Written questions by Wood.

What the estimated cost is of The Ministers’ Etc. Pension Scheme (Amendment) 2025, dated 6 November 2025.

The Ministers’ Etc. Pension Scheme (Amendment) 2025 makes technical amendments to the rules to allow the cost control mechanism (CCM) process to be completed, and the Scheme does not incur a cost as a result of the changes. All public service pension schemes are subject to the CCM as part of the valuation cycle in line with HM Treasury policy. The CCM is designed to ensure a fair balance of risk with regard to the cost of providing public service pension schemes between members of those schemes and the Exchequer (and by extension taxpayers). If, when the CCM is tested, those costs are not within agreed target levels the member contributions are adjusted accordingly. Any administrative costs associated with drafting and implementing these regulations are negligible and have been absorbed within existing Cabinet Office budgets.

If he will make it his policy to ask government departments not to use the phrase devolved nations when referring to devolved administrations or legislatures.

Yes. This is already the Government's position. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be referred to by name or collectively as nations. Certain powers are devolved to institutions within those nations, which benefit from having two governments serving them. The nations, as constituent parts of this United Kingdom, are not devolved.

With reference to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether any functional services operated by his Department generated (a) surpluses and (b) profit margins above full-cost recovery.

No functional services included within the Cabinet Office 2024-25 Annual Report and Accounts generated surpluses or profit margins above full-cost recovery during the 2024-2025 financial year. The Department ensures that fees and charges for services are set in accordance with the principles set out in HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money, including for full cost recovery unless a specific policy reason exists for not doing so.

With reference to page 16 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, what proportion of the underspend in Departmental Expenditure Limit spending has been (a) returned to the Consolidated Fund and (b) re-profiled for spending in 2025–26.

At the end of the financial year, all underspends are returned to the Consolidated Fund. The Cabinet Office did not re-profile any spending into 2025-26 from 2024-25.

With reference to page 30 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether income received from the Government Property Agency, Government People Group, Government Commercial and Grants Function, Government Security Group, Central Finance, CO Digital and Government Communications is used to cross-subsidise departmental activity outside those business units.

No, the business units outlined in the question only recover incurred costs from providing services to other Government departments. As such there is no surplus recovered to be used to subsidise department activity outside those business units. This is in alignment with ‘Managing Public Money’ guidance from HM Treasury.

What progress he has made on achieving a 25 per cent reduction in the cost of regulation and a £550 million reduction in consultancy costs.

The Government is committed to cut the administrative burden of regulation on businesses by 25%, or £5.6bn by the end of this Parliament. So far, we have identified £1.5bn in gross administrative burden savings; cutting back on corporate reporting for tens of thousands of businesses and simplifying the regime for financial services senior managers. This Government will relentlessly root out waste, drive efficiencies, and protect taxpayers’ money. This is why we reduced consultancy spending by £550m in 2024/25 compared to previous plans, as set out at the July Spending Audit 2024.

What the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) ratings are for 10 Downing Street, 11 Downing Street, and Admiralty House; and whether any assessments have been carried out since July 2024 to determine whether tenancies are in buildings with a BREEAM rating of A or above.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) uses BREEAM when retrofitting and building new capital projects as per the government buying standards requirements. Where budget and time allows, GPA aims to deliver to the government buying standards requirements or better. As these buildings are not being developed the BREEAM standard is not relevant. If the buildings were to be retrofitted by the GPA in the future, BREEAM would be applied as per the government buying standards requirements. In regards to existing commercial spaces, the GPA will deliver to the MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, regulations) and produce Display Energy Certificates (DECs) and/or Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) where commercially relevant.

How compliance with his Department’s Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method tenancy standard will be monitored and enforced.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) uses BREEAM when retrofitting and building new capital projects as per the government buying standards requirements.This system is administered through a third-party certification process managed by licensed assessors and enforced primarily by contractual agreements and planning policies.

With reference to the guidance entitled the approvals process for the creation of new arm's-length bodies, published on 15 March 2018, whether the Cabinet Office Public Bodies Team assessed the National Centre of Policing against the requirement that the creation of a new arms length body should only be considered as a last resort; whether the Department provided evidence that alternative delivery models were considered; and which of the tests in chapter 2 of that guidance it overcame.

The initial intention to explore a National Centre of Policing was announced by the then Home Secretary at the APCC/NPCC Conference in November 2024, as part of outlining their ambition for police reform. The Home Office will publish a White Paper on Police Reform in due course. If those proposals include establishing a new Arm's Length Body (ALB), then the standard process for establishing an ALB will be followed.

With reference to page 125 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether the £30 million Capital AME bid by the Government Property Agency that recorded a zero outturn was supported by approved business cases for government hub projects.

The GPA requested £30 million of Capital AME in the estimate as cover for potential accounting adjustments around dilapidation provisions in accordance with HM Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manual and Consolidated Budgeting Guidance. This is not directly related to government hub projects or business cases. The cover was based on a worst-case scenario that didn't materialise and so was not required.

How many investment proposals have been considered by the Cabinet Office Investment Committee since July 2024; how many were approved; how many were rejected or deferred; and what the total whole-life expenditure associated with those approvals was.

Since July 2024, the Investment Committee has considered a total of 39 business cases. All of these business cases were approved, subject to specific conditions. Spending approvals can specify a range of expected expenditure, and may be lower than the overall whole-life cost of the project. The cumulative approximate whole-life cost of these approved cases amounts to a maximum of £26.91 billion. This includes funding for the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

With reference to the document entitled Memorandum of Understanding: accessing HMRC information to assist honours committees in making ​recommendations​​​​​ about awarding honours to individuals, published on 19 October 2023, whether his Department has disagreed with risk ratings supplied by HMRC for honours probity checks.

In order to protect the integrity of the honours system, the Cabinet Office carries out probity checks with a number of government departments to ensure that honours recipients are in good standing. HMRC provides the Cabinet Office with a minimal disclosure of information in the form of a risk rating of low, medium and high without disclosing any underlying detail about the tax affairs of an individual being considered for an honour. As per the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding, which superseded the previous 2017 version, the Cabinet Office will only hold the information provided by HMRC for a maximum of 12 months following the publication of an honours list. The Cabinet Office therefore only has access to the HMRC rating during this timeframe. HMRC's risk rating reflects their view on an individual's tax behaviour. Cabinet Office takes this information into account, alongside information provided by other government departments, to inform the honours committees' recommendations.

Who the Members were of his Department's Executive Committee in 2024-25; and how many meetings each member attended.

The following individuals were members of the Executive Committee (ExCo) at the conclusion of the Financial Year 2024-25. Cat Little, Permanent Secretary and Principal Accounting Officer (Chair)Madeleine Alessandri, Head of the Joint Intelligence OrganisationSarah Harrison, Chief Operating OfficerMatt Collins, Deputy National Security AdviserDarren Tierney, Director General, Propriety, Ethics & Constitution GroupFiona Ryland, Government Chief People OfficerVincent Devine, Government Chief Security OfficerAndrew Forzani, Government Chief Commercial OfficerSimon Baugh, Chief Executive, Government Communication ServiceEmma Churchill, Director General, Economic & Domestic SecretariatJonathan Black, Deputy National Security Adviser and Director General, European & Global IssuesKunal Patel, Deputy Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, No.10Caroline Patterson, Chief Financial OfficerRebecca Hedges, Acting Chief People OfficerElinor McDaniell, CO Strategy DirectorFleur Johnson, Strategy Director, National Security Secretariat Membership varied throughout this period, and also included the following individuals at various points. Gareth Rhys Williams, Chief Commercial OfficerMarco Salzedo and Clare Gibbs, Interim Representatives, Government Commercial FunctionKathryn Al-Shemmeri, CO Chief People OfficerTom Read, CEO, Government Digital ServiceDavid Foley, Director, Public BodiesRich Hornby, Chief Financial OfficerJean-Christophe Gray, DG Delivery UnitLaura Gilbert, Chief Data AnalystTim Barrow, Foreign Policy and National Security AdviserElizabeth Perelman, Director General, Public Sector Reform and Efficiency Collated attendance information is not held and providing it would incur a disproportionate cost.

Whether the Memorandum of Understanding between HMRC and the Cabinet Office on the exchange of information for honours probity checks, dated 21 March 2017, remains in force following the expiry period set out at paragraph 9.1 on page 6 of that document; and whether any updated or replacement Memorandum has been agreed between the departments.

In order to protect the integrity of the honours system, the Cabinet Office carries out probity checks with a number of government departments to ensure that honours recipients are in good standing. HMRC provides the Cabinet Office with a minimal disclosure of information in the form of a risk rating of low, medium and high without disclosing any underlying detail about the tax affairs of an individual being considered for an honour. As per the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding, which superseded the previous 2017 version, the Cabinet Office will only hold the information provided by HMRC for a maximum of 12 months following the publication of an honours list. The Cabinet Office therefore only has access to the HMRC rating during this timeframe. HMRC's risk rating reflects their view on an individual's tax behaviour. Cabinet Office takes this information into account, alongside information provided by other government departments, to inform the honours committees' recommendations.

When the Nominations Committee was established for the 2025–26 reporting year; who its members are; who chairs it; and what its terms of reference are.

The Nominations Committee membership, including the chair, is made up of Cabinet Office Non-Executive Board Members. The draft terms of reference will be approved by the committee in its first meeting in early 2026 and are consistent with section 4.5 of the Corporate Governance in Central Government Departments Code of Good Practice.

With reference to page 31 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, what his evidential basis is for the statement that those services are widely known across government as providing an excellent service.

The services offered by the Cabinet Office functions have seen significant growth in usage, with income increasing by 77% over the last five years. Departments are not mandated to use all the services provided by the functions but opt to use them.In most cases, the functions have customer boards which provide robust oversight and feedback on how the services they provide are performing. On occasion, teams can also request customer feedback via surveys to ensure the services they are providing are meeting customer requirements.This feedback along with the continued increase in usage reflects the growing reputation of the functions for providing excellent services.

Further to page 24 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, if he will break down the compensation offers by category of claimant; and what proportion have been accepted and paid.

As of 23 September 2025, as referenced in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024-2025, 1,926 individuals, who are infected and registered with a support scheme, had received an offer. By this date, 1,507 individuals, constituting 78% of those with an offer, had accepted their offer and been paid. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) published their latest statistics on 20 November. As of 18 November, 2,777 individuals who are infected and registered with a support scheme have received an offer. 2,446, constituting 88% of those with an offer, have accepted their offer. The full compensation progress update can be found here: https://ibca.org.uk/statistics/compensation-progress-updates-20-november-2025. IBCA expects to open to further cohorts (those infected people not registered with a support scheme, the estates of deceased infected people, and affected people) in November and December.

Who the members are of the Cabinet Office Sustainability Steering Group; when the group was established; how often it meets; and what its terms of reference are.

The Cabinet Office Sustainability Steering Group consists of the Head of Sustainability and Deputy Directors from Human Resources, Property, Procurement, Digital and Finance. The Group was formed in July 2024 and meets quarterly. The Terms of Reference for the Group are to focus on delivering the ESG sustainability strategy at a business unit level, including accountability for tracking individual function-level sustainability targets, oversight of sustainable initiatives, monitoring and reporting to the People & Operations Committee (POpsCo), setting the direction of the sustainability strategy, oversight of compliance with Greening Government Commitments (GGCs), Task-Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD), Environment Principles Policy Statement (EPPS) and Green Book.

With reference to page 139 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, what (a) works were undertaken and (b) items were purchased as part of the refurbishment of the Downing Street estate; and which Downing Street properties it relates to.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 27 October 2025, Official Report, PQ 85501.

With reference to page 30 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, how the cross-government charges levied by his Department’s functional business units were calculated; and for what reason income rose to £1.29 billion in 2024–25.

Departmental income has steadily risen since 2020. This reflects an increase in the uptake of the Department’s services year on year. The Cabinet Office's functional income arises principally from the services it provides across government. Under this model, certain government functions are headquartered in the Cabinet Office and departments pay to access and use them. For instance, the GPA provides departments and ALBs with office space across the country. They have continued to onboard properties nationally, delivering a fully integrated property management service across government. Another primary source of income that the Department generates is in relation to the Government People Group who provides specialist human resource services to Government.