Charlie Dewhirst MP: written questions
1336 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Cabinet Office: EqualityCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42615More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many standalone equality, diversity and inclusion roles are employed by (a) his Department and (b) the Office for Equality and Opportunity.
Answer: There are 6 full-time equivalents working in standalone EDI roles. These sit in HR teams across the different Cabinet Office functions and the central HR team in line with the EDI Expenditure guidance published in May 2024, delivering statutory obligation...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Freedom of InformationCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42614More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14976 on Cabinet Office and Prime Minister: Travel and with reference to the Freedom of Information Act response with reference FOI2025/01531, disclosed on
Answer: We have deposited a copy of the policy in the House library.
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Service Commission: Parliamentary QuestionsCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42613More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to paragraph 8.1 of the Civil Service Commission Framework Agreement with the Cabinet Office, published in February 2025, what his policy is on substantively answering parliamentary questions on t
Answer: In line with paragraph 8.1 of the Framework Agreement, Cabinet Office Ministers will continue to answer parliamentary questions about the work of the Civil Service Commission, as the government department responsible for sponsoring the Commission, while r...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPolice: Freedom of InformationHome OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42612More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the National Police Chiefs' Council on the handling of FOI requests by the Central Referral Unit.
Answer: Responding to Freedom of Information requests and ensuring compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 is a matter for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), or any public authority which receives such a request.
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: Remote WorkingCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42606More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how his Department monitors the attendance of civil servants in Departmental headquarters outside of London.
Answer: Line Managers are expected to be aware of, and ensure compliance with, the minimum 60% expectation for their direct reports. This approach is the same both in and outside of London.
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: PhotographsCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42052More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many photographers are employed by Government Departments.
Answer: Departments may employ photographers in order to support government’s priorities, enable effective operation of public services and improve people’s lives. The Cabinet Office Communications team employs two Digital Media Officers who support government wo...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Flexible WorkingCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42051More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many full-time civil servants in his Department work a four day working week using compressed hours.
Answer: Compressed working arrangements are agreed and recorded at a team level. The information requested can only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRegistrar of Consultant LobbyistsCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42050More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists in regulating lobbying by foreign-based firms.
Answer: Under the provisions of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014, the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists is required to maintain the UK Register of Consultant Lobbyists. Under the legislation, which was in...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: VettingCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42049More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there is a data sharing arrangement in place between the Cabinet Office and (a) HM Revenue and Customs and (b) the National Crime Agency on Ministerial vetting.
Answer: As was the case under previous administrations, no such agreements are in place with HMRC and the National Crime Agency.
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSchool Support Staff Negotiating BodyCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42048More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department assessed the reinstatement of the School Support Staff Negotiating Body against the requirement set out in the Approvals Process for the Creation of New Arm’s-Length Bodies that the creati
Answer: The Department for Education is currently working through the approval process to establish the School Support Staff Negotiating Body as an Arm’s Length Body, in parallel to the passage of the Employment Rights Bill. The completion of business cases as pa...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Wealth Fund: Public AppointmentsTreasuryTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42047More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether appointments to the National Wealth Fund will be included in the Public Bodies Order in Council; and whether the chair will be classified as a significant appointment.
Answer: All ministerial public appointments will follow the principles of the Governance Code on public appointments. There are no current plans to recruit a new Chair of the National Wealth Fund. The current recruitment round for a new CEO is exempt from the Off...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority: StatisticsCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42046More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to lay an Official Statistics Order to include the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority.
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 27th March is attached.
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: BuildingsCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42045More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 6416 on Cabinet Office: Building, who owns 36 Whitehall; for what reasons the building is unused; and whether he has considered re-occupying the building.
Answer: 36 Whitehall is not in use and there are no current plans to bring it back into use. Its return to use is regularly reviewed. There are no plans to dispose of the property.
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: MuslimsCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42044More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2024 to Question 5035 on Civil Servants: Muslims, how many hours of network time his Department allocates to that network; and who the senior sponsors are that have been ap
Answer: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Staff Network time allocation is agreed between networks and departments as the employer. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid. The Cabinet Office doesn’t allocate any...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordElish AngioliniCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42043More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department held on the eligibility of Lady Elish Angiolini for the position of Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland when her appointment was announced.
Answer: Following the announcement in December of last year that Lady Elish Angiolini was to be appointed as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, it became clear that there is a legal restriction against a Catholic person bein...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet OfficeCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42042More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the name is of the division of the Cabinet Office formerly known as the clearing house.
Answer: Matters relating to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 sit with the Freedom of Information Policy Team in the Cabinet Office. Further information about the role Cabinet Office plays in ensuring compliance with the Freedom of Information Act across govern...
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Remote WorkingCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42041More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 18 September 2024 to Question HL835 on Government Departments: Remote Working, what steps his Department is taking to monitor compliance with the attendance requirement for locati
Answer: Line Managers are expected to be aware of, and ensure compliance with, the minimum 60% expectation for their direct reports. This approach is the same both in and outside of London.
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Communication and MarketingCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42040More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 27919 on Government Departments: Communications and Marketing, what the aggregate figure for spending on communications and marketing is on which the estima
Answer: The information used to form the aggregate figure for which the spending reduction on communications and marketing is based on can be found through the Government efficiency, transparency and accountability page on Gov.uk. A comprehensive communications S...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: StaffCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42039More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 25452 on Cabinet Office: Staff, how many staff were attached to the Skills Match Hub on 1 February 2025.
Answer: At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact...
Answered 17 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordJoint Committee on the National Security Strategy: National Security AdviserCabinet OfficeTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42038More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that the National Security Adviser gives evidence to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy.
Answer: The Government welcomes the important work of the JCNSS to scrutinise the national security decision making. I refer the Honourable Member to the letter sent by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 24 February 2025, to the Chair of the JCNSS, which...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Freedom of InformationCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41653More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 23884 on 10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, if he will publish the Freedom of Information Act response with reference FOI2025/01530.
Answer: A copy of the response to FOI2025/01530 has now been deposited in the House Library. The media suite is in a listed part of 9 Downing Street.
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Artificial IntelligenceCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41652More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has used AI software to help respond to (a) Freedom of Information Act requests and (b) written parliamentary questions.
Answer: All FOI requests and written parliamentary questions are considered on a case by case basis. In the Cabinet Office, AI software is not currently used to respond to FOI requests or written parliamentary questions. AI software may be used in the future, as ...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41651More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance his Department has issued on the use of third-party AI tools in relation to topics with a security classification; and what assessment he has made of whether such AI tools
Answer: The AI Playbook for the UK Government acknowledges the use of third-party AI tools, offering high-level guidance on commercial, legal, and security aspects. Principle 8 advises consulting Commercial colleagues on procurement (p. 39) to ensure that expecta...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordInformation Rights User GroupCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41650More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2025 to Question 34456 on Information Rights User Group, whether the decision not to hold a meeting of the Group since April 2024 was made by (a) Ministers and (b) officials.
Answer: As was the case under the previous administration, the timing of meetings of the Group have been organised on an ad hoc basis. The Government will set out its plans for the Information Rights User Group in due course.
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: ProcurementCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41649More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Procurement Policy Note 002: Social Value Model, published in February 2025, what estimate he has made of the regulatory cost to the public sector of such contract compliance requirements o
Answer: Central government uses the same tool for assessing social value that has been used since 2021, where central government buyers select evaluation criteria from the options available in the social value model. We have made updates to the social value model...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament record
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