Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the total cost to the public purse of exit payments to resigning government ministers since 5 July 2022; and if he will provide a breakdown of those payments.

The Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 sets out the detail and circumstances under which former Ministers are eligible for a severance payment. Any Minister, regardless of the length of time they have served in post, who is below the age of 65 and who has not been otherwise reappointed to a Ministerial position within 3 weeks of their last day of service, is eligible for a severance payment of 25% of their annual claimed salary at the time at which they ceased to hold office.

The above position will apply to the former Secretary of State for Education as it would for any other Minister that has left office. Departments routinely publish the details of any loss of office payments made to former Ministers within their Annual Report & Accounts.