First elected: 7th May 2015
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Don't change inheritance tax relief for working farms
Gov Responded - 5 Dec 2024 Debated on - 10 Feb 2025 View Mike Wood's petition debate contributionsWe think that changing inheritance tax relief for agricultural land will devastate farms nationwide, forcing families to sell land and assets just to stay on their property. We urge the government to keep the current exemptions for working farms.
Call a General Election
Gov Responded - 6 Dec 2024 Debated on - 6 Jan 2025 View Mike Wood's petition debate contributionsI would like there to be another General Election.
I believe the current Labour Government have gone back on the promises they laid out in the lead up to the last election.
These initiatives were driven by Mike Wood, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Mike Wood has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Mike Wood has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
This Bill received Royal Assent on 23rd March 2016 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to require local authorities to maintain a register of heritage public houses in their area and to make provision in connection with the compilation and maintenance of such registers; to make provision relating to planning applications in respect of public houses on such a register; to place restrictions on the sale of heritage public houses; to make provision relating to the nomination of heritage public houses as assets of community value; to make provision about the listing of heritage public houses; and for connected purposes.
Mike Wood has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The Office for Equality and Opportunity does not mandate the use of any particular acronym in reference to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office works with a range of organisations globally to protect and promote the human rights of the most vulnerable communities.
The Government uses LGBT+ in communications and publications, as these are widely recognised and understood.
In May 2024, following benchmarking exercises against other similar nursery provision, and taking account of pay awards for the period 2023-2025, fees were increased by 10% for all users. The rise was the first since 2017. The Nursery is an important service to support Members, their staff and House staff.
Assuming a 5 day a week usage, this saw a cash equivalent of increases of £127.84 a month for children under two years old, and £117.00 a month for children over two years old.
In July 2025, a further increase of 3% was implemented.
Assuming a 5 day a week usage, this saw a cash equivalent of increases of £42.5 a month for children under two years old, and £39.00 a month for children over two years old.
| 2023 Cost per month | Increase (10%) | 2024 Cost per month | Increase (3%) | 2025 Cost per month |
Under Two years | £1,278.33 | £127.84 | £1,406.17 | £42.25 | £1,448.42 |
Over Two | £1,170.00 | £117.00 | £1,287.00 | £39.00 | £1,326.00 |
The Library takes one copy of each daily national newspaper which is made available in the Members’ Library. Additional copies of titles are only taken if Library staff determine there is sufficient demand. Newspaper orders, including numbers of copies, are reviewed annually to ensure they are still meeting Members’ needs.
Further copies are placed in the Members’ Tea Room, Smoking Room, and Portcullis House Atrium, as previously requested by Members.
In June 2025, the Administration Committee approved a review of newspaper provision in non-Library areas, to look at both quantities and locations of hard-copy newspapers. This will be completed by the House Service post summer recess.
The Church of England does not provide specific standalone guidance to clergy on the expression of gender-critical views.
On complex issues the House of Bishops may from time to time publish guidance and advice for clergy, designed to inform local response. Two main publications that include detailed theological discussion relating to gender and sexuality are ‘Some Issues in Human Sexuality’ (2003), and ‘Issues in Human Sexuality’ (1991).
More recent statements and pastoral guidance have updated the above, in particular:
• 2005 House of Bishops statement on civil partnerships for same-sex couples,
• 2014 pastoral guidance from the House of Bishops on civil same-sex marriage,
• 2019 House of Bishops statement on civil marriage for all persons,
• 2020 Living in Love and Faith book.
These are all available to view or order on the Church of England website
Following a vote of the General Synod in 2017 to welcome and affirm transgender people, the House of Bishops provided guidance in 2018 called ‘Pastoral Guidance for use in conjunction with the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith in the context of gender transition.’
Within Church of England schools, clergy and teachers are advised to align with the “Pastoral Principles”: www.churchofengland.org/about/general-synod/structure/house-bishops/pastoral-principles
Guidance is also available in ‘Flourishing for All: Anti-bullying Guidance for Church of England Schools’ (updated April 2025): www.churchofengland.org/about/education-and-schools/education-publications/anti-bullying-guidance-church-england-schools
The Office for Equality and Opportunity has not issued guidance on whether regulators should impose equality, diversity and inclusion requirements on regulated entities.
There is no definition of gender, sexual orientation or gender identity formally recognised and used by the diversity networks in the Cabinet Office.
The Call for Evidence on Equality Law, published on 7 April 2025, seeks evidence on how we can better remove barriers to ambition and success for everyone, to improve the lives of working people and strengthen our country as part of our Plan for Change.
The purpose of the Call for Evidence is not to put forward detailed policy proposals and it would therefore not be possible or appropriate to produce an impact assessment at this stage. All evidence submitted to the Call for Evidence will be taken into account when developing policy. We will assess the impact of any proposed policy in the normal way, working in partnership with business, trade unions and civil society, to ensure any potential impacts are fully considered.
The Government is sharing with the EHRC all the submissions that met the criteria of the previous Government’s call for input on single-sex spaces guidance.
It is vitally important that service providers understand the single-sex service exceptions in the Equality Act 2010 and feel confident using them. The Government has committed to ensuring that there is guidance in place which gives service providers assurance about the rights afforded by the Act and how to lawfully apply its single-sex exceptions. We will set out our next steps on this soon.
The Government is sharing with the EHRC all the submissions that met the criteria of the previous Government’s call for input on single-sex spaces guidance.
It is vitally important that service providers understand the single-sex service exceptions in the Equality Act 2010 and feel confident using them. The Government has committed to ensuring that there is guidance in place which gives service providers assurance about the rights afforded by the Act and how to lawfully apply its single-sex exceptions. We will set out our next steps on this soon.
The public consultation seeks views on the proposed approach to mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting in order to inform the drafting of the legislation.
We are separately engaging with a wide range of organisations, including employers, and gathering evidence in a more systematic manner on the likely costs and benefits of the proposed reporting requirements. This work will inform the impact assessment that will be published alongside the draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill.
The Equality Act defines the protected characteristic of gender reassignment as a person that is proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose of gender reassignment.
The scope of the Public Sector Equality Duty (the PSED) is set out in the Equality Act 2010 (the Act). It extends to all public authorities listed in Schedule 19 of the Act and all parties carrying out public functions. This came into force in April 2011 and includes private sector and voluntary organisations.
The PSED requires organisations in scope to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different people.
The government remains committed to upholding the PSED and ensuring that all parties exercising public functions comply with its provisions.
Whoever you are, wherever you come from, Britain should be a country where hard work means you can get on in life. Our work in the Opportunity Mission aims to break the link between background and success to ensure all children, including those from white working-class backgrounds, are able to achieve and thrive today so they can succeed and flourish tomorrow.
We are currently considering our position on caste discrimination. We will announce our plans in due course.
Any expenditure on equality, diversity and inclusion is conducted in line with Civil Service policies. With reference to the specific spend listed within the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, published on 30 May 2025, the one hour Black History Talk took place as part of Black History Month in October 2024 at a cost of £150. It was delivered by a law lecturer, who has worked for a number of UK/US universities and law schools.
It is evident that all professional advice should avoid placing undue emphasis on risks that are negligible.
Since July 2024, no guidance has been issued in regard to the (i) Venice Commission or (ii) Rule of Law Checklist by the Law Officers or Government Legal Profession.
The LGBTI conference was a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) event, and the supplier used to provide venue services was Calder Conferences.
Calder Conferences offers venue solutions for meetings, conferences, and other events, and works with various government departments.
The CPS has a contract with Calder Conferences through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework for Travel and Venue Solutions. This framework allows CPS to access venues for meetings and conferences as needed.
The contract was signed in 2024 under the previous government for two years, with an option to extend for one additional year until February 2027, as is standard across government departments when contracting with conference suppliers. As standard, government contracts are routinely reviewed.
There are no plans to publish guidance for civil servants on conduct in respect of UK parliamentary by-elections or devolved legislature by-elections. The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants and civil servants are expected to adhere to these standards at all times.
The socio-economic duty will require specified public bodies to actively consider how their strategic decisions might help to reduce the inequalities of outcome associated with socio-economic disadvantage. We are currently working toward commencement of the duty, which includes drafting statutory guidance that will clarify how the duty can be applied effectively and include more detail on which public bodies the duty applies to.
Government Communication Service (GCS) has not produced any standalone reports on disinformation using Storyzy.
The tool is used to assess factually incorrect information during crises or threats to national security/public safety that may require a government communications response.
This Government has introduced reforms to Ministerial severance pay to ensure severance payments are proportionate and fair. These changes will come into effect from 13 October.
In the interim, while this is implemented, decisions as to whether a Minister accepts a severance payment is for the outgoing Minister.
As we set out in August, we will be opening our Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme exclusively for undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds for 2026. We will determine eligibility based on parental occupation at age 14 in line with guidance from the Social Mobility Commission and the Office for National Statistics definition.
The Parliamentary and Political Service Honours Committee (PPS Committee) is one of ten specialist honours committees, made up of individuals with considerable experience of the area the committee covers. The PPS Committee considers candidates for honours from the UK Parliament, the Devolved Legislatures, the staff of Westminster and other Assemblies, the staff of bodies which report to them, Party workers, councillors and others working for local government.
In order to broaden the pool of nominations considered by the committee and to increase transparency, the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip was asked to join the Committee in April 2025, in order to represent the third largest party in the House of Commons. The Liberal Democrat Chief Whip now sits on the committee alongside an independent chair and four independent members, appointed through a public appointments process, and the Chief Whips from the Government and the opposition.
The changes to the way the Rules are administered will come into effect on 13 October. The changes announced in the 21 July Written Ministerial Statement will not be applied retrospectively.
The Civil Service Commission is operationally independent of Government. The publication of information about the Commission’s audit activity in respect of the application of Business Appointment Rules below the most senior grades will be a matter for the Commission.
As set out in the Ministerial Code, the Prime Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a minister and the appropriate consequences of a breach of those standards.
The Framework Document between the Cabinet Office, the Civil Service Commission, the Advisory Committee for Business Appointments (ACOBA) and the Commissioner for Public Appointments sets out the broad governance framework for the Independent Offices, including the role of the Joint Operations Committee established by those organisations.
The Framework Document will be updated to reflect the changes announced in the Written Statement on 21 July and will set out the governance arrangements of the Civil Service Commission and Commissioner for Public Appointments, following the closure of ACOBA.
The remuneration of the First Civil Service Commissioner and the chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life will be set out in the annual reports and accounts for those organisations in the usual way.
I refer the Hon. Member to the written statement by the Prime Minister of 19 June 2025 (HCWS718), which sets out the Government's position on appointments to the House of Lords, including the role of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.
There is an established process in place for the appointment of ministers. Any conversations held take place in confidence. All ministers are expected to adhere to the high standards of conduct set out in the Ministerial Code.
As set out in the Written Statement of 21 July 2025, HCWS870, the Government has decided to close the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) and to transfer its function to provide independent advice on the application of the Business Appointment Rules (BARs) in respect of the most senior civil servants and special advisers to the Civil Service Commission (the Commission).
The requirements for membership of the Civil Service Commission and the appointment of Commissioners are set out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 and do not include political members nominated by the main political parties.
The Written Ministerial Statement "Government of Service", laid on 21 July 2025, outlines the role of the Ethics and Integrity Commission. Further detail on the Commission will be published when it becomes operational on 13 October 2025.
I refer the member to the answer provided by Baroness Anderson on 6 August 2025 (HL9881).
Greg Jackson has disclosed his interests in line with all of the relevant guidance and has declared no political activity.
Greg was appointed via a fair and open recruitment competition in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, overseen by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
The reforms to ministerial severance payments, including the use of waivers, will take effect from 13 October.
The former Deputy Prime Minister referred herself to the Independent Advisor on Ministerial Standards on Wednesday 3 September.
It is for the Prime Minister to make recommendations to the Sovereign on new peers. As set out in his written ministerial statement of 19 June 2025, in doing so he will continue to ask the House of Lords Appointments Commission to nominate individuals to sit as Crossbench peers.
Any such appointments will subsequently be announced by the Commission in the usual way.
The information requested is published in Table 1.2 in section 7.3 of Annex A of the Civil Service Pensions 2015 Remedy (‘McCloud’) consultation – Equality Impact Assessment.
A range of internships exist across government, any decisions relating to eligibility are taken in line with the CS Commission rules and in accordance with UK Employment Law. Specifically relating to the CS Summer Internship Programme, as set out in August, it will be exclusively for undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds for 2026. White British people that meet the eligibility criteria for the Summer Internship Programme will be able to apply.
The intelligence agencies, as with any arm to the Civil Service, must take any decisions seeking to improve the diversity of their workforce in-line with UK law and in adherence with the relevant measures of the Equalities Act 2010. These measures permit employers to take specific actions to enable or encourage those with protected characteristics to apply for particular roles. Such action is considered lawful and includes both individuals from White minority backgrounds, those from socially or economically underrepresented groups and those from an ethnic minority background.
The transfer of responsibility for the administration and advice on applications for the most senior civil servants and special advisers from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments to the Civil Service Commission, will only affect those at the SCS Pay Band 3 and equivalent, and above. Applications from those civil servants and special advisers at the SCS Pay Band 2 and equivalent, and below, will continue to be processed by their respective departments.
The Civil Service Management Code will be updated in due course to reflect the transfer of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments' functions to provide independent advice on the application of the Business Appointment Rules in respect of the most senior civil servants and special advisers to the Civil Service Commission.
The government does not intend to amend the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 to implement changes on ministerial severance payments. These changes will be implemented via a waiver system.
The Business Appointment Rules state that retrospective applications will not normally be accepted. While the Rules rightly discourage retrospective applications in order to ensure initial compliance from applicants, the Government believes that, should someone acknowledge their error and agree to follow the process, there should be an opportunity for them to receive advice and be subject to conditions.
Information on the new Business Appointments Rules process will be published when it becomes operational on 13 October 2025.
The latest report from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments for its work between 2020 and 2024 sets out the proportion of cases completed within the 15 and 20 working day timelines, for ministers and crown servants, at page 6: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/669923de0808eaf43b50d22c/Advisory_Committee_on_Business_Appointments-21st_Report_-_April_2020_to_March_2024_PDF.pdf
The Government is determined to create a more efficient and responsive system, for example by streamlining the application process for roles where there is lower threat to the integrity of Government, such as journalism, media appearances, and academia.
I refer the Hon gentleman to the answer for PQ HL9163 of 21 July 2025.