The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials in his Department have applied for special leave to carry out work for non-governmental departments in the last 12 months.
Matthew Hancock
The information requested is not held.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she plans to take to help charities improve their digital capabilities.
Mr Rob Wilson
Government is committed to supporting the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector address it’s organisational needs. Through the £20m Local Sustainability Fund, Government is supporting 265 small to medium sized organisation deliver change to secure and enhance their services.
Government is also actively tackling digital exclusion by working with partners to increase basic digital skills and Internet use for individuals and organisations.
Within the Office for Civil Society, officials are working with independent VCSE sector funders and influencers to build stronger leadership and governance. Part of this work will focus on preparing the sector for the future, which we expect to include building an understanding of the importance of developing digital skills and capability.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many new civil servants he plans to employ in his Department.
Mr David Jones
The new Department for Exiting the European Union will be made up of staff from various departments across Government, including from the UK’s Permanent Representation to the EU. The department has already started drawing together expertise from a wide range of departments where there is specific relevant knowledge. The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and budget, are now being considered – the department now has over 180 staff.
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 2016-03-04.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent on advertisements using Facebook in each of the last three years.
Matthew Hancock
Cabinet Office did not spend anything in 2013/14 on Facebook advertising. In 2014/15 there was a total of £17,511.16 spent by Cabinet Office on Facebook advertising. Fully auditable figures are not available for the 2015/16. All figures include VAT.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on compliance with Privy Council rules.
Mr David Cameron
I refer the hon. Member to the statement made to the House by the Lord President of the Council on 14 March 2016, Official Report, columns 653-654.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many job vacancies in his Department have been reserved as internal posts in the last 12 months.
Matthew Hancock
For the 12 month period between 8/6/15 and 7/6/16, Cabinet Office advertised 26 vacancies for internal applicants on its intranet site. In the same period, 469 Cabinet Office vacancies were advertised on the Civil Service Jobs search internet page.