Written questions by Wood.

Whether applicants for Developed Vetting are advised that giving false or misleading information, whether directly or by omission, would be a disciplinary offence.

Applicants and Clearance Holders, for all levels of National Security Vetting (NSV), are advised of their responsibilities with regard to the NSV process both at the point of data collection and through the ancillary guidance published on gov.uk. This includes the need for full and complete disclosure. UKSV acts as a service provider for NSV only, any decision to take disciplinary action remains separate from NSV and would be undertaken by the employing authority.

Further to the Humble Address of 4 February 2026 relating on the appointment of Lord Mandelson as HM Ambassador to Washington, how many separate volumes of returns he anticipates publishing..

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.

Pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2026, to Question 112197, on Lord Mandelson, if he will publish Gordon Brown’s letter to the Cabinet Secretary and the reply; and whether that information is within scope of the Humble Address.

The Government has no plans to publish private correspondence between Rt Hon Gordon Brown and the former Cabinet Secretary.

Pursuant to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament press notice of 25 February 2026, what are the criteria and definition of scope for the Humble Address.

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.

Whether advice on the (a) strengths and (b) weaknesses of individual appointable candidates were given to the Prime Minister by the Civil Service on the appointment of the (i) previous and (ii) current Cabinet Secretary.

I refer to my answer 115556, the Cabinet Manual sets out that the Cabinet Secretary is appointed directly by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister receives advice from the First Civil Service Commissioner, but is the final decision maker. The announcement of the previous Cabinet Secretary (here) explained that “this appointment was made following a full fair and open external competition, chaired by the First Civil Service Commissioner.” The announcement of the current Cabinet Secretary (here) explained that “the Prime Minister and the First Civil Service Commissioner agreed a process to appoint a new Cabinet Secretary. Once this process was complete, the First Civil Service Commissioner confirmed that Dame Antonia Romeo is an exceptional candidate of the highest calibre, having run two of the largest operational departments in Government, and confirmed her track record makes her the right candidate for the role.

With reference to the letter from the ONS Permanent Secretary to UK Statistics Authority Interim Chair on ONS prioritisation, of 19 February 2026, what discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics on its reasons for ending its analysis on the night time economy.

As part of their spending review 2025 settlement the ONS agreed to a prioritisation exercise to reduce the number of its outputs to ensure the department can focus on its core remit of producing and publishing high quality and timely economic and population statistics. The Government welcomes this approach.Ministers have not specifically discussed the analysis on the night time economies with the ONS. Following this PQ, ONS has confirmed that this analysis is not a regular publication and has previously been published on an ad hoc basis only.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 February 2026 to Question 108667 on Cabinet Office: Policy, how many desk notes are held by the Cabinet Office Propriety and Ethics Team.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to Question 108667 on 20 February 2026.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2026 to Question HL13539 on Special Advisers: Email, whether guidance or advice has been given to (a) officials and (b) special advisers on whether information held on non-corporated advices remains in scope of the Freedom of Information requests after they leave Crown Service.

Officials and special advisers are directed to guidance on use of Non Corporate Communication Channels on appointment and leaving of Crown Service.

Further to the Cabinet Office: business expenses, hospitality and meetings for senior officials, July to September 2025, published on 16 December 2025, whether the taxi journey recorded on 22 July 2025 for Ellen Atkinson in the Propriety and Constitution Group from central London to Foster & Partners in Battersea, at a cost of £18.95, what was the purpose of the meeting.

This meeting was with Foster + Partners, the design team for the national memorial for Queen Elizabeth II to be built in St James’s Park, London.

With reference to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question HL15172 on Civil Servants: Media and Public Speaking, what is the timetable for the policy development and publishing updated guidance; and whether the new guidance will be published on gov.uk.

The development of the updated guidance is a live policy area and it will be completed in due course. Publication plans will be confirmed when complete.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 113613 on UK Integrated Security Fund: Equality, which Integrated Security Fund projects have been supported which relate to Gender Equality and Social Inclusion markers.

I refer the Member to answers given to Parliamentary Questions 91383 and 92006.

With reference to page 35 of the Cabinet Office consultation paper on Digital ID, 10 March 2026, CP1498, whether his Department considered collecting data on sex for digital ID.

As set out in the Digital ID consultation paper, the national digital ID will only collect the minimum amount of data required to issue and manage securely. We are asking questions in the consultation about the type of data that should be included.

Whether he plans to amend his Department's guidance to civil servants, Ministers and special advisers on using non-corporate communication devices.

I refer the Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire to my replies to his Parliamentary Questions 112176 and 112653. The current guidance was issued under the previous government. We plan to review the way that non-corporate communication channels are used in Government and to update the accompanying guidance to reflect the changes in the ways we use technology.

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.

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.

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.

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.