Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20 HC 607 DIRECTORS’ REPORT Cabinet Office | Annual Report and Account 2019-20 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 1 2019-20 (for period ended 31 March 2020) Accounts presented to the House of Commons pursuant to Section 6 (4) of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000 Annual Report presented to the House of Commons by Command of Her Majesty Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 21 July 2020 HC 607 D Cabinet Office | Annual Report and Account 2019-20 This is part of a series of Departmental publications which, along with the Main Estimates 2020-21 and the document Public Expenditure: Statistical Analyses 2019, present the Government’s outturn for 2019-20 and planned expenditure for 2020-21. 1 © Crown copyright 2020 This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. 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Printed in the UK by the APS Group on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office D Cabinet Office | Annual Report and Account 2019-20 Contents 3 D Cabinet Office | Annual Report and Account 2019-20 Cover Photo 4 70 Whitehall DIRECTORS’ REPORT Cabinet Office | Annual Report and Account 2019 20 DIRECTORS’ REPORT 5 D Cabinet Office | Annual Report and Account 2019-20 I want to put on record here my admiration for Cabinet Office’s Foreword resourceful and public-spirited staff, and their dedication to mitigating the effects of coronavirus. Their exemplary response to the pandemic came at the end of an already busy financial year in 2019-2020, in which Cabinet Office teams were central to the Government’s flagship policies. Beginning under the dedicated work of my predecessor Sir David Lidington, the Department has been engrossed in preparing the country for life outside the EU – not only the Government and the Civil Service, but also the business world, the Third Sector and of course individual citizens. Our ministers and officials are overseeing the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and preparing businesses and people for the end of the Transition Period on 31 December 2020. Rt Hon. Michael Gove MP We continue to make sure that we will unleash and deliver opportunity across the whole of the United Kingdom, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster underpinning our commitment to levelling up the country. And we are also stepping up our scrutiny of public services, to In these uniquely difficult times for the country, the Cabinet Office ensure every penny of taxpayers’ money is spent as efficiently as can be proud of its performance in a vital role supporting the Prime possible. Minister and helping the public. I would like to thank Sir John Manzoni, who stepped down in April At a pivotal period for the United Kingdom now that we have left 2020 after over five years as Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary the European Union, the important work undertaken during the and Chief Executive of the Civil Service. I am hugely grateful for Sir last financial year (2019-2020) which is set out in these pages John’s support following my appointment as Chancellor of the carries on today with energy and focus. Duchy of Lancaster [in July 2019] and look forward to building on his achievements with his successor, Alex Chisholm. Since the general election in December 2019 the Cabinet Office has been driving forward a new set of priorities that reflect the 6 I also want to pay a personal tribute to Sir Mark Sedwill, who will Prime Minister’s ambitions of having the best Government, the be standing down as Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil best Civil Service and the best public services delivery in the world. Service, and as National Security Adviser, in September 2020. Sir Mark is a supremely dedicated and hugely accomplished public These included strengthening the integrity of the Union, servant, and working alongside him in a number of Government embedding and enhancing our political and economic Departments has been both a pleasure and a privilege. I know he independence outside the EU, accelerating Government and public will continue to contribute to the service of this country. sector transformation, and strengthening our democracy, security and electoral law. The challenges that we face now will not end quickly. Even as life returns to something closer to normal, there will be significant Now, alongside these core projects, we of course have an changes in how we all live. Cabinet Office will remain at the heart additional mission of unprecedented urgency: helping to of delivering the Prime Minister’s plans for the long-term good of coordinate the continuing national response to coronavirus as we the country. move into a new phase of rebuilding the domestic economy through investment in schools, transport, broadband and other Cabinet Office will support this agenda and also continue its vital important infrastructure. work on its other priorities relating to the Union and public sector reform. It is a huge responsibility but I am confident we are well As the Prime Minister has said, we will remember 2020 as the year placed to maintain the high quality of our support for the Prime we were hit, along with nearly every other nation, by a previously Minister, the Government and of course the people. unknown and remorseless foe. The challenges to our economy, people, jobs and our National Health Service are unprecedented. Cabinet Office teams have been at the heart of the national response, assisting ministers and officials in making decisions – from supporting the Department of Health and Social Care on domestic ventilator production and sourcing personal protective equipment to working with partners to improve testing – that are key for the nation’s future economic wellbeing and the smooth running of Government and our emergency measures. DIRECTORS’ REPORT Cabinet Office | Annual Report and Account 2019-20 Ministers Cabinet Office Ministers as at 31 March 2020 The Rt Hon. Boris Johnson MP The Rt Hon. Michael The Rt Hon. Amanda The Rt Hon. Penny Chloe Smith MP Prime Minister, First Lord of the Gove MP Milling MP Mordaunt MP Minister of State for the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Chancellor of the Duchy Co-Chairman of the Paymaster General Constitution and Service and Minister for the of Lancaster and Minister Conservative Party and Devolution Union for the Cabinet Office Minister without Portfolio (paid by HM Treasury) (unpaid) The Rt Hon. Lord True CBE The Lord Agnew of Johnny Mercer MP Julia Lopez MP Minister of State Oulton DL Parliamentary Under- Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office Minister of State Secretary of State for Defence at the Cabinet Office for the Cabinet Office People and Veterans and HM Treasury (paid by Ministry of Defence) (Unpaid) 7 The Rt Hon. Jacob The Rt Hon. Baroness The Rt Hon. Earl Howe The Rt Hon. Mark The Rt Hon. Lord Ashton Rees-Mogg MP Evans of Bowes Park Deputy Leader of the Spencer MP of Hyde Leader of the House of Leader of the House of House of Lords Parliamentary Secretary Chief Whip in the House of Commons and Lord Lords and Lord Keeper of (Unpaid) to the Treasury and Lords and Captain of the President of the Council the Privy Seal Chief Whip Honourable Corps of (paid by HM Treasury) Gentlemen-at-Arms (paid by HM Treasury) The following ministers left the Cabinet Office during 2019-20: The Rt Hon. Andrea Leadsom MP, Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council left the Cabinet Office on 22 May 2019. The Rt Hon. Theresa May MP, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Prime Minister left the Cabinet Office on 24 July 2019. The Rt Hon. David Lidington CBE MP, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office left the Cabinet Office on 24 July 2019. The Rt Hon. Brandon Lewis MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party and Minister without Portfolio left the Cabinet Office on 24 July 2019 and took office as Minister of State for Security. The Rt Hon. Mel Stride MP, Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council left the Cabinet Office on 24 July 2019. The Rt Hon. Julian Smith MP, Chief Whip and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury left the Cabinet Office on 24 July 2019 and took office as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The Rt Hon. Lord Taylor of Holbeach CBE, Lords Chief Whip and Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms left the Cabinet Office on 24 July 2019. The Rt Hon. Lord Young of Cookham CH, Government Spokesman in the House of Lords, left the Cabinet Office on 29 August 2019. Kevin Foster MP, Parliamentary Secretary, Minister for the Constitution (paid by HM Treasury), left the Cabinet Office on 28 October 2019 and continued as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Wales Office. Simon Hart MP, Parliamentary Secretary, Minister for Implementation, left the Cabinet Office on 16 December 2019 and took office as Secretary of State for Wales. The Rt Hon. Oliver Dowden CBE MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General left the Cabinet Office on 13 February 2020 and took office as the Culture Secretary.