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 award of Contract_17123 for the Test, Learn and Grow Strategic Delivery Partner, what portion of the contract is retained by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd in (a) management fees, (b) commission and (c) administrative charges.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office appointed Bloom Procurement Services Ltd as a Strategic Sourcing Partner for the Professional Services Category in September 2023, under the previous government. A Managed Services Fee of 5% is applicable for all Work Orders procured through this framework.
The Cabinet Office procured this contract following a full options analysis and value for money exercise of all potential routes to market.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what is the Office for National Statistics’ National Statistics Socio-economic classification of (a) Members of Parliament and (b) peers in receipt of the Writ of Summons.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 21st October is attached.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) the Social Mobility Commission and (b) Office for National Statistics classifies police officers as (i) working class.
Answered by Josh Simons - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 21st October is attached.
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 Government Response to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament Report on Iran, published on 4 September 2025, what is the timetable for the review on vetting policy by the Government Security Group.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Security vetting policy and processes are kept under constant review by the Government Security Group (GSG) in the Cabinet Office. This ongoing review is designed to ensure security vetting policy and processes are fit for purpose, to provide the greatest possible assurance for all individuals, including parliamentary staffers.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the (a) National Security Adviser or (b) his Deputies have discussed the Chinese Embassy with the Chinese Government.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The government has a clear and consistent policy not to comment on any of the NSA’s, or his deputies’, meetings with external parties, for obvious reasons to protect sensitive information pertaining to this country’s national security. This has been the case under successive governments.
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 place in the Library copies of each HR Connect newsletter issued since 1 January 2025.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
HR Connect is an internal staff digital newsletter which provides updates and news relevant to civil servants in the People Function. As was the case under the previous administration, it is an internal document and therefore not intended for external publication
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 2 September 2025 to Question 70506 on Cabinet Office: Contracts, whether the Crown Commercial Service has made an estimate of the number of suppliers increasing prices as a result of the increase in National Insurance.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) does not hold information that would show whether suppliers have increased prices in response to the April 2025 National Insurance rise, so cannot make an estimate. Pricing under CCS arrangements is determined at contract level by contracting authorities.
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 his Department's press release entitled Civil Service staff networks to only meet outside working hours and have all events signed off by senior managers, published on 23 September 2025, whether guidance on staff diversity networks will be issued to (a) local government, (b) the police, (c) the NHS, (d) the armed forces and (e) other parts of the public sector.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office does not have responsibility for public sector organisations outside of the Civil Service.
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 his Department's press release entitled Civil Service staff networks to only meet outside working hours and have all events signed off by senior managers, published on 23 September 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that policy on the provisions on trade union equality representatives in the Employment Rights Bill.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Civil Service staff networks are separate to trade union activities and duties carried out by trade union representatives in the Civil Service. As such the Civil Service Staff Network Policy does not apply to its trade union representatives.
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 2 September 2025 to Question 69366 on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, what the provisional cost of the works approved is.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
A one-off refresh of the facility was undertaken in December 2024. This has restored the room back to its original politically neutral state. The indicative cost of these works was up to £80,000, as was reported at the time of undertaking the work. The final cost of these works will be published in due course in Cabinet Office transparency returns, when the invoice is submitted and paid.