Mike Wood Portrait

Mike Wood

Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire

6,303 (14.0%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 7th May 2015

Opposition Whip (Commons)

(since July 2024)

Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office)

(since November 2024)

Select Committees
Committee of Selection (since November 2024)
Rare Cancers Bill (since June 2025)
Secure 16 to 19 Academies Bill (since June 2025)
Victims and Courts Bill
17th Jun 2025 - 24th Jun 2025
Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill
12th Feb 2025 - 18th Mar 2025
Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
19th Jul 2024 - 6th Nov 2024
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
14th Nov 2023 - 5th Jul 2024
Football Governance Bill
8th May 2024 - 23rd May 2024
Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill [HL]
7th Feb 2024 - 20th Feb 2024
Media Bill
29th Nov 2023 - 12th Dec 2023
Assistant Whip
28th Oct 2022 - 14th Nov 2023
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill
7th Jun 2023 - 11th Jul 2023
International Trade Committee
14th Dec 2021 - 26th Apr 2023
Online Safety (Re-committed Clauses and Schedules) Bill
7th Dec 2022 - 15th Dec 2022
Nationality and Borders Bill
22nd Sep 2021 - 4th Nov 2021
Nationality and Borders Bill
15th Sep 2021 - 19th Sep 2021
European Scrutiny Committee
7th Nov 2016 - 3rd May 2017


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Mike Wood has voted in 220 divisions, and 2 times against the majority of their Party.

26 Nov 2024 - Tobacco and Vapes Bill - View Vote Context
Mike Wood voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 23 Conservative Aye votes vs 35 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 415 Noes - 47
26 Mar 2025 - Tobacco and Vapes Bill - View Vote Context
Mike Wood voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 24 Conservative Aye votes vs 31 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 366 Noes - 41
View All Mike Wood Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Georgia Gould (Labour)
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
(31 debate interactions)
Alex Davies-Jones (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
(12 debate interactions)
Andrew Western (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
(12 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(85 debate contributions)
Department for Work and Pensions
(55 debate contributions)
Ministry of Justice
(30 debate contributions)
Department for Business and Trade
(13 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Mike Wood's debates

Kingswinford and South Staffordshire Petitions

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).

Petitions with highest Kingswinford and South Staffordshire signature proportion
Petitions with most Kingswinford and South Staffordshire signatures
Open
639
of 316,211 signatures (0.20%)
Petition Debates Contributed

We 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.

I 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.


Latest EDMs signed by Mike Wood

4th June 2025
Mike Wood signed this EDM on Wednesday 4th June 2025

Mauritius Treaty

Tabled by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
That the Agreement, done at London and Port Louis on 22 May 2025, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, should not be ratified.
107 signatures
(Most recent: 1 Jul 2025)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 93
Reform UK: 4
Independent: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Traditional Unionist Voice: 1
Ulster Unionist Party: 1
Labour: 1
2nd September 2024
Mike Wood signed this EDM on Monday 2nd September 2024

Social Security

Tabled by: Rishi Sunak (Conservative - Richmond and Northallerton)
That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, praying that the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations 2024 (S.I., 2024, No. 869), dated 22 August 2024, a copy of which was laid before this House on 22 August 2024, be annulled.
81 signatures
(Most recent: 10 Sep 2024)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 74
Independent: 4
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Scottish National Party: 1
View All Mike Wood's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

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

2 Bills introduced by Mike Wood


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.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Monday 21st October 2024
Next Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 12th September 2025

Mike Wood has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
16 Other Department Questions
17th Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the FCDO press release entitled LGBTQIA+ Legal Guidebook launched in Philippines for Pride Month, published on 23 June 2025, whether her Department has a policy on the use of the phrase LGBTQIA+; and whether it has replaced (a) LGBT and (b) LGBT+.

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.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
15th Jul 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the (a) percentage and (b) cash term monetary change in average fees for the House of Commons nursery in (i) 2024-25 and (ii) 2025-26.

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

15th Jul 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question 52332 on House of Commons: Morning Star, what criteria the House uses to determine the number of copies ordered.

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.

17th Jun 2025
To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what guidance the Church of England provides to clergy on the expression of gender-critical views.

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

12th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has issued guidance on whether regulators should impose equality, diversity and inclusion requirements on regulated entities where such requirements are not set out in primary or secondary legislation.

The Office for Equality and Opportunity has not issued guidance on whether regulators should impose equality, diversity and inclusion requirements on regulated entities.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
1st May 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 15471 on Office for Equality and Opportunity: Gender and Sexuality, what definition of (a) gender, (b) sexual orientation and (c) gender identity are used by diversity networks funded by his Department.

There is no definition of gender, sexual orientation or gender identity formally recognised and used by the diversity networks in the Cabinet Office.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
29th Apr 2025
To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 42602 on Stonewall: Subscriptions, whether the National Audit Office pays subscription fees to Stonewall.

The National Audit Office does not pay subscriptions to Stonewall.

29th Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the press notice entitled Radical action plan to cut red tape and kickstart growth, published on 17 March 2025, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of measures in the Equality law call for evidence, published on 7 April 2025, on the Government's target to reduce the administrative cost of regulation on business by a quarter.

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.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to her Departments document entitled Response to call for input on single-sex spaces guidance, published on 17 December 2024, when she will publish new guidance; and whether (a) her Department and (b) the Equality and Human Rights Commission will consult on that guidance.

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.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
7th Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the guidance entitled Response to call for input on single-sex spaces guidance, published on 17 December 2024, if she will publish each of the non-confidential responses.

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.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
2nd Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the consultation document on ethnic and disability pay gap reporting, published on 18 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including a question to consultation respondents on the costs to employers of the new measures.

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.

Seema Malhotra
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
2nd Apr 2025
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question HL4540 on Local Government: Equality, whether (a) the Cabinet Office, (b) the Office for Women and Equality and (c) the Equality and Human Rights Commission consider that being gender fluid or gender neutral constitutes the protected characteristic of gender reassignment.

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.

Nia Griffith
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
15th Nov 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what the Government’s policy is on the scope of the public sector equality duty in relation to private sector organisations that provide goods and services to the public sector.

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.

13th Nov 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is to support equality of opportunity for young white working class males.

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.

13th Nov 2024
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to commence the caste provisions in the Equality Act 2010 as amended.

We are currently considering our position on caste discrimination. We will announce our plans in due course.

17th Jul 2025
To ask the Solicitor General, with reference to the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, published on 30 May 2025, which suppliers were used to provide the LGBTi internal conference.

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.

Lucy Rigby
Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
18th Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to publish an annual written statement on charges incurred by Departments for the use of official government cars for Ministers.

The annual written statement on charges incurred by departments for the use of official government cars for Ministers ceased in 2018 under the previous administration. There are no plans to resume it.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will update the About us section of the National Security and Intelligence webpage on gov.uk.

The “about us” section of the National Security and Intelligence webpage will be updated shortly.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government Property Agency provides free tampons in (a) female and (b) male toilets.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) provides free tampons in female toilets at Birmingham, 23 Stephenson Street, Nottingham, Apex Court, London, 70 Whitehall and Coventry, Cheylesmore House. Tampons are not provided by the GPA in any male toilets.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
15th Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2025, to Question 53205, on Intelligence and Security Committee, whether the Prime Minister will meet with the Intelligence and Security Committee before the summer recess.

The Prime Minister met the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) on 14 July. The Prime Minister was pleased to have the opportunity to reset the relationship between the Government and the ISC, and discuss a range of important issues pertaining to national security and the Committee’s remit.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
15th Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 60489 on Universities: Fees and Charges, whether young people from EU member states coming to the UK under the proposed UK-EU youth mobility scheme would pay international student fees.

We have agreed that we will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU. Any scheme will be time-limited and capped, and we have also been clear that it should be in line with the UK’s existing schemes with countries like Australia and New Zealand. The primary purpose of a youth mobility scheme is cultural exchange and to give young people opportunities to experience life overseas on a temporary basis. We have not agreed to offer home fee status to EU students. Most new EU students who were not lawfully resident in the UK before the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020 pay international fees.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
1st Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the National Security Adviser is (a) secretary of the National Security Council, (b) head of the National Security Secretariat and (c) Principal Accounting Officer for the Single Intelligence Account.

The role of secretary to the National Security Council is fulfilled by the Deputy National Security Advisers. The Executive Deputy National Security Adviser is the corporate head of the National Security Secretariat. The Cabinet Secretary is the Principal Accounting Officer for the Single Intelligence Account.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
1st Jul 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress has been made on appointing the new Conservative political member for the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments.

The appointment of political members to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) is a decision for the Prime Minister following nomination from the relevant Party with a vacancy. A decision on the appointment of a Conservative member to the Committee will be confirmed as soon as possible.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 62086 on King Charles III: Artworks, whether (a) the BBC and (b) Channel 4 took up the offer from the Cabinet Office of a free portrait of the King to place in their offices.

As eligible public institutions, both the BBC and Channel 4 placed orders for Official Portraits of His Majesty The King while the Government scheme was operational, for the purposes of display in their buildings.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the written ministerial statement of 19 June 2025, HCWS718, on House of Lords Appointments, whether the Prime Minister has a numerical target for the number of peerages that he will invite from HOLAC in each year of this Parliament.

As set out in the Prime Minister’s recent statement, the Prime Minister will continue to invite nominations from the House of Lords Appointments Commission for individuals to sit as Crossbench peers. Future appointments will be announced in the usual way.

The number of nominations that HOLAC can make is a matter for the Prime Minister.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answers of 3 June 2025 to Question 53890 on Civil Servants: Media and Public Speaking, and 18 June 2025 to Question 59753 on Civil Servants: Media and Public Speaking, if he will publish the guidance issued to civil servants.

The Civil Service Management Code makes clear that civil servants “must clear in advance material for publication, broadcasts or other public discussion which draws on official information or experience.”

As it has done for several years, the Government continues to approve public activity by civil servants on a case-by-case basis. Informal, internal guidance is available to support this decision-making process. There are no plans to publish this.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
26th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether TotalEnergies Gas & Power and its subsidiaries supply gas to 10 Downing Street; and what assessment he has made of whether TotalEnergies' LNG gas is sourced from Russia.

The UK has ended all imports of Russian fossil fuels in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. This contract started under the previous government.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
25th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 60822 on Public Buildings: Concrete, whether the Government Property Agency holds this information; and how many buildings in his Department have RAAC.

As at February 2024, there were three Government Property Agency (GPA) buildings with confirmed presence of RAAC. None have been identified post 1st January 2025.

The GPA does not hold information on buildings across the wider public estate.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
17th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether civil servants receiving London weighting have to work in an office within Greater London.

Decisions on pay, including London weighting, are delegated to individual departments for grades below the Senior Civil Service (SCS). The SCS pay framework is managed centrally and only operates a national pay range.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether special advisers in his Department have a role in the (a) preparation, (b) clearance and (c) publication of Official Statistics.

The Code of Conduct for Special Advisers sets out Special Advisers’ role and responsibilities.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 May 2025 to Question 41643 on Government Departments: Equality, whether his Department has provided updated internal guidance on diversity networks since 14 May 2024.

We have not provided internal guidance on diversity networks since 14 May 2024. The Civil Service Code, which is published and available here, sets out the standards of behaviour expected of all civil servants.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
13th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance he has given to civil servants on speaking at press conferences.

As per the detailed Government Communication Service (GCS) Propriety & Ethics Guidance, when civil servants are acting as departmental spokespeople they must establish impartiality and neutrality with the news media, and ensure that they deal with all news media even-handedly. GCS also provides training and support to media officers.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
13th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Civil Service EDI Expenditure Review Data, published on 29 May 2025, if he will publish a list of the external (a) organisations and (b) firms that provided (i) benchmarking and (ii) memberships in 2023-24.

As per the data published in the Civil Service EDI Expenditure Review Data on 29 May 2025, the expenditure in this category was £800,000 for all responding organisations during the twelve months prior to their return in July 2023. Naming organisations may breach commercial agreements between departments and providers.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
13th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 May 2025 to Question HL7182 on Cabinet Office: Zero Hour Contracts, what is the annual cost of staff on zero-hours contract; and in what business units do they work.

The requested information is not centrally held, and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.

The Cabinet Office uses zero hours contracts to selectively manage temporary demand. To end exploitative zero hours contracts, under the government’s plans to Make Work Pay legislation will be brought in to give workers on zero hours contracts and workers with a ‘low’ number of guaranteed hours, who regularly work more than these hours, the ability to move to guaranteed hours contracts which reflect the hours they regularly work over a 12-week reference period.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
13th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to reduce the size of the Government Communication Service.

I refer the hon. member to the answer given to PQ25449, given on the 29 January 2025.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
12th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many data breaches his Department has reported to the Information Commissioner's Office under the UK GDPR since 4 July 2024; and what type of information did these breaches relate to.

The Cabinet Office has reported eight data breaches to the Information Commissioner since 4 July 2024. The breaches and the data they related to is set out as follows:

Date of breach

Type of information released

12 July 2024

Data relating to the Equality Hub copied to a private email account

26 July 2024

Data errors led to a civil service pension being paid to the wrong individual

20 July 2024

Data errors led to a civil service pension being paid to the wrong individual

10 September 2024

Employee email shared with incorrect recipients

10 March 2025

Vetting data was shared with the incorrect recipient

19 March 2025

An attachment of earnings order was sent to an incorrect recipient

17 April 2025

Ex-staff member retained departmental data on personal email account

19 May 2025

Data published in error as part of Cabinet Office transparency report

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
12th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Treasury's policy paper entitled Departmental Efficiency Delivery Plans, published on 11 June 2025, whether he has a headcount target for the size of his Department between 2026-27 and 2028-29.

In line with the 2025 Spending Review, we are restructuring the Cabinet Office into a more strategic, specialised, and smaller department to achieve £110 million in annual expenditure savings by the 2028/29 financial year. Our focus is on identifying budgetary savings rather than meeting a specific headcount target.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
12th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Commissioner for Public Appointment’s letter to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar, whether the powers of the Public Appointments Commission to require appointing authorities provide information extends to information held by the No10 Political Office.

The scope of the powers of the Commissioner for Public Appointments to request information relevant to his inquiries are set out in Article 4(6) of the Public Appointments (No. 2) Order in Council 2023.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
11th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Spending Review 2025: Departmental Efficiency Plans, published on 11 June 2025, whether there is an overall headcount target for the size of the Civil Service from 2026-27 to 2028-29.

We have set out plans to reduce back office costs by 16% over the next five years, delivering savings of over £2.2 billion a year by 2030 and targeting spending on front line services.

Each department will take a decision on its individual size and shape as per the financial settlements that have now been agreed with HMT in the Spending Review.

These plans will take a whole workforce approach based on the cost of civil servants, Contingent Labour, Consultancy and Managed Services.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
10th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the (a) transgender, (b) bisexual and (c) Windrush flag has been flown from a Government building since 4 July 2024.

None of the listed flags have been flown from a Government Property Agency managed Government Building since 4 July 2024. We do not hold information relating to buildings not managed by the Government Property Agency.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
10th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much (a) his Department and (b) the Office for Equality and Opportunity has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; and what designs of lanyards have been purchased.

The Cabinet Office has purchased a total of 6,376 lanyards for £5,069.99 since 4 July 2024. This includes those bought for the aforementioned business units and Crown Commercial Service as an executive agency.

On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. Whilst it was agreed that some expenditure on merchandise items is necessary for operational purposes (security lanyards), all of these orders were made prior to the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise.

In comparison, the Cabinet Office purchased a total of over 18,000 lanyards for £17,322.76 in the 12 months to July 2024.

Staff will continue to be able to wear existing lanyards.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
6th Jun 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Director of Policy, Delivery and Innovation is a (a) special adviser, (b) direct ministerial appointment or (c) member of the Number 10 Political Office.

The Director of Policy, Delivery and Innovation is a special adviser. A list of special advisers is published as part of the Annual Report on Special Advisers by the Cabinet Office on gov.uk. The next report will be published in due course.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
30th May 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance (a) his Department and (b) the UK Resilience Academy have issued on the consideration of equality, diversity, inclusion and equity in relation to (i) civil contingencies, (ii) emergency planning and (iii) disaster relief.

The Government will soon publish the new Resilience Strategy which will set out our approach to building national resilience for all with particular focus on supporting our most vulnerable individuals and communities.

In April, the Cabinet Office published updated Vulnerable People Guidance to strengthen the capability of emergency responders in developing local action plans identifying and supporting vulnerable individuals and groups in an emergency. Additionally, the Cabinet Office has developed a Risk Vulnerability Tool which incorporates data such as ethnicity, age, gender, disability to improve understanding of the scale and location of disproportionately impacted populations to enable targeted support before and during crises.

The recently launched UK Resilience Academy will provide learning and leadership to government, local authorities, organisations, communities, and individuals. We will also use the National Exercising Programme to test how well our planning supports vulnerable people and communities in an emergency.

We will also continue to ensure that our current, and future, resilience guidance, including the Prepare website on GOV.UK reflects the diverse needs of individuals, households and communities.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
30th May 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many responses from his Department to Freedom of Information Act requests have detailed Government Procurement Card spending below £500 in the last two years.

To establish the number of FOI responses in the last two years which have detailed Government Procurement Card spending below £500 would require a review of all responses issued by the Cabinet Office during that period and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

In support of the Government’s Transparency agenda, the Cabinet Office publishes Government Procurement Card spend data over £500 on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-procurement-card-data--2

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
30th May 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the written statement entitled Plan for Change: Milestones for mission-led government, of 5 December 2024, HCWS285, if he will make it his policy to report every six months on the (a) metrics and (b) targets set out in that plan.

The Plan for Change sets out clear and transparent milestones, and our plan to achieve them. We published graphs and links to the statistics on the outcomes for these milestones. The statistical annex published on gov.uk on the Plan for Change – Milestones for mission-led government provides further detail. These milestones will allow the public to track our progress and hold the government to account for their delivery.

Ellie Reeves
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
30th May 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many transactions referred to his Department under the National Security and Investment Act have involved private equity firms connected to state-backed sovereign wealth funds since 5 July 2024.

The Government publishes an annual report on the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act 2021, with information about the transactions that it has been notified about and reviewed. The period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 will be covered in the next annual report, which will be published later this year.

NSI Annual Reports do not present the number of acquisitions reviewed involving private equity firms connected to state-backed sovereign wealth funds as the Investment Security Unit does not routinely collect this information.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
30th May 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 44474 on Government Departments: Disclosure of Information, if she will take steps to ensure that transparency data is published in (a) one central searchable database and (b) Application Programming Interface formats.

I refer the Hon Member to my previous answers [UIN42570 and UIN46864] given on the 7th April and 28th April 2025.

The Government has no current plans to publish this data as an Application Programming Interface.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
30th May 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason transparency data on (a) Ministerial gifts and hospitality and (b) senior officials and special advisers are published with different frequencies.

Following updates to the Ministerial Code in November 2024, the Government moved publication of Ministers' gifts and hospitality from quarterly to monthly. This brought declarations broadly in line with those required by Members in Parliament.

As with previous administrations, departments publish transparency data on senior officials and special advisers on a quarterly basis.

Abena Oppong-Asare
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)