Written questions by Wood.

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.

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 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 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 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.

Pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2026 to question 110013, whether the incorrect expenditure was included in the audited financial statements within the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 2025.

The expenditure is included in the audited financial statements. However, an administrative error meant this amount was not disclosed in the separate, unaudited breakdown of Cabinet away day costs provided on page 67. This will be explained in next year's annual report.

With reference to paragraph 1.3 of the Budget Information Security Review, published on 9 February 2026, if he will publish the recommendations from his Department's leak inquiry.

The recommendations from the Cabinet Office leak inquiry have been published and are included in the HM Treasury Budget Information Security Review.

Whether the Civil Service Coffee Connect programme still operates.

I refer to PQ 105699, answered on 21 January, 2026. We have been unable to identify any such central Civil Service initiative.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108242 on Senior Civil Servants: Recruitment, if he will publish any new guidance on the recruitment and retention of Senior Civil Servants.

There are no plans to publish internal-facing guidance to the public domain, as it constitutes HR-to-HR guidance designed for departments to integrate into their respective policies and processes.

If he will amend his Department's public sector facility time data collection to include trade union diversity time.

Departments facility time data publications, were based on Schedule 2 of the Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017, which specified what data needed to be collected and reported.This did not include a specific category for the collection and reporting of time spent by trade union representatives on diversity matters. The Regulations were repealed under Section 66 of the Employment Rights Act 2025.

What guidance his Department has issued on (a) the selection and use of KPIs in government procurement and (b) whether failure to meet KPIs is grounds for termination of contracts.

The Procurement Act 2023, introduced by the previous Government, empowers contracting authorities to terminate their contracts for serious breaches of contract or poor performance. It also now makes it a statutory requirement for contracting authorities, where appropriate, to set and publish at least three key performance indicators for public contracts with an estimated value of more than £5 million. Additionally, the Cabinet Office provides guidance on the selection and use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) through the Sourcing Playbook. This guidance provides that all new projects should include relevant and proportionate performance measures designed to incentivise delivery. While specific grounds for termination are subject to individual contract terms, it is the responsibility of each contracting authority to manage supplier performance.

When the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ethics and Integrity Commission and his Department will be agreed and published; and whether HM Opposition will be consulted on its terms prior to publication.

The Ethics and Integrity Commission’s (EIC) terms of reference are available on its website here - https://eic.independent-commission.uk/what-we-do/terms-of-reference/ A new Memorandum of Understanding between the EIC and the Cabinet Office is expected to be published in the coming financial year. As with Framework Documents, there is no requirement to consult the Opposition on these documents prior to publication. The EIC has members nominated by the main political parties.