Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mike Wood this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1,981–2,000 of 2,423 · this parliament
How many staff GB Energy (a) has recruited or (b) plans to recruit in equality, diversity and inclusion roles.
There are no staff working in equality, diversity and inclusion roles at Great British Energy. There are currently no plans to recruit for such roles.
Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to protect the UK food supply in the event of a (a) cyber or (b) physical attack.
The Food Sector is one of the UK's 14 Critical National Infrastructure sectors. Defra works closely with industry, the Cabinet Office and other Lead Government Departments (LGD) to monitor risks and ensure preparedness for, and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains. Defra assesses the potential impacts of cyber and physical risks to the food supply chain as detailed in the National Security Risk Assessment (NRSA) and reflected in the National Risk Register (NRR). Defra works with Cabinet Office, as leads for the NRR, and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, as the LGD for cybersecurity along with other Government Departments to ensure the range of potential impacts on the food system from these types of risks are considered in the dynamic risk assessment process.
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.
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49766 on Cabinet Office; staff, what are the job responsibilities of the Deputy Director for Meaningful Work.
There is no Deputy Director for Meaningful Work. Meaningful work refers to work that an employee must be provided with and undertake during the redeployment process. The nature of the work should be appropriate for their grade, skills and competencies and may take place within or outside of their existing business area.
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49766 on Cabinet Office: Staff, what is the reason for the entries marked nothing supplied by BU.
The entries marked “nothing supplied by BU” indicate that the Business Unit in which the individual works had not yet provided a role description for the position in the Cabinet Office’s position management system.
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
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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/
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.