Richard Holden Portrait

Richard Holden

Conservative - Basildon and Billericay

20 (0.0%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 12th December 2019

Opposition Whip (Commons)

(since November 2024)

Shadow Paymaster General

(since November 2024)

Procedure Committee
28th Oct 2024 - 30th Jun 2025
Product Regulation and Metrology Bill [HL]
13th May 2025 - 15th May 2025
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
13th Nov 2023 - 5th Jul 2024
European Statutory Instruments Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 30th May 2024
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
28th Oct 2022 - 13th Nov 2023
Seafarers' Wages Bill [HL]
11th Jan 2023 - 17th Jan 2023
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill
4th Oct 2022 - 18th Oct 2022
Online Safety Bill
18th May 2022 - 28th Jun 2022
Public Accounts Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 15th Mar 2022
Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill
5th Jan 2022 - 12th Jan 2022
Finance (No.2) Bill
8th Dec 2021 - 11th Jan 2022
Approved Premises (Substance Testing) Bill
8th Dec 2021 - 15th Dec 2021
Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill
7th Sep 2021 - 22nd Sep 2021
Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill
25th Feb 2021 - 14th Apr 2021
Armed Forces Bill Select Committee
22nd Feb 2021 - 22nd Feb 2021
Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill
22nd Feb 2021 - 22nd Feb 2021


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Richard Holden has voted in 201 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Richard Holden Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Bridget Phillipson (Labour)
Minister for Women and Equalities
(14 debate interactions)
Lindsay Hoyle (Speaker)
(11 debate interactions)
Matthew Pennycook (Labour)
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(10 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(42 debate contributions)
Department for Business and Trade
(32 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Richard Holden's debates

Basildon and Billericay Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

I would like there to be another General Election.

I believe the current Labour Government have gone back on the promises they laid out in the lead up to the last election.


Latest EDMs signed by Richard Holden

4th June 2025
Richard Holden signed this EDM on Wednesday 4th June 2025

Mauritius Treaty

Tabled by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
That the Agreement, done at London and Port Louis on 22 May 2025, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, should not be ratified.
107 signatures
(Most recent: 1 Jul 2025)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 93
Reform UK: 5
Independent: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Traditional Unionist Voice: 1
Ulster Unionist Party: 1
Labour: 1
21st October 2024
Richard Holden signed this EDM as the primary signatory on Friday 18th October 2024

Pie and Mash (No. 2)

Tabled by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
That this House recognises the need to protect Cockney heritage, including Pie and Mash, a staple dish of Cockneys for nearly 200 years; notes that the Cockney diaspora have moved out of East London to at least 42 constituencies across parts of the East and South East; and supports the …
6 signatures
(Most recent: 25 Nov 2024)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 2
Labour: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Independent: 1
View All Richard Holden's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Richard Holden, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Richard Holden has not been granted any Urgent Questions

1 Adjournment Debate led by Richard Holden

Friday 17th January 2025

4 Bills introduced by Richard Holden


A Bill to make provision for the licensing of animal shelters; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 4th July 2025

A Bill to prohibit the marriage of first cousins; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 10th December 2024
(Read Debate)
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 18th July 2025

A Bill to require a seller of a vehicle to record their home address or specified information about a company that owns the vehicle in the vehicle’s registration document; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 22nd October 2024
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 5th September 2025

A Bill to prohibit virginity testing procedures; to make associated provision about education; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 15th December 2020
(Read Debate)

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
24 Other Department Questions
5th Jun 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether there is a limit on the number of ordinary written parliamentary questions that Rt hon. and hon. Members can table in hard copy on a sitting day.

There is no limit to the number of questions for ordinary written answer which a Member may table in hard copy on each sitting day (see Erskine May, 25th Edition, paragraph 22.4).

14th May 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 47830 on House of Commons: Morning Star, what estimate the Commission has made of the level of demand for copies of the Morning Star across the Parliamentary Estate.

The Commission does not monitor the use of the copies of the Morning Star or other newspapers provided across the Parliamentary Estate. They are made freely available for Members in the Library and communal areas and there is no means for recording their use.

12th May 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether his Department plans to establish the new Equal Pay Regulatory and Enforcement as an arm’s length body.

The government is committed to strengthening equal pay and ending pay discrimination. As part of this, we will establish an Equal Pay Regulatory and Enforcement Unit.

In April, we launched a call for evidence on a number of areas of equality policy, including this commitment. We will consider the views from the call for evidence to understand the challenges and find the appropriate solutions to equal pay enforcement.

We are holding this call for evidence (which closes on 30 June 2025) while policy is at a formative stage in order to enable businesses, trade unions, civil society and others to share their knowledge and experiences. Officials in the Office for Equality and Opportunity will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders as this policy develops.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
7th May 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 44585 on Winston Churchill: Artworks, which Members’ offices removed the portrait of Churchill; and whether the decision was requested by the hon. Member.

Artworks are removed from offices during dissolution and the General Election to mitigate risk to the collection during this busy period and to ensure availability of suitable works to meet Member requests for office hangs upon their election.

Between June and October 2024, the Heritage Collections team moved over 1100 artworks to facilitate dissolution works and election changes. This included seven portraits of Churchill: four from offices of Members, or their staff, who were not returned at the election; two from Members who were returned at the election; and one for conservation. Those removals were not, therefore, requested by the Members who had previously been allocated those offices. One of those works has subsequently been requested for another Member’s office; the other five remain available for Members to request.

7th May 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 44587 on Parliamentary Estates: Artworks, what the (a) nature, (b) title and (c) artist is of each item that was (i) installed and (ii) removed since (A) dissolution of the previous Parliament and (B) 4 July 2024.

The attached data provides detail of individual artworks falling under the following categories:

iA) artworks installed between dissolution and 4 July 2024 (40 artworks)

iiA) artworks removed between dissolution and 4 July 2024 (80 artworks)

iB) artworks installed since 4 July 2024 (185 artworks)

iiB) artworks removed since 4 July 2024 (375 artworks)

In collating this data, so far as possible we have included neither artworks which were temporarily removed to allow for maintenance works and have since been rehung in the same location, nor artworks which were briefly off display and then moved location with a Member’s office.

25th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 44588 on Parliament: Television, whether any public bodies pay subscription fees to receive a direct television feed of the UK Parliament.

No public bodies pay a subscription fee to Parliament for a direct television feed.

24th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many copies of The Morning Star are purchased by the House of Commons each day.

The House of Commons purchases five copies of the Morning Star each day. These are made available in different locations around the Estate.

22nd Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, who the members are of the Race Equality Engagement Group; and how they were appointed.

On 18 March, I announced our plans to establish a Race Equality Engagement Group to help us develop measures to tackle race inequality. The Group will be chaired by Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon.

We are in the process of appointing the other members of the Group. Members are being recruited to bring a range of expertise from across the public, private and voluntary sectors and from across the country. These are informal ministerial appointments, by invitation, and are not within the scope of the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what guidance has been provided to hon. Members on whether they must declare the date that a political donation was (a) received by the linked recipient and (b) given by the ultimate donor.

This is not a matter for the House of Commons Commission.

The rules are set out in the Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members, approved by the House on 12 December 2022 (HC 1083).

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmcode/1083/1083-1.pdf

Members seeking advice on the registration of specific interests should contact the Registrar of Members’ Interests.

7th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 24487 on Members’ Interests, whether (a) gifts and (b) hospitality which are registered and then (i) returned and (ii) repaid remain on the published list of interests.

This is not a matter for the House of Commons Commission.

The rules are set out in the Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members, approved by the House on 12 December 2022 (HC 1083).

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmcode/1083/1083-1.pdf

Members seeking advice on the registration of specific interests should contact the Registrar of Members’ Interests.

7th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what (a) portraits and (b) other artwork from the Parliamentary Art Collection that were previously on display have been moved to storage since (i) the dissolution of the last Parliament and (ii) 4 July 2024.

80 artworks moved from display to storage between dissolution (30 May 2024) and 4 July 2024, of which none were portraits. Since 4 July 2024, 405 artworks have moved to store, of which one was a portrait.

These changes have been for a number of reasons: movement of Members’ offices, required conservation work, or temporary storage due to maintenance projects. Many artworks in store are currently under consideration by Members for new office selections.

7th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, which public bodies have a live television feed to Parliament other than BBC Parliament; and what the annual cost is of such a subscription.

Other than BBC Parliament, there are no other live television feeds from public bodies to Parliament. Before migration to the internet over five years ago, the following channels from public bodies were available (in addition to BBC Parliament):

  • Northern Ireland Assembly
  • Scottish Parliament
  • Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament
  • European Parliament


UK Parliament’s sound and vision contractor provisioned the broadcast signals from these public bodies onto the Parliamentary Estate as part of their overall contract. It is not possible to separate out this cost from the overall contract.

7th Apr 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether any changes have been made to the display of (a) portraits and (b) busts of Winston Churchill on the Parliamentary estate since 4 July 2024.

Items from the Parliamentary Art Collection are on display in corridors, meeting and Committee rooms as well as private offices. Since 4 July 2024, no changes have been made to the display of busts of Winston Churchill on the Parliamentary estate. In the same timeframe, seven print or photographic portraits of Churchill have been taken off display. Six were taken off display from Members’ offices following changes to office locations and occupancy after the election, and one required conservation work.

The Parliamentary Art Collection contains 33 artworks either by or depicting Winston Churchill. 13 are currently on display in high-profile locations including Members’ Lobby, Committee Corridor and Ministerial offices. None of the works on display in those high-profile locations have been moved since 4 July 2024, other than briefly to facilitate project works.

3rd Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 8801 on Equality Act 2010, whether those plans include a public consultation with each public authority in legal scope of the new duty; and whether the New Burdens principle applies to local authority bodies subject to the new duty.

The Government is committed to commencing the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010. The duty will require specified public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to consider actively how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.

Public authorities will be able to reach their own decisions as to how they wish to approach reducing inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.

We will work in partnership with public authorities, civil society and others in order to ensure that the implementation of the duty is as effective as possible. As part of this, we have included questions in relation to the socio-economic duty in a call for evidence on equality law, which was launched on 7 April and will be open until 30 June. This will enable public authorities and others to input into plans in relation to the socio-economic duty at an early stage. We will also consult on draft statutory guidance in order to ensure it addresses the needs of public bodies and civil society and supports effective implementation.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)
6th Feb 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the guidance entitled Public Sector Equality Duty: guidance for public authorities, published on 18 December 2023, and pursuant to the letter from the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Business and Trade to economic regulators referenced in the Answer of 24 January 2024 to Question 24447 on Economic Growth: Regulation, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that regulators do not try to impose the public sector equality duty on private companies.

The Public Sector Equality Duty (the PSED) requires organisations in scope to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people.

The scope of the PSED is set out in the Equality Act 2010 (the Act). It extends to all public authorities listed in Schedule 19 of the Act and all parties carrying out public functions. This includes private sector and voluntary organisations when carrying out public functions.

The government expects regulators to ensure organisations comply with their legal requirements. It is not the role of regulators to intervene where legal requirements do not apply and we have no evidence that this is occurring.

16th Jan 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what guidance the House of Commons issues to hon. Members on declaring reportable gifts, donations or hospitality which are returned or reimbursed within 28 days of receipt; and whether reportable gifts, donations or hospitality which are returned or reimbursed after 28 days of receipt are recorded in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.

Registration requirements are set out in the Code of Conduct together with the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members, approved by the House on 12 December 2022. (https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmcode/1083/1083.pdf)

Paragraph 5 of the Code provides that new Members must register all their current financial interests, and any registrable benefits (other than earnings) received in the 12 months before their election within one month of their election, and Members must register any change in those registrable interests within 28 days. Gifts, donations or hospitality are registrable from the day of receipt (whether or not subsequently repaid). The 28-day period is provided to enable time for registration for the purpose of transparency.

Members are encouraged to seek advice from the Registrar of Members’ Financial Interests if they are in any doubt about whether a proposed course of action is in line with the rules.

3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 16341 on Political Parties: Discrimination, if she will issue guidance on the distinction between philosophical and political belief.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has issued guidance and codes of practice covering philosophical belief. What is and is not a political belief as opposed to a philosophical belief is a question that is for individuals to consider and, if necessary, the courts to determine, if raised in the context of Equality Act 2010 protections.

3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question HL2771 on Civil Servants: Recruitment and pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2024 to Question 14502 on Gender: Equality, if she will issue guidance to public bodies to stop the practice of internship programmes which restrict applications on the basis of race or ethnicity.

The Equality Act 2010 (The Act) provides protections for people from discrimination in the workplace and in society. It makes it unlawful to treat someone unfairly or discriminate against anyone based on certain personal characteristics. This includes race and ethnicity.

The Act also makes it unlawful for recruiters to hire by race, where the person is to be paid under a contract for services. Under certain conditions, a recruiter choosing between candidates of equal merit can hire the candidate from the more disadvantaged or lower-participating race or ethnicity. This is one type of ‘positive action’. Positive action can deliver better outcomes for particular groups in order to overcome or minimise a disadvantage arising from a protected characteristic.

In April 2023, the previous government published guidance to help employers understand the difference between positive action and positive discrimination. The guidance is available on gov.uk at www.gov.uk/government/publications/positive-action-in-the-workplace-guidance-for-employers. Section 9 of this guidance explains the general positive action provision. Section 10.2 explains tie-breaking in more detail. With this considered, there are currently no plans to issue further guidance to public bodies on positive action.

12th Dec 2024
To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church plans to amend the Table of Kindred and Affinity to exclude first cousins from marriage.

The ‘Table of Kindred and Affinity’ is part of the Book of Common Prayer. The Book of Common Prayer can be changed by a Measure from the General Synod of the Church of England, which would come to Parliament for approval in the usual manner. The Church of England has no plans currently to change the text.

9th Dec 2024
To ask the Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England has a formal process for the removal of an Archbishop.

The duration of appointments of office holders in the Church of England is governed by statutory provisions. Under section 3 of the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Measure 2009, the term of office of a person who holds office under Common Tenure (which includes archbishops, bishops and most other clergy) is terminated:
• on the death of the office holder
• by resignation
• on attaining the mandatory retirement age (subject to any extension)
• where the office ceases to exist
• where the office holder is removed from office under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003
• on the expiry of a fixed term appointment (where applicable)
• under the capability procedures.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukcm/2009/1/contents

26th Nov 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will hold discussions with the (a) Equality and Human Rights Commission and (b) the Cabinet Office on the potential merits of issuing guidance to political parties on whether they are able to discriminate on the basis of (i) political and (ii) philosophical belief.

It is for the Equality and Human Rights Commission to determine what guidance it issues to political parties. Equalities Ministers will have periodic discussions with their Cabinet Office colleagues on matters of mutual policy interest. 'Belief’ is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, meaning any religious or philosophical belief, rather than political opinion. As such, the issue of guidance on political belief discrimination that purportedly related to the Equality Act’s protected characteristics would be misleading.

14th Nov 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what role the Office for Equality and Opportunity has in informing Government policy on marriage.

The Office for Equality and Opportunity’s role in informing Government policy on marriage relates to equality and discrimination, as it is responsible for the protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, which include marriage and civil partnership.

While the Office for Equality and Opportunity work with the Ministry of Justice on issues relating to equality, the Ministry of Justice is responsible for marriage law.

12th Nov 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the cost was of re-branding the Equality Hub as the Office for Equality and Opportunity.

Minimal costs were incurred in the rebranding of the Equality Hub to the Office of Equality and Opportunity as it was a renaming exercise rather than a Machinery of Government change. Therefore, there has been no programme or digital expenditure to date and only minimal administrative time by current employees.

27th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to para 3.152 of the Review Body on Senior Salaries, Forty-seventh annual report on senior salaries, published in May 2025, CP 1329, what the past-service deficit payment is on the Alpha employer contribution rate.

The employer contribution rate is determined by the Civil Service Pension Scheme Valuation, which takes place every four years, with current rates being set following the 2020 valuation.

Details of the past service deficit are available on pages 22-25 of the 2020 Civil Service Pension Scheme Valuation available at https://www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk/media/qgbfvy5h/civil-service-gb-valuation-report_18_9_23_accessible.pdf

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
27th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to para 3.61 of the Review Body on Senior Salaries, Forty-seventh annual report on senior salaries, published in May 2025, CP 1329, whether he plans to tackle the pay differentials for civil servants at the same grade working in the same building who are employed by the (a) UK, (b) Welsh and (c) Scottish governments.

The Government has recently accepted the recommendation from the Senior Salaries Review Body for a fundamental review of the Senior Civil Service pay and reward frameworks.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
27th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether guidance has been provided on how the provisions of the Bribery Act 2010 could potentially apply to the provision of gifts and hospitality to Ministers.

The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of Ministers, including the overarching duty to comply with the law.

The Code sets out guidance on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality, stipulating that Ministers should not accept any gift, hospitality, or service which would, or might reasonably appear to, compromise their judgement or place them under an obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence their work in government. The Code also explains how details of ministerial gifts or hospitality received will be published, and that gifts given to Ministers in their ministerial capacity become the property of the government.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
27th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54011 on Intelligence and Security Committee, whether there will be a (a) formal and (b) public government response to the ISC press release of 1 May.

The Cabinet Office is engaging constructively with the Intelligence and Security Committee, and will continue to do so.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
27th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to publish a response to the press release of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament of 1 May 2025.

The Cabinet Office is engaging constructively with the Intelligence and Security Committee, and will continue to do so.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
27th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2025 to Question 54806, on Disaster Relief and Emergencies: Equality, if he will publish the documentation on the Risk Vulnerability Tool.

A Quality and Methodology Information report on the Risk Vulnerability Tool will be published, as is usual for government statistics.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

There are no plans of this kind.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 56482 on Civil Service: London allowances, if he will take steps to ensure that the London weighted salaries for his Department's civil servants only apply to employees that work in London.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer on 10 June 2025 (PQ 56482).

Pay arrangements, including those for London, are delegated to each department. The Cabinet Office does not have a London Weighting Allowance. There are separate London and National pay ranges. An individual’s pay, paid as a salary, is determined by the location of their designated office, as set out in their contract.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that Capita PLS meets its contractual milestones for the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

The pension scheme administration is transitioning from MyCSP to Capita, with a formal transfer scheduled for December 2025. The Cabinet Office has outlined 12 Transition Milestones to ensure a smooth transfer, with payments to Capita contingent on meeting deliverables to the standards set by the Cabinet Office Future Services Team.

After the transition, the new contract includes 38 Performance Indicators that monitor service delivery to ensure accountability and high-quality service throughout the contract period.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2025 to Question 54833 on DCMS: Equality, whether his Department has issued guidance on employing Standalone EDI roles.

The Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Expenditure Guidance, published on 14 May 2024, sets out a number of controls in relation to Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) spend and activity across the Civil Service, including: Standalone EDI staffing roles should be incorporated into broader HR.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the planning application submitted to Westminster City Council on 19 May 2025, reference 25/03467/CLLB, what the nature is of the internal alterations being made to 70 Whitehall; and what the budget is for the works.

As part of the ongoing refurbishment works on the 4th Floor of 70 Whitehall, the Cabinet Office has submitted an application for the installation of a ceiling within the southern lift shaft. The total budget for this work, including all fees and VAT, is £280k.



Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
25th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the transparency data entitled Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - April 2025 (Cabinet Office Core), published on 29 May 2025, for what reason his Department spent £729.99 at Maray Albert Dock.

The referenced cost declared in the Cabinet Office transparency return was associated with the UK-Ireland Summit.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
25th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 59753 on Civil Servants: Media and Public Speaking, whether guidance has been provided on Permanent Secretaries giving press conferences with Ministers.

The Government Communication Service (GCS) Propriety & Ethics Guidance applies to all civil servants.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
25th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how the Crown Commercial Service determines when to insert break clauses in procurement contracts.

This information is not held by the Cabinet Office.

Contracts are established by the contracting authority (customer) with the supplier. It is the contracting authority's responsibility to assess the need for, and timing of, any break clauses in the contract based on their specific requirements.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
25th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average length of time is for MyCSP to respond substantively to a query relating to the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

I refer the right hon. member to the answer given to PQ 60018, given on 19 June 2025.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
23rd Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to improve Departmental compliance with Open Government Partnership data requirements on property condition reporting.

There are no specific data requirements under the UK’s membership of the international Open Government Partnership (OGP) relating to property condition reporting.

The Government Property Data Standard (GPDS), specified by the government’s functional lead for property, the Office of Government Property (OGP), within the Cabinet Office, does include a defined building condition metric. The Government Property Data Standard is mandated for use across all central government departments. The standard currently includes requirements for reporting on building condition metrics using a four-tier rating system.

Departments are expected to report against this standard as part of business-as-usual property data returns. Plans are underway to improve the quality of this data and work towards making condition data publicly available in due course.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of foreign owned companies using shell companies in an attempt to bypass the National Security and Investment Act since 5 July 2024.


I refer the Rt Hon member to the answer given on 22 May in response to question 54012.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the government has altered its risk assessment criteria for foreign-state linked acquisition companies under the National Security and Investment Act since 5 July 2024.

Decisions made under the Act may be subject to judicial review. The Government currently has no plans to change this.

All acquisitions considered under the NSI Act are assessed on a case by case basis, taking account of all relevant considerations.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to take steps to expand the method by which UK companies can appeal decisions made by the government under the powers of the National Security and Investment Act.

Decisions made under the Act may be subject to judicial review. The Government currently has no plans to change this.

All acquisitions considered under the NSI Act are assessed on a case by case basis, taking account of all relevant considerations.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 5278 on Cabinet Office: Departmental responsibilities, whether he plans to further transfer Cabinet Office functions or agencies to other departments.

In addition to the Machinery of Government changes set out in the Answer of 10 October 2024 to Question 5278, there have been two further Written Ministerial Statements on changes which affect the Cabinet Office:

  • On 17 January 2025, it was announced that responsibility for all of the Infrastructure and Project Authority’s functions and responsibilities, including the Government’s project delivery expertise and functions, and assurance reviews for the Government’s largest projects, will move from the Cabinet Office to HM Treasury.

  • On 3 June 2025, it was announced that responsibility for government and public sector cyber security will move from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Any other such changes would be announced in the normal way.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to lay a new Official Statistics Order to include the Passenger Standards Authority.

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

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 16th June is attached.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 April 2025 to Question HL6032 on Arms Length Bodies, what the target date is for each of those bodies listed in the answer to be operational.

The Cabinet Office does not centrally estimate, nor hold information on when proposed arm’s-length bodies will be operational. Departments are responsible for setting target dates for the establishment of their proposed new bodies.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to establish a social value council.

The Government is determined to ensure the £385 billion of public money spent on public procurement annually delivers economic growth, supports small businesses, champions innovation, creates good jobs and skills opportunities across the country, and maximises social value.

To build on progress made to date and the Government’s new National Procurement Policy Statement, we will consult with stakeholders on further reforms to public procurement to drive economic growth and support jobs and skills.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
9th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Infected Blood Inquiry on effectively sharing data with the Independent Blood Compensation Agency to help (a) increase the speed at which claims can be processed and (b) prevent fraud.

As the sponsor Minister for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, I stand ready to help and assist in any way I can to speed up the payments. I am restless for the speed of delivery to increase, including considering what data could be identified to help process claims quickly, while always respecting IBCA’s operational independence and the need to prevent fraud.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
5th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any public body holds information on the pension liabilities of former UK Members of the European Parliament; and which public body administers those pensions.

The Trustees of the Consolidated Fund provide details of pension scheme liabilities for the European Parliamentary (United Kingdom Representatives) Pension Scheme, which was open to UK Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) elected up to 2009. This information is in the public domain.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)