Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the (a) total cost and (b) average cost per asylum seeker of adopting Crowborough Training Camp to house asylum seekers; and how much funding her Department plans to provide to Wealden District Council for each asylum seeker.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Lessons have been learned from inherited acquisitions of large sites under the previous government, which we are implementing to inform our future accommodation procurement. We are confident that the level of due diligence carried out on sites has improved, and that value for money assessments take place at the appropriate stage. We are working closely with key stakeholders including local health partners to minimise the impact on the local community. Costs will be included in the Departments Annual Report and Accounts in the normal way.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether British Sign Language AI procurement is subject to algorithmic impact assessments.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We are not aware of any cross-Government British Sign Language AI procurement.
The government has committed to ensure that algorithmic tools used in the public sector are used safely and transparently and is taking active steps to ensure this. The Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standard is mandatory for all government departments. It communicates information about how and why algorithmic tools are used, who is responsible for them, how they are embedded in broader decision-making processes, their technical specifications, and relevant risk mitigations and impact assessments.
The Data Ethics Framework guides appropriate and responsible data use in government and the wider public sector. It helps public servants understand ethical considerations, address these within their projects, and encourages responsible innovation.
Additionally, the Service Manual and Service Standard guide service teams across the public sector on the design and development of digital services, including those enabled by AI.
A service must be accessible to everyone who needs it, including services only used by public servants. Digital services must meet level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) as a minimum and service teams must include disabled people and people who use assistive technologies in the design of those services. WCAG 2.2 addresses the needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing primarily through guidelines for multimedia, such as providing captions, transcripts, and sign language interpretations.
The compliance of central government digital services with the WCAG regulations is monitored by the Government Digital Service.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether OpenAI’s UK data storage facilities will be subject to routine government security audits.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Data centres were designated as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) in September 2024. In recognition of this, the government is expected to introduce proportionate regulatory oversight of this sector. The expected vehicle is the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill (CSRB). This will encapsulate OpenAI operations that use colocation services which are covered by the regulations in the CSRB.
DSIT is actively considering options to further improve the cyber security and resilience of Data Centres, as outlined in the Cyber Security and Resilience Policy Statement that was published on 1 April 2025. This would apply to most UK based data centres, including those used by OpenAI.
Specific questions in relation to contracts between OpenAI and relevant Government Departments are a matter for that Government Department. Departments must carry out cyber security assurance of their critical services through GovAssure, assessing key security outcomes against the National Cyber Security Centre's Cyber Assessment Framework. Government’s Public Procurement Note 014 directs all commercial suppliers holding government OFFICIAL, personnel or citizen data to have a minimum of NCSC’s Cyber Essentials certification.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she has taken with the Minister for the Cabinet Office to help tackle the increase in whole-life costs associated with levels of delivery confidence in the Government's Major Projects Portfolio.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government recently created the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) which will have an important role in supporting and monitoring major projects in the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP).
NISTA provides expert advice and independent assurance on the GMPP and conducts regular deliverability assessments of major projects. Those assessments are published each year, most recently on 11 August 2025.
The increase in whole life cost of the GMPP portfolio reflects several new large high-cost projects joining and smaller projects successfully leaving the GMPP over the last year. By nature, GMPP projects and programmes are the longest, most complex and highest-cost projects, and therefore will inevitably experience challenges and hurdles. By being on the GMPP, these projects receive bespoke support, guidance and oversight which helps to set them on a path to success.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to expand the range of defibrillator manufacturers and suppliers available through Government procurement frameworks.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office does not currently offer a commercial agreement for defibrillators. CCS (an agency of the Cabinet Office) agreements do not cover medical devices; departments procure these through their own routes. NHS Supply Chain operates a commercial agreement for defibrillation devices and related services and accessories for use by approved organisations.
The Procurement Act 2023, introduced in February 2025, opens up frameworks to give greater flexibility to both buyers and suppliers, and provide more opportunity for innovation.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on sovereign AI capability through public sector procurement contracts since 10 September 2025.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ministers and officials regularly meet with their counterparts in other departments to discuss important matters, such as sovereign AI capability and procurement policy
The Digital Commercial Centre of Excellence, established earlier this year following the publication by DSIT of ‘A blueprint for modern digital government’, plays an important role in shaping best practice in relation to technology procurement policy.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25, published on 11 August 2025, what the projects are that have been removed from the Government Major Products Portfolio since the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The projects which have been removed from the Government Major Projects Portfolio since the 2023-24 financial year are included in the 2023-24 IPA Annual Report, and the 2024-25 NISTA Annual Report.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority Annual Report 2024-25, published on 11 August 2025, what the projects are that have been added to the Government Major Products Portfolio since the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The projects which have joined the Government Major Projects Portfolio since the 2023-24 financial year are included in the 2023-24 IPA Annual Report, and the 2024-25 NISTA Annual Report.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) projects and (b) programmes have been added to the Government Major Projects Portfolio since 5 July 2024.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Projects and programmes joining after 5th July 2024 and before end of March 2025 are included in the annual report 24/25. Any projects and programmes joining after March 2025 will be published in Summer 2026 in the annual report 25/26.
Asked by: Baroness Redfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the opportunities to strengthen public procurement policy to incentivise and increase the use of UK-made steel in publicly funded projects.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK steel sector plays a crucial role in our economic security. The public sector is an important buyer of steel, procuring it both directly and indirectly, to build critical infrastructure such as our railways, roads, buildings, defence equipment, schools and hospitals.
Public procurement data published by the Department for Business and Trade shows that where steel procured in FY 2023/24 could be made in the UK, around 97% was actually UK-made.
This Government is developing a steel strategy that will set a long-term vision for a revitalised and sustainable industry. The strategy will articulate what is needed to secure UK steel supply chains and create a competitive business environment in the UK.
The Cabinet Office has recently published new procurement policy measures to require central government departments, their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to consult UK Steel’s Digital Catalogue prior to design and procurement decisions being made; and to apply the national security exemption to relevant steel procurements.
This Government is also considering further options to ensure public procurement supports critical UK industry and can boost jobs and growth.