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975. Ministerial salaries currently remain frozen.

In addition, the government has introduced reforms to ministerial severance pay. Ministers will be expected to forgo their severance pay if they serve in office for fewer than six months, or if they leave office following a serious breach of the Ministerial Code.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2025, to Question 81874, on Diplomatic Service: Public Appointments, if Heads of Mission are appointed by open and fair competition; and what role does the Civil Service Commission play in the appointments of Ambassadors.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 3 November, where these issues were addressed at length.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to pages 107 and 110 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether the facility time data published under the Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017 includes Government Commercial Function and Fast Stream staff who were on the Cabinet Office payroll as at 31 March 2025.

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

The facility time data published under the Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017 does include the Government Commercial Function and Fast Stream staff who were on the Cabinet Office payroll as at 31 March 2025

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 113 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, for what reason dividends from associates are treated as income in the Statement of Outturn against Parliamentary Supply.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Section 8.13 of Consolidated budget guidance issued by HM Treasury states that:

“Financial transactions involve the exchange of financial assets and liabilities. Financial transactions mainly impact on the resource budget through the returns received or paid on these financial assets or liabilities (for example, interest received/paid on a loan, or dividends received/paid on equity). Financial assets also impact on the resource budget through changes in their valuation.”

Therefore, all dividend income received from associate companies should score to RDEL as income.

Dividends from associate companies are not recognised as income in the financial statements because International Accounting Standard IAS 28 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures, states:

“When using the equity method, dividends received are not recognised as income in the consolidated income statement; instead, they are treated as a return of capital and reduce the carrying amount of the investment in the statement of financial position.”

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Integrated Security Fund Annual Report 2024–25, published on 30 October 2025, whether any ISF-funded programme has been reviewed or sanctioned for misreporting, exaggerating, or fabricating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion marker data since April 2024.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) is unaware of any instance of Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) markers being misreported, exaggerated, or fabricated.

The ISF operates under clear rules and requirements on GESI embedded throughout the programme lifecycle. These ensure reporting is accurate, consistent and monitored in-year. In 2024/25, all Integrated Security Fund (ISF) programmes underwent an annual review, and every programme also undergoes a closure review when it ends, both of which include a dedicated assessment of GESI performance.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether he will publish the corporate management statement for 2024–25.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The business rules and corporate management statement represent internal documents that support the internal governance and assurance of the department. These documents are not routinely published for external audiences. It is a long-standing practice of successive Governments not to routinely publish internal documents.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 8 of his Department's corporate report entitled Integrated Security Fund Annual Report 2024–25 published on 30 October 2025, what proportion of the £965 million was classified as having a (a) principal, (b) significant and (c) not targeted gender equality objective under OECD GESI markers.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office remains committed to supporting delivery of the UK’s Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, and the Integrated Security Fund (ISF) supports work to tackle Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI).

The ISF funds a variety of ‘programmes’, each of which is designed to achieve a specific national security objective. Each programme can then be broken down into individual ‘projects’ which work towards the programme’s objective. There is a requirement whereby all programmes should include at least one project where gender is a primary objective (an ‘E’ rating under OECD GESI markers, which is the highest rating), and all projects must have met, or be working towards meeting, a minimum standard whereby gender equality is part of the project’s objectives, but not the principal reason for undertaking the project (a ‘C’ rating).

However, the Cabinet Office does not specifically track expenditure allocated to GESI markers (principal, significant or not targeted).

In addition, during Financial Year 2024/25 the ISF operated a dedicated Gender, Peace and Security Portfolio (£5.39m).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 63005 on Prime Minister: Aviation, and with reference to the Cabinet Office Freedom of Information Act disclosure of 5 September 2025, FOI reference: FOI2025/12575, if he will place the disclosure in the Library; and what (a) is the value of the yearly payment to EDF to carbon offset flights using the C-GBNI airframe and (b) notional volume of carbon emissions are offset.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I will arrange for a copy of FOI2025/12575 to be deposited in the Library of the House.

The yearly payment to carbon offset flights using the G-GBNI aircraft is calculated at the end of each financial year based on the flights that have taken place to ensure accuracy.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 70 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, if he will publish the Business Rules document.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The business rules and corporate management statement represent internal documents that support the internal governance and assurance of the department. These documents are not routinely published for external audiences. It is a long-standing practice of successive Governments not to routinely publish internal documents.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, page 110, (a) how many total staff days were taken as paid special leave for volunteering in 2024–25 under the Cabinet Office volunteering policy, (b) what the estimated cost was to the Department and (c) how many officials participated.

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

Volunteering is a way in which the Cabinet Office supports and encourages its staff to develop both professionally and personally, by enabling them time to engage in activities and practical challenges which endeavor to have a positive impact in their local community.

From 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025, there were collectively 191 reported days of volunteering leave taken by 105 individuals. The approximate salary cost of the days recorded for these individuals is £26,000 across the Cabinet Office.

Cabinet Office staff are entitled to take up to five days of special paid leave per performance year (01 April - 31 March) for volunteering activity as part of their Personal Development Plan.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 107 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, published on 23 October 2025, how many staff were excluded from the Cabinet Office workforce figures as at 31 March 2025 as a result of the decision to omit Government Commercial and Fast Stream personnel from the Department’s data.

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

The statement on page 107 of the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024-2025 only refers to the staff included in ‘Section 2.12 - Diversity and inclusion’ and does not refer to data provided in earlier sections on departmental headcount. These individuals are included in the departmental headcount on Page 99 under the 4,370 Cabinet Office staff recharged to other government departments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any of Goaco Group Ltd's subcontractor (a) resources and (b) delivery partners were offshore before the publication of the variation of the Cabinet Office's contract with the company in October 2025.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office can confirm that in relation to the Provision of Support and Maintenance for the Central Digital Platform contract with Goaco Group Ltd, no subcontractor (a) resources or (b) delivery partners were working offshore before the publication of the variation in October 2025.

The Cabinet Office does not hold information on any other contracts or subcontracting arrangements which Goaco Group Ltd may have in place.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, page 101, and the Contingent Labour Spend Control and the Consultancy and Professional Services Spend Control, both updated on 1 February 2023, for what reason 250 off-payroll engagements recorded as existing for four or more years at 31 March 2025 were classified as temporary appointments.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

All off payroll engagements are classified as temporary staff as they are not employees of the department and are not paid through the payroll.

Of the 250 staff quoted, 241 of them are either Infrastructure and Projects Authority gateway reviewers or Government Commercial Function accreditor assessors.

These ‘engagements’ form a pool of specialist reviewers and assessors who are called upon as and when required. Having a pool of reviewers and assessors allows the departments to respond flexibly to demand.

Of the 241 reviewers and assessors, 46 were not called upon at all during 2024-25 and therefore had £0 spend against their name. Some others had minimal spend during 2024-25. They are retained on our books as temporary staff in case their specialist knowledge is required.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Integrated Security Fund Annual Report 2024–25, 30 October 2025, whether he will publish the raw Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) scoring data for all ISF programmes in 2024–25, including departmental lead, delivery partner, and spend.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given to Parliamentary Question 91383. Whilst the Integrated Security Fund (ISF) does not track or disaggregate reporting or expenditure by Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) scoring specifically, the ISF meets its transparency obligations and programme details are published where possible. However, data for some ISF programmes cannot be released publicly due to national security sensitivities.

The ISF funds a variety of ‘programmes’, each of which is designed to achieve a specific national security objective. Each programme can then be broken down into individual ‘projects’ which work towards the programme’s objective. There is a requirement whereby all programmes should include at least one project where gender is a primary objective (an ‘E’ rating under OECD GESI markers, which is the highest rating), and all projects must have met, or be working towards meeting, a minimum standard whereby gender equality is part of the project’s objectives, but not the principal reason for undertaking the project (a ‘C’ rating).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2025, to Question 73484, on Health Services: Equality, whether the Office for National Statistics has a definition of “working class communities”.

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 the 21st of November is attached.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to pages 111 to 114 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, for what reason his Department’s new strategic outcomes were adopted during the year while the Estimates remained based on previous departmental objectives.

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

The Cabinet Office’s strategic outcomes were updated following the election to ensure that these reflected the new government’s priorities. These changes were reported to the Public Administration and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on 19 March 2025.

The financial reporting against these outcomes was updated at the earliest opportunity on HM Treasury systems and will be reported against in the 2025/26 Accounts.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is paying the salary of the Second Permanent Secretary while he is on secondment to the Blavatnik School Of Government.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Nick Joicey is currently on secondment to a role at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University. As is standard for secondments Defra continues to pay Mr Joicey’s salary and Defra is being reimbursed by Oxford University for his role there.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how members of the Diversity and Outreach Committee were selected and how many vacancies, other than the appointment of Chair, were publicly advertised.

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

Following the appointment of a new Chair to the Diversity and Outreach Honours Committee, a member from each of the ten independent honours committees was selected to join the Diversity and Outreach Committee in an ex-officio capacity based on their sector-specific expertise, experience, interest, and commitment. Selection was made through an Expression of Interest process, as was done for previous iterations of the committee. All members were appointed to their honours committee via a fair and open process on the Public Appointments website.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled UK space sector bolstered with government reforms to boost growth and cut red tape, published on 20 August 2025, what the estimated annual savings are from the merger of the UK Space Agency into her Department; and whether there are any planned redundancies.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Work is underway to design the new unit. This will include exploring the extent to which the merger will enable the unit to go further than the 5.6% DSIT-wide efficiencies by 2028/29 target. Designing a more efficient organisation will reduce running costs and remove duplication ensuring even more of the funding allocated to civil space can reach the sector while also protecting staff in both organisations where possible. There are currently no planned redundancies.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 107 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, published on 23 October 2025, who authorised the change in reporting methodology to exclude Government Commercial Function and Fast Stream staff from the Department’s workforce figures; and on what evidential or accounting basis that decision was made.

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

The statement on page 107 of the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024-2025 only refers to the staff included in ‘Section 2.12 - Diversity and Inclusion’ does not refer to data provided in earlier sections on departmental headcount. These individuals are included in the departmental headcount on Page 99 under the 4,370 Cabinet Office staff recharged to other government departments.

Government Commercial Function and Fast Stream staff are excluded from Section 2.12 as they work full time in other government departments and so are not part of the day to day workforce of the Cabinet Office. This change in how diversity information was presented in the report was signed off by a senior civil servant in the department’s HR function.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 67 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, in which venues the away days took place; and at what cost.

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

The away days referenced in page 67 of the Cabinet Office Annual Report took place at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Lancaster House. As the Report states, the cost to the Cabinet Office totalled £5,288.40.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 66 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, who sits on the staff Board; how members of the Staff Board were selected; and whether any formal appointment process, eligibility criteria and rotation system is in place.

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

The Staff Board is advisory and comprises Cabinet Office Staff of delegated grades (Grade AO - Grade 6). Approximately 20 members sit on the Staff Board. Members serve on the Staff Board for a minimum term of one year and a maximum term of two years.

Information on the role of the staff board is set out on the Cabinet Office’s intranet. Staff are able to apply to be a member at any time via an online form and are placed on a waiting list until a vacancy arises. The Cabinet Office Governance Team review applications and conduct short interviews with potential candidates before appointments are made. The Staff Board provides a vital platform for staff to inform decisions made by the Executive Committee (ExCo).

The appointment process seeks to encourage and attract a diverse pool of applicants from all business units, locations, and grades, aiming for a balanced representation of professional and personal characteristics.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, if he will publish the terms of reference of the Staff Board.

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

The Staff Board serves in an advisory capacity to the Executive Committee and is not a mandatory component of the Corporate Governance Code. Its Terms of Reference are not subject to external publication.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question HL11349 on Ministers: Corporate Hospitality and Official Gifts, whether the register published on gov.uk since July 2024 lists gifts and hospitality which are initially accepted but then (a) returned or (b) repaid.

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

Hospitality and gifts received by Ministers in their ministerial capacity are declared in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

The Cabinet Office publishes guidance setting out the process that departments should follow to complete the publication of the Register of Ministers’ Gifts and Hospitality: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministers-gifts-and-hospitality-publication-guidance/ministers-gifts-and-hospitality-publication-guidance.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 30 May 2025 to Question 52904 on Electronic Government, if she will publish the Data Protection Impact Assessment produced for the One Login programme.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We have an obligation to let citizens know how we are processing their data, which we do via a privacy notice published on GOV.UK. We continually develop our Data Protection Impact Assessment to take into account the new identity verification journeys, such as the no photo ID route. We are preparing an easily digestible version of our Data Protection Impact Assessment for publication, which will be made available in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to prevent discrimination against children from independent schools in the provision of public services.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Access to public services is based on need, not the type of school a child attends. Parents or carers concerned about their child’s health can consult a GP, who may refer them to relevant National Health Services (NHS). The NHS provides care free at the point of use and considers referrals based on clinical need, ensuring equity regardless of school type.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications for the restoration of honours or medals have been received since February 2021; and how many have been granted in each year since.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Since 2021, the Ministry of Defence has received 24 applications for the restoration of medals from, or on behalf of, LGBT Veterans who had forfeited medals. Nine of these cases were found to be eligible for restoration, usually qualifying under the Government’s disregard process for convictions for decriminalised sexual offences (consensual gay sex).

The annual breakdown of applications received, and of those approved, is:

• 2021: 11 requests with two successful.
• 2022: Three requests with none successful.
• 2023: Three requests with one successful.
• 2024: Four requests with three successful.
• 2025 (to date): Three requests, all of which have been successful.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many applications for the restoration of honours or medals have been received since February 2021; and how many have been granted in each year since then.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Since 2021, the Ministry of Defence has received 24 applications for the restoration of medals from, or on behalf of, LGBT Veterans who had forfeited medals. Nine of these cases were found to be eligible for restoration, usually qualifying under the Government’s disregard process for convictions for decriminalised sexual offences (consensual gay sex).

The annual breakdown of applications received, and of those approved, is:

• 2021: 11 requests with two successful.
• 2022: Three requests with none successful.
• 2023: Three requests with one successful.
• 2024: Four requests with three successful.
• 2025 (to date): Three requests, all of which have been successful.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Integrated Security Fund Annual Report 2024–25, of 30 October 2025,what assessment he has been of whether including compulsory UN peacekeeping contributions within the ISF is consistent with the Fund’s stated purpose of supporting “agile and innovative” security programming.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) currently fulfils UK mandatory commitments to UN peacekeeping missions around the world. UN peacekeeping is critical in supporting global peace and security, including by preventing conflicts from escalating and creating space for political solutions.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Integrated Security Fund Annual Report 2024–25, of 30 October 2025, for what reason the ISF’s non-ODA spend for Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2024–25 is recorded as negative.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

As set out in the Integrated Security Fund (ISF) Annual Report, in the financial year 2024/25 funding which had previously been provided to the Afghan National Army Trust Fund (ANATF), was returned to the ISF following the change in context in Afghanistan in the financial year 2021/22. Therefore, the ISF’s non-ODA balance of spend in Afghanistan and Pakistan portfolio in financial year 2024/25 is recorded as negative £1.51m.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many times the Resilience and Security Committee met between April 2024 and March 2025; and what the attendance record of each member was.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

It is a long-established precedent that information about Cabinet and its Committees, including the discussions that have taken place, how often they have met and attendance, is not normally shared publicly. The list of standing members of the National Security Council (Resilience) Committee can be accessed on GOV.UK.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Tom Kibasi was a (a) direct ministerial appointment, (b) special adviser, (c) secondment, (d) civil servant recruited by exception or (e) permanent civil servant, when working in 10 Downing Street.

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

Tom Kibasi was recruited via secondment.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the names, roles and dates of appointment of the members of the Forfeiture Committee are; how each member was selected; and which members are classified as independent.

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

The Forfeiture Committee is chaired by a Permanent Secretary on delegation from the Cabinet Secretary. This is currently Dame Sarah Healey, MHCLG. She has been in post as Chair since July 2025. The other permanent member is the Treasury Solicitor, currently Sussana McGibbon. She has been a member of the Committee since March 2021.

The Committee has four independent members, drawn from the Chairs of the ten independent honours committees. These Chair appointments are made through a Public Appointments process. The current independent members are Sir Hamid Patel, John Booth CVO, Stephen Kelly and Dame Jane Dacre. Each was appointed to the Forfeiture Committee in October 2022.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2025, to Question 84247, on Public Appointments: Political Impartiality, if he will make it his policy to amend guidance to require disclosure of previous political activity to be declared within and at the time of the gov.uk announcement of the appointment.

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

The Governance Code on Public Appointments requires that relevant political activity, as defined within the Code, should be publicly disclosed for successful candidates. This is expected to happen at the time that a department or appointing body announces the successful candidate. Or in the case of those appointments subject to pre-appointment hearing by a House of Commons select committee, the preferred candidate.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent via Berry Bros Ltd since 4 July 2024.

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

All relevant spending is available in the Cabinet Office’s government procurement card transparency return for March 2025 which can be found on gov.uk

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025, to Question 85506, on Cabinet Office: Data Protection, how many people had their personal data compromised.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In relation to the eight incidents stated in Question 85506 a total of 148 individuals were affected. This is the total number as notified to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress he has made on achieving a 25 per cent reduction in the cost of regulation and a £550 million reduction in consultancy costs.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government is committed to cut the administrative burden of regulation on businesses by 25%, or £5.6bn by the end of this Parliament. So far, we have identified £1.5bn in gross administrative burden savings; cutting back on corporate reporting for tens of thousands of businesses and simplifying the regime for financial services senior managers.

This Government will relentlessly root out waste, drive efficiencies, and protect taxpayers’ money. This is why we reduced consultancy spending by £550m in 2024/25 compared to previous plans, as set out at the July Spending Audit 2024.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether any functional services operated by his Department generated (a) surpluses and (b) profit margins above full-cost recovery.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

No functional services included within the Cabinet Office 2024-25 Annual Report and Accounts generated surpluses or profit margins above full-cost recovery during the 2024-2025 financial year.

The Department ensures that fees and charges for services are set in accordance with the principles set out in HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money, including for full cost recovery unless a specific policy reason exists for not doing so.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the NISTA Annual Report 2024–25 dashboard, whether an evaluation has been completed for the project entitled Falcon Programme in the Cabinet Office.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Falcon Programme is facilitating the Cabinet Office's transition from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. This is part of the drive to improve the productivity, security and efficiency of systems in the Cabinet Office and across Whitehall.

As required under the Government Major Project Portfolio (GMPP), the Falcon Programme must go through the standard independent review process. NISTA carried out an evaluation in March 2025 which formed the basis of the review in their 2024-25 Annual Report. A further review is due in March 2026.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 73729 on Ministers: Aviation, which journeys contributed to those emissions.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

All travel using the GBNI aircraft is offset.

As was the case under the previous administration, data on ministers’ travel is published on a quarterly basis which includes defining the mode of transport used.

This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications#2024

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 underspend in Departmental Expenditure Limit spending has been (a) returned to the Consolidated Fund and (b) re-profiled for spending in 2025–26.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

At the end of the financial year, all underspends are returned to the Consolidated Fund.

The Cabinet Office did not re-profile any spending into 2025-26 from 2024-25.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Figure 4 of the Integrated Security Fund Annual Report 2024–25, of 30 October 2025, for what reason £778.9 million of Integrated Security Fund expenditure was allocated to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proportion of funding allocated to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on national security.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The allocation to the FCDO is for two purposes. The ISF currently fulfils UK mandatory commitments to UN peacekeeping missions around the world, which the FCDO administers on its behalf. As per the Annual Report page 15, that is £263.75m. UN peacekeeping is critical in supporting global peace and security, including by preventing conflicts from escalating and creating space for political solutions. The rest of the allocation funds ISF programmes which deliver national security interventions overseas via the FCDO’s global network. ISF programming and its funding to departments are regularly reviewed to ensure alignment with evolving national security priorities.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of Developed Vetting renewals have been completed within 95 days in each of the past six months, and what steps are being taken to improve performance.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) continues to meet its agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across each product type, including Developed Vetting renewal clearances.

UKSV KPIs are set and regularly reviewed in consultation with customer groups, governed by ministerial oversight, to ensure demand is balanced whilst maintaining assurance in national security safeguards.

In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the Risk Vulnerability Tool.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Risk Vulnerability Tool (RVT) is currently accessible to Ministers and officials across the UK and devolved governments. Its function is to assist officials in identifying vulnerable and at-risk communities to better mitigate impacts during times of crisis.

The current developmental version of the tool will not be made public. However, in line with standard practice for government statistics, information detailing the RVT methodology will be published within a Quality and Methodology Information report once the methodology has been finalised.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Stabilisation Programme for UK Security Vetting has concluded; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of that programme on clearance times.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

I am pleased to report that UKSV has delivered the objectives of delivering stability in its performance via the Delivery Stabilisation Programme (DSP) and continues to consistently meet its performance targets, as set out in the PAC report. It is now regarded as a stable service by customers.

Following a stabilisation programme initiated in 2023, there have been sustained and stable improvements in performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPI) across all service levels of National Security Vetting clearances which includes Counter Terrorist Check (CTC), Security Check (SC) and Developed Vetting (DV). UKSV successfully delivered the final milestone of DSP on 1st April 2024. Across core services United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) is meeting all its targets against the full range of vetting products.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average processing time was for (a) Counter Terrorist Check, (b) Security Check, (c) Developed Vetting and (d) Developed Vetting renewal clearances in the most recent month for which data is available.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) continues to meet its agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across each product type. UKSV KPIs are set and regularly reviewed in consultation with customer groups to ensure demand is balanced whilst maintaining assurance in national security safeguards. UKSV KPIs are also governed by ministerial oversight.

In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 30 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether income received from the Government Property Agency, Government People Group, Government Commercial and Grants Function, Government Security Group, Central Finance, CO Digital and Government Communications is used to cross-subsidise departmental activity outside those business units.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

No, the business units outlined in the question only recover incurred costs from providing services to other Government departments.

As such there is no surplus recovered to be used to subsidise department activity outside those business units. This is in alignment with ‘Managing Public Money’ guidance from HM Treasury.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the NISTA Annual Report 2024–25 dashboard, whether an evaluation has been completed for the project entitled Transforming Public Procurement in the Cabinet Office.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Transforming Public Procurement programme is still in progress. An interim impact evaluation of the programme is planned for 2026.

A full impact evaluation will be published on the Government Evaluation Registry in line with NISTA requirements for programmes on the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the List of Ministerial Responsibilities will be updated.

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

A new List of Ministerial Responsibilities will be published in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government paid a second homes council tax premium in (a) March and (b) April 2025 for the then Deputy Prime Minister’s official residence in Admiralty House.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Following the introduction of the second homes premium on 1 April, this has been paid in full in a one-off full payment in July 2025. This payment was made on the date the invoice was received from Westminster City Council.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued on the provision of official cars to Ministers outside the Government Car Service by (a) the Metropolitan Police and (b) private contractors.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Home Office has not issued guidance regarding the provision of official cars to Ministers outside the Government Car Service, whether through (a) the Metropolitan Police or (b) private contractors.

The provision of any vehicle as part of a protective security package is determined by an assessment of threat and risk faced by a Minister.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Memorandum of Understanding: accessing HMRC information to assist honours committees in making ​recommendations​​​​​ about awarding honours to individuals, published on 19 October 2023, whether the HMRC Checking Panel’s deliberations are minuted and retained.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Under the published Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), HMRC will commission reports on the tax behaviour of nominees. The reports and risk ratings are retained in line with HMRC’s data retention policy, as set out in the MOU. Deliberations are not minuted, but the framework for decision making is published with the MOU.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2025, to Question 70524, on Civil Servants: media and public speaking, whether the guidance on civil servants speaking in public has been released, in whole or in part, in response to the Freedom of Information Act requests.

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

I refer the Rt Hon Member to my answer on 21 November 2025 (PQ 91378).

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of publishing the remuneration of direct ministerial appointments, who have a salary which is equivalent to (a) SCS1, (b) SCS2, (c) SCS3 and (d) above minimum pay scales for those grades.

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

Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments was published on gov.uk on 30 October 2025. Section 21 of this guidance states “For transparency purposes, all Direct Ministerial Appointments should be announced publicly, along with their Terms of Reference. This should generally be done at the time at which the appointment is made and include information such as the time commitment expected of the role, expected end date of the appointment and remuneration details, where such is incurred.”

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2025, to Question 85199 on Ministers: Redundancy Pay whether Ministers are required to personally sign the waiver.

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

All ministers who are eligible for a severance payment are required to sign a waiver agreeing to forgo their entitlement to such a payment if, on leaving office, they have served in government for less than six months or if they leave as a result of a serious breach of the Ministerial Code. Through the waiver, ministers also commit to repaying their severance payment in the event that they are found to have seriously breached the Business Appointment Rules. Ministers also agree that if they are reappointed to government within three months of leaving office they will forgo their salary for the period overlapping with the severance payment period.

I can confirm that all ministers who are eligible for a severance payment have signed waivers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2025 to Question 73327 on Alan Milburn, if he will list which other areas of health policy Mr Milburn has recused himself from.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Prior to appointment, non-executive candidates are required to declare all relevant interests. Appropriate mitigations are then put in place and approved by the Department.

This process was carried out for the Rt Hon. Alan Milburn, whose interests, and any updates to them, are available in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and on the GOV.UK website in alignment with Government policy.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2025, to Question 71941, on DSIT: Remote Working, and of 10 October 2025, to Question 71222, on Civil Service: Recruitment, for what reason staff in her Department are subject to a 40% workplace attendance policy instead of the 60% minimum agreed by Heads of Department in October 2024.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

DSIT’s hybrid working policy requires employees to spend between 40% to 60% of their working hours in the office as the norm (with a minimum of 40%). DSIT allows some limited flexibility for minimum office attendance to reflect the size of the available office estate.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, with reference to the target to reduce the cost of regulation by 25% on page 7, what the Government’s latest estimate is of the total cost of regulation to businesses and organisations in the public sector; what baseline year and total monetary value were used to calculate the stated target to reduce that cost; and by what date the Government aims to achieve that reduction.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We have estimated the baseline of the administrative burden of regulation on businesses (as at start of April 2025) at £22.4bn a year in 2024 prices. Our target is to reduce this figure by 25%, or £5.6bn, by the end of Parliament.

We have adopted a pragmatic and ‘top-down’ approach to estimating the baseline, drawing on a range of existing data sources including previous baselining exercises, DBT’s regular Business Perceptions Survey (BPS), DBT business population estimates and Office for National Statistics data on wages and labour costs.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the estimated cost is of The Ministers’ Etc. Pension Scheme (Amendment) 2025, dated 6 November 2025.

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

The Ministers’ Etc. Pension Scheme (Amendment) 2025 makes technical amendments to the rules to allow the cost control mechanism (CCM) process to be completed, and the Scheme does not incur a cost as a result of the changes.

All public service pension schemes are subject to the CCM as part of the valuation cycle in line with HM Treasury policy. The CCM is designed to ensure a fair balance of risk with regard to the cost of providing public service pension schemes between members of those schemes and the Exchequer (and by extension taxpayers). If, when the CCM is tested, those costs are not within agreed target levels the member contributions are adjusted accordingly.

Any administrative costs associated with drafting and implementing these regulations are negligible and have been absorbed within existing Cabinet Office budgets.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the guidance entitled the approvals process for the creation of new arm's-length bodies, published on 15 March 2018, whether the Cabinet Office Public Bodies Team assessed the National Centre of Policing against the requirement that the creation of a new arms length body should only be considered as a last resort; whether the Department provided evidence that alternative delivery models were considered; and which of the tests in chapter 2 of that guidance it overcame.

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

The initial intention to explore a National Centre of Policing was announced by the then Home Secretary at the APCC/NPCC Conference in November 2024, as part of outlining their ambition for police reform. The Home Office will publish a White Paper on Police Reform in due course. If those proposals include establishing a new Arm's Length Body (ALB), then the standard process for establishing an ALB will be followed.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 125 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether the £30 million Capital AME bid by the Government Property Agency that recorded a zero outturn was supported by approved business cases for government hub projects.

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

The GPA requested £30 million of Capital AME in the estimate as cover for potential accounting adjustments around dilapidation provisions in accordance with HM Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manual and Consolidated Budgeting Guidance. This is not directly related to government hub projects or business cases. The cover was based on a worst-case scenario that didn't materialise and so was not required.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how compliance with his Department’s Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method tenancy standard will be monitored and enforced.

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

The Government Property Agency (GPA) uses BREEAM when retrofitting and building new capital projects as per the government buying standards requirements.This system is administered through a third-party certification process managed by licensed assessors and enforced primarily by contractual agreements and planning policies.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) ratings are for 10 Downing Street, 11 Downing Street, and Admiralty House; and whether any assessments have been carried out since July 2024 to determine whether tenancies are in buildings with a BREEAM rating of A or above.

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

The Government Property Agency (GPA) uses BREEAM when retrofitting and building new capital projects as per the government buying standards requirements. Where budget and time allows, GPA aims to deliver to the government buying standards requirements or better. As these buildings are not being developed the BREEAM standard is not relevant. If the buildings were to be retrofitted by the GPA in the future, BREEAM would be applied as per the government buying standards requirements.

In regards to existing commercial spaces, the GPA will deliver to the MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, regulations) and produce Display Energy Certificates (DECs) and/or Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) where commercially relevant.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the National Cyber Security Centre has made an assessment of the adequacy of information security of the One Login system since July 2024.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

GOV.UK One Login works closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which provides advice to the programme on a range of cyber security topics.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the IGR Secretariat Annual Report 2023-24, published on 5 November 2025, when will the report for 2024-25 be published.

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

The impartial IGR Secretariat intends to publish their 2024-25 Annual Report in the spring.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's transparency data entitled Expenditure Over £25,000 - September 2025 (Cabinet Office Core), published on 30 October 2025, what works does the entry of Variable FM Expenditure - Client Requested workplace services via OCS Group UK Limited relate to.

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

The GPA procured this service on behalf of the occupying tenant, who has a requirement for staff to hold high security clearance. This cost is fully recovered from the occupying tenant, and is not funded by GPA or Cabinet Office budgets.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2025, to Question 85508, on Permanent Secretaries: Redundancy Pay, whether the Cabinet Office holds a central list of which Permanent Secretaries have received severance payments since 4 July 2024.

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

Yes, the Cabinet Office holds a central list of Permanent Secretaries leavers who have received compensation payment since 4 July 2024.

Payments are published in departmental Annual Reports and Accounts for the financial years in which they were made.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 26 September 2025, to Question 74202, Civil Service: Unpaid Work, how will the Cabinet Office determine the social class of an applicant to the intern scheme if their parents have divorced and re-married by the age of 14, and the applicant has two different blended families.

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

The specific measure we use to determine socio-economic background of an applicant for the Summer Internship Programme is the occupation of the ‘main household earner’ when the applicant was 14 years old. This is in line with the guidance from the ONS and Social Mobility Commission.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 26 September 2025, to Question 74202, Civil Service: Unpaid Work, how will the Cabinet Office determine the social class of an applicant to the intern scheme if they had two working parents at the age of 14 in different social classes.

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

The specific measure we use to determine socio-economic background of an applicant for the Summer Internship Programme is the occupation of the ‘main household earner’ when the applicant was 14 years old. This is in line with the guidance from the ONS and Social Mobility Commission.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 30 October 2025, to Question 84251, on Government Departments: Facilities Agreements, whether government departments are required to inform the Cabinet Office if they permit trade unions to spend facility time on trade union activities, or otherwise make changes to their policy on permitted facility time.

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

The existing Cabinet Office facility time framework, implemented under the previous administration and unchanged, does not require departments to inform the Cabinet Office if they permit paid time off to undertake activities, although this does require the agreement of their Secretary of State or Chief Executive. Departments do not need Cabinet Office approval to amend their own policies on the use of facility time.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to (a) amend and (b) modernise the Lieutenancies Act 1997.

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

There are no plans to amend or update the Lieutenancies Act 1997.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2025, to Question 74211, on Prime Minister: Recruitment, if he will list the information requested for appointments below SCS2.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 10 October 2025, Official Report, PQ 74211.