To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what powers central government retains to intervene if a local resilience body fails to meet statutory preparedness standards.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what powers central government retains to intervene if a local resilience body fails to meet statutory preparedness standards.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will take steps to review the Government’s public communication strategy to ensure acts of (a) direct and (b) asymmetric sabotage on the UK’s national infrastructure by (i) foreign intelligence officers, (ii) agents of foreign intelligence officers and (iii) proxies used...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will take steps to review the Government’s public communication strategy to ensure acts of (a) direct and (b) asymmetric sabotage on the UK’s national infrastructure by (i) foreign intelligence officers, (ii) agents of foreign intelligence officers and (iii) proxies used...

Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on the financial impact on local authorities and Government of the loophole that allows retrospective reclassification by the valuation office of second homes as holiday-let businesses? It has led to councils having to refund years of council tax—up to...

Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on the financial impact on local authorities and Government of the loophole that allows retrospective reclassification by the valuation office of second homes as holiday-let businesses? It has led to councils having to refund years of council tax—up to...

That is a concern that will be held by Members across the House, which is why we published a call for evidence, seeking views on the tax treatment of holiday lets—evidence will be published in due course. If my hon. Friend seeks a meeting with the relevant Minister to discuss...

That is a concern that will be held by Members across the House, which is why we published a call for evidence, seeking views on the tax treatment of holiday lets—evidence will be published in due course. If my hon. Friend seeks a meeting with the relevant Minister to discuss...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the letter, "Simplification and Agency of Government - Letter to all ministers", of 7 September 2026, what is the timetable for the more detailed guidance on approaches to public participation to be produced, and if she will make it...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the letter, "Simplification and Agency of Government - Letter to all ministers", of 7 September 2026, what is the timetable for the more detailed guidance on approaches to public participation to be produced, and if she will make it...

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 11140 on Government: Procurement, if she will list the 13 defined Social Value measures; and what is meant by introduction of charter/manual of me to the Home Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 11140 on Government: Procurement, if she will list the 13 defined Social Value measures; and what is meant by introduction of charter/manual of me to the Home Office.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Government (a) announcements, (b) initiatives and (c) funding decisions have been delayed beyond their initial deadline since 4 July 2024.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Government (a) announcements, (b) initiatives and (c) funding decisions have been delayed beyond their initial deadline since 4 July 2024.

What steps she is taking to use technology to support innovation across Government.

What steps she is taking to use technology to support innovation across Government.

What steps she is taking to use technology to support innovation across Government.

What steps she is taking to use technology to support innovation across Government.

It is my core belief that technology should not be the preserve of the privileged few; instead, it should be a great leveller, supporting dignity in our public services and opportunity for British businesses. That is why I am focused on redesigning the way that Government use AI and technology to support our brilliant public service professionals to achieve those ends.

It is my core belief that technology should not be the preserve of the privileged few; instead, it should be a great leveller, supporting dignity in our public services and opportunity for British businesses. That is why I am focused on redesigning the way that Government use AI and technology to support our brilliant public service professionals to achieve those ends.

I thank the Minister for his answer. The pace of innovation has never been faster, which means that the value lost by slow procurement processes has never been higher. We need the Government and Departments to be able to buy in the most advanced software and technologies without lengthy delay. Can the Minister say what work he is doing to enable Departments to do that?

I thank the Minister for his answer. The pace of innovation has never been faster, which means that the value lost by slow procurement processes has never been higher. We need the Government and Departments to be able to buy in the most advanced software and technologies without lengthy delay. Can the Minister say what work he is doing to enable Departments to do that?

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend; there is only one thing faster than the pace of technology, and that is the pace at which he keeps up with technology, and, in particular, online engagement. I will flag two areas of particular focus for my efforts on this question: first, ensuring that we are creating examples of swift procurement support for British businesses, not least through the sovereign AI research and development procurement scheme; secondly, a more systematic focus on bringing the best package of AI tools to support procurement professionals to move faster.

I pay tribute to my hon. Friend; there is only one thing faster than the pace of technology, and that is the pace at which he keeps up with technology, and, in particular, online engagement. I will flag two areas of particular focus for my efforts on this question: first, ensuring that we are creating examples of swift procurement support for British businesses, not least through the sovereign AI research and development procurement scheme; secondly, a more systematic focus on bringing the best package of AI tools to support procurement professionals to move faster.

What steps she is taking to help ensure small businesses have improved access to Government contracts.

What steps she is taking to help ensure small businesses have improved access to Government contracts.

All Departments have set ambitious small and medium-sized enterprise spends, and we have strengthened late payment policy and are now making it easier for SMEs to bid by raising the threshold for when social value should be taken into account. This Government are determined to use public procurement to back small and medium-sized enterprises. I was pleased that the Federation of Small Businesses welcomed our social value changes over the summer.

All Departments have set ambitious small and medium-sized enterprise spends, and we have strengthened late payment policy and are now making it easier for SMEs to bid by raising the threshold for when social value should be taken into account. This Government are determined to use public procurement to back small and medium-sized enterprises. I was pleased that the Federation of Small Businesses welcomed our social value changes over the summer.

I welcome the Government’s commitment to helping SMEs to access public contracts. In Calder Valley—or valve valley, as we often call it— small manufacturing firms contribute to nationally significant projects through supply chains, but are often left out of the conversation about national procurement. How can we ensure that these smaller manufacturers have the opportunities created by Governments to create a new generation of skilled manufacturing jobs?

I welcome the Government’s commitment to helping SMEs to access public contracts. In Calder Valley—or valve valley, as we often call it— small manufacturing firms contribute to nationally significant projects through supply chains, but are often left out of the conversation about national procurement. How can we ensure that these smaller manufacturers have the opportunities created by Governments to create a new generation of skilled manufacturing jobs?

My hon. Friend is a fantastic campaigner on behalf of businesses in his local community. In his community, like mine, small and medium-sized industries play an absolutely critical role, not just in our industrial past but in our industrial future. I would be more than happy to meet him to discuss how, as we develop this agenda, we can make it work for communities like ours.

My hon. Friend is a fantastic campaigner on behalf of businesses in his local community. In his community, like mine, small and medium-sized industries play an absolutely critical role, not just in our industrial past but in our industrial future. I would be more than happy to meet him to discuss how, as we develop this agenda, we can make it work for communities like ours.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026, to Question 12791, on Government: Policy, publish the Cabinet Secretary letter and guidance.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026, to Question 12791, on Government: Policy, publish the Cabinet Secretary letter and guidance.

Digital sovereignty is the agency a country or organisation has to shape, use and maintain its digital world. How sovereign is the UK, and should sovereignty be increased?

Digital sovereignty is the agency a country or organisation has to shape, use and maintain its digital world. How sovereign is the UK, and should sovereignty be increased?

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2026, to Question 10650, on Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure, and with reference to the answer of 6 January 2025, to Question 21256, on Government: Policy, if he will provide a relevant hyperlink to the published...

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer of 24 June 2026, to Question 10650, on Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure, and with reference to the answer of 6 January 2025, to Question 21256, on Government: Policy, if he will provide a relevant hyperlink to the published...

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has undertaken an analysis of the mobile connectivity and 5G network infrastructure requirements for each project in the Government Major Projects Portfolio.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has undertaken an analysis of the mobile connectivity and 5G network infrastructure requirements for each project in the Government Major Projects Portfolio.