Written questions by Wood.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Hundreds of quangos to be examined for potential closure as Government takes back control, published on 7 April 2025, whether the review will include (a) public corporations, (b) non-ministerial departments and (c) government-owned companies.

The review is being led by departments. Departments are to justify every quango otherwise they’ll be closed, merged, or have powers brought back into the department. It will be for individual departments to enact this guidance, with policy teams determining the specifics.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2025 to Question 32585 on NHS: Training, what assessment he has made of the (a) efficiency and (b) effectiveness of NHS spending on unconscious basis training.

There has not been a specific assessment made of spend on unconscious bias training in the National Health Service. As explained in the answer to Question 32585, there is no national NHS-wide policy on unconscious bias training in the NHS. Individual NHS organisations have responsibility for training their own staff, and provide relevant training where appropriate.Taxpayers rightly expect value for money from the funding that is spent in the NHS. The NHS and the Department’s arms-length bodies are continually expected to review their expenditure, with a view to finding efficiency savings and ensuring value for money for the public purse.

Pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 15471 on Office for Equality and Opportunity: Gender and Sexuality, what definition of (a) gender, (b) sexual orientation and (c) gender identity are used by diversity networks funded by his Department.

There is no definition of gender, sexual orientation or gender identity formally recognised and used by the diversity networks in the Cabinet Office.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Government-branded merchandise and away days banned, published on 6 April 2025, whether this ban will extend to Senior Civil Service away days.

The announcement sets out the requirements for all departments to review their policies on procuring corporate-branded and non-essential merchandise, with a view to restricting future purchases. These stricter rules will permit government merchandise only when essential, for example, in overseas trade and diplomacy, or to promote growth. As also set out in the announcement, these measures will require departments to ensure that external venues for away days are only used when space in government buildings is unavailable. This guidance applies at all staff levels. Staff will continue to be able to wear existing lanyards.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 15186 on 10 Downing Street: Official Hospitality, whether he plans to provide costs for individual receptions in 10 Downing Street in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

There are no plans to update inherited guidance in order to provide a breakdown of costs for individual receptions in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts. The cost of hospitality in 10 Downing Street is published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts. The approach is in line and follows that of the previous administrations, which did not publish the information in this way.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Government-branded merchandise and away days banned, published on 6 April 2025, whether this ban will extend to banning Progress Flag-branded lanyards.

The announcement sets out the requirements for all departments to review their policies on procuring corporate-branded and non-essential merchandise, with a view to restricting future purchases. These stricter rules will permit government merchandise only when essential, for example, in overseas trade and diplomacy, or to promote growth. As also set out in the announcement, these measures will require departments to ensure that external venues for away days are only used when space in government buildings is unavailable. This guidance applies at all staff levels. Staff will continue to be able to wear existing lanyards.

With reference to his Department's publication Setting Up a New Arm’s-Length Body (ALB): Guidance for Departments, published on 9 May 2024, whether he plans to revise this guidance.

As announced on 7 April, the government is conducting a review of all arm’s-length bodies to reassess when arm’s-length delivery of public services is appropriate. As part of this review, consideration will be given on whether to update existing Cabinet Office guidance on new ALBs.

What steps his department is taking with the (a) Office for Equality and Opportunity, (b) Government Property Agency and (c) Government People Group to amend (i) policy or (ii) practice guidance in relation to (A) the Civil Service and (B) government buildings in response to the judgement in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16.

The Cabinet Office, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, the Government Property Agency and the Government People Group, has been engaging across the Civil Service, in order to review and update policy and guidance wherever necessary to ensure they comply with the latest legal requirements.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 42462 on Cabinet Office: Boston Consulting Group, on what date the Cabinet Office Investment Committee approved the commercial arrangement with Boston Consulting Group that gave rise to expenditure recorded in the Cabinet Office spending transparency data under “CDDO Strategy, Analysis and System Reform”.

The Investment Committee approved the Business Case for CDDO Strategy, Analysis and System Reform in November 2022. Subsequently, a competitive procurement was launched and the contract was awarded to Boston Consulting Group.

If he will publish individual severance payments made to departing special advisers at pay band Level 4 since July 2024.

It is a longstanding policy not to comment on individuals. The Model Contract for Special Advisers is published online and details the circumstances in which severance is payable. Total severance costs are released in the annual report, which will be published in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 44026 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, when the Government Property Agency will pay OCS for the works on 9 Downing Street.

The cost and payment date of these works will be published in due course in Cabinet Office transparency returns.

Whether white British people can apply to the Civil Service Summer Diversity Internship Programme.

The Fast Stream Summer Diversity Internship Programme was replaced by the Summer Internship Programme in 2023. The Summer Internship Programme is open to any penultimate and final year undergraduates who have the right to work in the UK Civil Service.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025 on diversity staff networks.

The Civil Service remains an inclusive employer and will continue to comply with its legal obligations to all employees. Departments will review their internal policies wherever necessary.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 45015 on Cabinet Office: Social Media, if he will publish (a) a list of the specific advertisements that were placed, (b) a summary of the content and (c) the target audience for each placement.

As was the case under the previous administration, this information is not routinely published.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41297 on 9 Downing Street: Media, if he will publish the business case for the one-off refresh of the facility undertaken in December 2024.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 21 January 2025, Official Report, PQ 25454.

Over what period of time he plans to reduce the size of (a) his Department and (b) the civil service; and what estimate he has made of the net cost saving.

This government is committed to fundamentally reshaping the way the British state delivers and serves working people by becoming more tech-driven, productive, agile and mission-focused. This is a whole of government effort and each department will take its own decision on its individual size and shape. This includes the Cabinet Office which we are reorganising to create a more strategic, specialist, and smaller centre of government, delivering annual savings of £110 million by the financial year 2028/29.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 8814 on Cabinet Office: Trade Union Officials, and with reference to the Freedom of Information Act response with reference FOI2024/14572, if he will publish that response.

A copy of the information released in the response to FOI2024/14572 has been deposited in the House Library.

How many full-time civil servants in the business unit of 10 Downing Street work a four day working week using compressed hours.

I refer the honourable member to the answer given on 10 April 2025 in response to PQ 42051.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 42602 on Stonewall: Subscriptions, whether the National Audit Office pays subscription fees to Stonewall.

The National Audit Office does not pay subscriptions to Stonewall.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the planning application to Westminster City Council, reference number 25/01451/LBC, whether his Department plans to display Government Art Collection artworks that are not currently on display; and what the total cost is of the works to install picture rails.

The outcome of the Listed Building Consent application is not yet known. A decision about artwork will be finalised after approval has been granted and the cost of purchasing and installing picture rails has been determined.