Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 19 of the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, published on 13 March 2023, what progress the Government has made on updating its Russia strategy.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The HMG Russia Strategy is a living document, the details of which are kept under constant review by the Government. However, the broad principles of the Strategy were designed to be enduring, and remain as set out on page 42, paragraph 28, of the Integrated Review Refresh.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing a new counter-terrorism strategy on state threats.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As set out in the 2023 CONTEST refresh, the Government is focusing on the nexus between terrorism and state threats, utilising our counter-terrorism powers, capabilities and expertise, to protect the UK. Alongside our counter-terrorism toolkit, the powers in the National Security Act 2023 will help to keep the UK safe by making it harder for those states who seek to conduct hostile acts against us.
In addition, the UK’s approach to state threats has been set out in the Integrated Review Refresh, which recognises that state threats are increasing and diversifying. It lays out the overarching objectives of our response; to protect the UK and its interests abroad; build consensus internationally and domestically; compete to disrupt and deter threat activity; and understand the evolving threat.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Sir John Holmes' Military Medals Review, published in July 2012,whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of conducting a further review into a National Defence Medal.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
I refer the Hon. Member to my response dated 12th June to UIN 187235.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Ministers were using grace and favour properties as of 31 January 2023; and who the occupants of those properties are.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
As has been the case under successive administrations, the Prime Minister allocates official residences to ministers, either on the grounds of security or to allow them to better perform their official duties. The following official residences are currently allocated to Ministers:
Flats above 10 and 11 Downing Street, which are allocated to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer respectively;
Hillsborough Castle and Stormont which are available for Ministers in the Northern Ireland Office while on duty in Northern Ireland;
1 Carlton Gardens, which is allocated to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; and
The Chequers and Dorneywood estates are owned and managed by trustees and are available to Ministers for both official and private use and are allocated to the Prime Minister and Chancellor respectively.
Admiralty House is part of the Government estate, which includes rooms that could be used as residential accommodation as required.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the average length of time taken between recommendations for compensation being made by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and payments being made to those affected..
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is a Crown servant that reports directly to Parliament. The Ombudsman is not accountable to the Government for its performance and sets its own standards for complaints handling and investigations. The Ombudsman is accountable to Parliament through the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, which holds an annual scrutiny session to evaluate its performance.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the average time it takes for an investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman takes to conclude.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is a Crown servant that reports directly to Parliament. The Ombudsman is not accountable to the Government for its performance and sets its own standards for complaints handling and investigations. The Ombudsman is accountable to Parliament through the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, which holds an annual scrutiny session to evaluate its performance.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of when the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s investigation into maladministration over changes to the State Pension age will conclude.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is a Crown servant that reports directly to Parliament. The Ombudsman is not accountable to the Government for its performance and sets its own standards for complaints handling and investigations. The Ombudsman is accountable to Parliament through the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, which holds an annual scrutiny session to evaluate its performance.