Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether mitie will be compensated through higher payments for the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Chancellor made an announcement at the Autumn Budget setting out that the rate of employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will increase from 13.8% to 15% from 6 April 2025. Raising revenue to fund public services and restore fiscal stability requires difficult decisions on tax, which is why the Government is asking employers to contribute more. HM Treasury has not provided additional funding to departments to compensate private companies holding public contracts. This is in line with the precedent from the last increase to employer NICs: the Health and Social Care Levy.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has received representations from TheCityUk on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme since June 2022.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Since June 2022, the government has received representations from various organisations on the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, including TheCityUk.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 10 January 2025, to Question 20957 on Government departments: communication and public consultation, if she will list the (a) Department, (b) theme and (c) estimated saving of each of the campaigns (i) that were cancelled, (ii) continuing with reduced budgets and (iii) aiming to reduce their expenditure by 25%.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
There are currently no plans to publish this list in detail.
The comprehensive communications Spending Review identified 39 campaigns that were cancelled, 46 campaigns continuing with reduced budgets and 46 campaigns aiming to reduce their expenditure by 25%.
The combined savings from these measures total £85 million in 2024-25 and up to £96 million in 2025-26.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, if she will provide guidance to Departments on ensuring that documentation referred to in written parliamentary questions is deposited in the Library.
Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
It is important that Members receive full and helpful responses to parliamentary questions. As set out in the Guide to Parliamentary Work (available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work), when referring to public documents departments should “include the relevant extracts in your written response as well as the relevant hyperlink”.
We believe that publishing the relevant extract and link is the most effective and appropriate way to make such information available.
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 January 2025 to Question 23677 on Gender Dysphoria: Health Services, whether he plans to consult on the revised Gender Reassignment HR policy and guidance.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The revised draft of the Civil Service model Gender Reassignment HR policy and guidance is currently out for consultation with key stakeholders across Government. As is the case for other civil service employee policies, whilst there is internal engagement with a range of stakeholders in the Civil Service, there are no plans for an external consultation.
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 make it his policy to reduce the (a) number and (b) cost of arms length bodies.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Chancellor has launched Phase 2 of the Spending Review which will zero-base all spending, including arm’s length bodies (ALBs), conducting a full line-by-line review of all public spending to assess whether it is a priority for this government and represents value for money for the taxpayer.
Building on the 2% productivity, efficiency, and savings target the government set departments in Phase 1 of the Spending Review, departments and ALBs are expected in Phase 2 to identify a minimum of 5% savings against their day-to-day spending, freeing up funding to achieve the government’s priorities. The Spending Review will conclude on 11 June 2025.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2025 to Question 21059 on Ministry of Justice: Video Recordings, whether disciplinary action is being undertaken for that video.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Ministry of Justice takes all matters related to breaches in propriety and ethics policies very seriously, and in this instance, usual processes for checking the accuracy and appropriateness of social media posts were not followed properly. While we cannot comment on specific internal disciplinary actions, all staff involved have been spoken to and reminded of their responsibility to uphold the Civil Service Code.
In addition to our usual mandatory training on the Civil Service Code and propriety and ethics, the Government Communications Service Skills and Standards team will deliver refresher training to the Ministry of Justice Communications Directorate, and all new staff joining the team will be required to complete the training within the first two weeks of employment.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 10 January 2025 to Question 21059 on Ministry of Justice: Video Recordings, if she will publish the mandatory refresher training for the Communications Directorate.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The training materials are owned by the central Government Communications Service (GCS) Skills and Standards team and are available on the GCS website for communication professionals across government. The team in the GCS will be delivering propriety and ethics training for Ministry of Justice Communications staff in a hybrid in-person/virtual meeting using these materials.
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 8 January 2025 to Question 21406 on BBC: Employers’ Contribution, whether the BBC will receive government support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
There are no plans to provide the BBC with government support for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions. Details of the funding set aside for 2025-26, including its allocation, will be published in due course.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Public Bodies 2023 data tool remains operable in the future; and whether the 2023 dataset will be in searchable in the National Archives.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office is currently exploring with National Archives whether it is appropriate to publish the dataset from the 2022/23 Financial Year on the National Archive’s Transfer Digital Records service. Regardless, the ALB Landscape 2023 will remain online and accessible on gov.uk.