The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-21.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Directors General in his Department have a private office.
Ben Gummer
Cabinet Office employs 14 Director Generals to deliver a wide range of policy, delivery, legal and national security objectives. Of these, seven have a private office to support them. The size and the responsibilities of the private office depend on the nature of work undertaken within that group.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people are currently claiming expenses from the public purse under 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, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2016 to Question 43473, when he plans to publish Ministerial responsibilities held by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
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 2016-09-13.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff have been seconded into his Department from outside the Civil Service in the last 12 months.
Ben Gummer
In the last 12 months, 15 individuals have been seconded into my Department from outside the Civil Service.
Secondments bring in external expertise and a fresh perspective across the department’s responsibilities, and include secondees from the private, public and voluntary sector.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-02-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many meetings Ministers and officials of his Department have had with representatives of Uber since July 2015.
Andrew Jones
Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis and are available via the gov.uk website.
Since July 2015, representatives of Uber have had one meeting with Department for Transport officials.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-03-03.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the media was briefed on the contents of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information’s report prior to that report being made available to hon. Members.
Matthew Hancock
The report of the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information was received on 29 February and published with the Government’s response on 1 March [Hansard ref HCWS566]
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-03-14.
To ask the Prime Minister, if he will carry out an investigation into whether there was a breach of Privy Council rules in relation to the story in The Sun of 9 March 2016 relating to HM The Queen and the referendum on EU membership.
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. and to the Cabinet Secretary’s letter to the hon. Member for Ilford North (Mr Streeting) 11 March 2016. I have placed a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-06-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many officials of her Department have applied for special leave to carry out work for non-governmental departments in the last 12 months.
Sir Desmond Swayne
DFID’s policy on special leave is specific and does not extend to working for other organisations. There has only been one exception to this policy in the last 12 months. As this relates to a single individual any further information is being withheld because releasing these details could lead to the individual being identified and would therefore breach the legitimate expectation of an individual’s right to protection of their personal information.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-12.
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many officials of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority are employed on temporary contracts.
Ben Gummer
The infrastructure and Projects Authority currently has 37 people within the business on Fixed Term Appointments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2016-07-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps he plans to take to ensure cross-party input at each stage of formulating national goals and strategy in negotiating the UK’s exit from the EU.
Mr Robin Walker
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 28 July to Question 43465. The Department for Exiting the EU will lead the UK’s negotiations to leave the European Union and establish the future relationship between the EU and the UK, working closely with the UK Parliament, devolved administrations, and a wide range of other interested parties. Consultation with opposition parties will be an important part of this process.