David Cameron has chaired the final Cabinet meeting before the summer break – and invited London mayor Boris Johnson.
The Prime Minister, who is expected to spend most of next month on holiday, gathered his top team at his Chequers residence in Buckinghamshire.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said the session - held the day after George Osborne demanded departments prepare plans to cut spending by up to 40% - had "reviewed progress on priorities".
Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin gave a presentation on what had been done so far in "vital areas such as housing, immigration and childcare".
"One year on from the Girl Summit, the Development Secretary and Home Secretary updated Cabinet on the progress made both at home and abroad on action to stop female genital mutilation and forced marriage," the spokeswoman added.
In what will be seen as an olive branch to Uxbridge MP Mr Johnson - who is not a minister but serves in the "political Cabinet" - Number 10 made clear he had attended the event "at the invitation of the Prime Minister".
The mayor clashed with Home Secretary Theresa May last week after she refused to authorise the use of three water cannon that cost the London authorities £328,000.