Tag: Cabinet Office

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 28 April 2025.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden has launched the UK Resilience Academy.

• Academy to train more than 4,000 public and private sector workers in crisis skills and expertise every year, strengthening resilience in communities across the UK.
• Biggest upgrade to resilience workers’ occupational standards in a generation to help keep the public safe as part of the Plan for Change.
• Pat McFadden unveils Risk Vulnerability Tool to help Ministers and civil servants support vulnerable groups during a crisis and learn lessons from the Covid pandemic.

Communities up and down the country are set to be better protected in the face of national crises from today as the government opens the UK Resilience Academy – helping to secure Britain’s future as it delivers on the Plan for Change.

The cutting-edge centre will transform crisis training for thousands of public and private sector workers, with at least 4,000 people set to be trained at the Academy’s North Yorkshire campus every year, on courses covering everything from business continuity planning, to crowd management and crisis communications.

The UK Resilience Academy, which will train citizens, businesses, the emergency services, the Armed Forces and the Civil Service, will sit at the heart of a newly formed network of public and private sector organisations – including the College for National Security and the Defence Academy – who have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together to improve the quality and accessibility of resilience training.

Today’s announcement comes as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster unveils new software that will allow decision makers to identify groups that are vulnerable to particular risks, by mapping real-time crisis data alongside demographic statistics.

The Risk Vulnerability tool is now available to 10,000 ministers and civil servants across Whitehall and the Devolved Nations. It has been developed by the National Situation Centre and the Office for National Statistics, and will feed directly into government decision making during future crises.

Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said:

Our first duty is to keep people safe – and through our Plan for Change, we are creating strong and resilient communities across the country.

Today, we’re making a generational upgrade to crisis training for thousands of workers, and helping decision makers identify vulnerable groups in a crisis. This is all part of our plan to secure Britain’s future.

In extreme cold weather, the software would show demographic data, such as households that rely either on gas or electricity, or areas with elderly people who would need support with food supplies, alongside near real-time data such as live weather warnings and power outages, helping decision-makers target support to those most in need. When planning for potential flooding, ministers and officials can identify areas where people have less mobility, and target these if evacuation is needed.

This capability will strengthen the government’s approach to crisis management and better protect vulnerable people – learning from past events such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 22 April 2025.

The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has announced the appointment of Samantha Jones as the new Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Samantha is currently a non-executive director at DHSC, and the Chief Operating Officer for Xlinks, a renewable energy company.

Samantha began her career as a nurse in the NHS, and was a hospital Chief Executive before moving to NHS England to lead the New Models of Care programme. She has also led one of the largest primary care providers in England. Since her time in the NHS, Samantha served as an expert advisor to the PM on NHS Transformation and Social Care in 2021, before taking up post as the interim Permanent Secretary and Chief Operating Officer for 10 Downing Street.

Samantha will join DHSC at a critical time, as the government rebuilds the NHS as part of the Plan for Change. Samantha will be building a team to deliver this vital transformation which will include appointing a Chief Operating Officer.

Samantha will replace Chris Wormald, who left DHSC in December last year, to take up the role of Cabinet Secretary.

The Health and Social Care Secretary, the Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP, said:

I am delighted to welcome Samantha in her new role as Permanent Secretary.

Samantha brings a wealth of experience from the frontline of healthcare as a general and paediatric nurse – she knows what it is like to be working on wards and will translate that expertise to her work across the department.

Equally, her work in senior management roles across both Whitehall and the health and social care sector will prove invaluable as we reintegrate NHS England back into the department to cut red tape, reduce duplication and make it fit for the future as part of our Plan for Change.

Cabinet Secretary, Sir Chris Wormald, said:

I am delighted to see Sam take up the role of Permanent Secretary at DHSC, having worked with her closely during my time there. Samantha is an outstanding public servant, who has spent much of her career working to improve and enrich the lives of people across the country.

This is a critical time for DHSC, as they look to welcome their NHS England colleagues back into the department, and work to deliver the government missions and Plan for Change. Samantha is uniquely positioned to drive forward this work, and I look forward to working with her.

I also want to put on record my thanks to Professor Chris Whitty for his leadership of the Department since my departure.

Samantha Jones said:

It is an absolute privilege to be appointed Permanent Secretary at DHSC, working with colleagues across health and social care to support the government’s Plan for Change and deliver a rebuilt NHS, fit for the future.

Having worked alongside the brilliant team at DHSC over the past few years, serving on their board, I look forward to leading a department of committed public servants to improve the health of our nation.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 8 April 2025.

Maura Sullivan has been appointed as Chair of the Cabinet Office Audit and Risk Committee for a term of three years.

The Cabinet Office Audit and Risk Committee offers an independent perspective on the department’s financial, risk, and control arrangements. It also reviews and recommends the approval of accounts for the Cabinet Office, Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists, Civil Superannuation, and the Royal Mail Statutory Pension Scheme.

The Committee supports the Cabinet Office Board, which provides strategic and operational leadership for the department. It comprises of Cabinet Office ministers, senior executives, and non-executives from outside government.

Maura is a finance professional with an executive career spanning Board level CFO roles in Banking, Asset Management and Pensions.

She has worked in complex international organisations, managed large teams and led and supported large transformation programmes.

Her non executive portfolio currently includes Chair of Audit and Compliance Committee for Marsden Building Society and Chair of Audit & Risk for Gov Facilities Management Services Limited (GovFSL), an arms length body of the MoJ.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 7 April 2025.

Every quango across government will be reviewed, with a view to close, merge or bring functions back into departments if its continued existence cannot be justified.

• The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has written to departments to justify every quango otherwise they’ll be closed, merged, or have powers brought back into the department.
• Changes will drive efficiency and reduce bureaucracy as part of Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, delivering security and renewal for working people.
• New era of global instability means Government must go further and faster in reform.
• Government will consider what legislation may be required to deliver these reforms.

Every quango across government will be reviewed, with a view to close, merge or bring functions back into departments if its continued existence cannot be justified.

The review, commissioned by the Cabinet Office at the request of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, is the latest move to re-wire Whitehall and produce a more productive and agile state. It is part of our Plan for Change, delivering security for working people and national renewal.

This follows news last month that NHS England will be brought back into the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to put an end to the duplication resulting from two organisations doing the same job in a system currently holding staff back from delivering for patients.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden MP said:

We are taking action to ensure decisions of national importance that affect everyone in this country are made by those who have been elected to do so.

Only by fundamentally re-wiring the state, can we deliver our Plan for Change to secure Britain’s future and serve working people; kick-starting economic growth, rebuilding the NHS and strengthening our borders.

The review will aim to drive out waste and inefficiency across Whitehall, reducing duplication and bureaucracy – saving the taxpayer money and cutting the cost of ‘doing government’.

It is expected that quangos with large policy functions could be brought back into departments, bringing ministerial, elected, scrutiny back to major decisions that affect the public. This would also retain the expertise and experience of staff working in these areas.

All departments must demonstrate the necessity of each one, operating under the presumption that these bodies will be affected unless there is compelling justification for their separate existence.

Where independence from Ministerial decision making is essential, such as quangos which scrutinise government or protect the rule of law, then these will remain unaffected.

The Cabinet Secretary and departmental Secretaries of State and Permanent Secretaries will be held directly accountable for the Arms Length Body (ALBs) that continue to exist following the review.

The review will consider four key principles:

• Ministerial policy oversight – if a policy is of national importance then Ministers should have appropriate oversight and control of its development. Major decisions that affect the country and the public should be taken by those elected by the country to do so.
• Duplication and Efficiency – government should drive out duplication and inefficiency wherever possible, this includes if there is duplication of policy or delivery work between ALBs and Ministerial departments.
• Stakeholder Management – the fact that government needs to engage stakeholders should not be a reason for an ALB to exist, government itself should be working hard to engage with a variety of partners at every stage.
• Independent Advice – where there is a clear justification for independent advice, then this should be conducted at arms length.

Many ALBs are set up in legislation, and previous work to deliver these changes has been hampered by the difficulty in updating and changing individual pieces of ALB legislation. As part of this work, the Government will consider what legislation may be required to ensure the reviews announced today can be implemented and delivered upon.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 6 April 2025.

Spending taxpayer money on unnecessary branded merchandise and staff ‘away days’ will be banned in the latest crackdown on wasteful spending across departments.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 7 March 2025.

Welsh language training now available to all civil servants through the Civil Service Learning website

Every civil servant in the UK can now access free Welsh Language training thanks to a new initiative.

Government Skills has been collaborating with the National Centre for Learning Welsh to offer civil servants easy access to free Welsh Language training—provided by the Welsh Government—via a programme called Work Welsh.

It is the first time every civil servant in the UK has been given access to free learning on Civil Service Learning, which is specifically focused on helping them learn a new language.

Promoting the Welsh language

Dame Antonia Romeo DCB, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Permanent Secretary Place Champion for Wales and a Welsh language learner herself, said:

“This initiative underpins our commitment to promote the Welsh Language and ensure its presence across all Government departments – supporting the Welsh Government vision to have one million people speaking Welsh by 2050.”

This opportunity is the result of an initiative led by Professor Kim Ann Williamson MBE, Strategic Advisor to the Wales and the Northern Ireland Head of Place with the great support of Rich Williams (Ministry of Justice), Alison Dods (Department of Work and Pensions), Dave Martin (Government Skills) and our Joint Heads of Place for Wales Ross Maude (DCMS) and Professor Tom Crick MBE (DCMS).

An important milestone

Kim Ann, who herself relocated from London to Wales some 28 years ago, said she believes that learning a new language can be a vital part in staff development.

“It’s an important milestone to be able to offer civil servants this opportunity and it highlights our determination to support diverse and thriving civil service communities in regions and nations across the UK.

“Learning Welsh can help foster inclusive teams, particularly where there are Welsh-speaking colleagues. It’s also a wonderful way to forge closer links with the local community and support the Welsh language, heritage and culture.”

Launch in Cardiff

The learning is among a range of courses available on the National Centre for Learning Welsh’s website. But, by providing access via Civil Service Learning, Government Skills is ensuring that civil servants get easy access to the free learning. It can also monitor numbers accessing the learning from the Civil Service.

Representatives from more than 14 government departments attended the launch of the Work Welsh language learning in Cardiff and had the opportunity to hear from Dame Nia Griffith MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales speaking in support of this new learning opportunity.

Work Welsh is accessible via Civil Service Learning.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 7 March 2025.

Joe Griffin has been appointed as the new Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government. Joe, who is currently Director General, Strategy & External Affairs in the Scottish Government, was chosen following an open and fair competition chaired by the First Civil Service Commissioner. The appointment has been made by the First Minister of Scotland in agreement with the UK Cabinet Secretary. Joe will take up the post on 7 April 2025.

First Minister John Swinney said:

My thanks go to JP Marks for his devoted public service and leadership of the Civil Service. My Cabinet and I are grateful for the invaluable advice he has provided during his time at the Scottish Government. I join with so many across the Scottish public sector and beyond in wishing JP every success in his new role at HMRC.

I welcome Joe Griffin’s appointment as Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government. He brings a wealth of experience to this role from his distinguished career in the Civil Service. I know from his record of delivery, not least on the massive expansion of early learning and childcare which he led, that Joe will deliver an unyielding focus on delivering for the people of Scotland.

Cabinet Secretary Sir Chris Wormald said:

I would like to congratulate Joe on his appointment.  He brings extensive experience from his roles at Scottish Government, including as Director General for Strategy and External Affairs and previously Director General for Education and Justice. Joe is well placed to lead the organisation and provide excellent support to Ministers.

 I would like to thank JP Marks for his leadership of the Scottish Government over the last three years.

Joe Griffin said:

It is a privilege to be appointed Permanent Secretary and lead the Civil Service in the Scottish Government.  I am grateful to the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for this opportunity.

My focus will be on working with colleagues and partners to drive progress and deliver the government’s four priorities; eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency, and ensuring high quality and sustainable public services. I look forward to leading the organisation as we deliver in the service of Scotland.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 6 March 2025.

The UK Government and European Commission gave a statement after the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework meeting.

The Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework met today, co-chaired by officials from the European Commission and the UK Government.

The co-chairs took stock of the implementation of the Windsor Framework since the last meeting on 22 October 2024. They noted overall progress on the implementation of the Windsor Framework, notably in the area of human medicines, where the specific arrangements previously announced started applying on 1 January 2025.

The co-chairs discussed further work underway in the areas of sanitary and phytosanitary goods / agrifood, pet travel, customs and veterinary medicines and trade, with a view to ensuring full implementation of all the elements of the Windsor Framework. They agreed to continue to step up implementation progress in these areas, which remains essential to ensure that the safeguards and flexibilities of the Windsor Framework operate for people and businesses in Northern Ireland and protect the Union’s Single Market.

They noted the importance of continued constructive joint work to support implementation efforts and monitor progress in looking ahead to forthcoming milestones, to ensure the full, timely and faithful implementation of all the elements of the Framework.

The Committee co-chairs also took stock of the work of the Joint Consultative Working Group and its structured sub-groups.

They reiterated the importance of continued joint engagement with Northern Ireland stakeholders.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 25 February 2025.

A new public procurement regime under the Procurement Act 2023 is now in force.

• Procurement Act 2023 now in force, delivering growth, driving value for money, and giving small businesses greater access to nearly £400billion of yearly spend.
• Strong new powers to exclude and debar suppliers from contracts on grounds of national security or poor performance.
• Public can scrutinise procurement decisions on new Central Digital Platform.

New laws putting growth, small businesses and transparency at the heart of public contract awards are now in force, as part of a transformation of the government’s commercial landscape that delivers on the Plan for Change.

A more open public procurement regime driving value for money is now in place through the Procurement Act 2023, which sets rules that all public bodies must follow when they buy goods and services.

The Act will boost growth by slashing red tape for small and medium sized businesses applying for government contracts – combining multiple regulations into one simple set, and publishing procurement data in a standard, open format on a Central Digital Platform.

It is bolstered by a new National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) that sets out this government’s Mission-led priorities which the public sector must have regard to in its procurement activity.

The changes open up opportunities for small businesses to bid for public sector contracts, helping deliver growth and opportunity across the UK. It ends late payments that put small businesses at risk, introducing a mandate of 30-day payment terms for all public sector contracts.

Costs for both business and the public sector will be reduced through simple new processes that drive innovation, offering greater flexibility for buyers to tailor procurement to their exact needs. For example, providing public bodies more opportunities to negotiate with suppliers, and using built-in stages to procurement cycles such as demonstrations and testing prototypes.

Cabinet Office Minister Georgia Gould said:

Public sector procurement can now fully deliver on the Plan for Change – unleashing local growth, opening up opportunities and embedding transparency and accountability.

The Procurement Act, supported by our new National Procurement Policy Statement, will tear down barriers that stop small businesses from winning government work, giving them greater opportunity to access the £400 billion spent on public procurement every year, investing in home-grown talent and driving innovation and growth.

Shirley Cooper, Crown Representative for Small Businesses, said:

This once–in-a-generation change to public procurement laws will provide enormous opportunities for small businesses to take a greater share of contracts.

The Act, which goes live alongside our bold new National Procurement Policy Statement, will drive economic growth and deliver on the Government’s Missions and the Plan for Change.

I thank the public sector for the considerable amount of work done to prepare for and understand these new rules, and how they can fully benefit both businesses and the taxpayer.

To deliver on this, a Central Digital Platform is now in operation which will streamline processes and cut red tape, allowing suppliers to register their details and see all bidding opportunities in one place. This will encourage more suppliers to bid for government work, increasing competition and in turn supporting economic growth.

Citizens can also scrutinise public procurement data published on this platform, as part of the Act’s rules for greater transparency.

The Government will also use tough new powers to investigate supplier misconduct, including underperforming suppliers and those that pose security risks to supply chains, with the ability to debar or exclude them from contracts.

The Procurement Review Unit (PRU) and National Security Unit for Procurement (NSUP), now operational as dedicated resources in the Cabinet Office, will carry out this work. The NSUP will take robust action against any organisation, actor or entity which presents a national security threat.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

Emma Jones CBE, founder of Enterprise Nation, said:

Accessing public sector work can act like a growth accelerator for SMEs. Government contracts are solid and reliable and pay within 30 days. They help SMEs develop and invest in new processes, products and efficiencies, as well as take on more staff in their local community.

By seeing Government procurement through this lens, opening up contracts to more diverse and community-based businesses will be a powerful way to deliver economic growth.

My organisation has already been busy readying SMEs for this moment. This legislation is the beginning of the next step in the journey to increasing government spend with SMEs and boosting the economy.

Terry Corby, founder and CEO of Good Business Pays, said:

The public sector spends around £300 billion every year and represents a huge opportunity to drive growth in the UK. Buying more from SMEs, making it easier for them to tender for work and get paid faster will help drive growth in our communities across the UK.

The commitment to pay all suppliers through the supply chain in under 30 days is important. If implemented well, the new Procurement Act will represent the biggest step-change towards best practice payment culture. I founded Good Business Pays five years ago, and provide a great example for all commercial organisations to follow.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 25 February 2025.

The Government is pleased to announce the shortlisted design teams for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth II.

The shortlisted design teams include:

• Foster + Partners with Yinka Shonibare and Michel Desvigne Paysagiste
• Heatherwick Studio with Halima Cassell, MRG Studio, Webb Yates and Arup
• J&L Gibbons with Michael Levine RDI, William Matthews Associates, Structure Workshop and Arup
• Tom Stuart-Smith with Jamie Fobert Architects, Adam Lowe (Factum Arte) and Structure Workshop
• WilkinsonEyre with Lisa Vandy and Fiona Clark, Andy Sturgeon Design, Atelier One and Hilson Moran

The finalists were shortlisted following the first stage of a two-stage open competition. Designers were required to submit examples of previous projects relevant to the vision for the memorial set out by the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, alongside details of the unique skills of their multi-disciplinary teams. The competition attracted a wide range of excellent creative talent from across the UK and internationally. The shortlisted teams will be required to submit their design concepts later in the Spring.

The winning design team will be announced in Summer 2025 after the Selection Panel reviews the five shortlisted teams’ concepts. Design teams have been asked to create a memorial masterplan that celebrates Queen Elizabeth II’s extraordinary life of service and provides a space for pause and reflection. The designs will also be assessed against wider criteria, including value for money, placemaking and visitor experience.

The team that is ultimately selected following the competition will add, in discussion with the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee, an artist or sculptor for the figurative representation of Her Late Majesty, and this appointment will be announced in Summer 2025.

The site for the new national Queen Elizabeth II Memorial will include the area of St James’s Park adjacent to The Mall at Marlborough Gate, and land surrounding the pathway down to the lake, including the Blue Bridge. The site was chosen because of its proximity to the ceremonial route of The Mall, its historical and constitutional significance and personal connection to Queen Elizabeth.

The final design will be formally announced in April 2026, to coincide with what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s hundredth birthday year.

The Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee was established by the UK Government and Royal Household in 2023 and comprises eight senior figures from across British public life, selected for their expertise, and chaired by The Late Queen’s former Private Secretary Lord Robin Janvrin.

The Committee is also continuing its work to develop proposals for a UK-wide legacy programme to commemorate Queen Elizabeth.