Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Cabinet Secretary plans to review Lord Mandelson’s interactions whilst Ambassador with (a) Global Counsel and (b) its clients.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The former Cabinet Secretary was asked to review available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a Minister. After an initial review of some documents, the matter was referred to the police. In light of the ongoing criminal investigation that was announced, that review has now been paused. The government is cooperating fully with the police investigation and providing any assistance required.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Cabinet Secretary has delegated any of his role or functions in relation to (a) the Cabinet Secretary review into Lord Mandelson and (b) advising on the Government response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The former Cabinet Secretary was asked to review available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a Minister. After an initial review of some documents, the matter was referred to the police. In light of the ongoing criminal investigation that was announced, that review has now been paused. The government is cooperating fully with the police investigation and providing any assistance required.
In respect of the Government's response to the Humble Address motion, I refer you to the Oral Statement on the 23 February in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister which confirms that the Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary is leading this process.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the input of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office was requested by the Cabinet Office Propriety and Ethics Team in producing the due diligence on Lord Mandelson.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to the former Cabinet Secretary’s letter to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee of 30 October: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/50019/documents/269409/default/
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 11 March 2026, to Question HL14990, on Lord Mandelson, whether the policy intention is the new legislation to remove peerages will include power to remove peerages of individuals who are not members of the House of Lords, including the Duke of York title.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Further details about the legislation to create a mechanism to remove peerages from disgraced peers will be announced soon.
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 20 February 2026, to Question 112168, on Government, what role Tim Allan played in the new advice given to communication teams on UK Government branding.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The update to the branding guidance was the responsibility of the Government Communications Service.
This guidance was developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders and in accordance with standard protocols in Summer 2025. Tim Allan was appointed in September 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 answer of 10 March 2026, to Question 112197, on Lord Mandelson, if he will publish Gordon Brown’s letter to the Cabinet Secretary and the reply; and whether that information is within scope of the Humble Address.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government has no plans to publish private correspondence between Rt Hon Gordon Brown and the former Cabinet Secretary.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Cabinet Secretary’s review into matters relating to Lord Mandelson will include consideration of any introductions made during his time as a Minister that were subsequently relevant to applications to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments; and whether the review will assess the adequacy and completeness of the information provided in connection with applications.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The former Cabinet Secretary was asked to review available information regarding Peter Mandelson’s contacts with Jeffrey Epstein during his period as a Minister. After an initial review of some documents, the matter was referred to the police. In light of the ongoing criminal investigation that was announced, that review has now been paused. The government is cooperating fully with the police investigation and providing any assistance required.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Propriety and Ethics Team utilised AI tools to produce due diligence on Lord Mandelson.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to the former Cabinet Secretary’s letter to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee of 30 October: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/50019/documents/269409/default/
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 4 March 2026 to Question 116167 on Peers, if he will set out how the removal from the Roll of the Peerage relates to the status of a peer under the preamble to the House of Lords Precedence Act 1539.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Roll of the Peerage is an officially maintained list of living peers; removal from the Roll determines whether a title can be used in official documents and the precedence attached to it.
The 1539 Act concerns the seating and internal precedence of members within the House of Lords. As noted in Erskine May, these arrangements are in practice modified in line with modern arrangements in the House. Removal from the Roll of the Peerage does not change an individual’s legal right to a peerage, nor their eligibility to membership of and a seat in the House, which can only be removed by an Act of Parliament.
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 Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament press notice of 25 February 2026, what are the criteria and definition of scope for the Humble Address.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer you to the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.