Written questions by Wood.

What proportion of applications from (a) ministers to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments were processed with substantive advice within 15 working days and (b) all other crown servants at SCS3 or equivalent and above were processed with in 20 workings days of receipt of that application; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that future applications under the Business Appointments Rules are processed quickly.

The latest report from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments for its work between 2020 and 2024 sets out the proportion of cases completed within the 15 and 20 working day timelines, for ministers and crown servants, at page 6: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669923de0808eaf43b50d22c/Advisory_Committee_on_Business_Appointments-21st_Report_-_April_2020_to_March_2024_PDF.pdf The Government is determined to create a more efficient and responsive system, for example by streamlining the application process for roles where there is lower threat to the integrity of Government, such as journalism, media appearances, and academia.

With reference to the Written Statement of 21 July 2025, HCWS870, on Government of service, whether he plans to amend the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 to implement the changes on Ministerial severance payments.

The government does not intend to amend the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 to implement changes on ministerial severance payments. These changes will be implemented via a waiver system.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2025 to Question HL9163 on Government Departments: Regulation, how many authorisations have been made within this Department.

I refer the Hon gentleman to the answer for PQ HL9163 of 21 July 2025.

With reference to the Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, whether the Prime Minister plans to issue a direction under section 17 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 to give the Civil Service Commission new statutory functions relating to Business Appointment Rules.

As Minister for the Cabinet Office, I wrote to the First Civil Service Commissioner, Baroness Stuart, on behalf of the Prime Minister, on 9 July formally inviting the Civil Service Commission, under Section 17 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, to take on responsibility for the administration and advice on applications from the most senior civil servants (and equivalent special advisers) under the business appointment rules system. The First Civil Service Commissioner responded on 11 July on behalf of the Commission to formally agree to take on these additional responsibilities. The relevant correspondence is published on the Civil Service Commission website. These changes took effect on 13 October 2025.

Whether the (a) Crown Commercial Service and (b) Government Communications Service has (i) a framework agreement for the procurement of social influencers and (ii) roster of preferred or recommended influencers.

The procurement of social influencers in Cabinet Office can be done through the CCS Framework RM6125 - Lot 1 End to end campaign solutions, which can be found on this link here.. There is no roster of preferred or recommended influencers.

Whether the iphones provided to No.10 staff use a Virtual Private Network.

It is a longstanding principle that for security reasons, it would not be appropriate to comment on 10 Downing Street’s IT systems.

With reference to the document entitled Statistical bulletin - Civil Service Statistics: 2025, published on 30 July 2025, for what reason the proportion of staff in his Department who have self-reported a disability have risen from 8.9% in 2015 to 16.9% in 2024; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of his Department's recruitment policies on the number of staff self-reporting a disabilitiy in this time period.

The figures referenced are Civil Service wide, rather than Cabinet Office departmental statistics. The correct 2025 figure is 17.9%. This increase is most likely due to a range of activity conducted by departments to increase self-reporting rates as well as any recent recruitment activity. Recruitment is delegated to departments. The Cabinet Office would not be involved in relation to the assessment of recruitment policies within departments. However departments should continually monitor impacts in accordance with the Public Sector Equality Duty.

With reference to the Government press release entitled Internship Scheme To Get More Working Class Students Into Civil Service, published on 1 August 2025, whether children of (a) House of Commons Ministers and (b) civil servants will be eligible to apply for the Summer Internship Programme in 2026.

As we set out in August, we will be opening our Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme exclusively for undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds for 2026. We will determine eligibility based on parental occupation at age 14 in line with guidance from the Social Mobility Commission and the Office for National Statistics definition.

What his Department's planned timetable is for the publication of the seventh UK National Action Plan for Open Government; and what consultation his Department has undertaken in relation to the sixth UK National Action Plan for Open Government since it was published in December 2023.

The Seventh National Action Plan for Open Government (NAP7) will be developed next year with final publication by 31 December 2026. Simultaneously, the UK is co-chairing the OGP Action Framework Task Force with the goal of making the action framework more user-friendly, agile and less bureaucratic. During the implementation of the UK National Action Plan for Open Government 2024-2025 (NAP6), the UK Multi-Stakeholder Forum for Open Government (MSF) met on two occasions on 24th January 2024, and 17th July 2024, with further meetings under development, and Government teams responsible for commitments continued engagement with their stakeholders throughout implementation.

What the cost to the public purse was of each official reception in 10 Downing Street since 4 July 2024.

As under previous administrations, details of official receptions are published in quarterly transparency returns on gov.uk.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 37808 on Prime Minister: Recruitment, if he will list the job title of each position in the Prime Minister’s Office that was filled by exception since 4 July 2024.

As was the case under the previous Government, where over 9,000 such exceptions were used in the year ending March 2023, exceptions are a long-established part of bringing talent and expertise into the Civil Service. A list of appointments by exception (SCS2 and above) are published and updated on the Commission’s website available here: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/publications/pb2-recruitmentexceptions/

If he will publish the name of each of the Prime Minister's (a) special representatives, (b) envoys and (c) direct ministerial appointments who were in post on 2 September 2025.

The names of special representatives, envoys and direct ministerial appointments are published on gov.uk at the time of their appointment.

If he will make an estimate of the total cost of the Civil Service paybill in the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 financial years.

Salary data for the Civil Service is published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics, an Accredited Official Statistics release, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 August 2025 to Question 69070 on Syria: Inter Mediate, what meetings the Prime Minister’s National Security Adviser has had with Inter Mediate.

I refer the member back to PQ 73311.

What information (a) his Department and (b) the Crown Commercial Service hold on the fee structures used by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd under the NEPRO3 framework; and what proportion of public contracts awarded through NEPRO3 in the 2024–25 financial year involved an undisclosed intermediary fee.

The price of each individual work order procured through Bloom Procurement Services Ltd for the Cabinet Office includes the 5% Delivery Partner’s Managed Services Fee. No other fees are applied.The Crown Commercial Service holds no information on the fee structures or intermediary fees used by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd under the NEPRO3 framework.

With reference to the press release entitled Internship Scheme To Get More Working Class Students Into Civil Service, published on 1 August 2025, whether prison wardens are defined as working class, for the purpose of their children applying to the internship scheme.

As we set out in August, we will be opening our Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme exclusively for undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds for 2026. We will determine eligibility based on parental occupation at age 14 in line with guidance from the Social Mobility Commission and the Office for National Statistics definition.

What his Department's policy is on whether (a) trade union diversity networks are eligible for trade union facility time and (b) whether staff can claim both diversity network time and facility time.

Trade unions are separate organisations from the Civil Service and they may have their own diversity networks for their members.In line with the Cabinet Office Facility Time Framework, trade union representatives are entitled to be granted reasonable unpaid time off to participate in trade union activities.

With reference to p.382 of the document entitled Central Government Supply Estimates 2024-25, Main Supply Estimates, HC139, published on 17 July 2025, what policy area relates to the Cabinet Office’s contingent liabilities that are subject to legal privilege.

The contingent liabilities referred to are related to a small number of cases and disputes which are subject to legal privilege. Given this, we are unable to disclose any details.

If he will place in the Library copies of each HR Connect newsletter issued since 1 January 2025.

HR Connect is an internal staff digital newsletter which provides updates and news relevant to civil servants in the People Function. As was the case under the previous administration, it is an internal document and therefore not intended for external publication

If he will undertake a public consultation on the proposed duty of candour.

The Government has committed to implement a ‘Hillsborough Law’ which will place a legal duty of candour on public servants and authorities, and criminal sanctions for those who do not comply.We remain fully committed to bringing in this legislation and we will continue to work with families and stakeholders.