Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has implemented a training programme to provide civil servants with skills to support its transition to net zero.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Like all government departments, the Cabinet Office has access to relevant learning from the Government Campus (formerly known as Civil Service Learning), which includes:
i) It’s your time to act: Net Zero
ii) Leaders, it’s your time to lead: Net Zero
The Cabinet Office does not have its own specific training programme.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government Skills Curriculum Unit's Government Campus Curriculum will contain modules on skills and knowledge for transitioning the Civil Service to net-zero.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
Yes. The new Government Curriculum will include modules on the implications of Net Zero, climate change and wider environmental issues for government. In the first phase, the Government Skills & Curriculum Unit (GSCU) is working with other Departments (including BEIS, DEFRA and FCDO) to create an awareness level training resource for all civil servants. This will be piloted from April 2022. In the next phases, GSCU will look at tailored provision for specific Functions and Professions, and will signpost the training and other resources on Net Zero which are already being provided internally at practitioner and expert levels by government Departments.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has consulted the recognised relevant unions on the formation of the Government Campus by the Government Skills and Curriculum Unit.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Head of the Government Skills and Curriculum Unit met with the recognised trade unions on Monday 14 March to discuss the aims and progress of the Government Campus programme and they have agreed to meet biannually. Prior to this, discussion of the skills agenda has been part of conversations with union representatives about modernisation and reform, and civil service human resources.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent on producing social media videos and graphics for use on Ministerial social media accounts since January 2020.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government, helping inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests.
In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.
The Cabinet Office employs an in-house social media team to use digital channels and create content to communicate departmental policies online. It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this helps drive wider engagement from the public.
Content creation is one part of the digital team’s responsibilities, there is no individual cost per video or graphic created. The creation of these assets, as well with other communications products, is funded by the Cabinet Office Communications Directorate staffing budget.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants in his Department are managing ministerial social media accounts as either (a) their primary responsibility or (b) as part of their role.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government, helping inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests.
In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.
The Cabinet Office employs an in-house social media team to use digital channels and create content to communicate departmental policies online. It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this helps drive wider engagement from the public.
Content creation is one part of the digital team’s responsibilities, there is no individual cost per video or graphic created. The creation of these assets, as well with other communications products, is funded by the Cabinet Office Communications Directorate staffing budget.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued on the management of ministerial social media accounts.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are now in a digital age, where social media and digital communications are an essential part of government, helping inform the public directly about matters which may affect their lives or interests.
In addition to the Civil Service Code, the Government Communications Service offers propriety in digital and social media guidance and is available to discuss questions relating to social media when working with ministers.
The Cabinet Office employs an in-house social media team to use digital channels and create content to communicate departmental policies online. It is often appropriate for content relating to Government policies, guidance and announcements, created by civil servants, to be amplified or posted on other channels including ministers' own social media accounts where this helps drive wider engagement from the public.
Content creation is one part of the digital team’s responsibilities, there is no individual cost per video or graphic created. The creation of these assets, as well with other communications products, is funded by the Cabinet Office Communications Directorate staffing budget.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance applied to (a) covid-safe meeting or events and (b) the admission of guests to Downing Street during November and December 2020.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The central government guidance from BEIS to employers, on how to reduce the risk of transmission in the workplace, applied during this period. Across the whole workplace of the government estate, this included undertaking appropriate premises risk assessments and implementing mitigation measures. Meetings with external organisations will have been held virtually as far as possible.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of a potential conflict of interest arising from the 10 Downing Street Communications Director's work with with Hawthorn Advisors.
Answered by Michael Ellis
All special advisers make a declaration of interests to their employing department. Steps are then taken to ensure no conflict of interest or mitigate any potential conflict to the satisfaction of the relevant Permanent Secretary; and relevant interests are routinely published on GOV.UK.
On taking up employment with the Civil Service, Mr Harri resigned from Hawthorn Advisors.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of the implementation of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill and the Wellbeing of Future Generations (No.2) Bill are both Private Members’ Bills that are currently progressing through the House of Commons.
The Government remains committed to developing the incorporation of long-term thinking in its policy development and has multiple items of existing legislation that facilitates this, but has reservations about the broad scope of these bills. Consultations or impact assessments are not carried out for Private Members’ Bills that the Government does not intend to support.
Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill and the Wellbeing of Future Generations (No.2) Bill are both Private Members’ Bills that are currently progressing through the House of Commons.
The Government remains committed to developing the incorporation of long-term thinking in its policy development and has multiple items of existing legislation that facilitates this, but has reservations about the broad scope of these bills. Consultations or impact assessments are not carried out for Private Members’ Bills that the Government does not intend to support.