Written questions by Wood.

What formal title and position John Pond held on 2 August 2009 within Downing Street.

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual staffing matters.

Pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77563 on Palantir, whether there is a record of who the Prime Minister (a) met and (b) spoke to during that visit.

The visit was part of the Prime Minister's trip to Washington. During this visit the Prime Minister listened to a short presentation about Palantir’s work, followed by a tour of the premises and an introduction to members of staff. In December 2025, the MOD signed an extension to the Enterprise Agreement with Palantir that had been initially awarded in November 2022, by the previous Government, and via a direct award. This extension covered existing services and ensured there was no drop-off in MOD capability in critical areas. This contract - and all other contracts for any firm - go through the usual rigorous departmental processes and their decision makers.

Whether the Cabinet Secretary has received representations from Gordon Brown on communications between Lord Mandelson and Jeffery Epstein.

I refer the Hon Member to the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister’s words to the House during the debate on the ‘US Department of Justice Release of Files’ on Monday 2 February (Hansard Vol 780, Col 49). https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2026-02-02/debates/10A2B314-165E-4992-A7BF-0F30739D7BBD/USDepartmentOfJusticeReleaseOfFiles

With reference to his oral statement of 2 February 2026, Official Report, Column 47, on US Department of Justice Release of Files, whether he has a formal terms of reference for his review into Lord Mandelson; what his planned timetable is; to whom will it report; and whether there will be a public report.

The review, which was being carried out by the former Cabinet Secretary, has been paused in light of the ongoing criminal investigation that was announced. The government is cooperating fully with the police investigation and will provide any assistance required. We are also working to respond to the Humble Address motion.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025, to Question 94697, on House of Commons Director General: Public Appointments, whether the permanent Director General of the Propriety, Ethics and Constitution Group will be publicly advertised on the public version of the Civil Service Jobs website.

The recruitment campaign is still currently in planning stages and details will be released in due course.

Whether his Department has assessed the salary outcomes, promotion rates and role progression of participants in the Beyond Boundaries programme compared to a control group of comparable civil servants who did not participate; and whether his Department has undertaken a cost benefit analysis of the programme, including average time to promotion, changes in performance markings, retention rates and the financial return on investment to the public purse.

Beyond Boundaries is a 12-month cross-government talent programme that launched in 2021 and in October 2025 we welcomed 794 participants. It is designed to help participants develop the knowledge, skills and networks required to build a satisfying and effective career in the Civil Service. There has been no direct comparison of Beyond Boundaries participants against a control group. Current evaluation data is based upon an anonymous, post programme, survey of participants providing an aggregated picture of participant outcomes. In future, Beyond Boundaries will be part of the National School for Government and Public Services and since October 2025 has been supporting our mission to deliver more training in-house and reduce expenditure on external providers to provide better value for the taxpayer. This provided departments with a reduction in the cost per learner of 37.5%

What role the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has in monitoring Bloom Procurement Services Ltd’s compliance with the NEPRO3 framework; and whether CCS is required to audit the fees and margins applied by Procurement Services Ltd on behalf of client departments.

The NEPRO3 framework is not managed or administered by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS). CCS does not monitor the compliance of Bloom Procurement Services Ltd with the NEPRO3 framework, and it does not have a role in auditing any fees or margins that may be applied by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd to departments.

With reference to the Government's correspondence entitled Letter from the Prime Minister on government transparency and open data, published on 14 December 2017, whether the approach set out in the letter is Government policy.

The Government's approach to transparency and open data is set out on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/how-to-publish-central-government-transparency-data.

If he will publish Department’s fixed asset register.

Summary information relating to the Cabinet Office fixed asset register is available in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25.

If she will publish a list of programmes and schemes that require the UK to provide payments to the EU and are not included in the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement of 2020.

All UK participation in EU programmes takes place under the framework of Part V of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK has participated in two EU programmes since 2023, the Horizon Europe research and development programme and Copernicus earth observation programme. The UK will also participate in the Erasmus+ education, youth and sport programme in 2027. Payments are published by the responsible department in its Annual Report and Accounts. The UK also fulfils obligations related to outstanding EU commitments from the UK’s participation in the EU budget before 31 January 2020, as agreed under the Withdrawal Agreement. This is paid by HM Treasury, and details of payments can be found in HM Treasury's EU Finances Statement, published annually.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 90241 on 10 Downing Street: Official Hospitality, how much has been spent on hospitality by No10 since 4 July 2024.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 20 May 2025, Official Report, PQ 49763.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2025 to Question 100331 on Ministers: Official Cars, how many civil servants have access to an official car from the Government Car Service.

I refer the Hon Member to my answer on 14 January 2026 (PQ 103782).

Pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92286 on Government Departments: Official Cars, which Government Departments have access to a official car that can be used by civil servants.

I refer the Hon Member to my answer on 26 November 2025 (PQ 92286).

Further to the Cabinet Office press release entitled Young people from all backgrounds to get opportunity to study abroad as UK-EU deal unlocks Erasmus+, published on 17 December 2025, on what basis was the £570 million a year cost calculated; and what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the public pursue of (a) EU students studying in the UK and (b) UK students studying in the EU.

I refer the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire to the answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 107708.

Whether life peers who are on a Leave of Absence may be removed from the Roll of the Peerage.

The June 2004 Royal Warrant provided for the creation and maintenance of the Roll of the Peerage. Under the terms of the Warrant, any person entered on the Roll may apply to be removed from it, including life peers who are on a Leave of Absence. The Government has announced that it will introduce legislation to allow peerages to be removed from disgraced peers.

Pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92012 on Cabinet Office: training, if he will publish a breakdown of costs for the £5,288.40 spent on the away days.

The cost of Cabinet away days are disclosed in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts. Some of the costs were inadvertently omitted from the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25 due to an administrative error. The total cost incurred was £8,248.40 The Cabinet away day taking place at The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office came at a cost of £2,960 for catering. The Cabinet away day taking place at Lancaster House came at a cost of £5,288.40, covering expenses for AV, catering, security and staff.

Pursuant to the corrected Answer of 7 January 2026 to Question 98100 on Cabinet Office: Public Appointments and with reference to his Department's document entitled Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments, published in October 2025, if he will provide a hyperlink to the information in that answer on gov.uk, including time commitment and appointment end date.

Information related to Direct Ministerial Appointments is available on the Direct Ministerial Appointments page on the HMG Public Appointments website.

Pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2025, to Question 87332, on Lord Mandelson, whether Lord Mandelson during his (a) due diligence and (b) developed vetting processes, was asked about (i) payments made by Jeffery Epstein to him and his partner and (ii) his dealings with Jeffery Epstein relating to official government business when Lord Mandelson was previously a Minister of the Crown; and what consideration was otherwise made of such matters.

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, and the Written Ministerial Statement, and the Oral Statement on 23 February, in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, 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.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make it his policy to disclose forthwith whether an exit payment was made to Lord Mandelson by HM Government following Lord Mandelson's departure from the Civil Service.

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.

Pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2025, to Question 87332, on Lord Mandelson, on what specific date did the Cabinet Office complete its due diligence into Lord Mandelson in relation to his proposed appointment as Ambassador to the United States.

I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, and the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, 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.