Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mike Wood this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 561–580 of 1,929 · Cabinet Office
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Whether his Department considers that electronic messages held on non-corporate devices relating to official government business held by (a) Ministers and (b) Special Advisers are owned by the Government.
Official information, wherever stored, is considered to be held by the Crown. I refer the Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire to the Government’s 2023 ‘Guidance on Using Non-Corporate Communication Channels for Government Business’ for further detail that was produced and published under by the previous Government.
Whether the Whatsapps messages on 10 Downing Street official iPhones are automatically backed up to a cloud or central server.
There is established guidance on the management and recording of electronic communications on non-corporate channels. We keep all guidance around the use of non-corporate communications under review to ensure it remains fit for purpose.
Pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2026, to Question HL15004, on Government Departments: Communication, whether the Prime Minister approved the new guidance on UK/HM Government branding, or whether it was approved by an official or special adviser.
Relevant officials and special advisers reviewed the branding guidance.
With reference to the written statement of 17 March 2026, HCWS1407, on Online Advertising Taskforce Progress Report 2025, whether the adherence to the Influencer Marketing Code of Conduct will be embedded in to the Government's contracts with creative agencies and social media influencers.
Government procedure and contracts with creative agencies and social media influencers align to requirements set out in the ISBA Influencer Marketing Code of Conduct.
Pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2026, to Question 116505, on Disinformation, if he will set out what public narratives have been monitored using the tool in the last month.
Storyzy's platform empowers users to detect information manipulation and understand the information environment by analysing large quantities of data points to understand public narratives.
Pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2026, to Question 120612, on Government Departments: Vetting, whether individuals joining the Civil Service are advised on giving false or misleading information in any other part of their application and vetting process.
Civil Servants applying for NSV Security Vetting (NSV) are advised of their responsibilities throughout the process and through the guidance published on gov.uk. This includes the need for full and complete disclosure.
How much his Department has spent on locksmiths in each of the last five years.
The GPA note that for Cabinet Office sites (where the GPA provides services) across the years noted locksmith services cost £58.41. The GPA does not hold information in respect of Cabinet Office locations that are contained within HMRC Hubs.
What plans he has to make (a) primary legislative, (b) secondary legislative, (c) statutory guidance or (d) non-statutory guidance changes to activity under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I refer the Hon Member to my previous answer (UIN122783).
What steps did Darren Tierney, then the head of the Propriety and Constitution Group, take to ensure that Lord Mandelson was personally interviewed before his appointment as Ambassador.
No such interview took place. It is not unusual for political appointments to take place without direct conversations with the Cabinet Office. I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March which sets out the process of appointment and the steps the Government is taking to strengthen the process going forwards.