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 paragraph 1.3 of the Budget Information Security Review, published on 9 February 2026, if he will publish the recommendations from his Department's leak inquiry.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The recommendations from the Cabinet Office leak inquiry have been published and are included in the HM Treasury Budget Information Security 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 Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments, updated 16 January 2026, paragraph 8, what steps are taken if the National Security Vetting raises concerns about an appointee after the individual has been appointed.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments sets out the processes departments should follow when national security vetting is required. The final decision on whether to proceed with an appointment rests with the appointing minister.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, to which public inquiries his Department has submitted (a) documents and (b) other communications created between June 2007 and May 2010.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
This information is not centrally held. Over 40 statutory public inquiries have been announced since 2006. The question potentially brings into scope all public inquiries that have taken place since June 2007. However, there is no centrally held data on documents or other communications created over the period specified and submitted to public inquiries by the Cabinet Office. Unfortunately, the cost to the public purse of accurately determining this information to would significantly exceed the current disproportionate cost threshold for answering written parliamentary questions set out in the Cabinet Office’s Guide to Parliamentary Work (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work).
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Lord Mandelson's (a) Fellowship of the 48 Group and (b) work for Global Counsel was considered during his Department's due diligence prior to appointment as Ambassador of the United States.
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 2025, which sets out the information that was considered as part of the due diligence exercise.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2026 to Question 110416 on Government Departments: Publicity, whether she plans to remove the HM reference in the public branding of (a) HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services and (b) HM Passport Office.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Section 54(1) of the Police Act 1996 sets out that Inspectors are known as HM Inspectors of Constabulary and there are no plans to change this.
There are no plans for HM Passport Office to remove the “HM” reference from its public branding.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he plans to review (a) the Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments, updated 16 January 2026, and (b) UK Security Vetting process.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The current version of the Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments is found on the Gov.uk website and was published on 30 October 2025.
NSV is, of course, kept under constant review to ensure it remains fit for purpose.
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 maximum amount of time an individual can remain on a Reserve List for a Senior Civil Service job without having to re-apply with full open and fair competition.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
As per the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles, where a competition identifies more appointable candidates than there are available vacancies, a reserve list may be created. This can be used for up to 12 months to fill the same role or other similar roles with closely matching essential criteria. With approval from the Commission, a reserve list can be extended by up to eight weeks.
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 publish a register of withheld and delayed documents as part of the response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
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 Contractfinder contract, Expert report - Resolution Foundation - Smith / Brewer, published 25 November 2025, ref: C19SF08RF25, whether the Resolution Foundation was selected via competitive tendering.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Expert report - Resolution Foundation - Smith / Brewer contract (ref: C19SF08RF25) was not procured via competitive tendering and instead via a below threshold direct award. The direct award was made in accordance with the Procurement Rules and associated policies.
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 Contractfinder contract, Expert report - Resolution Foundation - Smith / Brewer, published 25 November 2025, ref: C19SF08RF25, what the terms of reference are for the expert report for the Inquiry.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The requirements for the Expert report - Resolution Foundation - Smith / Brewer contract (ref: C19SF08RF25) can be found at Annex 2 – Specification of the redacted Short Form Contract attached to the Contracts Finder notice. Annex 2 states the requirements as being an independent and expert opinion on...Labour Market Inequality and the Welfare System, and Macroeconomic Policy and Public Finances and the contract involves the analysis and input of 2 expert witnesses.