Written questions by Wood.

What guidance his Department has issued on whether party political events held in Ministerial diaries are held for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act.

The Cabinet Office has not issued guidance on whether party political events held in Ministerial diaries are held for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act.

Whether the (a) No10 security team and (b) Government Security Group contacted the Metropolitan Police over the theft of the phone of the Prime Minister's chief of staff on 20 October 2025.

There are long established and robust processes to manage information security following the theft of No10 work devices and those processes were followed.

With reference to the the State Council of the People's Republic of China's press release entitled, China's top diplomat holds talks with British prime minister's national security adviser, published on 15 July 2025, whether Jonathan Powell discussed the Chagos Islands with the Chinese Government at this meeting.

The National Security Adviser meets with a range of individuals and organisations as part of his role providing advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on national security matters. Such meetings are often sensitive in nature, and the Government does not routinely comment on them or their content.

Whether a Regulatory Impact Assessment has been produced in relation UK membership of the EU Electricity Market and the ETS scheme.

We will negotiate an electricity agreement with the EU to cut the cost of trading electricity with European partners, strengthen our energy security, drive investment in the North Sea, and help to achieve our Clean Power 2030 Mission. In parallel, the Government is negotiating the potential for linking the UK and EU Emissions Trading Schemes, which could help UK companies avoid paying taxes on up to £7 billion of exports. The detailed commitments under any such agreement, including any assessment of impacts, will be developed as part of the negotiations.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 110806 on Palantir, whether the Defence Attaché to the United States has corresponded with, or met, representatives of Global Counsel since July 2024.

The Defence Attache has not corresponded or met with representatives of Global Counsel since July 2024.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential risks of the public availability of geolocated fitness data on national security, including the potential identification and tracking of (a) UK Armed Forces personnel, (b) deployments, and (c) sensitive military sites; and what guidance, policies or restrictions are in place governing the use of such applications by service personnel and contractors.

Defence takes the security of its personnel, operations and sites extremely seriously. The Department has long recognised the potential risks associated with the public sharing of geolocated data through fitness and other digital applications. Defence personnel are required to comply with departmental security policies and locally issued direction, and to manage their personal data responsibly to reduce the risk of inadvertent disclosure that could compromise personal or operational security.While it would be inappropriate to comment on specific security arrangements, Defence routinely monitors risks arising from emerging technologies and online behaviours, and issues guidance to personnel where such risks are identified. This guidance is kept under review and reinforced as necessary.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2025, to Question 63328, on Intelligence and Security Committee: Press Releases, whether the Cabinet Office has now provided (a) additional and (b) independent resource, to the Intelligence and Security Committee and its secretariat; and what the status is of the updating of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Cabinet Office officials engage routinely and constructively with the Committee and will continue to do so. The Cabinet Office has agreed to the Committee’s requested uplift on budgeting and resourcing, which should help it to continue to undertake its critical role effectively. Cabinet Office officials are also working with the ISC to identify the best operating model for the future. The Prime Minister values the independent and robust oversight which the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) provides. Following discussions with the Committee, the Cabinet Office is conducting a review of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Prime Minister and the Committee. Any changes made to the MOU would need to be agreed by both the Prime Minister and the ISC.

What dates the An NHS Fit for the Future Mission Board met since it ceased to be a Cabinet committee in November 2025.

Mission Boards ceased to be Cabinet Office committees at the end of last year. Since then, my ministerial colleagues and I have continued to engage stakeholders through a variety of fora to take forward the 10-Year Health Plan, through which we are delivering our Health Mission. Oversight is maintained by the Departmental Board, chaired by My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, details of which can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 115553 on APCO Worldwide and Labour Together, what was the specific allegation and breach of the Ministerial Code that the Independent Adviser was asked by the Prime Minister to consider.

I refer the Hon Member to the response to the Urgent Question on 23 February, Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review (Official Report, Column 27), and also to the Terms of Reference for the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards on gov.uk.

With reference to the Government press release entitled Ministers rip up consultation culture, published on 26 March 2026, whether the Attorney General intends to amend the Legal Risk Guidance to facilitate the removal of consultation requirements; and what assessment has been made of the new approach on consultation with the Gunning Principles on consultation.

The Government is committed to identifying existing disproportionate reporting and consultation duties that are slowing down delivery. All options are currently being considered to facilitate the removal of unnecessary consultation requirements.The new approach has taken account of existing legal principles, as will any future changes. Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise and challenge any changes to consultation requirements where they are legislative.The Attorney General’s Guidance on legal risk neither precludes nor requires consultation. Its role is to assist lawyers and others advising on lawfulness and legal risk in government, by setting out a common framework to assess risk.

If he will list the (a) key performance indicators and (b) social value requirements for Palantir’s contracts with his Department.

The Ministry of Defence’s contracts with Palantir are managed in line with standard government commercial practices, including performance management and social value obligations. Performance is monitored through proportionate contractual measures such as delivery, service performance, security compliance and value for money, while social value requirements reflect government policy, including support for UK skills, innovation and the defence technology sector. For reasons of commercial confidentiality and security, it would not be appropriate to publish detailed contractual performance indicators.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 114881 on Jonathan Powell, if he will place a copy of the Envoy declaration in the Library.

The Special Envoy submitted a Declaration of Interests Form as per the long-standing procedures for an appointment of that kind. In line with the same procedures, such forms are not routinely published.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what guidance her Department has issued on whether a civil servant should be dismissed for dishonesty (a) on their job application and (b) in their (i) job interview and (ii) vetting processes.

Conduct during recruitment, interview and vetting is governed by the Civil Service Code and Civil Service Management Code, both of which are available online at GOV.UK.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's publications FCDO Services spend over £25,000, October 2025 and FCDO Services spend over £25,000, November 2025, published on 5 January 2026, for what reason the October and November payments to Inter Mediate listed on the FCDO Development Tracker website are not reported in the FCDO transparency spending data.

The payments the Hon Member refers to were made by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), not FCDO Services. FCDO spending transparency data for the relevant period will be published in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2026 to Question 113713 on Defence: Finance, what proportion of his Department's budget did not count towards the NATO percentage defence spending in 2024-25; and whether there were any funding streams outside the MOD budget which were counted.

Around 4% of the Ministry of Defence's (MOD) budget did not count towards NATO qualifying spend in 2024-25. This is to ensure that items such as accountancy treatments are not included in the UK's return. In line with NATO guidance and previous returns, we have included spend that sits outside the MOD budget provided it met the definition of NATO qualifying spend. This is a common approach used by this and the previous Government.

Whether his Department has issued guidance on whether accountable grant agreements should be (a) published and (b) subject to (i) tendering and (ii) open competition.

The Cabinet Office has published guidance on GOV.UK covering the administration of general grants and the requirement to award funding via a competitive process.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 110806 on Palantir, whether the Office of the UK Defence Attaché had any discussions with Global Counsel in relation to the visit.

The Defence Attache has not corresponded or met with representatives of Global Counsel in relation to the visit.

Pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2025, to Question 70519, on Public Inquiries, what has been the public cost to date of the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry.

The annual financial reports for the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry are available on their website: https://www.postofficehorizoninquiry.org.uk. The total spend outlined in these reports up to 31st March 2025, plus recent spend for 2025/26 (subject to final financial year closure), is £80 million. Updated costs for 2025/26 will be published in due course.In addition, DBT funds Post Office’s costs of engaging with activities necessary of a core participant of the statutory Inquiry, such as legal representation and disclosure costs. As of 31st March 2026 the total spend for this is £134m, subject to final financial year closure. While the Department can clearly identify these direct costs of running the Inquiry, it is not possible to separately quantify the cost of departmental participation. Related expenditure, including staff time and legal support, sits within wider departmental budgets and is not recorded on a stand‑alone basis.

With reference to his Department's news story entitled Modernising public procurement: backing British businesses and building a fairer economy, published 26 March 2026, if he will publish the hyperlinks to the procurement guidance on the (a) new Public Interest Test and (b) publishing insourcing strategies.

This government is committed to making the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation a reality. To do so, we will introduce a new Public Interest Test, requiring all departments to assess whether a service can be delivered more effectively in-house before any outsourcing decision is made. All departments will be required to also publish insourcing strategies to ensure delivery of this policy is effective. The Cabinet Office plans to publish detailed guidance on the introduction of this public interest test in the Summer. Guidance on the public interest test and insourcing strategies will be available on gov.uk.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 119052 on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, on what date did his department last report its NATO spending to NATO, and for what financial year was the report.

In line with NATO's reporting requirements, the UK last provided its defence spending data to NATO in December 2025. These included figures for financial year 2025-26.