Corporate report

Cabinet Office, Second Headquarters: Year in Review 2025 (HTML)

Published 9 January 2026

Foreword

Vincent Devine, Director General, Government Security Group, Senior Sponsor for the Cabinet Office in Scotland

Since stepping into the role of Senior Sponsor for the Cabinet Office in Scotland 18 months ago, I have seen first hand the progress and ambition of our Second Headquarters. It has been a truly rewarding experience.

Our Second Headquarters is not just an extension of the Cabinet Office; it’s a vital part of our future ambitions. By delivering on the Prime Minister’s key priorities right here in Glasgow, we’re making our Civil Service more diverse, and more connected to the communities we serve. Being rooted in this city allows us to bring local talent, skills, and expertise directly to the heart of Government, making our work stronger and more effective.

The dedication of everyone at the Second Headquarters shines through every page of this document. Through powerful partnerships with local universities, businesses, and charities, our colleagues are making a lasting impact, both in the city and within our organisation.

We have built a strong momentum together. I am confident that we will build on these successes to continue to create a more connected, diverse, and dynamic Cabinet Office and Civil Service for the future.

Marion Francis, Deputy Senior Responsible Officer

The Cabinet Office Second Headquarters in Glasgow continues to go from strength to strength. With over 700 Cabinet Office colleagues, our Second Headquarters is a vibrant workplace, where we focus on delivering the Government’s highest priorities while being firmly embedded into the local community.

We are helping to drive forward the Government’s plan for change, being connected and engaged with the local community.

This report is both a look back on our accomplishments, and also a look forward to the power of place. By having our roots firmly planted in Glasgow, the Cabinet Office is enriched with fresh perspectives and diverse talent. Our success in Glasgow is a powerful example of how a more distributed and connected Civil Service can better serve the entire United Kingdom.

Looking ahead, we are more ambitious than ever, continuing to build on this strong foundation, strengthening ties with the local community, and collaborating with partners across Scotland and the UK. The journey continues, and I am ambitious for what we will achieve together.

Looking ahead, we are more ambitious than ever.

Introduction

As the Cabinet Office Second Headquarters reaches a four-year milestone, we have created a “Year in Review” to give you a detailed look at the breadth and depth of the activities we have undertaken over the past year. It showcases how our work contributes to the delivery of the Government’s key priorities and adds value for the Cabinet Office, across Government, and the communities in which we are so proudly based.

This Year in Review highlights some examples of the work to deliver these priorities within the Second Headquarters, demonstrating the Cabinet Office’s commitment to increasing its impact in Glasgow.

This Year in Review highlights key projects from the Second Headquarters, reflecting the Cabinet Office’s growing impact and commitment to Glasgow.

Progress

Building on Success to Realise the Full Potential of the Second Headquarters

With over 700 staff and a range of Cabinet Office business units, our Second Headquarters is a growing hub of opportunity. Identified as a key growth location for the Cabinet Office, we have focused our efforts over the past year on developing a long-term strategy to drive our continued development, to ensure that we fulfil our full potential and deliver impact within Cabinet Office and in Glasgow. To support this, we have welcomed ministers and senior officials to Glasgow, and built strong partnerships with local stakeholders to capitalise on this growing momentum.

Ministerial Visits & Senior Officials

Over the past 12 months we have welcomed numerous Cabinet Office Ministers and Senior Officials to the Second Headquarters, including:

• Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
• Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
• Abena Oppong-Asare, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office.
• Ellie Reeves, Minister without Portfolio.
• Sir Chris Wormald, Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.
• Cat Little, Permanent Secretary for the Cabinet Office and Chief Operating Officer for the Civil Service.
• Plus regular visits from the Cabinet Office Executive Committee members.

These visits provide a direct platform for ministers to connect with local stakeholders to discuss key Government priorities such as mission delivery and AI adoption. From policy focused roundtables to site visits, these engagements allow us to bring local skills, expertise and specialisms to the heart of policy discussions. This have enabled us to design better solutions and ensure our policies are grounded in the realities of the communities they serve.

Over the past year, we have concentrated on creating a long-term strategy to sustain and accelerate our growth.

People

Investing in Scottish Talent and Celebrating Our Community

Investing in our people is key to the long-term growth and development of our Second Headquarters. We are dedicated to nurturing talent and fostering an environment where everyone can thrive. Over the past 12 months we have focused on supporting our people through career development, educational outreach and creating a sense of community.

To effectively deliver this, we have worked closely across Government and utilised local knowledge, skills and expertise.

University and Schools Outreach

University and Schools Outreach have included:

• Active engagement with eight Glasgow schools and five Scottish Universities.
• An internship programme with Career Ready.
• An internship programme with Barnardos.
• Cross Government collaboration on education outreach through the Northern Ireland & Scotland Schools Outreach Network (NISSON).
• The Cabinet Office Conversations programme with University of Glasgow.

This work benefits the Cabinet Office by building a diverse talent pipeline, supporting the Government’s Places for Growth programme and long-term ambitions to diversify the civil service.

Learning & Development

Our learning and development highlights for 2025 include:

• Cabinet Office Policy School – a cross-Government programme to develop and refine policy skills.
• A Series of Public Policy Lunch and Learn Sessions with University of Glasgow – a cross-Government initiative bringing together leading academics and civil servants.
• Transforming Government – Productive and Agile Leadership Programme – a pilot leadership programme between the Cabinet Office Second Headquarters and the Centre for Public Policy at the University of Glasgow.

Community Engagement

Community highlights include:

• Established 16 staff network groups ranging from peer networks to coding cafes.
• Developed a 12-month fundraising programme to support national and local charities.
• Hosted 24 Senior Civil Service (SCS) events to connect staff with senior leaders.
• Developed a bespoke induction programme, supporting 82 staff members.
• Over 100 staff volunteered with local homelessness charity, The Simon Community.

Partnerships

Adding Value for the Cabinet Office and for Partners

Prioritising partnership working both across Government and with local stakeholders will be key to our long-term success. Over the past 12 months we have continued to build long-term partnerships and engage our stakeholders in key areas of Cabinet Office policy. We’ve also worked in partnership with key Government departments across Scotland to ensure we maximise our synergies through cross-Government working groups and the UK Government place plan in Scotland.

Through high-level roundtables, strategic site visits, and facilitated partner sessions, we’ve addressed challenges and driven forward key initiatives and opportunities within Glasgow.

Over the past 12 months we have:

• Engaged local partners in events and discussions related to key Cabinet Office priorities such as mission delivery and digital technologies.
• Embedded partnership working and external engagement as a core part of our 2030 ambitions, developing new collaborations and strengthening existing stakeholder relationships.
• Enhanced collaboration with UK Government departments across Scotland through the UK Government Leaders Group and operational working groups.

Partnership engagement has been key to addressing shared challenges, complex policy issues and ensuring the 2030 ambitions are built on a strong foundation of collaboration. These efforts have led to stronger, more productive relationships across Government and with local stakeholders, directly supporting the delivery of key Cabinet Office priorities.

Over the past year, we’ve strengthened long-term partnerships, engaged stakeholders on Cabinet Office policies, and collaborated with key Government departments across Scotland to maximise cross-Government synergies and support the UK Government Place Plan in Scotland.

Looking Ahead

As we look ahead, and build on these successes, we recognise there is still more to achieve to realise the full potential of our work. By working collaboratively within the Cabinet Office, across Government, and with our key stakeholders, we can maximise the impact of the Second Headquarters.

This includes continuing to deliver the Government’s priorities and continuing to deepen our connections with the local community to maximise our impact.

Ultimately, these efforts will deliver tangible value and positive change for the Cabinet Office and the communities we serve.

By working collaboratively across Government, and with our key stakeholders, we can maximise the impact of the Second Headquarters.

For further information contact: secondhq@cabinetoffice.gov.uk