Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mike Wood this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1,381–1,400 of 1,713 · Cabinet Office
Whether his Department's guidance on away days has been updated since the publication of the press release entitled Government-branded merchandise and away days banned on 6 April 2025.
The Cabinet Office has updated the guidance on the use of external venues for events and away days.
Pursuant to the answer of 19 November 2024, to Question 13438 on Civil Servants: Recruitment, if he will place in the Library a copy of the text on diversity included in civil service job adverts.
The current text was agreed by the previous administration and has not changed under the current government. The text included in Civil Service Job adverts is: Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
If he will publish the Government Campus training course materials entitled Equality Analysis: Making Scrutiny Relevant to Promoting Equality.
Equality Analysis: Making Scrutiny Relevant to Promoting Equality is delivered by a third party supplier, who owns the intellectual property. An outline for this course can be found on the prospectus online:https://prospectus.governmentcampus.co.uk/02-diversity-equality-and-inclusion/equality-analysis-making-scrutiny-relevant-to-promoting-equality/
How many transactions referred to his Department under the National Security and Investment Act have involved private equity firms connected to state-backed sovereign wealth funds since 5 July 2024.
The Government publishes an annual report on the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act 2021, with information about the transactions that it has been notified about and reviewed. The period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be covered in the next annual report, which will be published later this year. NSI Annual Reports do not present the number of acquisitions reviewed involving private equity firms connected to state-backed sovereign wealth funds as the Investment Security Unit does not routinely collect this information.
How many staff are employed in each Minister’s office.
There are 39 staff, at multiple grades, who support the 8 Cabinet Office ministers in private office roles. MinisterNumber of staff in Private OfficeChancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster8Minister for the Cabinet Office6Minister Oppong-Asare4Minister Reeves4Minister Gould6Minister Alexander1 (Cabinet Office portfolio only)Leader of the House of Lords3Leader of the House of Commons7
What estimate he has made of the costs of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme in the 2025-26 financial year.
This information is not published by the Cabinet Office on behalf of the Government as departments are responsible for the management of exit schemes. Costs are published in each department's annual report and accounts.
Who the members are of the Cabinet Office Board.
Recruitment is due to conclude in the coming months for Cabinet Office Non-Executive Board Members. At present John Fallon, Maura Sullivan, and Lisa Tremble have been appointed as Non-Executive Board Members. Full membership of the Cabinet Office Board will be decided once all of the Non-Executive Board Members have been appointed. The Board will comprise ministers, officials, and Non-Executive Board Members.
What political (a) activity and (b) interests have been declared by each Crown Representative.
The Cabinet Office requires all Crown Representatives to declare any Conflict of Interest both on appointment and at regular intervals thereafter. None of our current Crown Representatives have declared any party political activity or interests.
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2024 to Question 18217 on Government departments: electronic purchasing card solutions, what information his Department holds on the reasons for which some Departments publish transactions below £500.
The policy setting out the requirement to publish Government Procurement Card transactions over £500 remains in place. This is available to all government departments on gov.uk at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e8b402686650c18ce2cb541/Procurement_Cards_-_Pan_Government_Policy_V4_06042020.pdf. There is nothing to prevent government departments from publishing transactions below £500. Where they do so, the Cabinet Office does not hold information relating to their reasons for doing so.
If he will make it his policy for each Department to routinely publish details of recruitment principle exceptions below SCS2 level.
I refer the Rt Hon gentleman to the answer to PQ_29020. Aggregate data is published on details of appointments by exception below SCS2 grade. There has been no change to these arrangements since the new government took office
With reference to the press release entitled Government-branded merchandise and away days banned, published on 6 April 2025, whether senior civil servant leadership conferences will be able to take place in external venues in London.
As set out in the relevant policy, departments are required to ensure that external venues for away days are only used when space in government buildings is unavailable.
Pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 47335 on Civil Service: Equality, whether the Government monitors exemptions permitted to the guidance on Civil Service equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure for Arm’s Length Bodies.
The exemption requirement from the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance does not apply to arm’s-length bodies. As stated in paragraph four of the guidance, for arm’s-length bodies, the Principal Accounting Officer, in consultation with the Board, must authorise the expenditure.
Pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 51453 on Civil Servants: Workplace Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of amending the (a) Classic, (b) Classic Plus and (c) Premium pension schemes to allow civil servants who retire at a later age than 60 to receive a higher pension or actuarial enhancement on the labour market.
I have no plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of the changes referred to.
Pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 51968 on Civil Service: Redundancy Pay, whether he plans to introduce clawback arrangements for people who return to an organisation that uses the Civil Service Compensation Scheme after receiving a compensation payment.
This is already in place. Under the current terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS), if an individual leaves an organisation with a compensation payment and then returns to any other organisation which uses the CSCS within six months, they are required to pay back a proportion of their compensation.
How many Government Procurement Cards are held by staff in 10 Downing Street.
As of June 2025, 10 Downing Street held 34 Government Procurement Cards. The number of cards held has decreased under this administration since July 2024. In line with the guidance, only staff with an operational need, including travel, maintain a card.
Whether the M6364 Media and Creative Framework Preliminary Market Engagement will include expenditure on (a) branded goods and (b) external public relations.
During the Preliminary Market Engagement phase for RM6364 Media and Creative Framework, no expenditure was incurred by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) on branded goods or external public relations. The bidding process for RM6364 commenced on 29 May 2025, inviting suppliers to submit applications for inclusion. Branded goods are out of scope for this procurement. The framework includes provision for the procurement of external public relations services, such as implementation of PR initiatives, both online and offline, independently or in collaboration with other suppliers and message formulation and articulation. However, it does not guarantee any committed spend. Usage of the framework, including decisions on spend, remains at the discretion of individual public sector organisations, including central government departments.
What information the Crown Commercial Service holds on the number of companies that have expressed an interest in joining the RM6364 Media and Creative Framework Preliminary Market Engagement, published in April 2025.
180 companies expressed their interest in participating in the RM6364 Media and Creative Framework as part of the Preliminary Market Engagement.
With reference to the Cabinet Office press release entitled Thousands of Civil Service roles moved out of London in latest reform to the state, published on 14 May 2025, whether civil servants who are relocated outside of London will receive resettlement payments.
The majority of roles moved from London will occur through natural churn. Departments have delegated responsibility for managing relocations in accordance with the Civil Service Management Code. Civil Servants can voluntarily relocate in line with their department’s relocation policy.
Whether his Department has had discussions with the Public and Commercial Services Union on the industrial action relating to outsourced staff at (a) OCS, (b) ISS and (c) G4S.
The Cabinet Office meets regularly with Civil Service trade unions to discuss a variety of subjects. As is longstanding practice, the Government does not provide an ongoing commentary on industrial disputes.
Pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 51159 on Civil Servants: Remote Working, whether his Department collects workforce attendance data for buildings other than headquarters.
I refer the honourable gentleman to the answer given to HC51159. As was the case under the previous administration, the Cabinet Office collects data for departmental HQ attendance only. No other information on occupancy data or workforce attendance is gathered centrally. Heads of departments have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.