Written questions by Wood.

With reference to page 16 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, what proportion of the downward revision of the Resource AME was due to a recalculation of the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) was formed last year, began processing compensation claims within two months of receiving the legislative powers to do so. It has been set an unprecedented challenge and is working hard to meet the needs of all those it serves in delivering justice to victims. Of the £5.278bn downward revision of the Resource AME requirement, £5.118bn (97%) was related to the recalculation of the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme future payment provision. Estimating eligible claim volumes is challenging, relying on various assumptions which are refined on an ongoing basis. Changes in the overall provision stem from evolving assumptions and estimates, updates to regulations and other factors. Crucially, these estimates do not limit IBCA’s ability to make payments and everyone who is eligible and makes a claim will be paid in accordance with the legislation. As of 2 December, 2,867 people have received an offer of compensation, and over £1.7 billion has been paid.

With reference to the Integrated Security Fund Annual Report 2024–25, of 30 October 2025,what assessment he has been of whether including compulsory UN peacekeeping contributions within the ISF is consistent with the Fund’s stated purpose of supporting “agile and innovative” security programming.

The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) currently fulfils UK mandatory commitments to UN peacekeeping missions around the world. UN peacekeeping is critical in supporting global peace and security, including by preventing conflicts from escalating and creating space for political solutions.

How many times the Resilience and Security Committee met between April 2024 and March 2025; and what the attendance record of each member was.

It is a long-established precedent that information about Cabinet and its Committees, including the discussions that have taken place, how often they have met and attendance, is not normally shared publicly. The list of standing members of the National Security Council (Resilience) Committee can be accessed on GOV.UK.

With reference to the Integrated Security Fund Annual Report 2024–25, of 30 October 2025, for what reason the ISF’s non-ODA spend for Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2024–25 is recorded as negative.

As set out in the Integrated Security Fund (ISF) Annual Report, in the financial year 2024/25 funding which had previously been provided to the Afghan National Army Trust Fund (ANATF), was returned to the ISF following the change in context in Afghanistan in the financial year 2021/22. Therefore, the ISF’s non-ODA balance of spend in Afghanistan and Pakistan portfolio in financial year 2024/25 is recorded as negative £1.51m.

With reference to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, if he will publish the terms of reference of the Staff Board.

The Staff Board serves in an advisory capacity to the Executive Committee and is not a mandatory component of the Corporate Governance Code. Its Terms of Reference are not subject to external publication.

With reference to the Integrated Security Fund Annual Report 2024–25, published on 30 October 2025, whether any ISF-funded programme has been reviewed or sanctioned for misreporting, exaggerating, or fabricating Gender Equality and Social Inclusion marker data since April 2024.

The Integrated Security Fund (ISF) is unaware of any instance of Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) markers being misreported, exaggerated, or fabricated. The ISF operates under clear rules and requirements on GESI embedded throughout the programme lifecycle. These ensure reporting is accurate, consistent and monitored in-year. In 2024/25, all Integrated Security Fund (ISF) programmes underwent an annual review, and every programme also undergoes a closure review when it ends, both of which include a dedicated assessment of GESI performance.

Further to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, page 101, and the Contingent Labour Spend Control and the Consultancy and Professional Services Spend Control, both updated on 1 February 2023, for what reason 250 off-payroll engagements recorded as existing for four or more years at 31 March 2025 were classified as temporary appointments.

All off payroll engagements are classified as temporary staff as they are not employees of the department and are not paid through the payroll. Of the 250 staff quoted, 241 of them are either Infrastructure and Projects Authority gateway reviewers or Government Commercial Function accreditor assessors. These ‘engagements’ form a pool of specialist reviewers and assessors who are called upon as and when required. Having a pool of reviewers and assessors allows the departments to respond flexibly to demand. Of the 241 reviewers and assessors, 46 were not called upon at all during 2024-25 and therefore had £0 spend against their name. Some others had minimal spend during 2024-25. They are retained on our books as temporary staff in case their specialist knowledge is required.

With reference to pages 107 and 110 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether the facility time data published under the Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017 includes Government Commercial Function and Fast Stream staff who were on the Cabinet Office payroll as at 31 March 2025.

The facility time data published under the Trade Union (Facility Time Publication Requirements) Regulations 2017 does include the Government Commercial Function and Fast Stream staff who were on the Cabinet Office payroll as at 31 March 2025

With reference to page 67 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, in which venues the away days took place; and at what cost.

The away days referenced in page 67 of the Cabinet Office Annual Report took place at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Lancaster House. As the Report states, the cost to the Cabinet Office totalled £5,288.40.

With reference to page 66 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, who sits on the staff Board; how members of the Staff Board were selected; and whether any formal appointment process, eligibility criteria and rotation system is in place.

The Staff Board is advisory and comprises Cabinet Office Staff of delegated grades (Grade AO - Grade 6). Approximately 20 members sit on the Staff Board. Members serve on the Staff Board for a minimum term of one year and a maximum term of two years. Information on the role of the staff board is set out on the Cabinet Office’s intranet. Staff are able to apply to be a member at any time via an online form and are placed on a waiting list until a vacancy arises. The Cabinet Office Governance Team review applications and conduct short interviews with potential candidates before appointments are made. The Staff Board provides a vital platform for staff to inform decisions made by the Executive Committee (ExCo). The appointment process seeks to encourage and attract a diverse pool of applicants from all business units, locations, and grades, aiming for a balanced representation of professional and personal characteristics.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question HL11349 on Ministers: Corporate Hospitality and Official Gifts, whether the register published on gov.uk since July 2024 lists gifts and hospitality which are initially accepted but then (a) returned or (b) repaid.

Hospitality and gifts received by Ministers in their ministerial capacity are declared in accordance with the Ministerial Code. The Cabinet Office publishes guidance setting out the process that departments should follow to complete the publication of the Register of Ministers’ Gifts and Hospitality: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministers-gifts-and-hospitality-publication-guidance/ministers-gifts-and-hospitality-publication-guidance.

With reference to pages 111 to 114 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, for what reason his Department’s new strategic outcomes were adopted during the year while the Estimates remained based on previous departmental objectives.

The Cabinet Office’s strategic outcomes were updated following the election to ensure that these reflected the new government’s priorities. These changes were reported to the Public Administration and Parliamentary Affairs Committee on 19 March 2025. The financial reporting against these outcomes was updated at the earliest opportunity on HM Treasury systems and will be reported against in the 2025/26 Accounts.

With reference to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether he will publish the corporate management statement for 2024–25.

The business rules and corporate management statement represent internal documents that support the internal governance and assurance of the department. These documents are not routinely published for external audiences. It is a long-standing practice of successive Governments not to routinely publish internal documents.

With reference to page 107 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, published on 23 October 2025, who authorised the change in reporting methodology to exclude Government Commercial Function and Fast Stream staff from the Department’s workforce figures; and on what evidential or accounting basis that decision was made.

The statement on page 107 of the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024-2025 only refers to the staff included in ‘Section 2.12 - Diversity and Inclusion’ does not refer to data provided in earlier sections on departmental headcount. These individuals are included in the departmental headcount on Page 99 under the 4,370 Cabinet Office staff recharged to other government departments. Government Commercial Function and Fast Stream staff are excluded from Section 2.12 as they work full time in other government departments and so are not part of the day to day workforce of the Cabinet Office. This change in how diversity information was presented in the report was signed off by a senior civil servant in the department’s HR function.

With reference to page 113 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, for what reason dividends from associates are treated as income in the Statement of Outturn against Parliamentary Supply.

Section 8.13 of Consolidated budget guidance issued by HM Treasury states that: “Financial transactions involve the exchange of financial assets and liabilities. Financial transactions mainly impact on the resource budget through the returns received or paid on these financial assets or liabilities (for example, interest received/paid on a loan, or dividends received/paid on equity). Financial assets also impact on the resource budget through changes in their valuation.” Therefore, all dividend income received from associate companies should score to RDEL as income. Dividends from associate companies are not recognised as income in the financial statements because International Accounting Standard IAS 28 Investments in Associates and Joint Ventures, states: “When using the equity method, dividends received are not recognised as income in the consolidated income statement; instead, they are treated as a return of capital and reduce the carrying amount of the investment in the statement of financial position.”

With reference to page 107 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, published on 23 October 2025, how many staff were excluded from the Cabinet Office workforce figures as at 31 March 2025 as a result of the decision to omit Government Commercial and Fast Stream personnel from the Department’s data.

The statement on page 107 of the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024-2025 only refers to the staff included in ‘Section 2.12 - Diversity and inclusion’ and does not refer to data provided in earlier sections on departmental headcount. These individuals are included in the departmental headcount on Page 99 under the 4,370 Cabinet Office staff recharged to other government departments.

Further to the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, page 110, (a) how many total staff days were taken as paid special leave for volunteering in 2024–25 under the Cabinet Office volunteering policy, (b) what the estimated cost was to the Department and (c) how many officials participated.

Volunteering is a way in which the Cabinet Office supports and encourages its staff to develop both professionally and personally, by enabling them time to engage in activities and practical challenges which endeavor to have a positive impact in their local community. From 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025, there were collectively 191 reported days of volunteering leave taken by 105 individuals. The approximate salary cost of the days recorded for these individuals is £26,000 across the Cabinet Office. Cabinet Office staff are entitled to take up to five days of special paid leave per performance year (01 April - 31 March) for volunteering activity as part of their Personal Development Plan.

Whether any of Goaco Group Ltd's subcontractor (a) resources and (b) delivery partners were offshore before the publication of the variation of the Cabinet Office's contract with the company in October 2025.

The Cabinet Office can confirm that in relation to the Provision of Support and Maintenance for the Central Digital Platform contract with Goaco Group Ltd, no subcontractor (a) resources or (b) delivery partners were working offshore before the publication of the variation in October 2025. The Cabinet Office does not hold information on any other contracts or subcontracting arrangements which Goaco Group Ltd may have in place.

With reference to page 70 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, if he will publish the Business Rules document.

The business rules and corporate management statement represent internal documents that support the internal governance and assurance of the department. These documents are not routinely published for external audiences. It is a long-standing practice of successive Governments not to routinely publish internal documents.

With reference to the Integrated Security Fund Annual Report 2024–25, 30 October 2025, whether he will publish the raw Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) scoring data for all ISF programmes in 2024–25, including departmental lead, delivery partner, and spend.

I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given to Parliamentary Question 91383. Whilst the Integrated Security Fund (ISF) does not track or disaggregate reporting or expenditure by Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) scoring specifically, the ISF meets its transparency obligations and programme details are published where possible. However, data for some ISF programmes cannot be released publicly due to national security sensitivities. The ISF funds a variety of ‘programmes’, each of which is designed to achieve a specific national security objective. Each programme can then be broken down into individual ‘projects’ which work towards the programme’s objective. There is a requirement whereby all programmes should include at least one project where gender is a primary objective (an ‘E’ rating under OECD GESI markers, which is the highest rating), and all projects must have met, or be working towards meeting, a minimum standard whereby gender equality is part of the project’s objectives, but not the principal reason for undertaking the project (a ‘C’ rating).