Written questions by Wood.

With reference to the publications entitled No10 special advisers hospitality, October to December 2024 and No10 special advisers hospitality, January to March 2025, updated 27 March and 26 June 2025, whether clients of Global Counsel attended the dinners with Matthew Doyle and Global Counsel on (a) 3 October 2024 and (b) 19 February 2025.

The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers requires special advisers to declare details of hospitality received.The Special Advisers’ Transparency Guidance available on GOV.UK provides further details of requirements for reporting of gifts, hospitality, and meetings with senior media figures.

With reference to the transparency data entitled Cabinet Office special advisers hospitality, January to March 2025, published on 26 June 2025, who attended the Global Counsel (a) dinner on 27 February and (b) drinks on 20 January 2025.

The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers requires special advisers to declare details of hospitality received.The Special Advisers’ Transparency Guidance available on GOV.UK provides further details of requirements for reporting of gifts, hospitality, and meetings with senior media figures.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2026 to Question 110807 on Hannah Bronwin, when his Department plans to publish her entry on the Announcements: Direct Ministerial Appointments portal.

All entries can be found on the Direct Ministerial Appointments portal.

For what reason PIP claimants can provide their identity through providing foreign national identity cards.

To be awarded Personal Independence Payment (PIP), claimants must satisfy the Residence and Presence conditions, a person must:be habitually resident in the Common Travel Area (UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands).be present in GB.have been present in GB for a period or periods amounting to 104 weeks out of the 156 weeks immediately before that date (unless Special Rules End of Life (SREL)).not be subject to immigration control. In some circumstances a European Economic Area (EEA) national, or British or Swiss citizen arriving in the UK, from the EEA or Switzerland may satisfy the past presence test from a date earlier than 104 weeks. DWP follows government identity verification standards, verifying identities before paying benefits, updating systems, or sharing claimant information. These rules apply to all channels and services, including PIP. A claimant’s identity can be verified in several ways, including by requesting identification documents. Foreign nationals from EU or European Economic Area (EEA) countries may use their national identity cards as part of the DWP’s identity verification (IDV) process for PIP. These cards are accepted as photographic ID when accompanied by two additional forms of identification.

With reference to page 124 of the DHSC annual report and accounts 2024-25, HC1446, whether Alan Milburn is required to recuse himself from involvement in NHS and private sector health policy relating to (a) AM Strategy Ltd, (b) Bridgepoint Capital Ltd, (c) Human Therapeutic Ltd, (d) Mars Incorporated and (e) PWC.

Prior to appointment, non-executive candidates are required to declare all relevant interests. Appropriate mitigations are then put in place and approved by the Department.This process was carried out for the Rt Hon. Alan Milburn, whose interests, and any updates to them, are available in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts and on the GOV.UK website in alignment with Government policy.

With reference to the DHSC annual report and accounts 2024-25, HC1446, what the payment of £18,000 of gross benefits for the Second Permanent Secretary relates to.

As stated in the Department’s Remuneration Report, that forms part of the annual report and accounts 2024/25, the Department’s Second Permanent Secretary, Tom Riordan, received £18,000 benefits in kind during 2024/25, to cover the dual location of his role.

Pursuant to the answer of 22 December 2025 to Question 99535 on List of Ministerial Responsibilities, if he will list the full Ministerial responsibilities of the hon. Member for Makerfield.

The Honorable Member for Makerfield is no longer serving as a Minister following his resignation on 28 February 2026.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Jonathan Powell was paid as Special Envoy for BIOT negotiations; and whether he completed a declaration of interests as Envoy.

Yes, on both counts.

Whether the legislative provisions of the European Commission, Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a budget expenditure tracking and performance framework and other horizontal rules for the Union programmes and activities, COM/2025/545 final, July 2025, Article 18, will apply to UK participation in the Erasmus+ programme as a third country.

The document referred to is a proposal and is not currently law.The UK will be utilising EU funds, and so EU legislation relating to their use may apply in certain circumstances.

What the salary is of the (a) former and (b) new Cabinet Secretary.

Salary details for the former Cabinet Secretary as at 11 November 2025 are available here. Details for the new Cabinet Secretary will be published at a later date.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled Dame Antonia Romeo appointed as first female Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service to drive change and implement the government’s agenda, of 19 February 2026, if he will publish the guidance on the new enhanced due diligence process.

There are no plans to publish the guidance on the due diligence process followed during the appointment of the Cabinet Secretary.

Whether his Department has made a comparative assessment of the salary outcomes, promotion rates and role progression of (a) participants in the Senior Leaders Scheme and (b) civil servants who did not participate; and whether his Department has undertaken cost benefit analysis of that scheme including average time to promotion, changes in performance markings, retention rates and the financial return on investment.

A feasibility assessment for management evaluations was conducted, concluding that the data necessary was neither timely, easily available nor held centrally.

Whether he plans to make reductions to the size of the Government Communication Service.

To ensure we deliver value for money for the taxpayer, the Government Communication Service continuously assesses the size of its communication teams, to ensure effectiveness and efficiency.

What meetings (a) the National Security Adviser and (b) his deputies have had with Inter Mediate since he took up his post.

The National Security Adviser and his deputies meet with a range of individuals and organisations as part of their roles 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.

Pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 104195 on Government Communication Service: Staff, if he will break down that list by individual public bodies within the sponsor organisation.

Publication of this information is not currently planned.

What assessment has been made on whether social media influencers paid for by the government are using the “paid partnership” tag on their content; and whether they state that the partnership is with the UK Government.

Influencers are subject to the Advertising Standards Authority.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025, to Question 92595, on Cabinet Office: Revenue and Customs, what arrangements are in place for the sharing of HMRC information with the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

The Government has published a Memorandum of Understanding setting out the arrangements for sharing information between HMRC and the House of Lords Appointments Commission when it considers appointments to the House of Lords. The MoU can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sharing-hmrc-information-to-assist-in-appointments-to-the-house-of-lords/memorandum-of-understanding-accessing-hmrc-information-for-appointments-to-the-house-of-lords--3

Pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2025 to Question 94199 on Mission Boards: Cabinet Committees, whether the terms of reference for the Mission Boards have been revised.

Missions Boards, including their terms of reference, are the responsibility of each of the lead Secretaries of State: Kickstarting Economic Growth - Chancellor of the ExchequerAn NHS Fit for the Future - Secretary of State for HealthSafer Streets - Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentBreak Down Barriers to Opportunity - Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and EqualitiesMake Britain a Clean Energy Superpower - Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero

Whether the (a) Intelligence Community and (b) National Cyber Security Centre will have any role in the certification and auditing of companies authorised to provide electronic balloting services for trade unions.

This Government is committed to allowing modern, secure, electronic balloting and workplace ballots for trade unions, as political parties and listed companies already use.We have worked with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in our development of this policy which will require detailed cyber-security standards, independent cyber-security certification requirements, and audit principles to be met for electronic balloting to be used.When conducting statutory ballots by electronic means, trade unions will have to appoint an independent scrutineer who meets the conditions under the Trade Union Ballots and Elections (Independent Scrutineer Qualifications) Order 1993 to assure that there is no contravention of the required standards.

With reference to the UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, 22 December 2025, whether the UK will make additional financial contributions to the European Union as a consequence of the new provisions on (a) Irregular migration and (b) increasing United Kingdom and European Union border security including through law enforcement cooperation.

No decisions have yet been taken as to whether the UK will make additional financial contributions to the European Union as a consequence of the new provisions set out in the Common Understanding of 19 May 2025 on (a) illegal migration and (b) increasing United Kingdom and European Union border security including through law enforcement cooperation. Our position remains that we are prepared to make an appropriate financial contribution to support the relevant costs associated with the European Union's work in this policy area, for example to access EU agencies or databases. We will need to work through the details of this in further discussions with the EU. Any decisions on such matters will be assessed in accordance with Government Accounting Officer rules, including value for money.