Written questions by Wood.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 51163 on Prime Minister: Email, whether emails which 10 Downing Street which are automatically removed after 90 days that have not otherwise been saved for long-term storage are still considered to be held for the purposes of Government responses to Humble Addresses.

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 the Oral Statement on the 23rd February, in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, which set out an update on the Government's process and that Departments have been instructed to retain material that may be relevant to the motion.

Pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 119320 on Cabinet Office: Public Appointments, if he will make it his policy to publish the information on outside individuals in an anonymised or Barnardised format.

I refer to my answer to PQ 119320, in accordance with data protection regulations, we do not provide information about candidates in Civil Service recruitment processes, and there are no plans to publish in an anonymised or Barnardised format.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 120840 on National Security Council: Disclosure of Information, if he will make it his policy to make a statement to Parliament on the conclusion of the leak inquiry.

In line with the policy of successive administrations, we do not comment on live leak inquiries.

With reference to the Government's publication entitled A message from Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the Civil Service, published on 8 July 2024, what steps Cabinet Office has the taken to deliver on the Prime Minister's commitment to deliver open and transparent government.

Since the General Election, the UK government has introduced a new monthly Register of Ministers' Gifts and Hospitality, is working to deliver the Public Office (Accountability) Bill to introduce new duties of candour, has revised and strengthened the Ministerial Code and strengthened the role of the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards. In addition, the government has recently launched the call for evidence to inform the next National Action Plan for Open Government.

Pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2026, to Question 44467, on Government Departments: Social Media, if he will request that the Ethics and Integrity Commission consider this issue as part of their commissioned review into lobbying and transparency.

The Prime Minister's letter to the Ethics and Integrity Commission Chair, dated 11 March 2026 and published on GOV.UK, sets out the policy areas the Commission has been asked to review.

With reference to the the State Council of the People's Republic of China's press release entitled, China's top diplomat holds talks with British prime minister's national security adviser, published on 15 July 2025, whether Jonathan Powell discussed the Chagos Islands with the Chinese Government at this meeting.

The National Security Adviser meets with a range of individuals and organisations as part of his role providing advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet on national security matters. Such meetings are often sensitive in nature, and the Government does not routinely comment on them or their content.

What is his policy on (a) full-time staff working a four-day week on full-pay and (b) full-time staff working compressed hours on a four-day week.

A four-day work week on full pay is not a civil service policy or something that is being considered. The Civil Service is committed to flexible working, recognising the benefits it brings to delivering its priorities. While departments are responsible for determining specific terms and conditions, full-time Civil Service employees typically work 42 gross hours (37 net hours) across a five-day week. Some departments offer flexible working policies such as compressed hours, which allow the same number of hours to be worked over a shorter period with no impact on pay. There are no flexible working options that would permit reduced or part-time hours while maintaining full-time pay.

Whether Morgan McSweeney has been paid a severance payment, or payment in lieu of notice, following his departure as a special adviser.

It is a longstanding policy not to comment on individuals. The Model Contract for Special Advisers is published online and details the specific circumstances in which payments are payable.

Pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2026, to Question 116771, on Vetting, whether Lord Mandelson’s Developed Vetting considered his links to Jeffery Epstein.

I refer the Hon Member to the government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

With reference to his Department's policy paper, EM on Level Playing Field for Open Competition (COM(2026)89), published on 24 March 2026, how will the UK panellists be selected; and whether they will be regulated public appointments.

The UK panellists were selected via a public expression of interest campaign, with applications scrutinised against criteria set out in [Article 409 of] the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The panellists are not public appointments, but the process for their selection was conducted in line with the same proprietary and ethics standards.

What guidance his Department has issued on whether party political events held in Ministerial diaries are held for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act.

The Cabinet Office has not issued guidance on whether party political events held in Ministerial diaries are held for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act.

Pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question HL15096 on Labour Together, whether the Cabinet Office has a policy of non-engagement with Labour Together.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided for HL15096 which details the Government's policy on engagement with external stakeholders.

What steps his Department took to track Morgan McSweeney’s lost Government phone, including the use of cell site analysis data.

There are long established and robust processes to manage information security following the theft of No10 work devices and those processes were followed.

Whether the (a) No10 security team and (b) Government Security Group contacted the Metropolitan Police over the theft of the phone of the Prime Minister's chief of staff on 20 October 2025.

There are long established and robust processes to manage information security following the theft of No10 work devices and those processes were followed.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 44475 on Cabinet Office: Civil Servants, whether such groups are represented by any civil service diversity network.

There is no specific Civil Service network for asexual or aromantic people. The Civil Service has an LGBT+ network. The network is inclusive of people who identify as other sexual orientations or gender identities.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 121770 on Government Departments: Facilities Agreements, whether Departments will be required to continue to collate internal figures on the cost of facility time.

Government Departments are recommended to continue to collate their facility time data. However, publication is no longer centrally mandated or collated, and there is no statutory requirement for Government Departments to collect or publish this data.

What guidance the Civil Service People Group has given to Departments on whether civil servants can claim expenses for travelling to work.

The Civil Service Management Code (chapter 8) specifies the regulations for the reimbursement of expenses and details the conditions under which such expenses can be made. Departments must not reimburse the costs of home to office travel, unless explicitly permitted elsewhere within the Code.

With reference to the Cabinet Secretary's objectives 2026-27, published on 7 April 2026, what is the timetable for the publication of the strategic workforce plan.

The Civil Service is committed to publishing a Civil Service Strategic Workforce Plan this year, following departments having finalised their own workforce plans, as per the financial settlements that were agreed with HMT in the Spending Review, and the priorities set by Ministers, including those set out in the Autumn Budget.

Pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2026, to Question 119321, on Cabinet Office: Freedom of Information, what is the timetable of the revisions to the Honours Handbook to be completed.

The handbook is currently being updated. An updated version with relevant redactions will be laid in the House Library as soon as is practicable.

Pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 115553 on APCO Worldwide and Labour Together, what was the specific allegation and breach of the Ministerial Code that the Independent Adviser was asked by the Prime Minister to consider.

I refer the Hon Member to the response to the Urgent Question on 23 February, Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review (Official Report, Column 27), and also to the Terms of Reference for the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards on gov.uk.