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 10 March 2026, to Question 112197, on Lord Mandelson, if he will publish Gordon Brown’s letter to the Cabinet Secretary and the reply; and whether that information is within scope of the Humble Address.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government has no plans to publish private correspondence between Rt Hon Gordon Brown and the former Cabinet Secretary.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) representations and (b) complaints has the Ethics and Integrity Commission received since its creation relating to Lord Mandelson.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The purpose of the Ethics and Integrity Commission is to promote the highest standards in public life. Its terms of reference set out its responsibilities and remit, which can be found at the following link: https://eic.independent-commission.uk/what-we-do/terms-of-reference/
As set out in the terms of reference, the Ethics and Integrity Commission does not investigate individual cases.
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 guidance entitled the approvals process for the creation of new arm's-length bodies, published on 15 March 2018, whether the Cabinet Office Public Bodies Team assessed the Warm Homes Agency against the requirement that the creation of a new arms length body should only be considered as a last resort; whether the Department provided evidence that alternative delivery models were considered; and which of the tests in chapter 2 of that guidance it overcame.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The formation of the Warm Homes Agency is still under consideration and will be announced in due course. Subject to agreement, the WHA will consolidate the existing delivery landscape by closing the existing body, Salix, and integrating its functions, alongside relevant roles from DESNZ and Ofgem. This approach ensures there will be no net increase in the number of arm’s length bodies supporting the government's objective to rationalise delivery.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the Humble Address of 4 February 2026 relating on the appointment of Lord Mandelson as HM Ambassador to Washington, how many separate volumes of returns he anticipates publishing..
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer you to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
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 4 March 2026, to Question 111932, on Lord Mandelson, what discussions (a) Morgan McSweeney and (b) Paul Ovenden had via email on this matter.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
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 4 March 2026 to Question 116167 on Peers, if he will set out how the removal from the Roll of the Peerage relates to the status of a peer under the preamble to the House of Lords Precedence Act 1539.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Roll of the Peerage is an officially maintained list of living peers; removal from the Roll determines whether a title can be used in official documents and the precedence attached to it.
The 1539 Act concerns the seating and internal precedence of members within the House of Lords. As noted in Erskine May, these arrangements are in practice modified in line with modern arrangements in the House. Removal from the Roll of the Peerage does not change an individual’s legal right to a peerage, nor their eligibility to membership of and a seat in the House, which can only be removed by an Act of Parliament.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Further to the oral statement of 2 February 2026, Official Report, Column 47, on US Department of Justice Release of Files, and with reference to the Cabinet Secretary’s review into Peter Mandelson, whether the review will be assisted by the Cabinet Office Propriety and Ethics Team, including the members of PET who assisted in the drafting of the due diligence on Mandelson.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The former Cabinet Secretary was asked to review available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a Minister. After an initial review of some documents, the matter was referred to the police. In light of the ongoing criminal investigation that was announced, that review has now been paused. The government is cooperating fully with the police investigation and providing any assistance required.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what role Chris Wormald played in the (a) selection and (b) appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK Ambassador to the United States.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer you to the former Cabinet Secretary’s oral evidence before the Foreign Affairs Committee on 3 November 2025, and the Government's statement and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what role the Cabinet Secretary played in the appointment of Lord Mandelson as Ambassador to the United States.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer you to the former Cabinet Secretary’s oral evidence before the Foreign Affairs Committee on 3 November 2025, and the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Cabinet Secretary has delegated any of his role or functions in relation to (a) the Cabinet Secretary review into Lord Mandelson and (b) advising on the Government response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The former Cabinet Secretary was asked to review available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a Minister. After an initial review of some documents, the matter was referred to the police. In light of the ongoing criminal investigation that was announced, that review has now been paused. The government is cooperating fully with the police investigation and providing any assistance required.
In respect of the Government's response to the Humble Address motion, I refer you to the Oral Statement on the 23 February in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister which confirms that the Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary is leading this process.