Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for which public appointments the Prime Minister is directly responsible.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Prime Minister is directly responsible for public appointments to 61 bodies and offices across government departments. Individual appointments made by the Prime Minister are publicly announced at the time of appointment.
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 21 October 2024 to Question 6077 on Public Appointments, if the Prime Minister will list each individual Direct Ministerial Appointment which was signed off by 10 Downing Street according to records held by the No. 10 public appointments team since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 14 October 2024, Official Report, PQ 6091.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government records the details of meetings Ministers have at party conferences.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Ministers’ meetings with external organisations at party conferences will generally be in a political capacity so there is no need to normally declare these, unless a senior media figure was also present. Annex D of the Ministerial Transparency Guidance, which is published on GOV.UK, states that ministers’ meetings with external organisations at party conferences will generally be in a political capacity so there is no need to normally declare these, unless a senior media figure was also present. However, if ministers exceptionally hold meetings in the margins of Party conferences in an official ministerial capacity, then these should be recorded and published in the normal way.
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 Places for Growth Formative Evaluation Report, published on 30 October 2024, what steps his Department is taking to reach the targets of (a) 50% UK based Senior Civil Service outside of London and (b) reduced workforce in London to 75,000 by 2030.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Formative Evaluation report, commissioned by the previous Government, identified challenges they faced in delivering the SCS target and ambition to reduce the London workforce to 75 000 by 2030. We will tackle these challenges through a focus on a strong regional offer and UK-wide government presence. Our plans will be announced in due course, aligned with the upcoming Spending Review.
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 new Ministerial Code, published in November 2024, what assessment he had made of the potential impact of the duty for ministers to comply with international law on (a) protections for UK steel, (b) prisoner voting and (c) rulings of the International Criminal Court.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Government ministers have always had an overarching duty to comply with the law, including international law.
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 new Ministerial Code, published in November 2024, for what reason a duty on ministers to comply with international law is included.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Government ministers have always had an overarching duty to comply with the law, including international law.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether special advisers in 10 Downing Street have met representatives of Anacta since the general election.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
In line with longstanding process, relevant meetings are declared in the Special Advisor transparency publications.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what weight is given to the Prime Minister's views through his Principal Private Secretary on the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary is a member of the committee, and their views carry equal weight to all other committee members.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office; for what reason painting GAC 0/34 was removed from 10 Downing Street.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The painting referenced GAC 0/34 was removed from 11 Downing Street for restoration work.
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 7 October 2024 to to Question 5121 on Employment, what requirements will private firms bidding for public sector contracts have to ensure (a) trade union access, (b) collective bargaining arrangements and (c) trade union recognition in order to win such contracts.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government will bring forward a new National Procurement Policy Statement under the Procurement Act that will deliver a mission-led procurement regime. It will drive value for money, economic growth and social value.