Written questions by Wood.

Whether he plans to publish an updated Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Yes, we are developing a new Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. An update on plans for publication will be provided in due course.

On what date the summer internship scheme for 2026 will be open to applicants.

The Civil Service Summer Internship Programme and Fast Stream campaigns run concurrently. The exact dates for this year’s campaigns are yet to be confirmed but we expect them to launch in mid-October 2026 and run for four weeks.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 103782 on Ministers: Official Cars, what is the estimated, non-granular aggregate expenditure by the Government Car Service on official cars for civil servants in the Cabinet Office in the last 12 months.

I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the answer provided to Question 103782. The Government Car Service (GCS) does not invoice separately for ministerial or civil servant use.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2026 to Question 103782 on Ministers: Official Cars, which team within the Government Car Service prepares the financial accounts for vehicles provided to Government Departments.

The finance team.

Pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 92996 on Cabinet Office: ICT, if he will publish the NISTA evaluation from March 2025.

NISTA published its 2024-2025 annual report in August 2025, which included details on Project Falcon. The detailed gateway reports are shared with the SRO, Accounting Officers, HMT and CO to support delivery of the programme but are not routinely published.

Whether departments have been asked to make (a) operational and (b) efficiency savings to fund the new Digital ID programme.

Costs to departments in this Spending Review period will be met within the existing Spending Review settlement.

Pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2025 to Question 70478 on Disinformation, if he will publish the (a) contract and (b) terms of reference for the Storyzy service.

Please find contractual information relating to the Storyzy service at the following link: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/57daa888-59d7-4ae2-8f9f-3977a4aa80a4?origin=SearchResults&p=1

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the proposed dynamic alignment with the EU will prevent the adoption of gene-edited crops under the provisions of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.

Defra remains committed to implementing the Precision Breeding Act and enabling the safe development of innovative genetic technologies Under the UK-EU Common Understanding, it is recognised that there will be areas where the UK will retain its own rules. The detail of those areas is now part of ongoing negotiations. Throughout this process, Defra has been clear on the importance of maintaining the UK’s ability to regulate precision breeding in a way that supports innovation, gives farmers access to new tools, and upholds high standards of safety.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the new proposed dynamic alignment with the EU will ban the sale of oatcakes in the UK due to new EU agricultural standards.

The oats sector plays a vital role in UK agriculture, particularly in Scotland, and we fully recognise the importance of this issue for those businesses. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit in May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common SPS Area. We have been clear that in some areas we will need to account for conditions specific to Great Britain; and on the importance of ensuring that the SPS Agreement delivers positive outcomes for businesses across the UK, while safeguarding our high standards. Officials in Defra are actively engaging with industry representatives on this important issue, as well as with the Scottish Government.

Whether the Government provides funding to Jean Monnet activities.

Jean Monnet Actions are funded from a dedicated share of the Erasmus+ budget. When the UK associates to Erasmus+, it will contribute to the overall programme budget.

Pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 92613 on Digital Technology: Identity Cards, whether Digital ID will be required for Digital Right to Work checks.

As the Prime Minister has recently stated in the House of Commons, there will be checks. They will be digital and they will be mandatory. We will consult on the technical details of how this will be implemented.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Digital ID on Right to Work checks.

As the Prime Minister has recently stated in the House of Commons, there will be checks. They will be digital and they will be mandatory.We will consult on the technical detail of how this will be implemented.

Pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 91382 on Prime Minister: Aviation, if he will publish those calculations for G-GBNI for 2024-25.

I refer the Hon Member back to the answer given in UIN 73729.

Pursuant to the answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 927 on Civil Servants: Performance Related Pay, if he will publish the performance assessment process guidance on considering delivery against the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

For the Senior Civil Service (SCS), the performance management framework sets out a series of ‘minimum standards’, which requires individuals to deliver a threshold level of financial management, cross-system leadership, and people management, including D&I. These minimum standards supplement business delivery objectives, which attract bonuses, and are driven by ministerial and departmental priorities. Individuals that fail to meet the minimum standards are deemed underperforming and placed on a performance development plan. For Civil Service grades below the SCS, it is for individual departments to determine pay and performance arrangements for this cadre.

Whether he plans to review recruitment practices in the public sector.

The public sector - healthcare, education, emergency services, and infrastructure - has delegated authority to determine their own recruitment needs, job roles and hires in line with organisational and industry guidelines. With regard to the Civil Service, the Government is committed to ensuring it attracts, develops, and retains talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds. To support this, we are currently reviewing and implementing several measures.

With reference to his speech of 20 January 2026, entitled “Move fast. Fix things”, whether the new National School of Government and Public Services will be part of the Cabinet Office, or a new Arm's Length Body; and what is its annual budget.

The National School of Government and Public Services will be part of the Cabinet Office. Its annual budget will be defined through normal Cabinet Office processes with any relevant information published as part of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 100885 on Cabinet Office: Remote Working, if he will set out the methodology for the (a) physical and (b) electronic data collation of the Civil Service headquarters occupancy data, including the use of (i) wifi log-ins associated with location, (ii) computer log-ins associated with location, (iii) swipe pass entry data, (iv) space booking systems, (v) desk booking systems and (vi) manual counting.

There are four main methods used by departments to collect their Headquarter Occupancy data. It is for departments to determine the most appropriate method of collection. Methods used are: Wifi and/or computer log-ins associated with location which track device connectivity to, or logins within, specific building locations.Swipe pass entry data which counts arrival and/or exit at defined access points.Space or desk booking system which records pre-booked workspaces.Manual count which will involve the use of a member of staff physically counting people either at a specified time each day or as they enter and/or exit a building.

Pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2026, to Question 104159, on Trade Unions: Facilities Agreements, if he will place in the Library the names of the individual public sector organisations which were requested by Cabinet Office Trade Union Facility Time Reporting Service to submit trade union facility time data but which did not do so, for the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 datasets.

The answer provided to 104159 was inaccurate and has been corrected. The Cabinet Office does not hold the requested information.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2026 to Question HL13276 on Arms Length Bodies, what is his timetable for the completion of the review; and how will it report.

The review is ongoing. Outcomes will be communicated in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 104805 on Senior Civil Servants: Redundancy Pay, and with reference to deposited paper entitled Permanent secretary model employment contract, DEP2025-0830, deposited on 4 December 2025, for what business reason the former Cabinet Secretary was awarded the exit payment under the Compulsory Early Termination of Contract provision of paragraph 18.1 and not under the medical grounds or voluntary exit provisions of paragraph 14.

I refer to my answer for PQs 104805 and 104161, the business case was made on the basis that the Cabinet Secretary departed the Civil Service, and it was calculated on the basis of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme i.e. 1 month’s pay (capped at £149,820 salary) for each year of service.