Written questions by Wood.

Whether the Insolvency Service and its nominated receiver are taking to ensure the retention of emails held by Global Counsel.

When a company enters administration, independent Insolvency Practitioners take control of its business and property. Administrators are responsible for securing and reviewing company records to understand the company’s affairs and carry out the administration. Within three months, administrators must submit a directors’ conduct report to the Insolvency Service. If an investigation is warranted, the Insolvency Service will obtain records from the administrators.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the EU's Industrial Accelerator Act on non-tariff barriers with (a) Great Britain and (b) the United Kingdom.

This government is closely following the Commission's proposals for the Industrial Accelerator Act, and the EU’s Made in Europe agenda more widely and has engaged directly with Member States, the Commission and industry on the issue.We have been clear in discussions with EU counterparts that the UK is a close and trusted European partner, and that the UK and EU must work together to boost growth, resilience, and economic security. We are considering the Act as published earlier this week and engaging with industry on its contents.

Whether the (a) Intelligence Community and (b) National Cyber Security Centre will have any role in the certification and auditing of companies authorised to provide electronic balloting services for trade unions.

This Government is committed to allowing modern, secure, electronic balloting and workplace ballots for trade unions, as political parties and listed companies already use.We have worked with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in our development of this policy which will require detailed cyber-security standards, independent cyber-security certification requirements, and audit principles to be met for electronic balloting to be used.When conducting statutory ballots by electronic means, trade unions will have to appoint an independent scrutineer who meets the conditions under the Trade Union Ballots and Elections (Independent Scrutineer Qualifications) Order 1993 to assure that there is no contravention of the required standards.

Pursuant to the answer of 30 January 2026, to Question 107377, on Jeffery Epstein, whether Lord Mandelson’s private office files from 2009-10 will now be cross-referenced with the unauthorised disclosures of government information to Jeffery Epstein.

The government is cooperating fully with the Met investigation and providing any assistance required.

Pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2025, to Question 92594, on Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure, if he will publish the (a) evidential basis and (b) research underpinning the estimated regulatory cost; and whether this included assimilated EU law.

The methodology and evidence for the estimated baseline of the administrative burden of regulation on businesses of £22.4bn a year in 2024 prices is set out in the technical annex to the policy paper ‘A new approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth’, published on 21st October 2025.The baseline and resulting target apply from the start of April 2025 and reflect (by the methodology stated in the technical annex) our estimates of administrative burden of all UK government regulation at the time, including assimilated EU law.

Whether Ministers in his Department have received coaching in foreign languages since July 2024.

No Ministers have received any coaching in foreign languages since July 2024.

Pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025, to Question 86250, on NHS: Industrial Disputes, whether (a) his Department and (b) the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has provided guidance to employers on trade union representative access to the building of the employer on strike days.

The Department has issued a range of guidance, available on Gov.UK, for employers, workers, and trade unions, on handling industrial disputes. Acas provides joint employer-worker guidance on industrial action. Neither the Department, or Acas, have issued specific employer guidance on trade union representatives’ access to the employers’ building on strike days.Trade union representatives may have a right of access if a recognition agreement provides it, but responsibility for managing access to buildings during industrial action rests with individual employers, who are best placed to assess local circumstances and ensure arrangements align with operational needs, agreements, and legal obligations.

With reference to the Media Buying contract with MANNING GOTTLIEB OMD, for what reason the requirement to promote diversity, inclusion and social mobility is a key performance indicator.

The KPI is intended to incentivise the supplier to address issues of workforce inequality.In line with Government procurement policy on social value, and because we are required to include a related KPI, this KPI was selected from an approved list in the Social Value Model linked to the policy.

Pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 92594 on Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure, whether any types of regulation are excluded from the regulation reduction target; and whether taxation measures which create regulation are counted.

We have committed to reduce the administrative burden of regulation on businesses by £5.6bn by the end of this Parliament. As set out in the Regulation Action plan progress update in October 2025, Taxes, duties, levies and charges administered by HMRC are not included within the baseline and target. Mirroring the approach taken in the successful 2005-10 Administrative Burden Reduction Programme, HMRC will take a complimentary approach to reduce the administrative burden of taxation. Building Safety provisions relating to the safety of tenants, residents and building occupants, are also exempt, to enable the Government’s response to the Grenfell Tragedy.

With reference to the Commissioner for Public Appointment’s annual report 2024-25, published December 2025, Appendix: direct appointments, what the business case was for appointing a non-executive director for three years without open and fair competition; and if he will publish relevant correspondence to and from the Public Appointments Commissioner.

The rationale for appointing without competition was made public at the time of announcement, following consultation with the Commissioner. A fair and open competition was undertaken with a strong applicant field. However, it needed to be strengthened further by the appointment of Nita Clarke, who is bringing vital skills in employee engagement, partnership and employee voices in the workplace drawn from a distinguished career including as Vice President for Employee Relations at the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.

If he will publish emails and documents from 2009-10 held by Integrated Corporate Service containing the words Jeffery Epstein.

A search has been conducted by Integrated Corporate Service containing the words “Jeffrey Epstein” and no records were found. In compliance with the Public Records Act, the Department has no plans to publish emails and documents from 2009-10 held by Integrated Corporate Service.

Pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2025, to Question 88692, on Companies House: Recognition of States, if he will list each foreign nationality that is recognised by Companies House for the purposes of the Register of Companies that is not formally recognised by the UK Government as a nation.

The list of nationalities that are accepted for company filings is available here:Nationalities and countries for company filings - GOV.UKThe use of a standard list of nationalities ensures that information in the Register of Companies is captured consistently and is transparent to users of the Register.Presence of a nationality on the list does not imply formal recognition by Companies House or the UK Government more widely.

Pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2025, to Question HL11348, on Industrial Disputes: Trade Unions, whether the Government will take steps to revise the Code of Practice on picketing to ban leverage tactics during industrial disputes.

The government has laid a revised Code of Practice on Picketing before Parliament, that reflects legislative updates made by the Employment Rights Act 2025. We also intend to consult publicly on wider updates to the Code of Practice on Picketing in due course, noting that this Code has not been substantively updated for some time. We encourage all interested parties to respond to that consultation, with their views on the content of the Code.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2025 to Question 88693 on Stamp Advisory Committee, if he will list the dates that officials have attended meetings of the Stamp Advisory Committee since July 2024.

Stamp Advisory Committee meetings are confidential and a matter for Royal Mail. However, our records show that, since July 2024, a government official attended five meetings.

Further to the Ofcom "Call for input: Review of postal regulation – pricing and affordability", of 4 November 2025, whether stamp prices for ordinary customers will have to cross-subsided the proposed reduction in stamp prices for those on the social tariffs.

As the independent regulator for postal services, Ofcom is responsible for decisions on price controls. The government does not have a role in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions.Affordability is at the heart of Ofcom's regulatory framework. Ofcom will consult on any proposals, ahead of the expiry of the current control on Second Class letter prices in early 2027.

If he will place in the Library a copy of the Freedom of Information Act disclosure, reference FOI2025/09531, of 16 September 2025.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I’ve given him on 29 January 2026 for question UIN 107051. Given that the information the hon. Member seeks has been published in that answer, I have no plans to place a copy of the Freedom of Information disclosure he mentions in the Library.

What departmental receptions have taken place in the offices of consultant lobbying firms since 4 July 2024, and what was the rationale in each case.

The Department for Business and Trade hosted an Industrial Strategy Business reception at the offices of FGS Global on 23 June 2025. The Department had worked with several businesses to find a suitable central London business location to host the reception.The Department does not hold a centralised list of every Departmental reception event. This event is the only reception at a consultant lobbying firm that the department has a record of taking place since June 2024.

With reference to the regulated public appointment, Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) - Committee Members - 5 roles, with application deadline of 23 October 2024, who was the Advisory Assessment Independent Panel Member listed on gov.uk as "To be confirmed".

The Independent Panel Member for this public appointment was Dr Alison Walker-Fraser. Alison is a business consultant and Chair of Trustees at Anaphylaxis UK. She is an experienced IPM for non-executive recruitment campaigns.

Pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2025, to Question 86249, on Department for Business and Trade: Social Media, if he will name the specific social media influencers who were commissioned by the department to undertake paid advertising for the department for the National Minimum and Living Wage campaign.

Influencer marketing is a credible promotional channel, which is considered for government advertising campaigns and can be an effective way to reach audiences that the Government and traditional marketing channels find hard to reach.The activity aimed to raise awareness of the new National Minimum and Living Wage rates to ensure audiences such as young people, part-time female workers, ethnic minorities and disabled groups are paid correctly.Six influencers were used as part of the Department for Business and Trade’s 2025 National Minimum and Living Wage campaign. They were: Bella RobertsKrishnan KaraNoah BrierleyRotimi Merriman-Johnson (Mr MoneyJar)Beth FullerJasmin Shum

What discussions he is having with his European counterparts on the recognition of (a) legal qualifications and (b) other professional qualifications.

HMG remains committed to making it easier for UK and EU professionals to have their qualifications recognised across regulated professions.In the 2025 Common Understanding, the UK and EU committed to setting up dedicated dialogues on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement provisions which enable regulator-led, sector-specific recognition agreements to be negotiated.The annual Trade Specialised Committee on Services, Investment and Digital Trade also provides a forum for the UK and EU to discuss the recognition of professional qualifications.HMG encourages and supports UK regulators, including legal regulators, to work with their EU counterparts to improve recognition of professional qualifications, including through guidance and funding.