Every parliamentary written question tabled by Mike Wood this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 2,041–2,060 of 2,261 · this parliament
Whether the abolition of NHS England will require (a) primary legislation, (b) secondary legislation and (c) no legislation.
Ministers and senior Department officials will work with the new executive team at the top of NHS England, led by Sir Jim Mackey, to jointly lead this transformation.Primary legislation will be required, and we intend to bring this forward when Parliamentary time allows.
Pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 40907 on Business: Regulation, what metric is used for the 25% reduction from 2005 to 2010; whether it was gross or net of EU regulation; and if he will provide a relevant hyperlink or source to that reduction.
The Administrative Burden Reduction Programme of 2005-10, which delivered a total reduction of 26.62% by May 2010, defined the administrative costs of regulation as “the annual recurring costs of administrative activities that businesses and the third sector are required to perform, in order to comply with the obligations that are imposed through central government regulation.” The programme calculated these administrative costs net of EU regulation. The final report is available at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/simplifying-regulation-and-administration-of-businesses-final-report
What the value is of the severance payment to the outgoing director of communications.
It is a longstanding policy not to comment on individuals. The Model Contract for Special Advisers is published online and details the circumstances in which severance is payable.
With reference to the consultation document on ethnic and disability pay gap reporting, published on 18 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including a question to consultation respondents on the costs to employers of the new measures.
The public consultation seeks views on the proposed approach to mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting in order to inform the drafting of the legislation.We are separately engaging with a wide range of organisations, including employers, and gathering evidence in a more systematic manner on the likely costs and benefits of the proposed reporting requirements. This work will inform the impact assessment that will be published alongside the draft Equality (Race and Disability) Bill.
Media and Sport, for what reason the Imperial War Museum has decided to close the exhibition of VC and GC medals in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery; and whether Ministers were consulted.
Victoria and George Crosses tell stories of bravery and courage which form an important part of our national history. The Lord Ashcroft Gallery, which houses Lord Ashcroft’s personal collection of these medals along with others belonging to the Imperial War Museum and other private owners, has been well-loved since its creation in 2010.I was informed of the decision to close the Gallery shortly before it was made public. Ministers were not consulted on the decision as national museums are operationally and curatorially independent from the Government. Since that announcement, I have spoken with both the Museum’s leadership and with Lord Ashcroft himself. I continue to support Lord Ashcroft to try and find a new permanent home for his remarkable collection.The Museum has made the decision to use the space for a new gallery focusing on conflict since the Second World War. It is common practice for museums to update their galleries and displays periodically in order to make the most of the wide range of collection items they hold, and to explore new ways of communicating vital histories to the public.
Pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 40914 on Prime Minister: Email, what his Department's policy is on how long emails that are (a) received by 10 Downing Street, (b) not explicitly placed on the official record keeping system and (c) stored on the Downing Street exchange server should be retained.
As under successive administrations, routine emails are held for no longer than 90 days on the email system at which point they are automatically removed from staff mailboxes. This is in line with the Code of Practice on the management of records.
Media and Sport, when Ministers were informed by the Imperial War Museum of the closure of the Lord Ashcroft Gallery.
Victoria and George Crosses tell stories of bravery and courage which form an important part of our national history. The Lord Ashcroft Gallery, which houses Lord Ashcroft’s personal collection of these medals along with others belonging to the Imperial War Museum and other private owners, has been well-loved since its creation in 2010.I was informed of the decision to close the Gallery shortly before it was made public. Ministers were not consulted on the decision as national museums are operationally and curatorially independent from the Government. Since that announcement, I have spoken with both the Museum’s leadership and with Lord Ashcroft himself. I continue to support Lord Ashcroft to try and find a new permanent home for his remarkable collection.The Museum has made the decision to use the space for a new gallery focusing on conflict since the Second World War. It is common practice for museums to update their galleries and displays periodically in order to make the most of the wide range of collection items they hold, and to explore new ways of communicating vital histories to the public.
Whether there is a should cost model prepared on abolishing NHS England.
We recognise that there may be some short-term upfront costs as we undertake the integration of NHS England and the Department, but these costs and more will be recouped in future years because of a smaller and leaner centre. By the end of the process, we estimate that these changes will save hundreds of millions of pounds a year, which will be reinvested in frontline services.As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds.
What estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of abolishing NHS England for (a) Civil Service Compensation Scheme payments and (b) other redundancy costs.
We recognise that there may be some short-term upfront costs as we undertake the integration of NHS England and the Department, but these costs and more will be recouped in future years because of a smaller and leaner centre. By the end of the process, we estimate that these changes will save hundreds of millions of pounds a year, which will be reinvested in frontline services.As we work to return many of NHS England’s current functions to the Department, we will ensure that we continue to evaluate impacts of all kinds.
What steps his Department is taking to uphold the Nolan principles on standards in public life in public appointments.
All appointments are made in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments which states that all public appointees uphold the standards of conduct set out in the Seven Principles of Public Life. All terms of appointment specify that individuals adhere to the Nolan Principles throughout their appointment and compliance is monitored on an ongoing basis.
If he will place in the Library a copy of the Honours Committees handbook.
The Honours Committees handbook is a document used on their appointment to induct independent committee members and chairs to the honours system and the committee process.More information on these can be found on gov.uk.
Whether his Department has issued guidance on political activity by deputy lieutenants.
The Cabinet Office does not issue guidance on the performance of their duties to deputy lieutenants. However the Association of Lord-Lieutenants provides guidance to Lord-Lieutenants on political activity for all Lieutenancy officers.
Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23677 on Gender Dysphoria: Health Services, if he will make it his policy to place a copy of the revised guidance in the Library.
As was the case with the previous Gender Reassignment guidance under the last administration, which was not published, there are no current plans for the revised Gender Reassignment guidance to be published once it has been finalised. This is consistent with the approach taken for other internal HR policies.
With reference to the Written Statement of 5 December 2024 on Plan for Change: Milestones for mission-led government, HCWS285, if he will make it his policy to establish a unit to monitor the Government's progress in meeting the targets set out in the Plan for Change document.
A specialist Mission Delivery Unit has already been set up in the Cabinet Office to support delivery of the Missions. It advises the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the delivery of the government’s five missions and the milestones set out in the Plan for Change.
Pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 25850 on Government Departments: Advertising, if he will list (a) each of the seven instances of campaign-specific flexibility and (b) the date on which each was approved.
There are no plans to publish the list of instances of campaign-specific flexibility. All requests for campaign-specific flexibility are considered on a campaign by campaign basis. Platforms and publishers are assessed on their unique offer to reach our audiences and the context of the campaign, weighing against the risks, to offer a way for us to increase campaign efficiencies
What information his Department holds on whether any arm’s length bodies are members of Stonewall.
Information on how issued funding is spent by arms length bodies, including any membership of third party organisations, is not gathered centrally.
Whether he has a target for a reduction in the size of the headcount of (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) the Civil Service in 2025.
The Prime Minister has set out his ambition to deliver long-term, impactful changes to reshape the British state and the Government is taking forward a number of measures to deliver greater efficiency and transformation in the Civil Service. Each department will take a decision on its individual size and shape as per the financial settlement it agreed with HMT in the first Phase of the Spending Review that concluded with the Autumn Statement 2024. The Prime Minister has announced that the Government is committed to cutting bureaucracy across the state, in order to focus government on the priorities of working people and shift money to the frontline. As part of this, the Prime Minister announced the abolition of the arms-length body NHS England. The Government has also announced the first zero-based review of government spending in 17 years, with departments expected to go line-by-line to find savings and efficiencies, including in bodies and agencies that they sponsor.
Whether he has a target to reduce the headcount size of the (a) Cabinet Office and its agencies and (b) Civil Service in 2025.
The Prime Minister has set out his ambition to deliver long-term, impactful changes to reshape the British state and the Government is taking forward a number of measures to deliver greater efficiency and transformation in the Civil Service. Each department will take a decision on its individual size and shape as per the financial settlement it agreed with HMT in the first Phase of the Spending Review that concluded with the Autumn Statement 2024. The Prime Minister has announced that the Government is committed to cutting bureaucracy across the state, in order to focus government on the priorities of working people and shift money to the frontline. As part of this, the Prime Minister announced the abolition of the arms-length body NHS England. The Government has also announced the first zero-based review of government spending in 17 years, with departments expected to go line-by-line to find savings and efficiencies, including in bodies and agencies that they sponsor.
Pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2024 to Question 14973 on Civil Service: Equality, if he will list each exemption reported by Departments since 14 May 2024.
Any reported exemptions will be published in due course.
Whether Ministers are required to declare trade union meetings in transparency returns.
Meetings with external organisations and individuals are declared quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include official meetings with trade unions, subject to any exemptions listed in the Guidance. Updated guidance on ministers' meetings was published to GOV.UK on 30 January 2025 at the following address: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministers-overseas-travel-and-meetings-publication-guidance/ministers-overseas-travel-and-meetings-publication-guidance.