Written questions by Wood.

When he plans to answer Question 44467, tabled on 7 April 2025.

A response has been issued here.

When he will answer Question 54801, tabled on 30 May 2025, on Ministers: Official Cars.

A response has been issued here.

Whether Baroness Shafik's contract with his Department stipulates that she may (a) claim House of Lords attendance allowances and (b) speak in the House of Lords.

Baroness Shafik has been on a leave of absence from the House of Lords since 10th September 2025.

Which department is the lead for the regulation of the private intelligence industry.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

How many safes are there in offices of the Constitution and Propriety Group in 70 Whitehall.

We do not comment on security matters.

Through what legal mechanism will the UK sign up to the Erasmus+ scheme, and whether it will require UK Parliamentary legislation or authorisation.

The legal mechanism for the UK’s association to Erasmus+ in 2027 is a decision of the UK-EU Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes which will amend Protocol I of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Once the Specialised Committee decision is adopted, this will be made publicly available on gov.uk. The Department for Education will also lay a Statutory Instrument to implement personal data processing aspects of the Erasmus+ programme in due course.

Whether there is a standing policy that Permanent Secretaries should receive a knighthood or damehood after a set number of years.

All honours nominees are considered by one of ten independent honours committees, each chaired by an independent member and comprising a majority of independent members. Permanent Secretaries are considered by the State Committee, with each case considered on its merits.

Whether political due diligence is undertaken as part of a Developed Vetting security check.

National Security Vetting is made up of multiple checks from a variety of sources, these checks are designed to identify risk and mitigations as well as verifying information provided by the vetting applicant. A comprehensive description of the Developed Vetting process can be found on gov.uk.

Pursuant to the urgent question of 23 February 2026, Official Report, Column 43, on Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address, which individual is ultimately determining and interpreting the scope of the Humble Address, in terms of what information would then be considered for publication or review by the ISC.

I refer you to the Government's response to the Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

What is the maximum amount of time an individual can remain on a Reserve List for a Senior Civil Service job without having to re-apply with full open and fair competition.

As per the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles, where a competition identifies more appointable candidates than there are available vacancies, a reserve list may be created. This can be used for up to 12 months to fill the same role or other similar roles with closely matching essential criteria. With approval from the Commission, a reserve list can be extended by up to eight weeks.

Pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2025, to Question HL12741, on Propriety and Constitution Group: Directors, for what policy reason the Director General, Propriety and Constitution group entry on the Cabinet office senior staff gov.uk page has been removed.

The Director General, Propriety and Constitution Group is not listed on the senior staff webpage because a biographical page has not yet been created for her. She is currently listed on the 'our governance' webpage. The webpages will be updated in due course.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2026, to Question 112168, on Government, if he will list the relevant stakeholders who were consulted in Summer 2025.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given to HL15004.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2026, to Question 110020, on Cabinet Office: Public Appointments, if the Cabinet Office will make it their policy to update the Direct Ministerial Appointments portal to include the full details and terms of each serving Direct Ministerial Appointment that was appointed before the creation of the portal.

The responsibility for the publication of information on Direct Ministerial Appointments rests with individual sponsor departments, as it has done under successive administrations. Departments should add all existing DMAs to the portal.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2026, to Question 112176, on Public Appointments: Standards, whether his policy intent is to further restrict the use of (a) Whatsapp, (b) Signal and (c) similar applications, on (i) corporate and (ii) non-corporate communication devices by (1) Ministers, (2) special adviser and (3) civil servants.

This government has a robust set of security policies and guidance in place that apply to Ministers, Special Advisors and Civil Servants, which are kept under consideration, including ‘Using Non-Corporate Communication Channels for Government Business’, which provides a framework for using these applications on both corporate and non-corporate devices. The Government is considering the way that different non-corporate communication channels are being used, as part of its commitment to raise information security standards.

Pursuant to his response of 23 February 2026, Official Report, Column 29, on Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review, what is the evidential basis for his statement that the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards cannot undertake an investigation to a Minister who has been suspended; and whether different provisions apply to (a) paid and (b) unpaid Ministers.

The Ministerial Code applies to serving Ministers. If a Minister is removed from office, there would be no avenue for the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards to investigate.

Pursuant to his response of 23 February 2026, Official Report, Column 29, on Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review, whether the Independent Adviser will ask (a) PRCA, (b) APCO Worldwide and (b) the journalists who were investigated by APCO/Labour Together to submit evidence.

The Prime Minister asked civil servants in the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team to establish the facts in relation to allegations concerning the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State jointly in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Cabinet Office, Josh Simons MP. These facts were reported to the Prime Minister, who referred the matter to the independent adviser on Ministerial standards. The Independent Adviser’s subsequent advice to the Prime Minister is published on gov.uk As a private company, any questions related to Labour Together are a matter for the board of Labour Together.

Whether the recruitment of the permanent Director General for the Proprietary and Constitution Group has been discussed at the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee.

The Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee (SLC) is consulted on the selection route for all appointments to Director General.Plans for the permanent recruitment to the role of Director General for Propriety, Ethics and Constitution are being developed in accordance with governance procedures.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2025 to Question 92580, how many of the 39 business cases were approved without conditions.

Of the 39 business cases, one business case was approved without being subject to conditions. This is not unusual for significant levels of spending.

When he plans to respond to Question 110814, tabled on 5 February 2026.

A response has been issued here.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2026 to Question 92580, how many of the 39 business cases approved related to projects within the Government Major Projects Portfolio.

Between July 2024 and November 2025, seven of the 39 business cases related to projects that are part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio.