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 Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, what the line management structure of the (a) Ethics and Integrity Commission secretariat and (b) secretariat supporting the Independent Advisor on Ministers Interests will be; and whether those staff will report to a named senior civil servant in his Department.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the member to the answer provided by Baroness Anderson on 6 August 2025 (HL9881).
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference his Department's document entitled Conflict Resolution Department (CRD) Conflict Resolution Programme, Annual review (D0006064) 400035, published in October 2024, in which countries Inter Mediate has (a) organised strategy sessions with foreign governments and (b) undertaken backchannel engagement with non-state armed groups; and if he will publish a list of countries in which Inter Mediate is commissioned to operate.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office funds a number of different civil society and non-governmental organisations for its mediation and conflict resolution work. We have partnered with Inter Mediate for over 10 years to advance peace efforts in conflicts around the globe. We do not share details of the individual projects funded.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department has paid to Inter Mediate since July 2024; and what (a) programmes and (b) purposes this funding was for.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
For over ten years, Inter Mediate and the UK Government have successfully partnered to advance peace efforts in conflicts around the globe. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office funds a number of different civil society and non-governmental organisations for its mediation and conflict resolution work. We do not share details of the individual projects funded.
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 6 January 2025 to Question 21256 on Government: Policy, what the total cost was for the Plan for Change event on 5 December 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 6 January 2025, Official Report, PQ 21256.
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 make an estimate of the total cost of the Civil Service paybill in the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 financial years.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Salary data for the Civil Service is published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics, an Accredited Official Statistics release, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025
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 written statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, whether the new rules on repayment of Ministerial severance payments will come into effect on 13 October; and whether the Deputy Prime Minister has now signed a waiver.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The reforms to ministerial severance payments, including the use of waivers, will take effect from 13 October.
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 9 June 2025 to Question 54761 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, whether the OCS invoice for the No9 media room works has now been (a) received by the Cabinet Office and (b) paid.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 8 July 2025, Official Report, PQ 64569.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance the Government has issued on diversity network events taking place during work hours.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office has issued an internal policy for Civil Service Staff Networks which includes information on the timing of diversity network events. The Policy states where possible events should be arranged outside of peak business activities and attendees would be expected to attend Network Events in their own time. Events that relate directly to a business outcome or to an individual’s learning & development could be attended in work time with the relevant approvals.
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 Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, whether changes to the Business Appointment Rules will be retrospective.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
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.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which public body is responsible for investigating corruption in government procurement.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Tackling corruption wherever it persists is a foremost priority for this government. One key step has been appointing Tom Hayhoe as the Covid Counter Fraud Commissioner, whose role includes a focus on the procurement of PPE during the Covid-19 pandemic. The government is also bringing forward the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill which, once implemented, will give the Public Sector Fraud Authority new robust powers to investigate fraud, including procurement fraud, across the public sector.
It is the responsibility of each contracting authority to investigate corruption in their own procurement processes; the Procurement Act 2023 places a duty on them to take all reasonable steps to identify and keep under review actual or potential conflicts of interest in their procurements.
The Procurement Review Unit within the Cabinet Office has responsibility for investigating contracting authorities’ compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 and investigating suppliers where their behaviour or circumstances mean that, potentially, they should not be allowed to participate in procurements or be awarded public contracts, for example because they have been convicted of certain bribery or fraud offences.