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 821–840 of 1,929 · Cabinet Office
Pursuant to the answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 73331 on Home Office: Redundancy Pay, whether severance payments made to departing special advisers are subject to the £30,000 tax-free allowance.
Under HMRC rules, severance payments for special advisers are taxable as earnings because they are a contractual entitlement.
What his policy is on grants being awarded to bodies with terms of reference that permit lobbying using grant funds.
Grant funding should be used for its intended purpose and deliver value for money. Undertaking lobbying activity using government grant funding is not permitted, except in rare cases where lobbying activity is expressly part of the purpose of the award of the grant. This policy does not impinge on an organisation's ability to use funding from other, non-government sources, however they see fit.
With reference to the publications entitled No10 special advisers hospitality, October to December 2024 and No10 special advisers hospitality, January to March 2025, updated 27 March and 26 June 2025, whether clients of Global Counsel attended the dinners with Matthew Doyle and Global Counsel on (a) 3 October 2024 and (b) 19 February 2025.
The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers requires special advisers to declare details of hospitality received.The Special Advisers’ Transparency Guidance available on GOV.UK provides further details of requirements for reporting of gifts, hospitality, and meetings with senior media figures.
With reference to the transparency data entitled Cabinet Office special advisers hospitality, January to March 2025, published on 26 June 2025, who attended the Global Counsel (a) dinner on 27 February and (b) drinks on 20 January 2025.
The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers requires special advisers to declare details of hospitality received.The Special Advisers’ Transparency Guidance available on GOV.UK provides further details of requirements for reporting of gifts, hospitality, and meetings with senior media figures.
Pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2026 to Question 110807 on Hannah Bronwin, when his Department plans to publish her entry on the Announcements: Direct Ministerial Appointments portal.
All entries can be found on the Direct Ministerial Appointments portal.
Pursuant to the answer of 22 December 2025 to Question 99535 on List of Ministerial Responsibilities, if he will list the full Ministerial responsibilities of the hon. Member for Makerfield.
The Honorable Member for Makerfield is no longer serving as a Minister following his resignation on 28 February 2026.
What the salary is of the (a) former and (b) new Cabinet Secretary.
Salary details for the former Cabinet Secretary as at 11 November 2025 are available here. Details for the new Cabinet Secretary will be published at a later date.
With reference to his Department's press release entitled Dame Antonia Romeo appointed as first female Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service to drive change and implement the government’s agenda, of 19 February 2026, if he will publish the guidance on the new enhanced due diligence process.
There are no plans to publish the guidance on the due diligence process followed during the appointment of the Cabinet Secretary.
Whether his Department has made a comparative assessment of the salary outcomes, promotion rates and role progression of (a) participants in the Senior Leaders Scheme and (b) civil servants who did not participate; and whether his Department has undertaken cost benefit analysis of that scheme including average time to promotion, changes in performance markings, retention rates and the financial return on investment.
A feasibility assessment for management evaluations was conducted, concluding that the data necessary was neither timely, easily available nor held centrally.
Pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2025 to Question 94199 on Mission Boards: Cabinet Committees, whether the terms of reference for the Mission Boards have been revised.
Missions Boards, including their terms of reference, 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
What meetings (a) the National Security Adviser and (b) his deputies have had with Inter Mediate since he took up his post.
The National Security Adviser and his deputies meet with a range of individuals and organisations as part of their roles providing advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on national security matters. Such meetings are often sensitive in nature, and the Government does not routinely comment on them or their content.
Pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 104195 on Government Communication Service: Staff, if he will break down that list by individual public bodies within the sponsor organisation.
Publication of this information is not currently planned.
Whether he plans to make reductions to the size of the Government Communication Service.
To ensure we deliver value for money for the taxpayer, the Government Communication Service continuously assesses the size of its communication teams, to ensure effectiveness and efficiency.
What assessment has been made on whether social media influencers paid for by the government are using the “paid partnership” tag on their content; and whether they state that the partnership is with the UK Government.
Influencers are subject to the Advertising Standards Authority.
Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025, to Question 92595, on Cabinet Office: Revenue and Customs, what arrangements are in place for the sharing of HMRC information with the House of Lords Appointments Commission.
The Government has published a Memorandum of Understanding setting out the arrangements for sharing information between HMRC and the House of Lords Appointments Commission when it considers appointments to the House of Lords. The MoU can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sharing-hmrc-information-to-assist-in-appointments-to-the-house-of-lords/memorandum-of-understanding-accessing-hmrc-information-for-appointments-to-the-house-of-lords--3
Whether he has had recent discussions with the European Union on payments to the EU for participation in Security Action for Europe.
UK negotiations with the EU on a bilateral agreement to facilitate UK participation in the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument concluded last year. The UK entered negotiations in good faith, recognising our mutual strategic interest and commitment to work with the EU on defence. However, this Government has always been clear that we will only sign agreements that are in the national interest - in this case we were unable to reach an agreement that passed that test. While it is disappointing that we were not able to positively conclude discussions, the UK’s defence industry continues to have access to SAFE under standard third country terms.
Pursuant to the answer of 23 December 2025 to Question 100339 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, whether the invoice has now been received.
I refer the Hon. Member to Cabinet Office transparency data, available on GOV.UK.
How many people attended each CEO Community Call in the last 12 months; and what the cost was in staff time.
Since February 2025 there have been three CEO Community Calls. The Chief Executive Officer level attendees numbered 24, 27 and 54. There is no dedicated staff for this work, as the calls were delivered as part of the range of events and services offered by the public sector leadership team.
Pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2025 to Question 98587 on Civil Servants: Political Impartiality, if he will publish the Staff Network Policy.
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided by the Rt. Hon. Member for Redcar to 95650, which was answered on 9th December.
Pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92002 on UK Integrated Security Fund: Equality, whether spending on transgender equality qualifies as a gender objective for the purposes of the General Equality and Social Inclusion markers.
Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) markers are based on two pillars – 1) Gender Equality and 2) Social Inclusion. The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) uses GESI markers to support the promotion of GESI across ISF programming. It is based on the recognition that gender is one of multiple factors of marginalisation, and that this can be exacerbated by hostile actors. Other characteristics that can similarly be targeted include, but are not limited to, age, disability status, race or sexual orientation.