Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) Palantir Technologies (b) other analytics contractors and (c) external data warehouses are being considered to support cross-departmental data matching under the digital ID initiative.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
We expect the new digital ID to be designed, built and run by in-house Government teams, not outsourced to external suppliers. In the event any specialist external services or expertise are procured to support the delivery of new digital ID, this will be subject to all the usual competitive processes to ensure transparency, and value for the taxpayer.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the Government Communications Service Inclusive communications template.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
There are currently no plans to publish this template.
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 23 September 2025 to Question 75633,on Disinformation, whether the Storyzy service is used in the Resist 3 framework.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Storyzy is a tool that assists in the application of the RESIST 3 theoretical framework by identifying instances of mis- and disinformation.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the model contract for senior civil servants.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
I refer to my answer to 84232, answered on 31 October 2025.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will outline the role of the Cabinet Secretary in relation to the civil service code.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As set out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, the Minister for the Civil Service (the Prime Minister) is responsible for the Civil Service Code. As Head of the Civil Service, the Cabinet Secretary is the Prime Minister’s most senior policy adviser, including in relation to the Civil Service Code.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to use the National Security and Investment Act 2021 to restrict Chinese ownership of companies in (a) water, (b) electricity, (c) gas, (d) telecoms, (e) data centres and (f) nuclear.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government has powers under the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act 2021 to review and, where required, intervene in investments that may pose a risk to national security.
The NSI Act both facilitates investment into sensitive sectors with appropriate safeguards where needed, and provides powers to act in the interests of national security where necessary and proportionate.
Acquisitions considered under the NSI Act are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and the Government will not hesitate to use its powers where necessary.
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 19 November 2025 to Question 90730 on Ministers: Official Cars, whether vehicles from the Government Car Service are routinely provided to any official in the Cabinet Office other than the Cabinet Secretary.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government Car Service (GCS) offers vehicles to government departments as a shared resource. Each department independently determines the allocation of these vehicles in line with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code, as appropriate. For security reasons the details of specific allocations are not released.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department provides guidance to civil servants on personal tax implications for the use of official cars provided by the Government Car Service.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government Car Service (GCS) does not provide tax guidance. Tax matters are the responsibility of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and individuals are expected to refer to HMRC guidance or seek independent advice as appropriate.
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 Freedom of Information response by the Cabinet Office, Ref: FOI2025/18068, published on 5 December 2025, what was the cost to the public purse of influencers for the (a) parent creators on Breakfast Clubs referenced in the guidance and (b) finance content creators on National Living and National Minimum Wage.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The cost of creators for these campaigns was £52,398.
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 page 66 of the Cabinet Office Annual report and accounts 2024-2025, HC1372, 23 October 2025, whether the Executive Committee affirmed and documented its understanding of the Department’s purpose and its own role and responsibilities in a board operating framework.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
There is no requirement in the Corporate Governance Code for Executive Committees to have a Board Operating Framework and so the Executive Committee does not have a board operating framework.