Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to his oral statement of 9 February 2026, on Updates on Standards in Public Life, and with reference to the Non-corporate communication channels for government business, of March 2023, in what specific respects is the 2023 Cabinet Office guidance not clear.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The current guidance was issued under the previous government. As part of this government’s commitment to raise information security standards, we plan to review the way that non-corporate communication channels are used in Government and to update the accompanying guidance to reflect the changes in the ways we use technology.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister, as the King's principal adviser, (a) was consulted on and (b) approved the decision to change the HM Government identity to the UK Government; and whether the Prime Minister was advised by Tim Allan in this regard when Mr Allan was Executive Director of Communications.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
There are no plans to discontinue the use of “HM Government”.
"UK Government" has long been the term used for the government in public-facing communications. Communications teams are advised to use "UK Government" rather than departmental names and logos for announcements, to provide clarity to the public. This does not affect the use of "His Majesty's Government", which continues on relevant official communications and records.
This guidance was developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders and in accordance with standard protocols in Summer 2025.
Please refer to https://www.communications.gov.uk/guidance/marketing/branding-guidelines/ for guidance on logo use. There are no plans to publish the revised guidance held by the Government Digital Service and the Government Communication Service.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what policy reason the Government has decided not to use the HM Government identity; and if he will publish the revised guidance held by the Government Digital Service and Government Communications Service.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
There are no plans to discontinue the use of “HM Government”.
"UK Government" has long been the term used for the government in public-facing communications. Communications teams are advised to use "UK Government" rather than departmental names and logos for announcements, to provide clarity to the public. This does not affect the use of "His Majesty's Government", which continues on relevant official communications and records.
This guidance was developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders and in accordance with standard protocols in Summer 2025.
Please refer to https://www.communications.gov.uk/guidance/marketing/branding-guidelines/ for guidance on logo use. There are no plans to publish the revised guidance held by the Government Digital Service and the Government Communication Service.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has issued guidance to departments on how private corporations wholly-owned by HM Government should exercise their accountability to Parliament, including answering Parliamentary Questions.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon. member to PQ 57252.
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.
While there is no specific guidance aimed at how private corporations wholly-owned by HM Government should exercise their accountability to Parliament. The Guide to Parliamentary Work sets out the wider Government's guidance on Parliamentary Questions.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there is a list of extant desk notes held by his Department.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office does not collect a list of extant desk notes.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what representations the National Cyber Security Centre received from Labour Together in relation to foreign cyber-attacks on its organisation.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The NCSC does not comment on operational matters. Any reports they receive are treated in confidence.
The NCSC has published guidance on cyber security for political organisations at https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/defending-democracy/political-organisations.
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 No10 press release entitled Appointment of Victoria Buhler as the Prime Minister’s Deputy Adviser on Business, Investment, and Trade and Hannah Bronwin as the Prime Minister’s Expert Adviser on Energy and Net Zero, of 2 February 2026, whether Hannah Bronwin is a (a) special adviser, (b) direct ministerial appointment, (c) civil servant appointed by exception and (d) civil servant appointed by open and fair competition.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Both appointments are Direct Ministerial Appointments. Further details are available on the Public Appointments webpage on gov.uk.
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 corrected Answer of 7 January 2026 to Question 98100 on Cabinet Office: Public Appointments and with reference to his Department's document entitled Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments, published in October 2025, if he will provide a hyperlink to the information in that answer on gov.uk, including time commitment and appointment end date.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Information related to Direct Ministerial Appointments is available on the Direct Ministerial Appointments page on the HMG Public Appointments website.
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 a copy of the election purdah guidance distributed to Whitehall departments for the Gorton and Denton Parliamentary by-election.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The rules governing the conduct of UK Government civil servants during a by-election are an extension of those that apply at all times as set out in the Civil Service Code and as described in the published guidance on general elections, which is published on gov.uk and can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/election-guidance-for-civil-servants. A reminder of these rules was provided to departments following the calling of the Gorton and Denton by-election.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Direct Ministerial Appointments have to declare political activity prior to appointment; what requirements they have to declare political activity whilst in post; and whether they are subject to restrictions on political campaigning and activity.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Direct Ministerial Appointments are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. This requires consideration of all political activity where that is an actual or perceived conflict to their role. The Code of Conduct also outlines the processes to be followed to consult with an appointing body or a sponsor department before significant political activity is undertaken by an appointee. The scope of acceptable political activity, including exemptions for those appointees who already hold elected office, are set out within the Code’s guidance. These processes are administered by the appointing body.