Written questions by Wood.

With reference to the Ethics and Integrity Commission’s Implementation Plan, whether the Commission’s staff will be employed independently of his Department; what budget has been allocated to the Commission for each of the next three financial years; and how many full time equivalent staff the Commission will employ during that period.

The Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC) is an advisory Non-departmental Body of the Cabinet Office. As such it is not a separate legal entity from the Cabinet Office and the staff employed within it are Cabinet Office civil servants and there are no plans to change this. However, the EIC is operationally independent from the Cabinet Office and is led by an independent Chair and a majority independent Committee of members to safeguard its independence and advice to the Prime Minister. The indicative budget for the EIC for the 2026/27 financial year is £1m and it is expected to have approximately 18 FTE staff in this period. The budget and staffing allocation for future years is expected to grow and will be determined at a later date in response to the EIC’s remit and requirements. Further details will be published in the EIC's Annual Report in the usual way.

Pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2026 to Question 110409 on Disinformation, what types of content the Storyzy tool has monitored in the last four weeks.

The Government Communication Service utilises tools such as Storyzy to monitor publicly available media posts, under strict controls, to measure communication effectiveness, understand public narratives, and address potential mis/disinformation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 54277 on Cabinet Office: Freedom of Information, when the document will be published.

The Honours Committee handbook released through this request is a version from January 2023 which is no longer accurate. The current handbook is currently being updated. An updated version with relevant redactions will be laid in the House Library as soon as is practicable.

Whether Peter Mandelson has a (a) Ministerial and (b) Civil Service pension.

In accordance with the Government Financial Reporting Manual, since 2005, information regarding the remuneration and pension interests of Ministers is published in the annual Resource Accounts (as then named) of the relevant departments for the periods an individual served in a qualifying role.Historical information concerning Lord Mandelson’s Ministerial pension membership during his periods of government service can be found within the relevant departmental annual reports and accounts dating to 2005/6.Regarding civil service pensions, the Cabinet Office does not disclose personal information relating to specific individuals' pension arrangements. Such information constitutes personal data and is protected under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation. It is a long-standing policy that individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy regarding their financial affairs and pension entitlements, disclosing such details to a third party would conflict with data protection principles.

Pursuant to the answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 64569 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, whether OCS has now submitted an application for payment.

OCS have submitted their invoice for the repairs and maintenance. The invoice was dated 6th November 2025 and paid on 12th November 2025. The payment appears in the January transparency publications for Cabinet Office expenditure over £25,000 when the Cabinet Office reimbursed the GPA.

Whether Varun Chandra remains employed as a special adviser.

In January, Mr Chandra was appointed as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the United States on Trade and Investment. Mr Chandra remains employed as a special adviser to the Prime Minister.

If he will publish Chris Wormald’s contract as Cabinet Secretary.

I refer to Minister Turley’s answer 88716, a copy of the Permanent Secretary model contract has been placed in the House Library. This applies to the Cabinet Secretary.

With reference to the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts, Data for July to September 2025, published on 25 December 2025, who the customer is for the contract GBNI - Provision of Public Sector Air Capability (NEWMAT PM-R) with the KPI of Achieve High Level of Customer Satisfaction.

The Cabinet Office is the customer for the contract "GBNI - Provision of Public Sector Air Capability (NEWMAT PM-R)".

Pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 110008 on Peers: Leave of Absence, whether the consent of the peer is required to remove a peer from the Roll of Peerage.

The Roll of the Peerage was established by Royal Warrant in June 2004. There is no set criteria for removal from the Roll of the Peerage but, under the terms of the Warrant, any person entered on the Roll may apply to be removed from it. The Government has announced that it will introduce legislation to allow peerages to be removed from disgraced peers.

Whether his Department has issued guidance on whether the internal members of Mission Boards should be fixed.

Missions Boards, including their membership, are the responsibility of each of the lead Secretaries of State: Kickstarting Economic Growth - Chancellor of the ExchequerAn NHS Fit for the Future - Secretary of State for HealthSafer Streets - Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentBreak Down Barriers to Opportunity - Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and EqualitiesMake Britain a Clean Energy Superpower - Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero

Whether his Department has paid for social media influencers to undertake promotional activity in (a) the United States and (b) other countries outside the United Kingdom.

The Cabinet Office has recently engaged social media influencers to support international campaigns, including the United States and France.

Whether his Department has issued guidance to social influencers who are paid by the Government on stating that they are paid by the Government on their social media posts.

I refer the Hon Member to Question 113587.

When he plans to publish the Public Bodies Directory for 2025-26.

An updated version of the Public Bodies landscape, covering data from 2024-25 will be published on gov.uk before the end of May 2026.

Whether the guidance entitled Rules on lobbying for non-departmental public bodies, published in October 2010, remains Government policy.

The principles of the Rules on lobbying for non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) guidance, published in October 2010, remain Government policy.

For what reason the Downing Street Press Office no longer holds afternoon lobby media briefings.

As the media landscape has transformed over the last few years, the previous lobby arrangements were no longer fit for purpose. The afternoon lobby was sparsely attended, repetitious of morning lobby, and not a good use to taxpayer-funded Government communications resource. It has therefore been replaced with more technical briefings which allow journalists a greater ability to access information about government policies

If he will issue guidance to Arm’s Length Bodies on stopping the recruitment of Government Relations Advisers to influence central government bodies.

The Cabinet Office does not issue specific guidance on this matter and does not intend to do so. However, Section 4.1 of the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies states that ‘it will always be an improper use of public funds for public bodies to employ consultants or other companies to lobby Parliament, government or political parties.”

Whether (a) his Department and (b) the Government Property Agency (i) has made since July 2024 and (ii) plans to make changes to government property spending controls.

The Office of Government Property, within the Cabinet Office, administers the property spend control on behalf of HM Treasury. The last changes to the property spend control were made in May 2024.At Budget 2025 the government announced reforms to the public spending control and accountability framework. Controls currently delegated to the central government functions, will be replaced by a multi-disciplinary single approval point in HM Treasury for above delegated authority limit spend (DAL).For below DAL spend, departments will be responsible for ensuring they draw on appropriate functional expertise in their decision-making processes.

If he will publish a register of withheld and delayed documents as part of the response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson.

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and 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.

Whether applicants to the Summer Intelligence Internship self-certify their ethnicity; and whether the SIS undertakes an audit.

Applicants for the UKIC Summer Internship state their ethnicity as part of the application process. We do not comment on what checks are conducted by UKIC during the recruitment process.

Pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 105252 on Government People Group: Contract, which public body and business unit is the customer under the KPI.

With regard to the PeopleScout Ltd contract referenced in question 105252, Cabinet Office awarded the contract and the Government Recruitment Service within Cabinet Office is the responsible Customer. Consequently, the Customer referenced within the KPI is Government Recruitment Service, and the Supplier will only accept commissions directly from this entity.