Richard Holden MP: written questions 2025
1652 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Identity Cards: Digital TechnologyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48565More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans he has for (a) digital identity cards and (b) a national identity database.
Answer: The Government has no plans to create digital identity cards or a national identity database.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAdvisory Committee on Business Appointments and House of Lords Appointments CommissionCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48564More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the public appointment process for the (a) Advisory Committee on Business Appointments and (b) House of Lords Appointments Commission members has been cancelled.
Answer: Ministers exercised their rights under the Governance Code on Public Appointments not to appoint any candidates for the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments Chair role. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster informed the Chair of the Public Admin...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: CommunicationCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48563More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the average number of days for a write-round clearance to be approved by the (a) Parliamentary Business and Legislation Committee and (b) Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat
Answer: The principle of collective responsibility requires that the privacy of ministerial discussions at Cabinet and its committees should be maintained. It is therefore a long-established precedent that information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet and it...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordArms Length BodiesCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48562More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 12 April 2025 to Question HL6032 on Arm’s Length Bodies, what Project Seahorse is.
Answer: Project Seahorse is exploring delivery options. The Government will set out further details in due course.
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament recordData, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender Independent ReviewCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48561More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the (a) Office for National Statistics and (b) UK Statistics Authority plan to publish a response to the recommendations of the Independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, publ
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 28th April is attached.
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAdvisory Committee on Business AppointmentsCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48560More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer of 8 April 2025, to Question 43946, on Alex Chisholm, what steps have been taken to address the staffing issues, and what impact has this had on the processing time of Business Appointment
Answer: The Cabinet Office, as the sponsoring department of ACoBA, has supported the Committee’s secretariat to recruit the additional staff it required to ensure it is fully resourced to deliver its core functions to agreed timescales.
Answered 1 May 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent Football RegulatorCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48559More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Public Bodies Handbook – Part 2: The Approvals Process for the Creation of New Arm’s-Length Bodies, whether his Department's public bodies team assessed the I
Answer: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is currently working through the approval process to establish the Independent Football Regulator as an Arm’s Length Body, in parallel to the passage of the Football Governance Bill.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordUniversities: ChinaDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48558More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Chinese influence in UK universities on national security.
Answer: The first duty of the government is to keep the country safe, and we will always protect our national security and values. We expect the sector to be alert to a range of risks when collaborating with international partners, and to conduct appropriate due ...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British Energy: Public AppointmentsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48557More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether appointments to Great British Energy will be included in the Public Bodies Order in Council; and whether the chair will be classified as a significant appointment.
Answer: Once Great British Energy (GBE) is formally designated following Royal Assent of the GBE Bill, we will consider whether to propose an amendment to the Public Bodies Order in Council; and whether the GBE Chair will be classified as a significant appointmen...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordRamsden Hall Academy: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48556More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what funding is available to Ramsden Hall Academy to help secure the school site; and if she will meet the Rt hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay to discuss that funding.
Answer: The department supports academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies, who are responsible for managing the safety and maintenance of their estates, with capital funding, rebuilding programmes and extensive guidance on effective esta...
Answered 2 May 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: RecruitmentCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48555More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the new Civil Service Jobs service will be open to the public.
Answer: There will be no change to what information and services will be open to the public when the new Civil Service Jobs platform is in place.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Electronic Purchasing Card SolutionCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48554More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41640 on Government Departments: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, if he will make it his policy to publish all Government Procurement Card transactions abov
Answer: All central Government departments are required to publish Government Procurement Card transactions of £500 and over in line with the guidance available to all government departments on gov.uk at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: Public ServiceCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48553More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press notice entitled Appointment of Oli de Botton as the PM’s Expert Adviser on Education and Skills, published on 3 April 2025, whether the Expert Adviser on Education and Skills has been
Answer: Oli de Botton has been appointed as a direct ministerial appointment. The post is remunerated.
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEmergencies: PlanningCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48552More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to take steps to encourage households to have sufficient access to (a) food and (b) other essential supplies for use in emergencies.
Answer: Advice for the general public on how to prepare for emergencies is published on GOV.UK. GOV.UK/Prepare provides simple and effective steps that individuals, households and communities can take to be more prepared for a range of emergencies. This advice in...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade Union RecognitionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48551More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his planned timetable is for publishing a consultation on lowering the proportional threshold for trade union recognition.
Answer: The Employment Rights Bill has a power that enables Ministers to bring forward secondary legislation to vary the trade union recognition application threshold from 10% to 2% trade union membership of the bargaining unit.No decision has yet been made by th...
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSalisbury ConventionCabinet OfficeTabled 28 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48550More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill on the Salisbury-Addison Convention in the House of Lords.
Answer: The conventions concerning the relationship between the House of Commons and the House of Lords are unaffected by the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill. The Bill fulfills a manifesto commitment to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote ...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Carbon EmissionsCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48187More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's publication entitled PPN 006: Taking account of Carbon Reduction Plans, updated on 17 April 2025, what estimate he has made of the cost to government procurement of requiring s
Answer: The update of 17th April provided no material change to the policy of the PPN, which was published under the previous administration. No assessment was made when the PPN was published in 2021.
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: StaffCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48186More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13820 on Government Departments: Staff, if he will publish the transparency publication guidance referred to in the Answer.
Answer: The transparency publication guidance is a technical document, focusing on the procedures for completing the publication template. As it is not policy-related, and is intended for use by an internal audience, it would not be appropriate to publish it.
Answered 7 May 2025
Original Parliament recordLabour: Public AppointmentsCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48185More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which hon. Members have been appointed as Mission Champion by the Government; and what guidance his Department has provided on whether Mission Champions should attend Ministerial meetings.
Answer: Mission Champions are a political appointment within the Parliamentary Labour Party; the Cabinet Office has not issued any specific guidance related to Mission Champions. The Ministerial Code sets out the standards of conduct expected of ministers and how...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament recordExtradition: Dual NationalityHome OfficeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48184More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether (a) rules and (b) processes for the extradition of dual nationals differ to UK nationals.
Answer: The rules and processes under UK Extradition law and practice apply equally irrespective of the nationality of the Requested Person.
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordParliament: TelevisionHouse of Commons CommissionTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48183More
Question: To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 44588 on Parliament: Television, whether any public bodies pay subscription fees to receive a direct te
Answer: No public bodies pay a subscription fee to Parliament for a direct television feed.
Answered 9 May 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Advisers: RecruitmentCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48182More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 45018 on Special Advisers: Recruitment, whether the Prime Minister has set a maximum cap on the number of special advisers who can be appointed.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to PQ 45018. The Prime Minister in his Ministerial Code has set out the approach to appointing special advisers.
Answered 12 May 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic ServiceCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48181More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list all of the (a) special representatives, (b) envoys and (c) special envoys in post on 25 April 2025, broken down by whether they are (i) special advisers, (ii) civil servants, (iii) public appoint
Answer: The Cabinet Office did not have any special representatives, envoys or special envoys in post on 25 April 2025. Other government departments are responsible for their own appointments and representatives.
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament record10 Downing Street: FlagsCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48180More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he considered flying the NATO flag from 10 Downing Street on 4 April 2025.
Answer: NATO is the cornerstone of our defence, and the UK plays a leading role, having contributed to every NATO mission. To mark NATO Day, the NATO Flag was flown above the FCDO and above the MoD Main Building on 4th April 2025. The Union Flag and Ukrainian fla...
Answered 2 May 2025
Original Parliament record10 Downing Street: LibrariesCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 48179More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 41252 on 10 Downing Street: Libraries, whether any Ministers have been asked to donate a book to the Prime Minister's Library since 5 July 2024.
Answer: No ministers have been asked to donate a book to the Prime Minister’s library. Ministers are focused on delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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