Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to improve the (a) transparency and (b) accountability of Official Development Assistance.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Aid Transparency remains a high priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The FCDO was rated "Very Good" in the most recent Aid Transparency Index and was the leading foreign ministry on the Index.

We publish detailed data on all FCDO Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects and programmes monthly in line with the International Aid Transparency Initiative standard. We continually review the quality of published information. The FCDO is also funding an Aid Transparency Review of other UK government departments. This will make recommendations to improve the overall quality of information published on UK ODA.

All FCDO ODA projects and programmes are managed in line with the FCDO Programme Operating Framework. The Programme Operating Framework sets out accountability for ODA delivery including at project approval, annual review and project completion. Relevant documents are published as part of our transparency commitments. The Programme Operating Framework is formally reviewed every 6 months.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on how many occasions he has taken a personal holiday following an official visit; and how the travel costs were paid for in those circumstances.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The standards of conduct expected of ministers are set out in the Ministerial Code. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not routinely comment on the personal travel arrangements of protected individuals.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the cost to the public purse was of the (a) event and (b) reception held at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester on 31 July 2024; how much was spent on (i) alcohol and (ii) food; and what alcoholic drinks were served.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

On 31 July 2024, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport hosted a stakeholder reception in Manchester attended by 193 senior representatives from across the breadth of the DCMS sectors. This included individuals and organisations from the arts, culture, sport, heritage, civil society, and creative industries

The purpose of the event was to provide an opportunity for the new Secretary of State and departmental ministers to engage directly with a wide range of stakeholders, to hear their views, establish relationships, and work together to ensure that the benefits of our creative industries, sporting excellence and rich cultural heritage are felt by everyone, no matter where they live.

Such engagement is an established and valuable part of ministerial responsibilities and helps to inform ongoing policy development and delivery. The event and reception cost a total of £9,725.83 which included event production costs and low-cost catering of £1,248.90 for 193 people. No alcohol was served.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 50220 on Admiralty House, how much the council tax is for the two unoccupied flats in Admiralty House in 2025-26.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Admiralty House residences are valued in Council Tax Band H.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason her Department is appointing a Diversity and Inclusion Manager.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department is recruiting a Diversity and Inclusion Manager to ensure we are attracting the broadest range of talent to our DCMS Public Bodies from all backgrounds and locations, in order to reflect the communities they serve. They will also ensure the Department is compliant with legal obligations around the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans the Government has to appoint a permanent Chief Executive Officer of the Government Digital Service (GDS); and whether this appointment will be made following an open competition.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government Chief Digital Officer (GCDO) leads the Government Digital Service (GDS), within DSIT. GDS is the digital centre of government. The current GCDO is in post on an interim basis. We will be appointing a permanent GCDO through an open competition to ensure transparency and attract diverse talent.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet 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.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41289 on Arms Length Bodies: Parliamentary Scrutiny, through which mechanisms (a) public corporations and (b) private companies owned by the Government are accountable to Parliament.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Detail on arrangements for Parliamentary accountability and governance of government companies and public corporations are set out in Annex 7.3 of Managing Public Money.

The precise arrangements will vary from body to body, but will be set out in each body’s framework document, or equivalent, which describes the governance arrangements between the body and its sponsor government department. Framework documents are published on GOV.UK, along with guidance on their use and standard templates for each type of body: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/framework-documents-collection

In general, accountability to Parliament will be via the ministers of a public corporation’s sponsor department and, if that body is subject to the rules set out in Managing Public Money, through the public corporation’s accounting officer or accountable person.

Private companies owned by the Government, where they do not meet the classification standards for a public corporation, are instead classified by the ONS as part of central government. They are financially consolidated into their sponsor department and accountable to Parliament in the same manner as any other non-departmental public body.

Ministers of a central government company’s sponsor department are responsible for the body in the house; and the most senior executive in the company as an Accounting Officer is directly accountable to Parliament via the Public Accounts Committee for the use of public funds.

Public corporation status is formally determined by the Office for National Statistics on the basis of international economic statistical standards. Public corporations are generally self-funding and do not normally receive funding voted by Parliament. This category covers a significant range of bodies with differing levels of government control and not all bodies classified as public corporations are owned by the Government. They are subject to levels of control deemed appropriate by the relevant sponsor department, agreed via their framework document, and approved by the Treasury.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether appointments to Skills England will be included in the Public Bodies Order in Council; and whether the chair appointment will be classified as a Significant Appointment.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department will give due consideration on whether to request the inclusion of Skills England in the Public Appointment Order in Council at the point when the Cabinet Office invites departments to nominate bodies for inclusion in the Order. Concurrently, we will assess whether the Chair position falls within the scope of appointments deemed significant under the criteria specified by Cabinet Office at the time of the request.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 29 October 2024 to Question HL1634 on Royal and VIP Executive Committee, who represents (a) her Department, (b) the Cabinet Office and (c) the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

The terms of reference for the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) agreed in 2021 set out the Committee’s membership, which includes the Home Office, Cabinet Office, and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

These departments are represented in the Committee by:

• A senior official in the Homeland Security Group who represents the Home Office.
• A senior official in the National Security Secretariat who represents the Cabinet Office.
• A senior official in the Protocol Directorate who represents the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2025 to Question 48955 on MI5: Stonewall, for what reason MI5 renewed its membership of Stonewall.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

MI5 does not comment publicly on internal policy or organisational decisions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria her Department will use to determine which countries are on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)

As set out in the National Security Act 2023, the Secretary of State may make a specification under the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) where they consider it is reasonably necessary to do so to protect the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.

The Secretary of State will consider a broad range of UK interests when deciding if a country should be specified, and the nature and scope of any such specification. This will include how a specification would support the UK’s national security and the Government’s long-term, strategic approach to the country under consideration.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49766 on Cabinet Office: Staff, for what reason the EU Relations Secretariat appears in the February 2025 dataset but not in the May 2025 dataset.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

A transitional data processing error caused EURS staff to appear temporarily under ’NULL’ in the May 2025 dataset following structural changes in Cabinet Office systems.

This has since been rectified. These staff are identifiable by their ‘EURS’ position ID.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister met with any of the candidates shortlisted for the Cabinet Secretary position before the appointment.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Secretary was appointed through a fair and open competition, in line with longstanding process.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Table 5.29 of the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, if he will provide a breakdown of the forecast RDEL settlements in each year of the Spending Review for each of the independent bodies listed in footnote 6 of the Table; and what efficiency requirements are assumed for each of those independent bodies.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Independent bodies are public bodies set up by, and reporting directly to, Parliament. As independent bodies are funded within Departmental Expenditure Limits, HM Treasury requests a forecast of expenditure to inform the aggregate published in Table 5.29 of the Spending Review. These forecasts are indicative - and subject to change. A breakdown of the budget for each of the independent bodies is shared with Parliament at Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates in each financial year.

As independent bodies are not directly accountable to ministers, the government cannot set efficiency targets in the same way as it does for other departments. In line with the government’s ambition to maximise the value or money for the taxpayer, independent bodies are encouraged to be more efficient.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether the assumed average annual real growth in RDEL spending includes the department efficiency savings.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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:

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

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.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the cost of domestic flights undertaken by the Prime Minister set out in the Freedom of Information Act response with reference FOI2025/05760 included carbon offsetting.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The flights in-scope of FOI2025/05760 were not carbon offset. This is in line with the Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance he has given to civil servants on speaking at press conferences.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

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.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who is responsible for paying for the (a) internet broadband, (b) wi-fi and (c) telephone lines for the Ministerial residences of (i) 10 Downing Street, (ii) 11 Downing Street, (iii) Admiralty House, (iv) Dorneywood and (v) Chequers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The maintenance of 10 and 11 Downing Street is managed by the Cabinet Office with costs accrued in the usual way.

The maintenance of Admiralty House is managed by the Government Property Agency with costs accrued in the usual way.

The maintenance of Dorneywood and Chequers is managed by the Dorneywood and Chequers Trusts respectively, with costs accrued in the usual way.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the risk of large-scale disorder in (a) a single area and (b) multiple areas in Great Britain.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Cabinet Office publishes a regular National Risk Register (National Risk Register 2025 - GOV.UK), including assessments relating to large-scale disorder, and the government also continues to work closely on an ongoing basis with the police who are responsible for monitoring threats to public orders.

Found: I am glad to say that we have a full house, barring Ministers, as Mike Wood has today added his name

Found: Spencer Paul Holmes Lillian Jones Graham Stuart Ms Polly Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood

Found: Spencer Paul Holmes Lillian Jones Graham Stuart Ms Polly Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood

Found: _10 Dr Kieran Mullan Mike Wood Jack Rankin .

Found: _13 Dr Kieran Mullan Mike Wood Jack Rankin .

Found: Negatived on division_14 Dr Kieran Mullan Mike Wood Jack Rankin .

Found: Richard Tice Sarah Pochin Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst Tom Tugendhat Sir Ashley Fox Blake Stephenson Mike Wood

Found: Richard Tice Sarah Pochin Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst Tom Tugendhat Sir Ashley Fox Blake Stephenson Mike Wood

Found: _13 Dr Kieran Mullan Mike Wood Jack Rankin .

Found: Stuart Anderson Jack Rankin Jim Shannon Alex Easton Martin Vickers Julia Lopez Bradley Thomas Mike Wood

Found: Stuart Anderson Jack Rankin Jim Shannon Alex Easton Martin Vickers Julia Lopez Bradley Thomas Mike Wood

Found: ” _15 Dr Kieran Mullan Mike Wood Jack Rankin ★.

Found: Spencer Paul Holmes Lillian Jones Graham Stuart Ms Polly Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood

Found: Spencer Paul Holmes Lillian Jones Graham Stuart Ms Polly Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood

Found: Spencer Paul Holmes Lillian Jones Graham Stuart Ms Polly Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood

Found: Spencer Paul Holmes Lillian Jones Graham Stuart Ms Polly Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood

Found: Helen Grant, Jesse Norman, Alex Burghart, Andrew Griffith, Sir Mel Stride, Mr Richard Holden and Mike Wood

Found: Spencer Paul Holmes Lillian Jones Graham Stuart Ms Polly Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood

Found: Spencer Paul Holmes Lillian Jones Graham Stuart Ms Polly Billington Valerie Vaz Grahame Morris Mike Wood

Bus and Coach APPG
Tuesday 10th June 2025

Found: Mike Wood MP . Sarah Edwards MP . Alex Mayer MP . Tahir Ali MP . Cat Eccles MP .

Bus and Coach APPG
Tuesday 10th June 2025

Found: Mike Wood, Chairman, introduced and welcomed the Minister, who outlined the reasons for and main focus

Bus and Coach APPG
Tuesday 10th June 2025

Found: Mike Wood MP , Sarah Edwards MP , Alex Mayer MP , Tahir Ali MP , Chris Bloore MP , Cat Eccles MP, Dawn

Cyprus APPG
Tuesday 10th June 2025

Found: General Meeting on 15 October 2024 Members Present: Bambos Charalambous MP, Sir Roger Gale MP, Mike Wood

Beer APPG
Tuesday 10th June 2025

Found: A Zoom meeting was then held on 23rd February, chaired by APPBG chair Mike Wood MP , where the parliamentary

Falkland Islands APPG
Tuesday 10th June 2025

Found: Stevens of Birmingham Mr Jamie Stone MP The Rt Hon Admiral the Lord West of Spithead GCB DSC PC Mr Mike Wood

University APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: APP UG WEEKLY UPDATE 7 Written questions and statements Youth Mobility Scheme: EU Countries Mike Wood

Scientific APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Prof Cummings Richard Prager Dr Tony Whitehead Prof Michael Elves Prof Chris Rapley CBE Prof Mike Wood

Fire Safety and Rescue APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Consulted with APPG Adviser Mike Wood re Government Ministerial changes.

Children who need Palliative Care APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Caroline Johnson MP (Co-Chair) Ms Caroline Ansell MP Mr Saqib Bhatti MP Mr Robin Millar MP Mr Mike Wood

Children who need Palliative Care APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Caroline Johnson MP (Co-Chair) Ms Caroline Ansell MP Mr Saqib Bhatti MP Mr Robin Millar MP Mr Mike Wood

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Everitt MP Stephen Timms MP Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill Sally-Ann Hart MP James Wild MP Mike Wood

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Everitt MP Stephen Timms MP Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill Sally-Ann Hart MP James Wild MP Mike Wood

Scientific APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Watkins Dr David Dent Dr Nick Lambert Professor Welham Lord Fox Carol Monaghan MP Professor Mike Wood

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Attendees: Neil Coyle MP, APPG Co-Chair Bob Blackman MP, APPG Co-Chair Ben Everitt MP Lord Best Mike Wood

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Attendees: Neil Coyle MP, APPG Co-Chair Bob Blackman MP, APPG Co-Chair Ben Everitt MP Lord Best Mike Wood

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Attendees: Neil Coyle MP, APPG Co-Chair Bob Blackman MP, APPG Co-Chair Lord Young of Cookham Mike Wood

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Attendees: Neil Coyle MP, APPG Co-Chair Bob Blackman MP, APPG Co-Chair Lord Young of Cookham Mike Wood

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Madders MP Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill Baroness Lister of Burtersett Kate Griffiths MP Mike Wood

Homelessness APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Madders MP Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill Baroness Lister of Burtersett Kate Griffiths MP Mike Wood

Autism APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Merriman MP Cat Smith MP Lord Sterling of Plaistow Christina Rees MP Baroness Uddin Lord Warner Mike Wood

Global Education APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: DISABILITIES IN KENYA 1 I FOREWORD Mark Williams MP Lord Low of Dalston Chris Heaton-Harris MP Mike Wood