Planning for the future of the Government’s estates

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 17 Oct 2022 Closed: 31 Oct 2023 Parliament page
In 2018, the Government unveiled an ambitious estates strategy, aiming to make substantial savings, encourage regional growth, and diversify the culture of the Civil Service. This inquiry will examine progress, led by the Cabinet Office and Government Property Agency, in delivering against this strategy and learning from previous policies on … Read more
9 Recommendations
10 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
2 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 12 events
18 Oct
2023
Report published
27 Jul
2023
Report published
23 May
2023
Correspondence
28 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
28 Mar
2023
Correspondence
28 Mar
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
21 Feb
2023
Oral evidence
21 Feb
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
31 Jan
2023
Oral evidence
31 Jan
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
13 Dec
2022
Oral evidence
13 Dec
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
28 Mar 2023
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Planning for the future of the Government’s estates
Alex Burghart MP · Cabinet Office Ravi Chand CBE · Cabinet Office Steven Boyd MBE · Government Property Agency
21 Feb 2023
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Planning for the future of the Government’s estates
Amy Leversidge · The FDA Trade Union Garry Graham · Prospect Geoff Lewtas · Public and Commercial Services Union Martin Kelsey · Public and Commercial Services Union
31 Jan 2023
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Planning for the future of the Government’s estates
Alex Thomas · Institute for Government Jordan Urban · Institute for Government Professor Tony Travers · The LSE School of Public Policy
13 Dec 2022
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Planning for the future of the Government’s estates
Kate Caulkin · The National Audit Office Ruth Kelly · The National Audit Office Siân Jones · The National Audit Office
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Eighth Report - Where Civil Servants Work: Planning for the futu… HC 793 27 Jul 2023 19 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
5 results
Clear
6 Conclusion Deferred
Eighth Report - Where Civil Servan…
Develop guidance requiring accounting officers to explore property coordination with Government Property Agency
The rationale for the creation of the Government Property Agency was that by taking over the management of all government office buildings it would lead to co- ordinated decision-making and efficiency savings. But with the departments with the biggest office … Read more
Government Response
The government committed to publishing 'relevant programme documentation for Places for Growth and the Plan for London,' but did not commit to developing the specific guidance for accounting officers as recommended.
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8 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Where Civil Servan…
Require Cabinet Office to publish clear policies on civil servant office attendance and headcount reductions
In its response to this report the Cabinet Office should write to us with a definitive statement of government policy on the flexibility civil servants should have on how often they work in the office. Within the same period, the … Read more
Government Response
The government states it will publish relevant programme documentation for Places for Growth and the Plan for London, but does not provide the requested definitive statements on office working flexibility or clear details on headcount reductions and their impact on office space.
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9 Recommendation Deferred
Eighth Report - Where Civil Servan…
Commission external review of Government Property Agency's value for money for rental charges
The Cabinet Office has provided a plausible explanation for the GPA’s practice of charging departments rent on offices which the Government owns and has no intention of selling. This answer emphasises the value for money which the GPA is able … Read more
Government Response
The government stated it will publish relevant programme documentation for Places for Growth and the Plan for London, which does not directly address the recommendation to commission an external review of the GPA's value for money.
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14 Conclusion Deferred
Eighth Report - Where Civil Servan…
Government's unclear approach to regional recruitment risks stereotyping communities
Recruiting staff to regional offices has the potential to open up the civil service as a career to a wider number of people. This can have benefits both for civil servants (enabling them to pursue a career in government without … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged that the issues raised are a difficult area, referencing the Minister's prior evidence session, but did not commit to any specific actions or provide further clarification.
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15 Conclusion Deferred
Eighth Report - Where Civil Servan…
Current Places for Growth programmes are haphazard and lack clear rationale
The previous system of Government Offices for the English Regions received some criticism at the time for not sufficiently doing bottom-up policy-making for the regions they were based in. However, there was at least a comprehensive structure in Where Civil … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged that the issues raised are a difficult area, referencing the Minister's prior evidence session, but did not commit to any specific actions or provide further clarification.
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Government Response AI assessment · 19 of 9 classified
Accepted 9
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 5
Rejected 1
Total 9 recs + 10 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
23 May 2023 To committee Letter from Alex Burghart MP on follow up evidence after the 28 March oral evidence session - Planning for the future of the Government’s estates, dated 17.5.23
Parliament page
28 Mar 2023 To committee Letter from Alex Burghart MP, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office on the Government Property Strategy, dated 28.2.23
Parliament page