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1717517

registered interest
date	13/05/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Royal Botanic Gardens Kew: Red Snapper Group
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Minister without Portfolio's article of 12 May 2024 in The Sunday Telegraph, when the Royal Botanic Gardens is expected to terminate its contract with Red Snapper Ltd., procurement reference BIP829617988; and whether a notice period will be required under the provisions of that contract.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	25810
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is an operationally independent arm’s length body (ALB). Civil Service EDI expenditure guidance does not extend to organisations outside the Civil Service or ALBs not employing Civil Servants.</p><p><br> The contract with Red Snapper Ltd is due to expire on 21 February 2025.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 24/05/2024 13:37:39 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1700844

registered interest
date	15/04/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the ministerial department figures in his Department's workforce management information data for February and March 2023, for what reason the payroll staff numbers are different between the two months but the payroll staff costs are identical.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	21608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>March 2023 payroll costs were not available in time for inclusion in the March 2023 monthly workforce management information update, so February 2023 data was re-used as an estimate to be revised when the data had been received.</p><p> </p><p>Payroll staff costs for March 2023 have now been revised in the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defra-workforce-management-information-march-2023" target="_blank">Defra workforce management information</a> collection on GOV.UK to reflect the correct payroll staff costs.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Sir Mark Spencer question first answered 23/04/2024 16:01:32 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1681094

registered interest
date	10/01/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many purchases with a value of less than £500 were made against his Department’s budget using a Government procurement card (a) in calendar year 2022 and (b) from 1 January to 31 October 2023; and what was the total cost of those purchases.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	8946
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2024 answer text <p>The table below sets out the number of purchases made valued at under £500 using a Government procurement card for the given time periods.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Time Period</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Volume of Transactions</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Value of Transactions</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022</p></td><td><p>3853</p></td><td><p>£355,245</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1 January to 31 October 2023</p></td><td><p>3798</p></td><td><p>£336,077</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 31/01/2024 13:08:51 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1680811

registered interest
date	09/01/2024
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many government procurement cards were held by people to make purchases against his Department’s budget as of (a) 31 December 2022, (b) 31 March 2023 and (c) 31 December 2023.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	8707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2024 answer text <p>The following table sets out the number of procurement cardholders on each given date.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Date</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Cardholders</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 December 2022</p></td><td><p>237</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 March 2023</p></td><td><p>254</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>31 December 2023</p></td><td><p>304</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Procurement cards assist with the reduction in procurement bureaucracy, boost efficiency, support the Government’s prompt payment initiative for small and medium businesses, and help maintain cash flow to suppliers.</p><p> </p><p>Procurement cards are used as defined by the departmental procurement acquisition model, agreed by procurement and finance colleagues.</p><p> </p><p>Controls are in place that limit purchase types and values in line with individual departmental controls.</p><p> </p><p>Procurement cards are held by officials, not Ministers or Special Advisers.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 31/01/2024 13:05:37 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1668353

registered interest
date	08/11/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Civil Servants
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Cabinet Office statistics on Permanent and temporary civil servants by sex, age band and department: 2023, published on 31 October 2023, how many permanent civil servants excluding agencies worked for her Department on 31 March (a) 2011, (b) 2016 and (c) 2020.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	737
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2023 answer text <p>Headcount of civil servants who worked for the Department on 31 March of 2011, 2016 and 2020 can be found in the ONS Public Sector Employment Publication,</p><p>a) <a href="https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20150905000144mp_/http:/www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/pse/public-sector-employment/q1-2011/stb-q1-2011.pdf" target="_blank">March 2011, table 8</a></p><p>b) <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorpersonnel/datasets/publicsectoremploymentreferencetable/march2016/psereferencetablesmarch2016.xls" target="_blank">March 2016, table 8</a></p><p>c) <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorpersonnel/datasets/publicsectoremploymentreferencetable/march2020/datasets.xlsx" target="_blank">March 2020, table 8</a></p><p> </p><p>On 2 October 2023, the Chancellor announced an immediate cap on civil servant headcount across Whitehall to stop any further expansion, increase efficiencies and boost productivity.</p><p> </p><p>The Civil Service grew in size to manage the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the illegal war in Ukraine, but it is right that we reduce the size of the Civil Service over time as we drive up productivity and deliver efficiencies.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 23/11/2023 15:56:29 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1667995

registered interest
date	07/11/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Environment Agency: Contracts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to page 116 of the Annual Report and Accounts of the Environment Agency for 2022-23 published on 26 October 2023, what the purpose of the contract that has been subject to an adjudication process was; with which contractor that contract was agreed; and what the status is of that contract as of 7 November 2023.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	110
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2023 answer text <p>The accounts disclosed that there was an adjudication, however this adjudication dealt with preliminary issues in the commercial dispute and the dispute itself remains live. As the dispute remains live it would be inappropriate to provide further comment since this could adversely affect the course of justice, and potentially prejudice the Environment Agency’s position in the dispute.</p> answering member constituency Keighley answering member printed Robbie Moore question first answered 30/11/2023 14:09:36 answering member 4861 label Biography information for Robbie Moore
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1661806

registered interest
date	19/09/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Incentives
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 December 2022 to Question 97595, what was the total value of non-cash vouchers awarded to staff working for her core Department as performance-related bonuses in 2022-23.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	200254
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2023 answer text <p>Bonuses paid out as non-cash vouchers is a standard practice across Government.</p><p> </p><p>Attracting, retaining and motivating highly skilled individuals is essential for the Civil Service to deliver for the British people. This is why pay must be fair and competitive as well as affordable to the taxpayer. Performance-related bonuses and vouchers are a key part of this.</p><p> </p><p>The Edenred contract came into effect in 2017 which allows departments access to non-cash vouchers for staff.</p><p> </p><p>The total value of non-cash vouchers awarded to staff working for the core Department as performance-related bonuses in the 2022-23 financial year is £716,250.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 16/10/2023 16:06:59 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1626275

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Ministerial Boxes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many ministerial red boxes belonging to her Department have (a) been reported missing or lost or (b) had their security features removed in order that they can be purchased for personal use by former ministers from 1 May 2018 to 30 April 2023.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	184029
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2023 answer text <p>The department has no record of any ministerial boxes being lost or going missing between 1 May 2018 to 30 April 2023 nor have any boxes had security features removed for personal use. It is a long standing convention under successive administrations that Ministers may pay to retain boxes as a memento of their time in their role. Alternatively former Ministers are able to purchase new boxes from the relevant provider as a memento.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 22/05/2023 16:47:20 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1607791

registered interest
date	27/03/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Contracts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the invitation to tender published by her Department on 21 December 2022 with procurement reference C5445, which organisation was awarded the resulting contract; when they are due to submit their (a) draft and (b) final reports; and what was the agreed value of that contract.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	174248
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/04/2023 answer text <p>Resource Futures were awarded the contract. The agreed value of the contract is £38,666.25 (excluding VAT) and we expect the research to be completed in the summer.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 04/04/2023 16:18:33 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1601419

registered interest
date	06/03/2023
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Consultants
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the public purse was of spending on external consultants by (a) the Environment Agency, (b) Natural England and (c) the Water Services Regulation Authority in (i) 2020, (ii) 2021 and (iii) 2022; and whether any of that spending related to the preparation of funding bids to (A) her Department and (B) HM Treasury.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	158849
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2023 answer text <p><strong>(a) Environment Agency</strong></p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Consultancy (£m)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>8.5</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>8.2</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Notes:</p><ol><li>Source: Environment Agency annual report and accounts table ‘Expenditure on temporary workforce’</li><li>The above figures relate to total spending and not the ‘cost to the public purse’, as some of this will be charge or recharge funded.</li><li>None of the above spending related to preparation or creation of any bids for Defra or HM Treasury.</li></ol><p> </p><p><strong>(b) Natural England</strong></p><p><strong> </strong>As per the definition of consultancy which is “The provision to management of objective advice relating to strategy, structure, management or operations of an organisation. Such advice will be provided outside the ‘business-as-usual’ environment when in-house skills are not available and will be time-limited”, Natural England incurred nil consultancy spend in 2020 and 2021.</p><p>In 2022 £18,100 consultancy spend was incurred for the provision of specialist advice for the Customer Spending Review.</p><p> </p><p><strong>(c) Water Services Regulation Authority</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Ofwat's spend on external consultants is listed in its Annual Report and Accounts: <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ofwat.gov.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F07%2FARA-final.pdf&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ccorporatepqs%40defra.gov.uk%7C778a56e7b3f14cdfe4fe08db23c0d50f%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638143083337397949%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=hOZ10qjNu%2BiVXGPqIt3xc90Pfja0SaKj%2BYjwAhY2UAY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ARA-final.pdf</a> (see page 84); and previous year <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ofwat.gov.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F07%2FOfwat-Annual-report-and-accounts-2020-2021.pdf&amp;data=05%7C01%7Ccorporatepqs%40defra.gov.uk%7C778a56e7b3f14cdfe4fe08db23c0d50f%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638143083337397949%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=KKSIYqGlaE%2FKJxQEYAm%2ByqwfpDUZF1wHIPB3hd0qm2Y%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Ofwat-Annual-report-and-accounts-2020-2021.pdf</a> (see page 92).</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 15/03/2023 09:45:41 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry