Blog

  • Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Christopher Chope – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it the Government’s policy to invite a delegation of parliamentarians from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe as official observers of the forthcoming EU referendum.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Government welcomes observers – either from within the UK or from overseas – who wish to observe our electoral process. The Electoral Commission accredits observers who may, once accredited, observe proceedings at the poll, proceedings at the issue and receipt of postal ballot papers, and proceedings at the count. It is therefore open to parliamentarians from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to apply for accreditation as observers.

  • Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government recorded in his Department’s spending analysis tool that it spent on acquisitions from external suppliers in the last year for which figures are available; and how much and what proportion of central government spending the Government spent with each of the 20 suppliers which received the largest proportion of that spending in that period.

    Matthew Hancock

    In 2014-15 central government (excluding Network Rail) spent a total of £43.8 billion with external suppliers.

    Recorded expenditure with each of the top 20 suppliers is set out in the following table:

    Spend

    % of total

    Bae Systems Plc

    £3.3bn

    7.6%

    Hewlett Packard Ltd

    £1.3bn

    2.9%

    Babcock International Group

    £1.2bn

    2.7%

    Awe Management Limited

    £1.1bn

    2.4%

    Capgemini Uk Plc

    £900m

    2.1%

    Capita Plc

    £700m

    1.6%

    Finmeccanica Spa

    £690m

    1.6%

    Rolls-Royce Plc

    £650m

    1.5%

    Telereal Trillium

    £640m

    1.5%

    BT Group Plc

    £620m

    1.4%

    Airtanker Limited

    £490m

    1.1%

    Atos

    £490m

    1.1%

    The Boeing Company

    £460m

    1.1%

    Qinetiq Limited

    £440m

    1.0%

    Connect Ltd

    £430m

    1.0%

    Serco Limited

    £400m

    0.9%

    Thales Group

    £380m

    0.9%

    Interserve Plc

    £350m

    0.8%

    Airwave Solutions

    £340m

    0.8%

    Carillion Plc

    £330m

    0.7%

  • Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Tom Watson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what timetable he has set for publication of information on the cost to the public purse of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information.

    Matthew Hancock

    The final costs for the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information are currently being assembled and I expect to be able to publish the information shortly.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many members of staff of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority have been assigned to work on the Government’s Successor submarine programme; and what (a) their grades, (b) their job titles and (c) the dates of their assignment to work on that programme are.

    Matthew Hancock

    The Successor programme is one of 188 projects reported on the Government Major Project Portfolio (GMPP) at the time of the last Major Projects Annual Report. The Infrastructure and Projects Authority undertakes a number of activities across the 188 major projects on the GMPP, including collecting quarterly programme performance data; the arrangement of independent assurance; and, providing expert advice to project and departmental leadership. These activities do not involve the assignment of individual IPA staff to work on this project specifically, but are undertaken by a number of staff working in a range of functions across the IPA.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Joint Intelligence Committee has revised its estimate of the number of non-extremist opposition fighters in Syria since 2 December 2015.

    Mr Oliver Letwin

    The JIC regularly assess the numbers involved in fighting in Syria and their loyalties. The JIC has concluded that non-extremist opposition numbers have held up despite recent pressure. Numbers in groups fighting Daesh are likely to have increased.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations of the National Audit Office investigation into the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by government officials (HC 797, 2015-16).

    Matthew Hancock

    The Government is currently considering the conclusions put forward by the NAO in its recent report on Gifts and Hospitality.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department’s guidance for civil servants on acceptance of gifts or hospitality applies to special advisers.

    Matthew Hancock

    We publish details of gifts and hospitality received by the most senior civil servants on a quarterly basis.

    The rules for civil servants, including special advisers, on the acceptance of gifts and hospitality are set out in the Civil Service Code, Civil Service Management Code and departmental staff handbooks.

  • Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Douglas Carswell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Carswell on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants from across all Government departments and at what grade have been seconded to the Cabinet Office Referendum Unit.

    John Penrose

    I refer my right hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice and Howden and the hon. Member for Clacton to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for St Albans on 18 April 2016 to UIN: 32678.

    The cost of the secretariat, including the Referendum Unit, will be accounted for in the Department’s annual report and accounts.

  • Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings have taken place between officials of his Department and the European Commission Directorate-General for Communication in each of the last 12 months.

    Matthew Hancock

    There have been no meetings between Cabinet Office officials and the European Commission Directorate-General for Communication in the last 12 months.

  • Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Louise Haigh – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Haigh on 2016-04-13.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what occasions (a) civil servants, (b) special advisers and (c) Ministers in his Department have received hospitality from the government of China in the last five years.

    Matthew Hancock

    This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.