Written questions by Wood.

With reference to page 48 of the Cabinet Office consultation paper on Digital ID, 10 March 2026, CP1498, whether prospective employees who do not have a passport or a Digital ID will be able to take up a job.

Digital right to work checks will be required by the end of the Parliament. Anyone starting a new job will be able to use the new, free digital proof of identity for these right to work checks - or do a digital check of other documents, including your passport.The design and rollout of digital ID will be accompanied by an inclusion programme across the UK.

If he will publish the (a) FOI reference numbers and (b) dates of the Freedom of Information Act responses on the Government Car Service where his Department has released information in full.

The Hon Member will be aware that as under successive administrations, the Cabinet Office does not routinely publish responses to FOI requests.

Pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2026 to Question 114870 on Lobbying: Finance, whether grant funding has been approved where lobbying activity is expressly part of the purpose of the grant since July 2024.

The government grants register is published on GOV.UK. The latest publication, for 2023/24, makes no reference to lobbying under the purpose of any scheme listed.

Pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2025, to Question 71202, on Public Bodies: Freedom of Information, whether information held by civil servants who have now left Crown Service is in scope of the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson.

I refer you 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.

Further to the Interministerial Standing Committee Meeting Communiqué - 17 February 2026, updated 9 March 2026, what the Memorandum of Understanding on the Sewel Convention will contain.

The government is committed to strengthening the Sewel Convention by setting out a new Memorandum of Understanding outlining how the nations will work together on legislation. Officials from each of the four governments of the UK have been working closely on this and good progress has been made. As these discussions are ongoing, further detail on the content of the MoU will be provided in due course.

What assessment his Department has made of the risk of Capita holding over £3 billion in Government contracts; and whether he plans to invoke the supplier debarment provisions of the Procurement Act 2023.

Cabinet Office continues to manage the government’s relationship with Capita, including monitoring its performance on a cross-government basis. As a strategic supplier to the government, Capita has a high level of oversight and risk management by the Cabinet Office, which is underpinned by an Memorandum of Understanding. As part of this, Capita provides transparency on their financial health and corporate strategy as well as engage with annual Corporate Resolution Planning. Under the Procurement Act 2023, suppliers can be excluded from procurements on certain grounds, including serious breaches of contract and unremedied poor performance. The Act also empowers the Government to investigate a supplier for potential debarment, which could affect the supplier's eligibility to bid for future public contracts. There are currently no live debarment investigations relating to Capita.

Further to the Cabinet Office consultation paper on Digital ID, 10 March 2026, CP1498, what the estimated gross cost is of the Digital ID programme.

The design and delivery of the national digital identity credential are subject to a public consultation, which launched Tuesday 10th March. The design and delivery of digital ID are subject to the consultation outcomes. The feedback from the consultation will inform our final approach and enable a more accurate assessment of costs.

If he will initiate a leak inquiry into the reported leaking of the discussions of the National Security Council on British military action in the Middle East.

The Government Security Group is conducting an inquiry into this unauthorised disclosure, drawing on the full range of powers at their disposal. In line with normal practice, the Government does not comment on a live inquiry.

Pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2026, to Question 111932, on Lord Mandelson, what discussions (a) Morgan McSweeney and (b) Paul Ovenden had via email on this matter.

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.

Pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 114873 on Home Office: Redundancy Pay, whether exit payments made to the last two Cabinet Secretaries were eligible for the £30,000 tax-free allowance.

It is a longstanding policy not to comment on individual employment matters. The guidance on tax on severance payments is here: https://www.gov.uk/termination-payments-and-tax-when-you-leave-a-job/what-you-pay-tax-and-national-insurance-on

Whether he has had recent discussions with the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament on providing independent resourcing to the Committee, separate from the Cabinet Office.

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.

Pursuant to the answer of 24 February 2026 to Question 113130 on Official Cars: Global Positioning System, whether the location of the Government Car Service driver is shared with the Private Office via (a) text and (b) location sharing.

I refer the Hon Member to my answer on 24 February 2026 (PQ 113130).

With reference to the publication Cabinet Office: business expenses, hospitality and meetings for senior officials, July to September 2025, published on 16 December 2025, what external organisations did Ellen Atkinson in the Propriety and Constitution Group meet in Edinburgh and Belfast on 2 to 3 September 2025.

Ellen Atkinson did not travel to Edinburgh or Belfast between the 2nd and 3rd September 2025. This was an incorrect entry on the Cabinet Office's Senior Officials' Business Expenses publication, which has now been amended.

Whether any independent oversight will exist where a Minister seeks to set a KPI that an official considers inconsistent with the Civil Service Code.

The Civil Service Code sets out the steps that should be taken if civil servants believe they are being required to act in a way which conflicts with the Code.

If he will make it his policy to remain outside the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the context of his negotiations with the EU, and the policies associated with EU/UK reset.

The Common Understanding does not provide for oversight of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) within Great Britain or Northern Ireland. Instead it provides that the CJEU will have a limited role in assisting an independent arbitration tribunal responsible for deciding a dispute between the UK and the EU in relation to questions of EU law under any future SPS agreement, ETS linking agreement or an electricity agreement. The CJEU does not rule on the substantive outcome of the dispute - that is a matter for the independent arbitration panel.

What advice departmental officials in charge of the Cabinet Office guidance on consultations have given departments on whether consultation responses submitted from organisations or individuals subject to a policy of non-engagement should be disregarded.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer on 16 January 2026 (103769).

Pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2026, to Question 115437, on Civil Servants: Redundancy, if he will make it his policy to publish the information on projected exits in an anonymised or Barnardised format.

Departments publish details of exits made under the terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme within their Annual Report and Accounts.

Through what mechanism his Department reminds public bodies of the requirements to submit public sector facility time data each year; and whether this includes an electronic communication to public bodies sent by the Cabinet Office.

Each year Cabinet Office sent an electronic communication, reminding those who had submitted public sector facility time data in the previous year, of the requirements to submit public sector facility time. Cabinet Office no longer sends any such communication, following the repeal of the requirement to report facility time data to the Cabinet Office as part of the Employment Rights Act (2025).

What guidance has the (a) Cabinet Office Propriety and Constitution Group and (b) the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards given to Ministers on whether they must declare a (1) close personal or (2) sexual relationship in their declaration of Ministerial interests to (i) the Permanent Secretary and (ii) Independent Adviser, where such an individual has dealings with the Department.

The Ministerial Code sets out the high standards of behaviour expected of those who serve in Government, including the requirement that ministers ensure that no conflict arises, or could reasonably be perceived to arise, between their public duties and their private interests, financial or otherwise There is an established process in place for the declaration and management of private interests held by ministers, as set out in the Ministerial Code. This process ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any actual or perceived conflicts of interest.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 54277 on Cabinet Office: Freedom of Information, when he plans to lay the updated Handbook in the Library of the House.

Updates to the Honours Committee handbook are ongoing. Once these updates have been completed, the relevant version will be laid in the House Library.