Tag: Tom Watson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 July 2016 to Question 42551, if he will take steps to improve take-up of the Accelerate programme by disabled members of staff.

Ben Gummer

If the Accelerate programme runs in future years, then the Cabinet Office will promote take-up of the programme through the intranet and will support disabled applicants through the Cabinet Office Disability Network.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the Government’s policy and guidance on the Public Duty Cost Allowance.

Ben Gummer

The Public Duties Cost Allowance is to assist former Prime Ministers with the costs of continuing to fulfil duties associated with their previous position in public life. A copy of the policy and guidance on the allowance is in the Library of the House. The costs are a reimbursement of incurred expenses for necessary office costs and secretarial costs arising from their special position in public life. The allowance is not paid to support private or parliamentary duties. Civil servants are not entitled to claim this allowance.

Current recipients of the allowance are published in the Cabinet Office Annual Reports and Accounts. Previous recipients have included Lady Thatcher; the current recipients who are former Prime Ministers are Sir John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. I also refer the Hon. Member to my answers to him of 9 September 2016 to (UIN 44045, 44048, 44049, 44053, 44054, 44055, 44056).

The Public Duties Cost Allowance rate is currently set at a limit of £115,000 per annum. When originally introduced, the Government stated that it would be the equivalent in amount to the Parliamentary Office Costs Allowance. I would note that that allowance is now known as the Parliamentary Staffing Allowance, determined by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and that is currently set at the rate of £148,500 per annum.”

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-12.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many ministerial visits the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has made since 14 July 2016.

Ben Gummer

Further to the question asked by the Hon Member of 7 September 2016, Official Report, Column 321, I would add that my Rt Hon Friend, the Member for Derbyshire Dales, is a Minister of the Crown and a member of the Cabinet. He will attend a number of Cabinet Committees, which will be published in due course, and has duties directly related to the Duchy of Lancaster. The List of Ministerial Responsibilities will also be published in due course. He does not receive a Ministerial salary from public funds. Details of Private Office staff will be accounted for as part of the regular transparency data on gov.uk. The Government publishes on a quarterly basis details of Ministerial visits overseas. All Ministers have access to the Government Car Service for official travel.

My Rt Hon Friend also serves as the Party Chairman of the Conservative Party. Such arrangements are no different from the likes of Charles Clarke, Ian McCartney and Hazel Blears, all of whom held the posts of Minister Without Portfolio and Labour Party Chair under the last Labour Government.

I would also observe that under the Thatcher and Major Governments, senior figures such as Norman Tebbit, Kenneth Baker and Chris Patten served as both Chairman of the Conservative Party and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-08.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2016 to Question 43759, how the Propriety and Ethics Team performed on handling correspondence from hon. Members and Peers in 2015.

Ben Gummer

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him of 5 September 2016 to UIN: 43759.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2015 to Question 219724, whether those Reapers have been relocated to the UK for maintenance, strategic or other reasons.

Mr Mark Francois

Reaper relocated to the UK have been placed in storage for routine fleet management purposes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what the value is of duplicate supplier payments identified by his Department since 2010; and what proportion of such payments have since been recovered in each of the last two financial years.

Jo Swinson

The Department does not maintain a central register but an analysis of the Departmental financial system and records identified that since 2010, the following duplicate payments were made and recoveries undertaken:

10/11 nil

11/12 nil

12/13 £726 of which all was recovered

13/14 £1835.40 of which all was recovered

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what the value is of duplicate supplier payments identified by his Department since 2010; and what proportion of such payments have since been recovered in each of the last two financial years.

Stephen Crabb

The Wales Office has identified no duplicate payments since 2010.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to offer or provide personnel from Reaper Squadron 39 to the US Air Force as a gift of services in response to current operational requirements.

Mr Mark Francois

The UK Reaper force has no current plans to offer or provide personnel to the US Air Force as a gift of services.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the value is of duplicate supplier payments identified by his Department since 2010; and what proportion of such payments have since been recovered in each of the last two financial years.

Mr Francis Maude

The Cabinet Office identified duplicate payments worth £77,164 through the 2011/12 to 2012/13 payments review. All of the duplicate payments identified were recovered.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-07-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the value is of duplicate supplier payments identified by his Department since 2010; and what proportion of such payments have since been recovered in each of the last two financial years.

Steve Webb

This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.