Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to the Summary of the UK Government legal position: The legality of defensive action in respect of Iranian regional attacks, of 1 March 2026, whether it is the policy position of HM Government that UK Government could have given permission to permit the use of the US Diego Garcia military base on the Chagos Islands for the United States to launch its pre-emptive strikes on Iran.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The United States' operational use of Diego Garcia is governed by an Exchange of Notes between the UK and the USA.
The potential use of any UK base or base on UK sovereign territory by foreign military forces for operational purposes is closely considered to ensure that we are content with their proposed activities taking place on/from those bases.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2026, to Question 113125, on Erasmus+ programme, if he will publish or provide a relevant hyperlink to the technical amendments made.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The text of the Decision will be published on the GOV.UK, at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/specialised-committee-on-participation-in-union-programmes.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101767 on Jeffery Epstein, what information her Department holds on Lord Mandelson's representations on the disposal of RBS Sempra Commodities to JP Morgan in 2009-10.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government is cooperating fully with a Metropolitan Police investigation and is providing any assistance required.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the value for money of providing equipment and technology through the Flexible Support Fund, and whether alternative models have been considered.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is clear guidance in place for work coaches to follow when making awards. Work coaches must explore all other potential sources of financial support before using the Flexible Support Fund (FSF), so that spend does not duplicate provision which is funded elsewhere by government, partners or commercial providers. Post-award checks are in place to confirm funded items, including equipment and technology, are being used as intended, with explanations or repayment sought where concerns arise.
A new digital FSF application system, due to launch nationally by the end of March, will strengthen oversight by providing improved data and enabling more detailed scrutiny of awards. This will ensure funding is used appropriately and delivers value for money.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance is issued to work coaches on the provision of equipment through the Flexible Support Fund.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There is clear guidance in place for work coaches to follow when making awards. Work coaches must explore all other potential sources of financial support before using the Flexible Support Fund (FSF), so that spend does not duplicate provision which is funded elsewhere by government, partners or commercial providers. Post-award checks are in place to confirm funded items, including equipment and technology, are being used as intended, with explanations or repayment sought where concerns arise.
A new digital FSF application system, due to launch nationally by the end of March, will strengthen oversight by providing improved data and enabling more detailed scrutiny of awards. This will ensure funding is used appropriately and delivers value for money.
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, 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, whether applicants to the Summer Intelligence Internship self-certify their ethnicity; and whether the SIS undertakes an audit.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Applicants for the UKIC Summer Internship state their ethnicity as part of the application process. We do not comment on what checks are conducted by UKIC during the recruitment process.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2026 to Question 113596 on Mission Boards: Cabinet Committees, if she will publish the terms of reference of the Kickstarting Economic Growth Mission Board.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
As previously published on GOV.UK, the Growth Mission Board was established 'to oversee and drive progress on the growth mission’.
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.