1O LONDON SW1A 2AA [email protected]

24 May 2021

Dear Mr Atkinson

Our ref: FOI2021/09444

I am writing in response to your email of 24 April in which you make a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Your full request is attached.

The Freedom of Information Act provides the right of access to recorded information. The Act does not require a public authority to create new information in order to respond to a request, answer questions or provide comments and views where no recorded information is already held.

The Prime Minister’s Office is responsible for the in No. which the Prime Minister occupies. The Chancellor of the Exchequer occupies the ministerial residence in No . There is no separate ministerial residence in No 12 Downing Street.

Information that we hold about the residences is in the public domain and is therefore exempt under Section 21 of the Act (information accessible by other means). For ease of reference it can be found in the Ministerial Code and specifically in section 7 Ministers’ Private Interests (official residences).

Microsoft Word - August 2019 MINISTERIAL CODE - FINAL FORMATTED 2.docx (publishing.service.gov.uk)

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There is no expenditure from public funds for food and groceries for the Prime Minister, the costs of which are met personally by the Prime Minister.

Yours sincerely

NICHOLAS HOWARD

Mr Michael Atkinson

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Incoming request

With regard to each flat, please identify the office held by the current occupant, and should any flat be unoccupied, please identify the office held by the person who might usually be expected to reside there.

With regard to the flats generally, please provide the below listed information: • Is the occupant charged rent, and if so, how is this arrived at? • Is council tax charged in respect of the flats and, if so, who pays it? • In respect of electricity and gas, are the flats on separate meters to the remainder of the buildings and, if so, who settles the bills? • In respect of water supply, are the flats on water meters and if so, who settles the bills? • If any or all of the flats are not separately metered for any and all utilities, please indicate who is responsible for settling the bills and how the usage of the telephone and Internet paid for? • With regards to the staff flats, are the occupants responsible for the purchase of food and other domestic items? If not, please identify who supplies such items? • Is there a domestic staff, i.e, butler, cook, cleaner etc. for the flats or are such duties the responsibility of the occupants? • With regard to official functions held in staff flats, please identify whether catering is done ‘in house’ and by whom or whether an external caterer is appointed. In the case of an external caterer, please give details of how the appointment is made. In the event that catering is in house, please identify from where the serving staff come.

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1O DOWNING STREET LONDON SW1A 2AA

If you are unhappy with the level of service you have received from this office in relation to any aspect of your request, you may ask for an internal review.

You should contact:

Rachel Anderson Head of Freedom of Information 70 London SW1A 2AS

Email: [email protected]

You should note that the Cabinet Office will not normally accept an application for internal review if it is received more than two months after the date that the reply was issued.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF