Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 23 December 2025 (HL12792), whether (1) Treasury ministers, or (2) their special advisers, had any involvement in media briefings prior to the Budget 2025 which were not issued alongside a Government press release or statement to Parliament.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Treasury, its ministers, and special advisers place the utmost importance on budget security. A leak inquiry is currently underway, alongside a review of security processes to inform future fiscal events.
The Permanent Secretary to HM Treasury told the Treasury Select Committee on 10 December 2025 that he expects the review to conclude ahead of the Spring Statement on 3 March. The outcome of the review will be published.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on 16 December 2025 (HCWS1186), whether the review into countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics will consider the foreign influence on UK politics, and associated foreign funding, from (1) the Open Society Foundations, (2) US donations to Sinn Fein, (3) the Awami League, and (4) the Muslim Brotherhood.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
It is, and always will be, an absolute priority for this Government to protect our democratic and electoral processes. The purpose of the Rycroft review is to provide an in-depth assessment of the current financial rules and safeguards that regulate political parties and political finance and make recommendations. The terms of reference for the review can be found (attached) here: Independent review: countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics: Terms of Reference - GOV.UK
Given the review’s independence, we cannot pre-empt specifics of the ground it will cover, nor the recommendations it will make. It is right that the review is independent of Government and independent of any political party. However, we will be looking to mitigate the risk of foreign financial interference in UK politics from any actors and individuals who might wish to undermine our democracy.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 18 December 2025 (HL12743), whether guidance or advice on the use of email has been provided to cross-government special advisers other than non-corporate communications guidance in the past six months; and if so, whether that advice included guidance on (1) placing, or not placing, specific content on government email accounts, and (2) the application of the Freedom of Information Act to corporate and non-corporation communications.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of 18 December 2025, Official Report, PQ HL12743:
$08122025|4|W|22122025|Lord Jackson of Peterborough||To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Answer by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 25 November (HC91373), whether guidance has been given informally to special advisers through cross-government special adviser meetings about (1) including, or (2) excluding, information on email or other corporate communications. HL12743
Answer: There is guidance in place when it comes to the use of non-corporate communications channels, available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister plans to recommend to the Sovereign that Lord Mandelson be removed from the Roll of the Peerage.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Lord Mandelson is currently on a leave of absence from the House of Lords.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 10 April 2025 (HL6032), whether the arm's-length body "Project Seahorse" has been established; what is the proposed function of that body; and what budget has been allocated to that body in the period covered by the Spending Review 2025.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The body in question is the Warm Homes Agency, which is a new public body being set up to support the delivery of the Warm Homes Plan. The Agency will provide trusted consumer advice, support the supply chain, and consolidate some existing delivery organisations into an Executive Agency. The Government has committed £15 billion in the wider Warm Homes Plan. Specific operational budget allocations for the Agency will be determined in due course and are subject to standard Government approval processes.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 17 December 2025 (HL12793) and 5 January (HL13110), and with reference to paragraph 223 of the Guide to Parliamentary Work and paragraph 1.6(d) of the Ministerial Code, what is the public interest basis in terms similar to those in the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for neither confirming or denying whether Lord Mandelson has received a severance payment in relation to his role as Ambassador to the USA.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
It has been the normal practice under successive governments, including the one in which the Noble Lord served, for the details of individual severance payments received by ministers to be disclosed on a named basis in departmental annual reports, but for payments made to senior officials, special advisers and other employees to be disclosed anonymously.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 17 December 2025 (HL12793) and 5 January (HL13110), and the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 18 December 2025 (HC97798), whether Lord Mandelson left the his role as UK Ambassador to the USA (1) for gross misconduct justifying summary dismissal, (2) on the grounds of efficiency, (3) as a result of disciplinary proceedings in circumstances where summary dismissal is not justified, (4) during the probation period, (5) on medical grounds, (6) on other compulsory grounds, or (7) in exceptional circumstances.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
It has been the normal practice under successive governments, including the one in which the Noble Lord served, for the details of individual severance payments received by ministers to be disclosed on a named basis in departmental annual reports, but for payments made to senior officials, special advisers and other employees to be disclosed anonymously.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether exit payments paid to departing Ambassadors and Heads of Mission are published in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's annual reports and accounts (1) by both name and amount, or (2) anonymised by grade and amount.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
It has been the normal practice under successive governments, including the one in which the Noble Lord served, for the details of individual severance payments received by ministers to be disclosed on a named basis in departmental annual reports, but for payments made to senior officials, special advisers and other employees to be disclosed anonymously.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 16 December 2025 (HL12632), what is the public interest rationale for not disclosing information that is not routinely published to Parliament about public spending on the Downing Street flats.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of 16 December 2025, Official Report, PQ HL12632.
PQ HL12632 Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 4 November (HC85501) and Lord True on 23 April 2021 (HL14191), and with regard to paragraph 1.6(d) of the Ministerial Code, what is the public interest argument for not releasing details to Parliament of public spending on the Downing Street flats.
Cabinet Office response: As was the case under successive administrations, an itemised list is not routinely published. Total expenditure from the Prime Minister’s allowance on their official residence is disclosed in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much the Cabinet Office has spent at Berry Bros. & Rudd since 4 July 2024 through Government Procurement Card spending transactions under £500 that are not listed on gov.uk.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of 25 November 2025, Official Report, PQ HC91376.
PQ 91376 Mike Wood: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent via Berry Bros Ltd since 4 July 2024.
Cabinet Office response, on 25 Nov: All relevant spending is available in the Cabinet Office’s government procurement card transparency return for March 2025 which can be found on gov.uk