Richard Holden MP: written questions 2025
1652 published records · newest first.
Written questions
48 GroupCabinet OfficeTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39581More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 to Question 25448 on 48 Group, whether Minsters are permitted to attend meetings of the 48 Group.
Answer: I refer the Hon. member to the answer to UIN 22184 of 14 January.
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign Investment in UK: National SecurityCabinet OfficeTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39580More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many transactions under review under the National Security and Investment Act remain under review beyond the 30-working-day statutory deadline.
Answer: The Government publishes information on the operation of the National Security and Investment Act in the NSIA Annual Report. The most recent report, covering the 2023/24 reporting period, can be found on GOV.UK. Of the 847 notifications reviewed by the Go...
Answered 27 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: Remote WorkingCabinet OfficeTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39579More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 17764 on Civil Servants: Remote Working, what the (a) author, (b) title, (c) publication and (d) publication date was of each of the studies on remote worki
Answer: I refer the honourable gentleman to the response given to the previous question PQ 8429.
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Financial MarketsCabinet OfficeTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39578More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued on (a) the rules surrounding the communication of market sensitive information to the media and the public and (b) how the Market Abuse Regulation applies to government de
Answer: As part of their work, officials may handle commercial or market sensitive information, which may be in scope of the UK Market Abuse Regulation, in which case they should familiarise themselves with their obligations under the law.As the relevant authorit...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: RecruitmentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39577More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Succession Select AI tool published by his Department on 17 December 2024, whether the First Civil Service Commissioner was consulted about the use of AI for Civil
Answer: Succession Select is designed solely as a search tool to identify current Senior Civil Servant (SCS) whose career profiles match the requirements for senior digital roles. This tool is not a part of the SCS hiring process and is an efficiency tool to aid ...
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: AviationCabinet OfficeTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39576More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answers of (a) 26 November 2024 to Question 14705 and (b) 21 October 2024 to Question 8434 on Prime Minister: Aviation, whether the Cabinet Office collates information on which flights (i) use Su
Answer: The Cabinet Office records when Sustainable Aviation Fuel is used, and on which flights. The Government uses sustainable aviation fuel wherever possible.
Answered 28 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment People GroupCabinet OfficeTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39575More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 18401 on Government People Group: Civil Service, what is the (a) remit and (b) function of the 836 staff in the Government People Group; and what the annual
Answer: The remit and function of Government People Group (GPG) is set out on gov.uk. The annual staffing cost of all Civil Servants employed by GPG is estimated to be £49.5m for 2023/24, the last full financial year for which data is available. This excludes the...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordKatharine BirbalsinghDepartment for EducationTabled 19 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39574More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on what date the minutes of her meeting with Katharine Birbalsingh were (a) written and (b) edited.
Answer: All Ministerial meetings related to government business have a private secretary present to take a readout of the conversation.In line with the Cabinet Office guidance on taking minutes, published under the previous administration, a readout is drafted du...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: StaffCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39127More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many business units are in his Department; what the names are of those business units; what their allocated full-time equivalent headcounts were for each month in 2024-25; and what their actual headcounts we
Answer: The information you requested can be found from the quarterly transparency publication on Cabinet Office structure which can be found via the following link: Organogram of Staff Roles & Salaries - data.gov.uk
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordVetting: StandardsCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39126More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, in what ways he plans to use funding previously allocated to the Vetting Transformation Programme to improve United Kingdom Security Vetting.
Answer: The funding for the Vetting Transformation Programme (VTP) was provided by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) customers. Prior to the closure of the VTP, investments were made in digital system enhancements, resulting in increased assurance and improv...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: SecondmentCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39125More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release on making the state more like a start up, published on 9 December 2024, what his target is for the number of secondments; and over what time period.
Answer: Secondments into the Civil Service from other sectors are encouraged as a means of bringing in individuals from outside the Civil Service to contribute to the work of Government by sharing critical capabilities and innovative thinking for a set period of ...
Answered 25 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: Official GiftsCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39124More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2024 to Question 14635 on Prime Minister: Official Gifts, if he will list the gifts and hospitality received by the Prime Minister within the remit of the Ministerial Code r
Answer: Any hospitality or gifts received by Ministers in their ministerial capacity is declared in accordance with the Ministerial Code. The Cabinet Office publishes details of ministers’ hospitality and gifts on a monthly basis. Hospitality and gifts received b...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: Official GiftsCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39123More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of (a) 26 November 2024 to Question 14635 on Prime Minister: Official Gifts and (b) 21 January 2025 to Question 24487 on Members' Interests, where the Register of Members’ Financial Intere
Answer: Any hospitality or gifts received by Ministers in their ministerial capacity is declared in accordance with the Ministerial Code. The Cabinet Office publishes details of ministers’ hospitality and gifts on a monthly basis. Hospitality and gifts received b...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: Political ImpartialityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39122More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 29025 on Department for Work and Pensions: Political Impartiality, what her Department's timetable is for the conclusion of the local investigation
Answer: The DWP will not comment further on matters pertaining to individual members of staff.
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: EqualityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39121More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 21 February 2025 to Question 29146 on Department for Work and Pensions: Equality, if she will list (a) each item of expenditure on (i) specific equality and diversity training
Answer: DWP is committed to being an inclusive employer with a workforce that is representative of the communities and customers we serve. To support with these commitments, we have invested a total of £69,198 in supporting our employees with specific equality an...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordOfficial Residences: Repairs and MaintenanceCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39120More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) restoration, (b) renovation and (c) building works are currently taking place at No. (i) 10, (ii) 11 and (iii) 12 Downing Street.
Answer: A repair project is underway to preserve the integrity of this Grade 1 listed building. This followed a survey in December 2023 which indicated that work must be completed for safety reasons, with the work commencing in January 2024. Repair of exterior wi...
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office and Labour Party: Data ProtectionCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39119More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has agreed a data protection agreement between the Cabinet Office and the Labour Party.
Answer: Discussions on a data protection agreement between the Cabinet Office and the Labour Party are in progress.
Answered 31 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: Press ConferencesCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39118More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answers of 14 January and 20 February 2025 to Questions 22185 and 30473 on Prime Minister: Furniture and Prime Minister: Press Conferences, for what reason a Labour Party lectern was used at the
Answer: This was an official government event organised by officials and special advisors, as has been the case under successive administrations and in line with the relevant guidance. The lectern was loaned by the Labour Party.
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: AviationCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39117More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many flights using Government (a) owned and (b) chartered planes the Prime Minister has taken in the United Kingdom since 4 July 2024.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to my answer of 6 March 2025, Official Report, PQ 34453.
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: Corporate HospitalityCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39116More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the document entitled Cabinet Office: The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP Gifts - 5 July to 31 October 2024, published on 19 February 2025, on what date the Prime Minister purchased the Taylo
Answer: Gifts and hospitality declarations are made in line with guidance in the Ministerial Code.
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: Official HospitalityCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39115More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the transparency data entitled Rt hon. Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP and Rt hon. Rishi Sunak MP official charity receptions, July to September 2024, updated on 30 January 2025, if he will publish
Answer: As under previous administrations, details of official receptions are published in quarterly transparency returns on gov.uk.
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record10 Downing Street: Cleaning ServicesCabinet OfficeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39114More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when 10 Downing Street cleaners are due to strike; and whether temporary cover will be organised for the Prime Minister’s (a) offices and (b) residence during the strike action.
Answer: The PCS trade union is in dispute with ISS and G4S. As is longstanding practice, the Government does not provide an ongoing commentary on industrial disputes.
Answered 3 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: EqualityMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39113More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 21390 on Armed Forces: Equality, whether the previous Government commissioned a review into equality, diversity and inclusion (a) policies and (b) spending in
Answer: In February 2024 the previous Government commissioned a review into equality, diversity and inclusion policies in the Armed Forces. This review did not extend to equality, diversity and inclusion spending in the Armed Forces, and was separate to the revie...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDefence: Environment ProtectionMinistry of DefenceTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the consultation entitled UK Green Taxonomy, published on 13 November 2024, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of a green taxonomy on trends in the level of divestment in the
Answer: The proposed green taxonomy aims to promote market integrity and transparency, and mobilise further investment to help the UK achieve its sustainability goals. This Government has been clear that we see no conflict between sustainable investment and inves...
Answered 24 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Business and Trade: StaffDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 18 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 39111More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2025 to Question 30700 on Department for Business and Trade: Staff, how many officials in his Department worked in roles relating to international trade in each ye
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) operates a flexible resourcing model to support for matters relating to international trade, and not every employee in scope solely supports this function, full time. DBT defines the scope of this question to be...
Answered 26 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
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