Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025, to Question 90744, on Government Departments: Social Media, which influencers have been used by his Department through the two agencies since July 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As digital and social media become central to how people consume information, the government is adapting its communications approach to meet audiences where they are.
The government recognises content creators as an important way to reach and engage audiences online.
Please note, some data has been withheld due to commercial and wider sensitivities.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Q341 of the oral evidence session of the Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Committee, on Oral evidence: Work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, HC 385, 3 November 2025, if he will make it Government policy that Parliamentary select committees can question direct ministerial appointments in an oral evidence session.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The government recently published guidance on making Direct Ministerial Appointments, which sets out the principles for this route into government. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/direct-ministerial-appointments
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's documents entitled House of Lords Appointments Commission - Independent Member (up to 2), opening date 3 January 2025, and the Governance Code on Public Appointments, updated on 30 October 2025, if he will state who was the independent panel member.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As published on the GOV.UK Public Appointments webpage when the campaign was first advertised, the Independent Panel Member for the House of Lords Appointments Commission - Independent Member (up to 2) was initially Lord Adebowale.
Althea Loderick (Southwark Council CEO) took on the role in July 2025, when Lord Adebolwale became unavailable in the latter stages. The Public Appointments webpage was updated accordingly.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much their Department has spent on X and xAI since July 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Paid advertising on X was suspended in April 2023 following a SAFE Framework assessment. X is currently used only for organic (non-paid) content to communicate policies and public services. No expenditure has been made by the Cabinet Office with X since July 2024.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to 16 December 2025 to Question 96684 on Tim Allan, whether he made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the shareholding in Strand Partners to be (a) sold and (b) moved into a blind trust.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 16 December 2025, Official Report, PQ 96684.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts, Data for July to September 2025, published on 25 December 2025, for what reason (a) using soft copy and (b) travelling by rail is a key performance indicator for the covid inquiry contract with Burges Salmon LLP.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The CCLL23A10 contract with Burges Salmon LLP was procured under Public Contract Regulations 2015. The KPI referenced refers to the contract's Social Value KPI. A Social Value KPI was included in the contract as per para 4.6 of the 'Guide to using the Social Value Model'.
As per the ‘Social Value Model’, Social Value KPIs must be informed by the themes and policy outcomes chosen for the procurement. In the case of the procurement of the CCLL23A10 contract with Burges Salmon LLP, the Social Value KPI was informed by theme 3 ‘Fighting Climate Change’ and the ‘Effective stewardship of the environment’ policy outcome. Working in soft copy (where possible) and choosing travel by rail (where the most time efficient method of transportation) were the measurables chosen to encourage minimised environmental impact and demonstrate that the supplier can provide social value under this contract.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the transparency data, Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP official charity receptions, July to September 2025, updated on 19 December 2025, what was the cost to the public purpose of each of the listed official receptions.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As under previous administrations, details of official receptions are published in quarterly transparency returns on gov.uk.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2025, to Question 96790, on Tim Allan, how Tom Baldwin is classified in the published list of external meetings.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Special Adviser Code of Conduct sets out the categories of meetings, gifts and hospitality that are declared publicly. Any relevant meetings within this category will be published via this process in the normal way.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2025, to Question 92610, on Special Advisers, what were the topics of the presentations.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
This was an internal meeting, and the topics of discussion are not a matter of public record.