Written questions by Wood.

Pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2025 to Question 82675 on Civil Service: Redundancy, which public body collated and provided that data to the National Audit Office.

The Cabinet Office provided this information to the National Audit Office. This information was already held under the Redundancy and Compensation Control process.

Pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2025 to Question 73728 on Cabinet Office: OCS Group, whether the Social Value Outcome and Diversity reports produced by OCS are retained by his Department.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) collates information in line with the contract via a third party supplier, who report this into the Social Value Portal. The GPA does not therefore directly hold the information.

Whether she intends to cap public service pension costs under section 12 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013.

Section 12 of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013 (the Act) requires an employer cost cap to be set in each of the public service pension schemes. The Act requires that Treasury regulations must provide for the costs of a scheme to remain within specified margins either side of the employer cost cap of the scheme. The Regulations (SI 2014 No. 575) provide the margins are 3% of pay and that steps must be taken to return the cost of a scheme to the employer cost cap if the cost of the scheme would otherwise go beyond these margins. Treasury Directions made under the Act specify when the employer cost cap is to be assessed (The_Public_Service_Pensions__Valuations_and_Employer_Cost_Cap__Directions_2023_-_Final.pdf ). Valuations of the employer cost cap as at 31 March 2016 and at 31 March 2020 have been undertaken by each of the schemes, for example see page 9 of the Civil Service Pension Scheme Actuarial Valuation as at 31 March 2020 - Valuation Results. Valuations of the employer cost cap as at 31 March 2024 are currently underway and are expected to be published next year.

With reference to the notice entitled Provision of Support and Maintenance for the Central Digital Platform, for what reason the variation was designated as negotiated procedure without a prior call for competition – extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority.

The original contract for the Provision of Support and Maintenance for the Central Digital Platform was awarded following a competitive tender process conducted under the Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) 6 Framework. The Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency (VEAT) notice was published to give notice of our intention to vary the contract. There was a clerical error when publishing the VEAT which inadvertently led to the notice advising that the change was in response to extreme urgency. This was not the case and the decision was made purely on the grounds of value for money. No subcontractor resources which are deployed under the contract are located in or have supply-chain links to jurisdictions designated by the National Cyber Security Centre as high-risk for data-security purposes.

Whether the UK Security Vetting is currently meeting its key performance indicators for vetting timeliness.

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) continues to meet its agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for all product types. The UKSV KPIs are established and regularly reviewed in consultation with departments to ensure that operational demand is balanced while retaining assurance in national security safeguards. Furthermore, UKSV's KPIs are subject to ministerial oversight. In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters.

What proportion of Counter Terrorist Checks (CTC) and Security Checks (SC) have been completed within 25 days in each of the past six months.

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) continues to meet its agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across each product type, including Counter Terrorist Checks (CTC) and Security Checks (SC).These UKSV KPIs are established and reviewed on a regular basis with departments, and are subject to ministerial oversight, to balance operational demand whilst maintaining assurance in national security safeguards. In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters.

With reference to the Departmental Strategic Asset Management Plan Executive Summaries 2025 - 2026, published on 30 October 2025, when the summaries for all departments will be published.

The intention is to publish all summaries of departmental Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs) on the UK government website. For practical purposes, this is being done in phases with a second batch going live in December.

How many (a) pubs, (b) cafes, (c) restaurants and (d) hotels have had their rateable value (i) increased and (ii) reduced by the Valuation Office Agency during the 2026 business rate revaluation.

The VOA published the Draft non-domestic rating list on 26 November 2025. The accompanying statistical commentary reflects changes by sector and location, compared to the previous 2023 valuation. The revaluation will take effect from 1 April 2026. A rise in rateable value does not automatically mean a similar rise in bills. Bills are calculated using an agreed multiplier and any additional reliefs a ratepayer qualifies for. For those seeing bill increases, reflecting many sectors’ post-Covid recovery, the current government is providing a new support package for business rate payers worth £4.3 billion over the next 3 years.

Pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2025, to Question 82339, on Ministers: Official Cars, what was the total expenditure on Ministerial cars across government in July 2025.

I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the response given to Question 90730, tabled on 13th November 2025. The total expenditure on ministerial cars across government in July 2025 was £483,474.31.

Whether any offshore subcontractor resources associated with his Department’s Central Digital Platform contract (a) are located in and (b) have supply-chain links to jurisdictions designated by the National Cyber Security Centre as high-risk for data-security purposes, including China.

The original contract for the Provision of Support and Maintenance for the Central Digital Platform was awarded following a competitive tender process conducted under the Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS) 6 Framework. The Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency (VEAT) notice was published to give notice of our intention to vary the contract. There was a clerical error when publishing the VEAT which inadvertently led to the notice advising that the change was in response to extreme urgency. This was not the case and the decision was made purely on the grounds of value for money. No subcontractor resources which are deployed under the contract are located in or have supply-chain links to jurisdictions designated by the National Cyber Security Centre as high-risk for data-security purposes.

Pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2025, to Question 76829, on Arms Length Bodies: Equality, whether any assessment has been made of the level of compliance by Arms Length Bodies with the May 2024 EDI spending control guidance.

As part of the requirements of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Expenditure Guidance, external EDI expenditure must be reported to the Cabinet Office by departments and Arms Length Bodies who employ civil servants. There is no additional assessment on compliance by ALB’s and reported expenditure is published annually.

Pursuant to the answer of 15 September 2025 to Question 74665 on Civil Service: Workplace Pensions, whether civil servants who are members of Classic, Classic Plus and Premium are able to (a) claim those pensions at 60 and (b) accrue pensionable contributions from Alpha whilst they remain in Crown service; and whether Nuvos members can do the same at 65.

Members of Classic, Classic Plus, Premium and Nuvos can claim their pensions on partial retirement (subject to them reducing their pensionable earnings by 20% by working less hours or at a lower grade) and continue in service accruing Alpha benefits (on that new lower salary). The pension they claim will be reduced (abated) if, when added to their new salary, the total exceeds their pay before partial retirement.

Pursuant to the answer of 3 November 2025, to Question 84247, on Public Appointments: Political Impartiality, what communications has the Cabinet Office had with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in relation to previous political activity, which is outside the scope of the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies but in scope of the Governance Code for Public Appointments, not being publicly declared.

The Governance Code on Public Appointments covers the processes departments should follow for recruiting public appointees, whereas the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies covers the behaviour of such appointees once they are in post. The codes set out processes for the publication of political activity for successful candidates and existing public appointees respectively. Candidates for public appointment roles are asked to declare potential conflicts of interest in their applications - and are advised to err on the side of declaring if in doubt - so that the Advisory Assessment Panel can take a view on whether any actual or perceived conflicts can be appropriately managed. These wider declarations cover a full range of interests, including financial interests, and are for assessment as part of the recruitment process, not for publication. As mentioned above, the Governance Code sets out the political activity that needs to be published.

Pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2025, to Question 73829, on Admiralty House: Council tax, if he will publish a copy of the council tax bills issued by Westminster City Council to the Government Property Agency or Cabinet Office for each of three Admiralty House residences in March 2025, redacting the reference/account numbers.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) does not routinely publish invoices under £25k. Admiralty House sits within Council Tax Band H and details of the bands, current Council Tax charges, additional premiums and published notices about Council Tax can be found at the following page: https://www.westminster.gov.uk/council-tax/council-tax-band-and-charges

Pursuant to the answer of 13 October 2025, to Question 73729, on Ministers: Aviation, which other Government-financed planes have their carbon offset.

The Government does not lease any other government-financed aircraft outside of the wet-leased A321neoLR (G-GBNI) and Ministry of Defence (MOD) assets.

What the recruitment process was for the new Director General of the Propriety, Ethics and Constitution Group; and whether it is a permanent promotion.

The appointment of the interim DG, Propriety and Constitution in August was a temporary promotion. A full recruitment campaign will be launched in the new year.

If the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister will make it his policy to ask the (a) Rt hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne, (b) Rt hon. Member for Sheffield Heeley, (c) hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate and (d) hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney to donate a book to Gladstone's Library.

Gladstone's Library, based in North Wales, was established by William Ewart Gladstone and is the only Prime Ministerial library in the UK. There has never been a formal practice of former ministers donating books to the library, excluding the The Gladstone Foundation Collection which holds Gladstone’s original library. Any decision to do so would not be a matter for the government. I would refer the Hon Member to the Gladstone's Library website, which states that "Gladstone’s Library is currently closed to all donations" to their collection.

What assessment has been made of practices of Hon. Members who will not respond to correspondence from overseas electors who are assigned to their Parliamentary constituency.

The Government recognises the importance of MPs responding to correspondence in a timely and consistent manner. It is for each individual MP to determine how best to perform their parliamentary duties, including the management of correspondence from constituents resident in the UK and overseas. MPs are ultimately accountable to their constituents at the ballot box.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025 to Question 91457, on Written Question: Government Responses, if he will undertake an assessment of whether the Cabinet Office provides full and helpful responses to Parliamentary Questions.

It is a matter for individual departments to determine how to respond to parliamentary questions from Members. However, Parliament has a right to hold Ministers to account and I am committed to ensuring that Members receive full and timely responses.I encourage hon. Members to raise any specific issues they may have with myself and my office.

Pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2025, to Question 88690, on Unite: Conference Centres and Hotels, what steps (a) BDO, (b) the inspector and (c) the Certification Officer taken to ensure that documents held by Unite, Unite members and its contractors or sub-contractors, are not lost or destroyed, and whether any formal notices have been served to this effect.

As previously publicly notified, an inspector, duly appointed by the Certification Officer, is carrying out the inspection under statutory powers. Accordingly, the Certification Officer is allowing that process to proceed. No formal notices have been served by the Certification Officer.Section 33(7) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 makes it an offence for any official or agent of a trade union to destroy, falsify or make false entries in documents relating to the union’s financial affairs.BDO is a private entity, and the government cannot comment on its actions.