Written questions by Wood.

Whether he considered preparing a business case for the refurbishment of the media room in 9 Downing Street.

A business case was not required.

If he will make an estimate of the attendance of civil servants in his Department as a proportion of assigned workforce to each building.

Central data on Civil Service Headquarters (HQ) occupancy is collected and published quarterly on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data for all HQ buildings of Whitehall Departments, Office for Scotland, Office for Wales and Northern Ireland Office. This includes data for the Cabinet Office. As was the case under the previous administration, no other information on workforce attendance is gathered centrally. Heads of department have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.

What the name is of each unit within the business unit of 10 Downing Street; and whether any changes have been made since 4 July 2024.

As was the case under the previous administration, it would not be appropriate to provide a list of individual teams within 10 Downing Street.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2025 to Question 51389 on Civil Service: Equality, what his planned timetable is for issuing the guidance.

A further update will be provided in due course.

Whether members of honours committees have a role in identifying people to receive honours.

I can advise him that there have been no changes to the guidance or policies that were in place under the previous government. Honours committee members have no formal role in identifying people to receive honours. Members play a role in supporting Government departments to build pipelines of possible future nominees in their area of expertise. Further information on probity checks is available on gov.uk.

If he will place a copy of the civil service training modules entitled Civil Service Expectations in the Library.

The details of the learning objectives and course outline are provided on the online prospectus available at: https://prospectus.governmentcampus.co.uk/01-workplace-essentials/xcs-civil-service-expectations/

What propriety and probity checks are undertaken on people proposed for honours.

I can advise him that there have been no changes to the guidance or policies that were in place under the previous government. Honours committee members have no formal role in identifying people to receive honours. Members play a role in supporting Government departments to build pipelines of possible future nominees in their area of expertise. Further information on probity checks is available on gov.uk.

What pay rise will be given to special advisers for the 2025-26 pay round; and whether it will be subject to negotiation with the First Division Association trade union.

In line with the wider Civil Service, there is no contractual entitlement to an annual increase in pay. The government’s policy is that a pay award will be considered annually, and any such award will be linked to the approach taken for the Senior Civil Service. No decisions about a pay award for special advisers for 2025-26 have yet been made.There are currently no collective bargaining agreements with the FDA for Special Advisers.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2024 to Question 15239 on Arms Length Bodies: Equality, what exemptions have been authorised by (a) departments and (b) arm's length bodies.

For departments, external equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure for financial year 2024/2025 has recently been published on Gov.uk. Delegated authority from a minister to a Permanent Secretary has been reported to the Cabinet Office for the following departments:Department for Science, Innovation and TechnologyHM TreasuryMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentDepartment for Business and TradeCabinet OfficeHome OfficeDepartment for Culture, Media and SportDepartment for Transport The exemption requirement does not apply to arm’s-length bodies. As stated in paragraph four of the Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Guidance, for arm’s-length bodies, the Principal Accounting Officer, in consultation with the Board, must authorise the expenditure.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49754 on Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists, whether the post-legislative review of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 has concluded.

Post-legislative scrutiny of the Lobbying Act 2014 was undertaken by the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and has concluded. Their report, Lobbying and Influence, was published on Parliament's website here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/44541/documents/221331/default/

Whether he plans to merge the chair roles of Cabinet Office advisory non-departmental public bodies.

The Cabinet Office sponsors 6 different advisory non departmental public bodies, each with their own Chair. A cross government Arms Length Body landscape review was commissioned in April and is ongoing.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 50220 on Admiralty House, how much the council tax is for the two unoccupied flats in Admiralty House in 2025-26.

Admiralty House residences are valued in Council Tax Band H.

Who is responsible for paying for the (a) internet broadband, (b) wi-fi and (c) telephone lines for the Ministerial residences of (i) 10 Downing Street, (ii) 11 Downing Street, (iii) Admiralty House, (iv) Dorneywood and (v) Chequers.

The maintenance of 10 and 11 Downing Street is managed by the Cabinet Office with costs accrued in the usual way.The maintenance of Admiralty House is managed by the Government Property Agency with costs accrued in the usual way.The maintenance of Dorneywood and Chequers is managed by the Dorneywood and Chequers Trusts respectively, with costs accrued in the usual way.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49766 on Cabinet Office: Staff, for what reason the EU Relations Secretariat appears in the February 2025 dataset but not in the May 2025 dataset.

A transitional data processing error caused EURS staff to appear temporarily under ’NULL’ in the May 2025 dataset following structural changes in Cabinet Office systems.This has since been rectified. These staff are identifiable by their ‘EURS’ position ID.

Whether the Prime Minister met with any of the candidates shortlisted for the Cabinet Secretary position before the appointment.

The Cabinet Secretary was appointed through a fair and open competition, in line with longstanding process.

Whether the cost of domestic flights undertaken by the Prime Minister set out in the Freedom of Information Act response with reference FOI2025/05760 included carbon offsetting.

The flights in-scope of FOI2025/05760 were not carbon offset. This is in line with the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme.

What information his Department holds on the (a) cost to the public purse, (b) number and (c) designs for lanyards bought by (i) 10 Downing Street, (ii) the Office for Women and Equalities, (iii) the Civil Service People Group, (iv) the Crown Commercial Service and (v) the Cabinet Office since 4 July 2024.

The Cabinet Office has purchased a total of 6,376 lanyards for £5,069.99 since 4 July 2024. This includes those bought for the aforementioned business units and Crown Commercial Service as an executive agency.On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. Whilst it was agreed that some expenditure on merchandise items is necessary for operational purposes (security lanyards), all of these orders were made prior to the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise.In comparison, the Cabinet Office purchased a total of over 18,000 lanyards for £17,322.76 in the 12 months to July 2024.Staff will continue to be able to wear existing lanyards.

What guidance the (a) Cabinet Office and (b) the Government Car Service have issued to Ministers on the provision of official cars for travel inside London.

The arrangements relating to the usage of vehicles in the Government Car Service are set out in the Civil Service Management Code and the Ministerial Code.

Whether non-executive board members have to declare (a) past and (b) current membership of a political party; and what guidance he has issued to Departments on that subject.

Guidance on the declaration of interest process for Non-Executive Board Members, including political activity, was updated and published on 28 November 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-executive-board-member-declaration-of-interests-process/non-executive-board-member-declaration-of-interests-process#context The Governance Code on Public appointments makes clear that political activity should not affect any judgement of merit nor be a bar to appointment for a candidate being considered for a public appointment. The Governance Code already requires, for successful candidates, public disclosure where candidates, in the last five years, have been employed by a political party, held a significant office in a party, have stood as a candidate for a party in an election, have publicly spoken on behalf of a political party, or have made significant donations or loans to a party.

If he will publish the response to the Freedom of Information Act request reference FOI2025/05759, dated 16 May 2025.

The Honours Committee handbook released through this request is a version from January 2023 which is currently being updated. An updated version will be laid in the House Library as soon as is practicable.