Written questions by Wood.

Pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2026, to Question 117761 on Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure, whether the Prime Minister’s Office a Department in its own right.

The Prime Minister's Office is a business unit of the Cabinet Office.

Pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2026, to Question 114884, on Lord Doyle, whether (a) the Cabinet Office, (b) No10 Political Office or (c) Prime Minister’s Office will be giving evidence to the Review into Lord Doyle.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 10 March 2026, Official Report, PQ 114884.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Lord Mandelson was given the London Allowance after he was dismissed as Head of Mission and returned to the United Kingdom and before he left the Civil Service.

No.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Lord Mandelson received classified briefings prior to him obtaining Developed Vetting with Strap clearance.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) her Department and (b) the British Embassy in Washington has an auto-deletion policy on emails relating to the appointment of Lord Mandelson.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, further to the Part of a Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons dated 4 February 2026 relating to the appointment of Lord Mandelson as HM Ambassador to Washington, Volume 1, HC1774-I, 11 March 2026, what discussions the Permanent Under-Secretary had on the appointment of Lord Mandelson as Ambassador.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, further to the Humble Address dated 4 February 2026 on what basis was a payout made to Lord Mandelson.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Whether applicants for Developed Vetting are advised that giving false or misleading information, whether directly or by omission, would be a disciplinary offence.

Applicants and Clearance Holders, for all levels of National Security Vetting (NSV), are advised of their responsibilities with regard to the NSV process both at the point of data collection and through the ancillary guidance published on gov.uk. This includes the need for full and complete disclosure. UKSV acts as a service provider for NSV only, any decision to take disciplinary action remains separate from NSV and would be undertaken by the employing authority.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, under which tax regime was Lord Mandelson’s salary and allowances subject to when he was Ambassador; and whether he was entitled to tax reliefs.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 March in response to Question 120407.

Pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 37424 on Parliamentary and Political Service Honours Committee: Public Appointments, in how many cases have reserve lists been used to appoint a member to an honours committee since July 2024..

Reserve lists have been used in one instance to appoint two members to an honours committee since July 2024.

What the terms of reference were of the fact-finding exercise of the General Counsel to the Prime Minister in the context of the return to the Humble Address; and whether there was a report of that exercise.

I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Further to the Humble Address of 4 February 2026 relating on the appointment of Lord Mandelson as HM Ambassador to Washington, how many separate volumes of returns he anticipates publishing..

I refer you to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2026, to Question 112197, on Lord Mandelson, if he will publish Gordon Brown’s letter to the Cabinet Secretary and the reply; and whether that information is within scope of the Humble Address.

The Government has no plans to publish private correspondence between Rt Hon Gordon Brown and the former Cabinet Secretary.

Pursuant to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament press notice of 25 February 2026, what are the criteria and definition of scope for the Humble Address.

I refer you to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Whether advice on the (a) strengths and (b) weaknesses of individual appointable candidates were given to the Prime Minister by the Civil Service on the appointment of the (i) previous and (ii) current Cabinet Secretary.

I refer to my answer 115556, the Cabinet Manual sets out that the Cabinet Secretary is appointed directly by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister receives advice from the First Civil Service Commissioner, but is the final decision maker. The announcement of the previous Cabinet Secretary (here) explained that “this appointment was made following a full fair and open external competition, chaired by the First Civil Service Commissioner.” The announcement of the current Cabinet Secretary (here) explained that “the Prime Minister and the First Civil Service Commissioner agreed a process to appoint a new Cabinet Secretary. Once this process was complete, the First Civil Service Commissioner confirmed that Dame Antonia Romeo is an exceptional candidate of the highest calibre, having run two of the largest operational departments in Government, and confirmed her track record makes her the right candidate for the role.

With reference to the letter from the ONS Permanent Secretary to UK Statistics Authority Interim Chair on ONS prioritisation, of 19 February 2026, what discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics on its reasons for ending its analysis on the night time economy.

As part of their spending review 2025 settlement the ONS agreed to a prioritisation exercise to reduce the number of its outputs to ensure the department can focus on its core remit of producing and publishing high quality and timely economic and population statistics. The Government welcomes this approach.Ministers have not specifically discussed the analysis on the night time economies with the ONS. Following this PQ, ONS has confirmed that this analysis is not a regular publication and has previously been published on an ad hoc basis only.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2025 to Question 77988 on Department for Education: Social Media, how much has been spend on influences in aggregate since 4 July 2024; and on which campaigns and programmes it was spent.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2026 to Question 98104 on DWP: Public Appointments, if any of those appointments made declarations of political activity.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 February 2026 to Question 108667 on Cabinet Office: Policy, how many desk notes are held by the Cabinet Office Propriety and Ethics Team.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to Question 108667 on 20 February 2026.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2026 to Question HL13539 on Special Advisers: Email, whether guidance or advice has been given to (a) officials and (b) special advisers on whether information held on non-corporated advices remains in scope of the Freedom of Information requests after they leave Crown Service.

Officials and special advisers are directed to guidance on use of Non Corporate Communication Channels on appointment and leaving of Crown Service.