Richard Holden MP: written questions 2025
1652 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Marriage: RelativesMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29556More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the potential merits of banning first cousin marriage.
Answer: As I stated in my answer of 5 February, the Government will consider existing marriage law, including the Law Commission’s 2022 wedding report, before publicly setting out a position on this important issue.
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison AccommodationMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29555More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 26918 on Prisons: Construction, what estimate he has made of the total operating capacity of prisons following the end of (a) the £2.3 billion for prison buil
Answer: On 11 December 2024, the Secretary of State published the 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy, alongside the Annual Statement regarding prison capacity. In the 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy, this Government has signalled plans to invest up to £2.3 billion...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPrison AccommodationMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29554More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 26918 on Prisons: Construction, how many existing cells had additional beds installed to increase capacity between (a) May 1997 and May 2010 and (b) May 2010
Answer: Data on the number of cells which had additional beds installed is not held by the Ministry of Justice for the period requested. Prison crowding data is published annually in Annex 2 of the HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2023 to March 2024 - GOV.UK. This publ...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordMarriage: RelativesMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29552More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 902578 on Marriage: Relatives, what her Department's timetable is for the consideration of the Law Commission’s 2022 wedding report.
Answer: The Law Commission set out that its recommendations would provide greater choice for couples in deciding how and where they get married. Marriage will always be one of our most important institutions and we must consider any recommendations to change wedd...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCrown Court: TrialsMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29551More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 26915 on Crown Court: Trials, when she plans to publish the data for each court since June 2024.
Answer: Published data presents a range of measures including open caseload volumes, trial effectiveness rates and timeliness. The maximum amount of possible court time and the actual court time used for each Crown Court as contained in the Answer of 5 February 2...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCoronavirus: Criminal ProceedingsMinistry of JusticeTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29550More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases relating to breaches of covid-19 laws are (a) awaiting and (b) ongoing in (i) Crown and (ii) magistrates courts.
Answer: According to the best available data from our live management information systems, there are 114 outstanding cases in the magistrates court under Coronavirus Offences as at 30 September 2024. There are no cases awaiting trial or sentencing at the Crown Co...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Ministers' Private OfficesCabinet OfficeTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29544More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 9833 on Cabinet Office: Ministers’ Private Offices, in whose Ministerial offices are the five new standing mirrors located; and what the cost was of the coas
Answer: Ministerial offices are routinely refurbished after Parliament is dissolved and generally before new ministers are appointed or occupy their offices. There are mirrors located in several offices across the Cabinet Office. New standing mirrors - costing £3...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: EqualityWomen and EqualitiesTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29543More
Question: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the guidance entitled Public Sector Equality Duty: guidance for public authorities, published on 18 December 2023, and pursuant to the letter from the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Excheq
Answer: The Public Sector Equality Duty (the PSED) requires organisations in scope to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people.The scope of the PSED is set out in ...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: Public SectorDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 6 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29536More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled Shake up of tech and AI usage across NHS and other public services to deliver plan for change, published on 21 January 2025, on what evident
Answer: There was an initial error in publishing on GOV.UK which omitted the reference below to getting driving licences for lorries. This has now been amended.The press notice that was distributed to journalists read as follows:“It will do away with insensitive ...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordBaroness Casey of BlackstockCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29030More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 22993 on Cabinet Office: Directors, for what reason the declaration of political activity was not published with the announcement of the appointment.
Answer: As was the case under the previous administration, the relevant interests of non-executive board members and public appointments will continue to be updated and published bi-annually as part of an established process as set out in the Non-Executive Board ...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: SpeechesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29029More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his speech entitled The Locarno Speech by the Foreign Secretary: January 2025, published on 9 January 2025; for what reasons were part of the speech redacte
Answer: In this speech, the Foreign Secretary set out his vision for how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will help deliver this Government's Plan for Change and its approach to foreign policy. The essential nature of the speech was not par...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordBrexitCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29028More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question HL3924 on Brexit, what steps he is taking in response to each of those active infringement proceedings.
Answer: We are committed to the full and faithful implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and fulfilling our international obligations. Disputes are a normal part of a mature relationship with international partners. It is not appropriate to comment on ongoing...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: EqualityCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29027More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of the recent Employment Tribunal settlement between Mrs Eleanor Frances versus the Department of Culture, Media and Spor
Answer: As a Civil Service Department, the Cabinet Office’s policy in this area is aligned with the Government People Group’s Civil Service model policy. As such, the Cabinet Office policy will be revised in due course to reflect planned updates to the model poli...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordTrade Union Officials: Facilities AgreementsCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29026More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 8126 on Trade Union Officials: Facilities Agreements, for what reason the public sector trade union facility time data was not published before the end of 20
Answer: The latest public sector trade union facility time data for the year 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 has been published on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/public-sector-trade-union-facility-time-data)
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Work and Pensions: Political ImpartialityDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29025More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2025 to Question 21056 on DWP: Political Impartiality, whether her Department holds information on a disciplinary investigation into party political campaigning by of
Answer: As explained in the Answer of 9 January 2025, details of disciplinary investigations are maintained locally. Investigations and informal sanctions are not centrally recorded. We have been made aware of specific allegations made in relation to employee act...
Answered 18 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordArms Length BodiesCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29024More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled The Approvals Process for the Creation of New Arm’s-Length Bodies, published on 15 March 2018, which of the three tests in Chapter 2 the Industrial Strategy C
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade is currently working through the approval process to establish the Industrial Strategy Council as an Arm’s Length Body.
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Advisers: Industrial DisputesCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29023More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 August 2024 to Question 1667 on Prime Minister: Special Advisers, whether special advisers who (a) are part of a trade union and (b) not part of a trade union are permitted to go on s
Answer: Special advisers are employees of their appointing minister's department and as such have the same legal rights as other employees.
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: AviationCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29022More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 8434 on Prime Minister: Aviation, which (a) company and (b) commercial facility the Government uses to carbon offset its (i) domestic and (ii) international
Answer: All travel using the HMG wet-leased A321 aircraft (known as GBNI) is fully offset. This is done at the end of the financial year to correctly reflect the emissions. The Cabinet Office utilises the HMG Crown Commercial Services (CCS) RM6251 Energy Supply F...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Bodies: FinanceCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29021More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2025 to Question 21401 on Public Bodies: Finance, if he will list specific hyperlinks for where this information is published on gov.uk.
Answer: The Cabinet Office does not hold a central list of where sponsoring departments publish information regarding public bodies reviews and efficiency savings. Sponsoring departments determine the format, contents, and publishing location of this information....
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: RecruitmentCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29020More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November to Question 6094 on Cabinet Office: Civil Servants, for what reason does the Government not publish details of appointments below SCS2 grade.
Answer: Approval is required from the Civil Service Commission for any appointment by exception at SCS2 or above. A list of such appointments by exception (SCS2 and above) are published and updated regularly on the Commission’s website. Aggregated data is publish...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: RecruitmentCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29019More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 6093 on Civil Servants: Recruitment, what is the process by which a Minister can request a department (a) appoint and (b) consider appointing a specific ind
Answer: The Commission’s Recruitment Principles allow for specific time-limited ‘Exceptions’ to the legal requirement to recruit on merit on the basis of a fair and open competition. Appointment by exception must be either to meet the needs of the government or t...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Disciplinary ProceedingsCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29018More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants in his Department have been disciplined for (a) plagiarism and (b) making false statements on a CV when applying for a job in the latest 12 month period for which figures are available.
Answer: The Cabinet Office has no record of any civil servants in the Department being disciplined in the latest 12 month period for plagiarism or making false statements on a CV when applying for a job.
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordRisk AssessmentCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29005More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 176 of the National Risk Register 2025 and page 180 of the National Risk Register 2023, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the (a) repeal of the Trade
Answer: All risks in the National Risk Register, which is the public-facing version of the internal, classified National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA) are kept under review to ensure that they are the most appropriate scenarios to inform emergency preparedness ...
Answered 11 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: Codes of PracticeCabinet OfficeTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29004More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024, to Question 13759 on Business: Meetings, if he will take steps to publish supplementary guidance to the Ministerial Code on how Ministers should record meetings with b
Answer: Details of ministers' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of external individuals and organisations in attendance. Updat...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority: Public AppointmentsTreasuryTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28658More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Written Statement of 17 January 2025 on Machinery of Government, HCWS368, whether appointments to the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority will be included in the Public
Answer: The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) will combine the functions of the National Infrastructure Commission and Infrastructure and Projects Authority. NISTA will bring oversight of strategy and delivery into one organisat...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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