Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mike Wood this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1,101–1,120 of 1,713 · Cabinet Office
Pursuant to the answer of 10 October, to Question 71230, on Cabinet Office: Calder Conferences, what the specific event was for each of the individual room hires since 4 April 2025 other than Civil Service Live and the Infected Blood Inquiry.
As stated in my previous answer to Question 71230, to provide additional background information on each booking would incur disproportionate costs as this information is not centrally held.
What information his Department holds on whether any public bodies operate (a) a four day week on full pay and (b) compressed hours for a week compressed into four days.
The department does not hold any information on whether public bodies operate four day weeks.
Whether special advisers have been informed by the Cabinet Office that they lose their employer contributions on the Civil Service pension scheme if they leave before two years of employment unless they transfer in another pension scheme.
Special Advisers are provided with guidance regarding Civil Service Pension schemes during onboarding and offboarding, as well as throughout their tenure. Special Advisers are also directed to published Civil Service Pension scheme resources.
Pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2025, to Question 77543, on Political Parties: Conferences, whether Cabinet Office HR division collates information on (a) junior and (b) senior civil service staff who are given permission to (i) run for local election and (ii) attend party political conferences.
Cabinet Office Human Resources does collate information centrally on both junior and senior civil service staff who are given permission to run for local election. However, information on staff attending party political conferences is not collated centrally as previously referenced in my answer to Question 77543.
Whether the Cabinet Office still operates a Hybrid Development Working Group.
The Civil Service has a number of cross-government groups to address common issues, find solutions to complex policy challenges and support the sharing of best practice.The Cross-Government Group on Working Flexibly meets on an adhoc basis and focuses on effective and positive ways of working in a hybrid world, as well as supporting the implementation of related legislation changes across departments.
If he will place the desk note on Direct Ministerial Appointments in the House of Commons Library.
On 30 October the government published for the first time guidance for departments on the process for ministers making Direct Ministerial Appointments. This replaced earlier internal desk note guidance for departments, which had been rewritten to provide greater clarity for a wider audience, including setting out publicly where Direct Ministerial Appointments sit within the various routes into government. On 3 November the Cabinet Secretary, during his evidence session before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, agreed to send - and subsequently sent - a copy of the previous internal departmental desk note to the Committee. A copy of this now superseded desk note guidance will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2025, to Question 86056, on Government Departments: Social Media, and with reference to paragraph 1.6(d) of the Ministerial Code, what the public interest basis is for not placing the specific financial details in the public domain.
Due to commercial and broader sensitivities surrounding this expenditure, we are unable to provide a more detailed breakdown as this could negatively affect the government's ability to engage with influencers in the most cost-effective manner.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54273 on Government Departments: Sanitation, if he will publish all written submissions sent by PCS to the Cabinet Office on toilet provision in government buildings since the Supreme Court judgment in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
The Cabinet Office does not publish correspondence between unions and officials as this would undermine the ability to communicate freely.
Whether the Cabinet Office Staff Handbook has a definition of Islamophobia; and whether the Cabinet Office has adopted a definition for HR disputes.
The Cabinet Office does not hold a definition of Islamophobia. We take all allegations of inappropriate language, hostility, discrimination or prejudice very seriously. We have robust processes in place to investigate such matters. Possible sanctions as a result of such behaviours could include dismissal.
Whether all special advisers who have joined since July 2024 were informed by Cabinet Office Special Adviser HR that they will lose their employer contributions if they leave before two years of employment unless they transfer in another pension scheme.
Special Advisers are provided with guidance regarding Civil Service Pension schemes during onboarding and offboarding, as well as throughout their tenure. Special Advisers are also directed to published Civil Service Pension scheme resources.
With reference to the Cabinet Office news story of 5 August entitled "Extension of Generalist Member to the Senior Salaries Review Body", whether Pippa Greenslade was reappointed by open and fair competition; and what the (a) status and (b) cost of the competition to appoint such members to the Senior Salaries Review Body is.
Pippa Greenslade was appointed through a fair and open competition in 2019. Her second term as Generalist Member of the Senior Salaries Review Body was extended by 12 months, ending on 1 June 2026. Extensions do not require an open competition. The majority of the Cabinet Office’s public appointments are delivered internally; staff and administrative costs are absorbed within the department's existing budget.
How many complaints concerning (a) Lord-Lieutenants, (b) Vice Lord-Lieutenants and (c) Deputy Lieutenants have been received under the new Cabinet Office procedure since its introduction; and what the outcomes of those complaints have been.
There have been no complaints since the Cabinet Office guidance was updated on 7th October 2025.
If he will make it his policy that the Office for National Statistics' December publication of its plans is drawn to the attention of the House via a written Ministerial Statement.
The ONS’ planned publication of the Economic Statistics Plan and the Survey Improvement and Enhancement Plan updates on 4 December is an important milestone in the ONS’ recovery plan. The Government welcomes the ONS’ open and transparent approach to its economic statistics recovery. We have asked the ONS Parliamentary team to note your question and they have assured us they will highlight the publication through their normal routes in the usual way.
Pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 75990 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, on what date the first communication between the Government Property Agency and Westminster City Council was on the second homes council tax premium for the former Deputy Prime Minister’s official residence in Admiralty House.
Before the Second Home premium was introduced in Westminster, the Cabinet Office were aware that the former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was occupying Admiralty House (AH) as a second home and that council tax would therefore be payable by Government. In line with long standing precedent under successive administrations, as the property was a second residence the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former DPM. Similarly, the Cabinet Office is responsible for liaising with Westminster City Council (WCC) for matters concerning residency at Admiralty House. WCC were notified at the beginning of May that the former DPM was occupying AH as a second home for council tax purposes, and details were provided for WCC to issue a bill accordingly. GPA wrote to WCC in June to confirm that the second homes premium applied. WCC issued an invoice in July which was paid the same day.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 October 2025 to Question 71232 on 10 Downing Street: Renewable Energy, who the energy provider is; and what the tariff is.
The electricity supply at Number 10 is on zero carbon tariff supplied under the Crown Commercial Services. The gas is under a standard tariff supplied under the Crown Commercial Services. The heat is supplied under the Whitehall District Heat System.
If he will publish a list of (a) inward and (b) outward secondments by (i) Department, (ii) grade and (iii) external body.
Secondments into the Civil Service from other sectors are a key route to bring essential skills and experience into the right roles and teams, enabling talented individuals from outside the Civil Service to contribute to the work of Government by sharing critical capabilities and innovative thinking for a set period of time. The secondments data commission provides insight on inward and outward secondments taking place across government. The Cabinet Office has worked closely with departments to improve the amount, detail and quality of the data available. The limited number of records/data sets makes the data personally identifiable information, therefore it will not be possible to publish this data.
How is the ethnicity definition of White Irish defined and what distinguishes it from White British (a) in relation to those who live or lived in Northern Ireland and (b) in general.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. gentlemen’s Parliamentary Question of 14th November is attached.
If the UK Statistics Authority will make it their policy to undertake an assessment whether HM Government's use of the Social Time Preference Rate to discount the total cost of the Chagos Islands Treaty is in line with the best practice in their Code of Practice for Statistics.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon. gentlemen’s Parliamentary Question of 14th November is attached.
Whether civil servants have used any of the residences in Admiralty House as an overnight dwelling since 4 July 2024.
A record of this information is not held. Admiralty House is occasionally used overnight by Civil Servants where there is operational need. This is in-line with the usage of Admiralty House across successive governments.
Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85495 on Deputy Prime Minister: Admiralty House, on what date was Westminster City Council informed by his Department that the official residence was liable for the second homes council tax premium due to its occupation by the then Deputy Prime Minister as a second home.
Before the Second Home premium was introduced in Westminster, the Cabinet Office were aware that the former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) was occupying Admiralty House (AH) as a second home and that council tax would therefore be payable by Government. In line with long standing precedent under successive administrations, as the property was a second residence, the Government was responsible for paying the Council Tax on Admiralty House, not the former DPM. Similarly, the Cabinet Office is responsible for liaising with Westminster City Council (WCC) for matters concerning residency at Admiralty House. WCC were notified at the beginning of May that the former DPM was occupying AH as a second home for council tax purposes, and details were provided for WCC to issue a bill accordingly. GPA wrote to WCC in June to confirm that the second homes premium applied. WCC issued an invoice in July which was paid the same day.