Charlie Dewhirst MP: written questions
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Written questions
Cabinet 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 recordHouse of Lords Appointments CommissionCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41648More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 37807 on Advisory Committee on Business Appointments and House of Lords Appointments Commission, what the existing Memorandum of Understanding or equivalent do
Answer: There is no existing Memorandum of Understanding between HOLAC and the Cabinet Office. As with all independent advisory bodies, the Government keeps its arrangements with HOLAC under review. HOLAC has published on its website its Code of Practice and othe...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: AssetsCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41647More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question HL5388 on Government Departments: Assets, if he will place in the Library a copy of each department’s most recent Strategic Asset Management Plan.
Answer: The government has previously published summaries of departments’ yearly Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs). These are available on the UK government's website (GOV.UK) at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/departmental-strategic-asset-mana...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: EqualityCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41646More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance has been issued to civil servants on how Diversity and Inclusion considerations should be embedded in all decision-making and delivery.
Answer: The Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy provides a framework for departments about how Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) should be embedded in the Civil Service. The EDI Expenditure Guidance and the Guidance on Diversity and Inclusion and...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: EmailCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41645More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the length of time before an email in his Department's inbox is subject to automatic deletion; whether such deleted emails remain searchable on the Server; and whether (a) manually deleted and (b) auto-dele
Answer: Emails sent to or received by a minister’s mailbox are retained permanently as an official record, and remain available for public inquiries, subject access or freedom of information requests. Individual emails may be reviewed at a future date for their h...
Answered 4 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Freedom of InformationCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41644More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to publish a further round of the UK National Action Plan for Open Government; and which department is the lead for progress on previous action plans.
Answer: The Cabinet Office holds responsibility for coordinating the UK National Action Plan for Open Government 2024-2025, including leading progress on actions set out in the current plan. Named departments hold responsibility for specific commitments, as set o...
Answered 10 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: EqualityCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41643More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to publish guidance on diversity networks.
Answer: Government Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) networks are internal, volunteer staff networks and so any guidance would not routinely be published. The Civil Service Code, which is published and available here, sets out the standards of behaviour exp...
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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