Richard Holden MP: written questions 2025
1652 published records · newest first.
Written questions
HMS AchillesCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28586More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions the (a) Cabinet Office and (b) 10 Downing Street had with the French Government on the renaming of HMS Agincourt.
Answer: The name was proposed by the Royal Navy Ships Names and Badging committee and approved by His Majesty the King.
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAdmiralty HouseCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28585More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23478 on Admiralty House, for what reason the Secretary of State for Defence occupied Admiralty House on a time-limited basis.
Answer: As has been the case under successive administrations, the Prime Minister allocates official residences to ministers, either on the grounds of security or to allow them to better perform their official duties.
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: Dual NationalityCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28584More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued to Ministers on declaring dual nationality to (a) their department and (b) the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.
Answer: There is an established process in place for the declaration and management of ministers’ private interests, which ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest. More information about the process by which...
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial Advisers: PayCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28583More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 to Question 24650 on Special Advisers: Pay, what changes were made to special adviser pay policy since October 2024.
Answer: The updated pay ranges for Special Advisers will be published in the next Annual Report on Special Advisers, which will include the changes referenced in answer to Question 24650.
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: DirectorsCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28582More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23481 on Government Departments: Directors, what steps his Department is taking to avoid conflicts of interest in relation to consultant lobbyists serving as
Answer: The 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 Member declaration of interests process - GOV.UK. All financ...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: RecruitmentCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28581More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list (a) each (i) scheme and (ii) programme for the Civil Service Fast Stream and (b) how many people were recruited to the civil service through each in 2024.
Answer: There were 15 separate Fast Stream schemes in 2024. The information requested is publicly available within the Fast Stream Annual Report 2024 linked below: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-fast-stream-recruitment-data-2024
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordEurostat: Office for National StatisticsCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28580More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 23894 on Eurostat: Office for National Statistics and the associated correspondence of 17 January 2025 from the National Statistician, if he will make it his
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 4th February is attached.
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordOfficial ResidencesCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28579More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance his Department has issued to Ministers on what costs for moving (a) in and (b) out of official residences can be paid for from the public purse.
Answer: No standing guidance is issued to Ministers on this specific issue, as was the case under the previous administration. The appropriate use of public resources is a matter for the relevant Accounting Officer and their individual ministers.
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSpecial AdvisersCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28578More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Cabinet Office’s FOI disclosure referenced FOI2024/14571 of 4 December 2024, on which dates the Special Adviser People Board has met since the 5 July 2024; and which special advisers attended e
Answer: Alongside the wider work of the Special Adviser People Board, it met on 17 October 2024 and was attended by Morgan McSweeney.
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: EqualityCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28577More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 21390 on Armed Forces: Equality and with reference to the written ministerial statement of 14 May 2024, HCWS464, on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the
Answer: The review into Equality, Diversity and Equality (EDI) expenditure carried under the previous administration did not include the Armed Forces.
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPrime Minister: AviationCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28576More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 18211 on Prime Minister: Aviation, whether this approach is different to that of the previous Prime Minister.
Answer: The approach remains the same as that of previous Prime Ministers.
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordMinisters: Members' InterestsCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28575More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2024 to Question 18670 on DCMS: Official Visits and with reference to the guidance entitled Ministers’ gifts (given and received), travel, hospitality received and meetings
Answer: Transparency data for Ministers, Special Advisers and Senior Officials, including for the period of 1 July to 30 September 2024, was published on GOV.UK on 30 January 2025. This data was published alongside the new monthly Register of Ministers' gifts and...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordNational Wealth Fund: StatisticsCabinet OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28568More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the UK Statistics Authority plans to lay a new Official Statistics Order to designate the National Wealth Fund's statistical outputs as official statistics.
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 4th February is attached.
Answered 13 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordLegislation: Impact AssessmentsCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27923More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question HL2719 on Legislation: Impact Assessments, if he will publish that letter.
Answer: It is a long-established precedent that internal government correspondence is not normally shared publicly, therefore we will not publish the letter. However, we continue to press Departments on their responsibility on these matters.
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPublic Appointments: Political ActivitiesCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27922More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has issued guidance on the publication of declarations of political activity for public appointees.
Answer: I refer the Rt Honorable Gentleman to the answer to PQ 25696, answered on 30th January 2025.
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: SecondmentCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27921More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any staff in his Department are seconded from the London Borough of Camden.
Answer: Secondments are part of a range of ways of bringing talent and experience into the civil service for short periods of time and have been used by successive governments. Secondments are arranged at a business unit level and must follow the processes as set...
Answered 24 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: StaffCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27920More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many all-staff calls have been held in his Department since 4 July 2024; and how many staff attended each of those calls.
Answer: There have been a total of 10 all-staff calls during this period. The number of staff attending these calls were:2552233219262078188519161702390327253003
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Communication and MarketingCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27919More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the estimated spending on Government (a) communications and (b) marketing is in 2024-25 (a) before and (b) after the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answer: Historical data on communication and marketing spend is listed by department on the Government efficiency, transparency and accountability page on GOV.uk. The Government Communications Service is expecting to save £85 million in 2024-25 from reducing unne...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordIndependent Adviser on Ministerial Standards: EmailCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27918More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the email address is for correspondence from hon. Members to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards.
Answer: As was the case when the Rt Hon member was a Minister in the department, correspondence from Members of Parliament addressed to the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards can be submitted to the Cabinet Office using the contact details available in ...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: Written QuestionsLeader of the HouseTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27917More
Question: To ask the Leader of the House, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2025 to Question 24243 on Government Departments: Written Questions, if she will publish that letter.
Answer: It is a long-established precedent that internal government correspondence is not normally shared publicly.
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordGovernment Bills: Impact AssessmentsLeader of the HouseTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27916More
Question: To ask the Leader of the House, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2025 to Question 23890 on Government Bills: Impact Assessments, whether her letter to Cabinet colleagues made reference to the publication of impact assessments before the First Reading
Answer: It is a long-established precedent that internal government correspondence is not normally shared publicly.
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Unpaid WorkDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27915More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 22359 on DEFRA: Unpaid Work, what Environment Agency summer internship opportunities for 2025 are open to (a) male, (b) white, (c)
Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) does not offer unpaid internships. Employment opportunities with the EA are advertised on the jobs board: External Opportunities - Environment Agency Jobs. In 2025 the EA is running its Summer Development Internship Programme, ...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordLord MandelsonForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27914More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23476 on USA: Diplomatic Service, if he will instruct Lord Mandelson to recuse himself from discussions on matters relat
Answer: As in the answer of 20 January, there is a robust and established process in place for the management of interests held by all Senior Civil Servants. This process is designed to identify and, where necessary, mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts ...
Answered 7 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record10 Downing Street: ShopsCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27913More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2025 to Question 23475 on 10 Downing Street: Shops, which items were manufactured in China; if he will provide a description of each item; and what the retail price is of eac
Answer: Many of the items sold in the 10 Downing Street gift shop are made in the UK. A very small number of items, such as water bottles from a well known British supplier, are made globally, including in China. This was the case under the previous government.
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record10 Downing Street: FlagsCabinet OfficeTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27912More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to fly the Cross of St George from 10 Downing Street on Saint Crispin’s Day in 2025.
Answer: I refer the Rt hon. Member to the answer of 18 December 2024, Official Report, PQ 21060. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-12-18/21060
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament record
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