Written questions by Wood.

Whether his Department has paid for social media influencers to undertake promotional activity in (a) the United States and (b) other countries outside the United Kingdom.

The Cabinet Office has recently engaged social media influencers to support international campaigns, including the United States and France.

Whether his Department has issued guidance to social influencers who are paid by the Government on stating that they are paid by the Government on their social media posts.

I refer the Hon Member to Question 113587.

When he plans to publish the Public Bodies Directory for 2025-26.

An updated version of the Public Bodies landscape, covering data from 2024-25 will be published on gov.uk before the end of May 2026.

Whether the guidance entitled Rules on lobbying for non-departmental public bodies, published in October 2010, remains Government policy.

The principles of the Rules on lobbying for non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) guidance, published in October 2010, remain Government policy.

For what reason the Downing Street Press Office no longer holds afternoon lobby media briefings.

As the media landscape has transformed over the last few years, the previous lobby arrangements were no longer fit for purpose. The afternoon lobby was sparsely attended, repetitious of morning lobby, and not a good use to taxpayer-funded Government communications resource. It has therefore been replaced with more technical briefings which allow journalists a greater ability to access information about government policies

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Lord Mandelson was involved in the China Audit.

I refer the Hon. Member to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12 February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

If he will issue guidance to Arm’s Length Bodies on stopping the recruitment of Government Relations Advisers to influence central government bodies.

The Cabinet Office does not issue specific guidance on this matter and does not intend to do so. However, Section 4.1 of the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies states that ‘it will always be an improper use of public funds for public bodies to employ consultants or other companies to lobby Parliament, government or political parties.”

Whether (a) his Department and (b) the Government Property Agency (i) has made since July 2024 and (ii) plans to make changes to government property spending controls.

The Office of Government Property, within the Cabinet Office, administers the property spend control on behalf of HM Treasury. The last changes to the property spend control were made in May 2024.At Budget 2025 the government announced reforms to the public spending control and accountability framework. Controls currently delegated to the central government functions, will be replaced by a multi-disciplinary single approval point in HM Treasury for above delegated authority limit spend (DAL).For below DAL spend, departments will be responsible for ensuring they draw on appropriate functional expertise in their decision-making processes.

If he will publish a register of withheld and delayed documents as part of the response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson.

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Whether applicants to the Summer Intelligence Internship self-certify their ethnicity; and whether the SIS undertakes an audit.

Applicants for the UKIC Summer Internship state their ethnicity as part of the application process. We do not comment on what checks are conducted by UKIC during the recruitment process.

Whether Tim Allan’s special adviser declaration of interests will be listed in the next annual special adviser report.

As has been the case under successive administrations, the interests deemed relevant for publication for special advisers in No10 and the Cabinet Office are published on an annual basis by the Cabinet Office.

With reference to his speech entitled Move fast. Fix things, delivered on 20 January 2026, whether training delivered under Learning Frameworks 2.0 will cease to be procured from external suppliers.

Many of the Civil Service’s training needs can be delivered in-house, by civil servants. However, it is important to note that the Civil Service will always want to bring in expert knowledge, insight and learning from outside the Civil Service to ensure that civil servants have the right technical knowledge and skills.The National School of Government and Public Services will deliver more training in house - especially for leadership and management, and core skills. Over the course of the next three years, Government Skills will increase the focus on in-house delivery where it is sensible to do so and, by April 2029, we will have moved to a new delivery model where we work directly with more suppliers.Over this three year period, the Cabinet Office will use the Learning Frameworks 2.0 contracts to deliver training services to the Civil Service whilst the infrastructure needed by the National School of Government and Public Services is established.

Whether applicants for civil service roles self-certify their ethnicity.

Yes. Candidates may self-certify their ethnicity when applying for Civil Service roles, though it is optional and is not included in decision making regarding appointments.

Pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2026 to Question 105252 on Government People Group: Contract, which public body and business unit is the customer under the KPI.

With regard to the PeopleScout Ltd contract referenced in question 105252, Cabinet Office awarded the contract and the Government Recruitment Service within Cabinet Office is the responsible Customer. Consequently, the Customer referenced within the KPI is Government Recruitment Service, and the Supplier will only accept commissions directly from this entity.

If he will publish (a) Government People Group and (b) his Department's guidance on staff working compressed hours.

The government does not publish internal documents.

What guidance his Department has issued on pension forfeiture in relation to (a) Civil Service and (b) Ministerial pensions.

Guidance on the forfeiture process for the Civil Service Pension Scheme is provided on the scheme website within the Employer Pension Guide.No guidance has been issued on forfeiture for the Ministerial Pension Scheme.

Whether Civil Service Compensation Scheme severance payments to departing Cabinet Secretaries are pensionable.

The terms of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS) are the same for all employees regardless of grade. Compensation payments made under the CSCS are non pensionable.

With reference to his speech Move fast. Fix things, delivered on 20 January 2026, by what mechanism Ministers will set KPIs for the Senior Civil Service; and whether those KPIs will be issued in writing.

The Cabinet Secretary is introducing a new accountability and performance framework for Permanent Secretaries, designed to focus on delivering the Prime Minister's priorities and holding people to account for doing so. As part of this, objectives for Permanent Secretaries, underpinned by clear KPIs and expectations, will be agreed with Secretaries of State and reviewed regularly throughout the year. All SCS performance outcomes will be subject to Cabinet Office consistency checking.

With reference to his speech entitled Move fast. Fix things, delivered on 20 January 2026, whether KPIs set by Ministers will be subject to consistency checks by his Department.

The Cabinet Secretary is introducing a new accountability and performance framework for Permanent Secretaries, designed to focus on delivering the Prime Minister's priorities and holding people to account for doing so. As part of this, objectives for Permanent Secretaries, underpinned by clear KPIs and expectations, will be agreed with Secretaries of State and reviewed regularly throughout the year. All SCS performance outcomes will be subject to Cabinet Office consistency checking.

With reference to his speech entitled Move fast. Fix things, delivered on 20 January 2026, whether Ministers will have the authority to amend KPIs during a performance year.

The Cabinet Secretary is introducing a new accountability and performance framework for Permanent Secretaries, designed to focus on delivering the Prime Minister's priorities and holding people to account for doing so. As part of this, objectives for Permanent Secretaries, underpinned by clear KPIs and expectations, will be agreed with Secretaries of State and reviewed regularly throughout the year. All SCS performance outcomes will be subject to Cabinet Office consistency checking.