Written questions by Wood.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2026 to Question 105916 on 10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, from what budget the £19,759.61 of furnishings came from; and whether the cost has been assigned to her Department.

Across successive governments, Prime Ministers and Chancellors have received allowances to contribute towards the costs associated with maintaining and furnishing of the residency within the Downing Street estate. HM Treasury furnished the Ministerial residence upon entering office, which was empty, on a modest basis. Item choices are restricted to what is available from pre-agreed suppliers and are permanently retained by Government. The £19,759.61 is inclusive of VAT and was funded from within HMT budgets for 2024-25. The breakdown per item is provided below: Item typeCost per item (£ ex. VAT)Stools 1 (x4)720Sofa 11950Sofa 21500Table 1725Rug640Table 2850TV unit850Chairs 1 (x8)1993.33Table 31040.83Table 4312.08Bed450Mattress750Table 5 (x2)880Table 6900Stool 2295Chair 2695Table 7 (x2)440Drawers475Installation & handling fee750Item total inc. VAT at 20%19459.49Additional/delivery fee300.12TOTAL19759.61

Pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2026 to Question 105916 on 10 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, whether the £19,759.51 included or excluded VAT; and if she will provide an itemised breakdown of each item purchased.

Across successive governments, Prime Ministers and Chancellors have received allowances to contribute towards the costs associated with maintaining and furnishing of the residency within the Downing Street estate. HM Treasury furnished the Ministerial residence upon entering office, which was empty, on a modest basis. Item choices are restricted to what is available from pre-agreed suppliers and are permanently retained by Government. The £19,759.61 is inclusive of VAT and was funded from within HMT budgets for 2024-25. The breakdown per item is provided below: Item typeCost per item (£ ex. VAT)Stools 1 (x4)720Sofa 11950Sofa 21500Table 1725Rug640Table 2850TV unit850Chairs 1 (x8)1993.33Table 31040.83Table 4312.08Bed450Mattress750Table 5 (x2)880Table 6900Stool 2295Chair 2695Table 7 (x2)440Drawers475Installation & handling fee750Item total inc. VAT at 20%19459.49Additional/delivery fee300.12TOTAL19759.61

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2026 to Question 113596 on Mission Boards: Cabinet Committees, if she will publish the terms of reference of the Kickstarting Economic Growth Mission Board.

As previously published on GOV.UK, the Growth Mission Board was established 'to oversee and drive progress on the growth mission’.

Pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2026, to Question 113125, on Erasmus+ programme, if he will publish or provide a relevant hyperlink to the technical amendments made.

The text of the Decision will be published on the GOV.UK, at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/specialised-committee-on-participation-in-union-programmes.

With reference to the Budget Information Security Review, published on 9 February 2026, whether monitoring and recording of access to documents classified as Budget - Market Sensitive will include Ministers.

Yes.

Whether the Erasmus deal with the EU has (a) asymmetric or (b) symmetric early termination payments, payable (i) by the United Kingdom if it terminates early and (ii) by the European Union if they terminate early, and what provisions apply if the cost increases in Year 2 of the agreement once the first-year discount expires.

UK association to Erasmus+ is provided for through technical amendments to Protocol I of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which was agreed in 2020 and provides for UK association to EU Programmes under Part 5. Section 3 of Part 5 of the TCA outlines the legal mechanism under which the UK’s participation in all EU Programmes, including Erasmus+, would be subject to suspension and/or termination.

Pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101767 on Jeffery Epstein, what information her Department holds on Lord Mandelson's representations on the disposal of RBS Sempra Commodities to JP Morgan in 2009-10.

The government is cooperating fully with a Metropolitan Police investigation and is providing any assistance required.

If she will publish a list of programmes and schemes that require the UK to provide payments to the EU and are not included in the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement of 2020.

All UK participation in EU programmes takes place under the framework of Part V of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK has participated in two EU programmes since 2023, the Horizon Europe research and development programme and Copernicus earth observation programme. The UK will also participate in the Erasmus+ education, youth and sport programme in 2027. Payments are published by the responsible department in its Annual Report and Accounts. The UK also fulfils obligations related to outstanding EU commitments from the UK’s participation in the EU budget before 31 January 2020, as agreed under the Withdrawal Agreement. This is paid by HM Treasury, and details of payments can be found in HM Treasury's EU Finances Statement, published annually.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025, to Question 93747, on Cabinet Office: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, what the date, title, location and purpose of the cross-government event related to the public expenditure on TasteThatLove are.

See answer to WPQ 93747. The purpose of the event was to encourage collaboration between government departments, academia and the private sector.

What is the forecast profile of yearly (a) defence and (b) security spending to meet the respective 3.5% and 1.5% GDP NATO targets by 2035.

NATO qualifying defence spending will increase to 2.6 per cent of GDP by April 2027. The Government’s ambition is to spend 3 per cent of GDP on defence next Parliament, when economic and fiscal conditions allow, and 5 per cent of GDP on national security spending by the Parliament after next.In 2029, when NATO review capability requirements and this pledge, the UK and Allies will review the trajectory and the balance of spending, which is currently 3.5 per cent on core defence and 1.5 per cent on security and resilience-related spend.

Pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2025, to Question 88660, on Elections: Proof of Identity, what is the policy of Government Social Research on using the terms (a) sex and (b) gender.

The Government Social Research Profession is a professional membership body for social researchers working across government. It supports professional social researchers employed directly by departments through providing opportunities for learning, development, career support and technical development.The Government Social Research Profession is part of the Government Analysis Function, which sets expectations for analysis, as set out in the Government Functional Standard. In using the terms ‘sex’ and ‘gender’, government analysts should have regard to relevant data harmonisation standards published by the Office for National Statistics and the Government Statistical Service.The Office for National Statistics and the Government Statistical Service are currently partway through a review of their harmonised standards. That review is focused on developing updated and new harmonised standards for Sex, Gender Identity, Disability and Ethnicity

If she will publish the Freedom of Information Act disclosure released by the Government Actuary’s Department on 4 August 2025 with reference Internal Review response to FOI252626.

The Government Actuary’s Department released information on 4 August 2025 in relation to a Freedom of Information request. The content of that response is provided alongside this PQ response.

If she will publish the Freedom of Information Act disclosure with reference Internal Review response to FOI252626.

HM Treasury does not recognise the Freedom of Information case reference FOI252626.

Pursuant to the answer to question 95074, how many of the 52,080 businesses classified as pubs and wine bars in the VAO draft 2026 rating lists have seen their rateable value i) decrease, ii) stay the same and iii) increase compared to their 2023 rateable values.

The VOA published the Draft non-domestic rating list on 26 November 2025, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rating-change-in-rateable-value-of-rating-lists-england-and-wales-2026-revaluation-draft-list

Pursuant to the answer to question 95074 of 2 December 2025, how many of the businesses classified as hotels etc in the Valuation Office Agency draft 2026 rating lists have had their rateable value i) decrease ii) stay the same iii) increase compared to their 2023 rateable values.

The VOA published the Draft non-domestic rating list on 26 November 2025, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rating-change-in-rateable-value-of-rating-lists-england-and-wales-2026-revaluation-draft-list

Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025 to question 95074 , how many of the businesses classified as holiday sites in the Valuation Office Agency draft 2026 rating lists have had their rateable value i) decrease ii) stay the same iii) increase compared to their 2023 rateable values.

The VOA published the Draft non-domestic rating list on 26 November 2025, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rating-change-in-rateable-value-of-rating-lists-england-and-wales-2026-revaluation-draft-list

Pursuant to the answer to question 95074 of 2 December 2025, how many of the businesses classified as restaurants and cafes in the Valuation Office Agency draft 2026 rating lists have had their rateable value i) decrease ii) stay the same iii) increase compared to their 2023 rateable values.

The VOA published the Draft non-domestic rating list on 26 November 2025, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/non-domestic-rating-change-in-rateable-value-of-rating-lists-england-and-wales-2026-revaluation-draft-list

How many (a) pubs, (b) cafes, (c) restaurants and (d) hotels have had their rateable value (i) increased and (ii) reduced by the Valuation Office Agency during the 2026 business rate revaluation.

The VOA published the Draft non-domestic rating list on 26 November 2025. The accompanying statistical commentary reflects changes by sector and location, compared to the previous 2023 valuation. The revaluation will take effect from 1 April 2026. A rise in rateable value does not automatically mean a similar rise in bills. Bills are calculated using an agreed multiplier and any additional reliefs a ratepayer qualifies for. For those seeing bill increases, reflecting many sectors’ post-Covid recovery, the current government is providing a new support package for business rate payers worth £4.3 billion over the next 3 years.

Whether she intends to cap public service pension costs under section 12 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013.

Section 12 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 (the Act) requires an employer cost cap to be set in each of the public service pension schemes. The Act requires that Treasury regulations must provide for the costs of a scheme to remain within specified margins either side of the employer cost cap of the scheme. The Regulations (SI 2014 No. 575) provide the margins are 3% of pay and that steps must be taken to return the cost of a scheme to the employer cost cap if the cost of the scheme would otherwise go beyond these margins. Treasury Directions made under the Act specify when the employer cost cap is to be assessed (The_Public_Service_Pensions__Valuations_and_Employer_Cost_Cap__Directions_2023_-_Final.pdf ). Valuations of the employer cost cap as at 31 March 2016 and at 31 March 2020 have been undertaken by each of the schemes, for example see page 9 of the Civil Service Pension Scheme Actuarial Valuation as at 31 March 2020 - Valuation Results. Valuations of the employer cost cap as at 31 March 2024 are currently underway and are expected to be published next year.

With reference to her Department's publication entitled Government Procurement Card spend over £500 - April 2025, Spending by Business Units no longer part of Cabinet Office, published on 29 May 2025, what the spending on TasteTheLove on 28 April 2025 was for, including what food or drink was purchased.

The relevant expense was for catering a cross-government (including visitors from academia and the private sector) event.