Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mike Wood this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 341–360 of 1,716 · Cabinet Office
What steps his Department took to track Morgan McSweeney’s lost Government phone, including the use of cell site analysis data.
There are long established and robust processes to manage information security following the theft of No10 work devices and those processes were followed.
What is his policy on (a) full-time staff working a four-day week on full-pay and (b) full-time staff working compressed hours on a four-day week.
A four-day work week on full pay is not a civil service policy or something that is being considered. The Civil Service is committed to flexible working, recognising the benefits it brings to delivering its priorities. While departments are responsible for determining specific terms and conditions, full-time Civil Service employees typically work 42 gross hours (37 net hours) across a five-day week. Some departments offer flexible working policies such as compressed hours, which allow the same number of hours to be worked over a shorter period with no impact on pay. There are no flexible working options that would permit reduced or part-time hours while maintaining full-time pay.
With reference to the Cabinet Secretary's objectives 2026-27, published on 7 April 2026, what is the timetable for the publication of the strategic workforce plan.
The Civil Service is committed to publishing a Civil Service Strategic Workforce Plan this year, following departments having finalised their own workforce plans, as per the financial settlements that were agreed with HMT in the Spending Review, and the priorities set by Ministers, including those set out in the Autumn Budget.
What guidance the Civil Service People Group has given to Departments on whether civil servants can claim expenses for travelling to work.
The Civil Service Management Code (chapter 8) specifies the regulations for the reimbursement of expenses and details the conditions under which such expenses can be made. Departments must not reimburse the costs of home to office travel, unless explicitly permitted elsewhere within the Code.
Pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2026, to Question 116771, on Vetting, whether Lord Mandelson’s Developed Vetting considered his links to Jeffery Epstein.
I refer the Hon Member to the government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
What guidance his Department has issued on whether party political events held in Ministerial diaries are held for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act.
The Cabinet Office has not issued guidance on whether party political events held in Ministerial diaries are held for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act.
Pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 121770 on Government Departments: Facilities Agreements, whether Departments will be required to continue to collate internal figures on the cost of facility time.
Government Departments are recommended to continue to collate their facility time data. However, publication is no longer centrally mandated or collated, and there is no statutory requirement for Government Departments to collect or publish this data.
With reference to the the State Council of the People's Republic of China's press release entitled, China's top diplomat holds talks with British prime minister's national security adviser, published on 15 July 2025, whether Jonathan Powell discussed the Chagos Islands with the Chinese Government at this meeting.
The National Security Adviser meets with a range of individuals and organisations as part of his role providing advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on national security matters. Such meetings are often sensitive in nature, and the Government does not routinely comment on them or their content.
With reference to his Department's news story entitled Modernising public procurement: backing British businesses and building a fairer economy, published 26 March 2026, if he will publish the hyperlinks to the procurement guidance on the (a) new Public Interest Test and (b) publishing insourcing strategies.
This government is committed to making the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation a reality. To do so, we will introduce a new Public Interest Test, requiring all departments to assess whether a service can be delivered more effectively in-house before any outsourcing decision is made. All departments will be required to also publish insourcing strategies to ensure delivery of this policy is effective. The Cabinet Office plans to publish detailed guidance on the introduction of this public interest test in the Summer. Guidance on the public interest test and insourcing strategies will be available on gov.uk.
Pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 115553 on APCO Worldwide and Labour Together, what was the specific allegation and breach of the Ministerial Code that the Independent Adviser was asked by the Prime Minister to consider.
I refer the Hon Member to the response to the Urgent Question on 23 February, Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review (Official Report, Column 27), and also to the Terms of Reference for the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards on gov.uk.
Whether his Department has issued guidance on whether accountable grant agreements should be (a) published and (b) subject to (i) tendering and (ii) open competition.
The Cabinet Office has published guidance on GOV.UK covering the administration of general grants and the requirement to award funding via a competitive process.
Pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2025, to Question 63328, on Intelligence and Security Committee: Press Releases, whether the Cabinet Office has now provided (a) additional and (b) independent resource, to the Intelligence and Security Committee and its secretariat; and what the status is of the updating of the Memorandum of Understanding.
Cabinet Office officials engage routinely and constructively with the Committee and will continue to do so. The Cabinet Office has agreed to the Committee’s requested uplift on budgeting and resourcing, which should help it to continue to undertake its critical role effectively. Cabinet Office officials are also working with the ISC to identify the best operating model for the future. The Prime Minister values the independent and robust oversight which the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) provides. Following discussions with the Committee, the Cabinet Office is conducting a review of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Prime Minister and the Committee. Any changes made to the MOU would need to be agreed by both the Prime Minister and the ISC.
Pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2026, to Question 116506, on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, for what reason the OCS invoice paid by the Government Property Agency in 12 November 2025 does not appear in the published Cabinet Office Core spending data for November 2025.
The OCS invoice paid by the Government Property Agency dated 6th November 2025 and paid on 12th November 2025 does appear in the November 2025 Cabinet Office spend data as published on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data.
What the current budget is for (a) media advertising, (b) marketing and (c) communications on the new Digital ID; which creative agencies have been selected to undertake the work; and what types of media have been commissioned.
There is currently no marketing activity around the digital ID itself. All marketing is focused on public participation in the consultation which closes 5 May.
Pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41289 on Arms Length Bodies: Parliamentary Scrutiny, what guidance has been given to non-ministerial departments on how they should provide information to departments to facilitate the answering of written parliamentary questions through their sponsor Minister.
The Cabinet Office has not issued guidance to non-ministerial departments on how they should provide information to departments to facilitate the answering of written parliamentary questions by their sponsor Minister.
Pursuant to the letter included in the Answer of 23 March 2026 to Question 119327 on Census: Gender, what is the timetable for the development of the new harmonised standards by the Government Statistical Service; and whether the standards will relate to (a) sex, (b) sexual orientation, (c) gender reassignment and (d) gender identity.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 10th April is attached.
What has been the total public cost to date of the Covid-19 Inquiry.
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry publishes a quarterly financial report of its costs. The latest publication for Q3 2025/26 shows that the total cost from when the Inquiry was established on 28 June 2022 to 31 December 2025 was £204m. Since the financial year 2023/24, the Government has published data on costs incurred by key government departments in responding to the Inquiry. These costs to 30 September 2025 total £111m and are in addition to the Inquiry’s own costs above. A further update to the data will be published in due course.
Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of UK GDPR data protection principles on his Department's disclosure of Lord Mandelson's personal information under the humble Address.
I refer you to the Oral Statement on the 23rd February, in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, and the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 16th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves. All relevant material is being prepared for publication, including the appropriate checks relating to national security, international relations, legal privilege and the protection of personal data.
How many Government phones were (a) lost and (b) stolen in the Prime Minister’s Office since 4 July 2024.
It would not be appropriate to detail internal security matters. There are long established and robust processes to manage information security following the theft of No10 work devices
Pursuant to the Answer of 23 March 2026 to Question 120836 on Prime Minister: Ministerial Boxes, whether there is guidance on how (a) oral, (b) written and (c) electronic responses by Ministers to formal advice and submissions should be recorded on the official record.
Yes there is. The Guidance for the management of Private Office information and records has been published and can be found on gov.uk.