Richard Holden MP: written questions 2025
1652 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Civil Servants: IncentivesCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42807More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2024 to Question 4697 on Civil Servants: Incentives, at what point in the year Cabinet Office civil servants are typically given such incentive payments of shopping voucher
Answer: In-year vouchers can be given at any point in the year. The vouchers cannot be directly redeemed for utility bills, but have a wide range of retail outlets where they can be spent. The Cabinet Office does not use Love2Shop vouchers.
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Public RelationsCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42806More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued on delivering efficiency savings through reducing spending on external public relations.
Answer: The Government regularly evaluates the effectiveness of all communication activities to ensure they are delivering and providing the best value for money for taxpayers. An example of this is the recent comprehensive communications Spending Review that del...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal ExperimentsHome OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42706More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 37318 on Animal Experiments: Animal Welfare, how many animals were bred for use in procedures licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act
Answer: The most recent statistics in this category were published in 2017, when 1.81 million non-genetically altered (non-GA) animals were bred for scientific procedures but were killed or died without being used in regulated procedures. These statistics can be ...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Trade Union OfficialsCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42609More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 10990 on Civil Servants: Trade Union Officials, whether he plans to increase the amount of facility time to recognised trade unions in his Department followi
Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring there is sufficient facility time for all trade union representatives in the public sector. Existing guidance remains in place and no decisions have been made about changes to Facility Time in the civil service.
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Freedom of InformationCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42608More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the response to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 request with reference FOI2024/14571.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the response to PQ23470, PQ25857 and PQ28578. A copy of the information released in FOI2024/14571 relating the special advisers appointments by the Prime Minister has been deposited in the House Library.
Answered 9 May 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Disclosure of InformationCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42607More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to undertake an audit of whether other Government departments are meeting the publication requirements outlined in the then Prime Minister's letter entitled Government transparency and open
Answer: I refer the honourable member to my response to PQ 30681.
Answered 22 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42605More
Question: Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what reason his Department intends to establish Great British Energy as an arm’s length body.
Answer: It is our intention that Great British Energy will be a publicly owned energy company and an Arm’s Length Body in line with Cabinet Office guidance. Setting up GBE in this way will ensure the right balance between operational independence and accountabili...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: ContractsCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42604More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many pricing reviews of contracts managed by his Department the Crown Commercial Service has undertaken due to changes to employer’s National Insurance contributions in April 2025; and if he will make an est
Answer: Most Crown Commercial Service (CCS) commercial agreements use the public sector contract which does not permit increases in the framework rates for employer national insurance contributions as these are classed as General Change in Law. Where the framewor...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordStonewall: SubscriptionsCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42602More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the (a) Office for National Statistics, (b) National Audit Office, (c) Northern Ireland Civil Service, (d) Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, (e) GCHQ, (f) MI5, (g) SIS and (h) Crown Commercial
Answer: As the sponsoring department for the following bodies, the Cabinet Office can confirm that the Office for National Statistics, the Public Health Service Ombudsman, and the Crown Commercial Service do not pay subscription fees to Stonewall. All other bodie...
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal PressDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41988More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the report by the Local News Commission entitled Regenerating Local News in the UK, published in March 2025, whether the recommendations of this report will be included in the L
Answer: Sustainability of the local media sector across the country is an area of particular concern for this Government. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that ca...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordParliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman: Public AppointmentsCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41526More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his planned timeline is for the appointment of a new Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Answer: The House of Commons leads on the recruitment of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which is ongoing. We expect that further information will be made available shortly.
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEating Disorders: Community Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41514More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to tackle regional disparities in access to community-based eating disorder treatments in (a) rural areas and (b) general.
Answer: NHS England is working with the integrated care boards with the aim of increasing the capacity of eating disorder services, to provide community and day treatment services. By improving care in the community, the National Health Service aims to improve ou...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordEating Disorders: Community Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41513More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to expand intensive (a) community and (b) day treatments for eating disorders across NHS Integrated Care Systems.
Answer: NHS England is working with the integrated care boards with the aim of increasing the capacity of eating disorder services, to provide community and day treatment services. By improving care in the community, the National Health Service aims to improve ou...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: ConsultantsCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41512More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to use recruitment consultants for staffing test-and-learn teams.
Answer: The Test, Learn and Grow Programme will use existing government recruitment channels to staff the programme for the three years of the initiative. This includes the use of loans for existing Civil Servants, and fixed term appointments for external candida...
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordIntelligence Services: Risk Assessment and StandardsCabinet OfficeTabled 26 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41511More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Security and Intelligence Agencies Financial Statement 2023-24, published on 2 December 2024, what (a) risks and (b) performance issues were identified during the Performance and Risk Revie
Answer: As has been the policy of successive governments, the government does not comment on matters relating to the intelligence agencies. The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament scrutinises the policies, expenditure, administration and operations ...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Ministers' Private OfficesCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41126More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 13807 on Cabinet Office: Parliamentary Private Secretaries, if he will breakdown the number of staff in each ministerial private office, by named Minister.
Answer: There are 38 staff, at multiple grades, who support the 8 Cabinet Office ministers in private office roles. MinisterNumber of staff in Private OfficeChancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster8Minister for the Cabinet Office6Minister Oppong-Asare3Minister Reeves...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: PayCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41124More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 10987 on Public Sector: Pay, if she will list which non-statutory office holders are paid through the Cabinet Office’s HR and payroll department.
Answer: This information is not held centrally.
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: RecruitmentCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41123More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to issue new guidance on the proportion of the civil service jobs advertised to the public.
Answer: In May 2022 the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster wrote to cabinet ministers outlining all Senior Civil Service (SCS) jobs must be advertised externally to the public unless an exemption is approved. This continues to be the policy. As under the p...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordSenior Civil Servants: RecruitmentCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41122More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer of 30 July 2024, to Question 1261, on Senior Civil Servants, if he will publish a breakdown by (a) department and (b) job title of senior civil service jobs (i) offered and (ii) appointed
Answer: Information on Senior Civil Service appointments is not collated centrally. Departments can run campaigns outside of the central recruitment services through their own Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) or processes, or make appointments from existing reser...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordMission Boards: Senior Civil ServantsCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41121More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 8637 on Cabinet Office: Vacancies, whether Mission Senior Responsible Officers have been appointed at a higher salary compared to their previous roles in the
Answer: Senior Responsible Officers for each of the five Missions were selected by the Cabinet Secretary and relevant Permanent Secretary, in consultation with their Secretary of State, on the basis of their expertise and experience. They remain on their current ...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Security Technology and Innovation ExchangeHome OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41118More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the National Security Technology and Innovation Exchange has been closed.
Answer: The functions of National Security Technology and Innovation Exchange will be taken forward within other national security teams, building on the capabilities, practices and networks successfully established since it was formed in 2021.
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Expenditure ControlsCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41113More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether information about each Department's (a) spending control data and (b) exemptions is held centrally.
Answer: A Prime-Ministerial directive, issued in 2010, mandated all departments to publish details of all spend approvals from the Advertising, Marketing and Communications, Commercial, Contingent Labour, Digital and Technology, and National Property controls on ...
Answered 2 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: OCS GroupCabinet OfficeTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40584More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the contract between OCS and his Department.
Answer: On 22 August 2023, following contract award, the OCS (formerly Atalian Servest Limited) Contract was published on Contracts Finder. It can be accessed using the link below. https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/d27d862b-a997-44e4-a8d4-49eb871c...
Answered 1 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordStatisticsCabinet OfficeTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40583More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to lay a new Official Statistics Order to designate the National Data Library’s statistical outputs as official statistics.
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question of 24th March is attached.
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordSenior Civil Servants: TrainingCabinet OfficeTabled 24 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 40582More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 25456 on Senior Civil Servants: Training, how many people attended each conference.
Answer: 148 people attended the conference on 23 July 2024 and 263 people attended the conference on 10 October 2024.
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →