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 981–1,000 of 2,899 · this parliament
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the full termination payments to Lord Mandelson will be listed with direct reference to his name and the final amounts paid in the FCDO annual report and accounts.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 January in response to HL13467.
What has been the total cost to date of the Lampard Inquiry.
The Lampard Inquiry has published information on its expenditure at the following link:https://lampardinquiry.org.uk/financial-report/
Pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 120625 on Parliamentary and Political Service Honours Committees: Public Appointments, which two members were appointed by a reserve list; and for what reason a reserve list was used.
Professor Stephanie Rickard and Craig Stephenson OBE were appointed to the Parliamentary and Political Service Committee, from the reserve list, in October 2024. Both had applied during the fair and open March 2024 campaign and were found appointable by the Advisory Assessment panel. As per the Governance Code on Public Appointments (December 2016 version), where a vacancy occurs within 12 months of the conclusion of a previous appointments process, and the role and person specification for both posts are the same, departments may put forward appointable candidates from the reserve list from the first competition for appointment to the new vacancy.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what is the monetary value of the London Allowance for FCDO SCS staff based in London.
The value of the Location Allowance for London-based staff, including senior civil servants, was increased from £3,250 per year to £4,250 in 2013. It has remained unchanged at its current level of £5,000 since April 2018.
What steps his Department took between 4 July and August 2024 to promote the take up of the King's portrait programme.
His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme was a voluntary programme offering a free, framed portrait of The King to any eligible public institution that requested one. A range of communication activities were undertaken to promote the programme.The Cabinet Office continued to communicate with eligible authorities until the close of the programme. This included direct communications, press releases, and updates on gov.uk. Following the conclusion of the scheme, a breakdown of the take up was published on gov.uk.
Pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 117761 on Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure, for what reason expenditure by the Prime Minister's Office is not counted as Cabinet Office expenditure.
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer to PQ 122164.
Pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 116770 on Public Appointments: Internet, whether departments have a deadline for adding Direct Ministerial Appointments to the portal.
As set out in the preceding question (116770), the responsibility for the publication of information on Direct Ministerial Appointments rests with individual sponsor departments. The Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments states that it is for individual departments to decide the most appropriate processes to strategically manage the DMAs that they make, which will include adding existing DMAs to the portal.
Whether her Department gives weight to written consultation responses from organisations which are deemed extremist.
It is up to each department to carry out due diligence when choosing to engage with any organisation or individual and, if asked, we will advise and share information to help others inform their decisions. As announced in the Protecting What Matters publication last week, we are currently updating and embedding the 2024 engagement principles which will assist public bodies to not confer legitimacy, funding or influence on extremist groups.We will also publish an annual ‘State of Extremism’ report which will arm frontline, public sector workers with the information they need to identify and confront extremism in the UK.
For what reason he plans to introduce a mandatory retirement age for the House of Lords.
As set out in the Government’s manifesto, the Government recognises the good work of many peers who scrutinise legislation and hold the government of the day to account.However, reform to the House of Lords is long overdue and essential. The Government’s objective is to bring about a renewed focus on active contribution, within a smaller House of Lords that better reflects the country it serves. The Government is therefore committed to introducing a mandatory retirement age for members of the House of Lords.
Pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2025, to Question 70519, on Public Inquiries, what has been the total public cost to date of the Inquiry into the preventability of the Omagh bombing.
The Government has the deepest sympathy for all of those affected by the Omagh bomb in August 1998. It was a terrible atrocity committed by the Real IRA at a time when the people of Northern Ireland were looking to a future without violence. Our thoughts are with those who have taken part in the hearings to date and particularly with all those victims affected by the events of that terrible day more than 27 years ago. The Omagh Bombing Inquiry is an independent statutory public inquiry, established to investigate whether the bombing could reasonably have been prevented. While I am the Sponsor Minister for the Inquiry, it is rightly independent from Government. Inquiry spend is therefore an operational matter for the Inquiry which they publish on their website on a regular basis.
Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2026, to Question 119894, on Gambling Commission: Managers, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Employee Code of Conduct.
The Gambling Commission Chair is responsible for ensuring that any potential conflicts of interest are managed effectively in relation to departing staff. During any notice period, individuals will step back from duties which might present risks of a conflict of interest, with these duties being taken over by relevant Commission staff. Following departure, staff would be bound by confidentiality obligations and post-employment restrictions, namely limits on the use of confidential information and limits on engagement with matters relevant to their former responsibilities.The Gambling Commission’s Corporate Governance Framework requires former employees of the Gambling Commission to maintain safeguards against conflicts of interest for six months after their departure. If an individual takes up employment in or related to the gambling industry, they must also notify the Chair of any upcoming regulatory decisions affecting their new employer.The Gambling Commission’s Employee Code of Conduct is already freely and publicly available on the Gambling Commission’s website at the following address: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/policy/corporate-governance-framework/code-of-conduct-for-employees
Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2026, to Question 119894, on Gambling Commission: Managers, which individual(s) reviewed and approved the conflicts of interest in relation to the departing staff joining Hawkbridge, and whether there are any conditions imposed on the staff, similar to the business appointments applications process; and whether there is any gardening leave provision.
The Gambling Commission Chair is responsible for ensuring that any potential conflicts of interest are managed effectively in relation to departing staff. During any notice period, individuals will step back from duties which might present risks of a conflict of interest, with these duties being taken over by relevant Commission staff. Following departure, staff would be bound by confidentiality obligations and post-employment restrictions, namely limits on the use of confidential information and limits on engagement with matters relevant to their former responsibilities.The Gambling Commission’s Corporate Governance Framework requires former employees of the Gambling Commission to maintain safeguards against conflicts of interest for six months after their departure. If an individual takes up employment in or related to the gambling industry, they must also notify the Chair of any upcoming regulatory decisions affecting their new employer.The Gambling Commission’s Employee Code of Conduct is already freely and publicly available on the Gambling Commission’s website at the following address: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/policy/corporate-governance-framework/code-of-conduct-for-employees
What has been the total cost to date of the Thirlwall Inquiry.
The total cost of the Thirlwall Inquiry from its commencement in September 2023 to the end of March 2026 is £18,718,000.00. This includes March 2026 forecasted amounts.
Pursuant to the answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 121096 on Cabinet Office: Email, whether Lord Mandelson was copied into any of those emails.
Lord Mandelson was a copy recipient of some of the emails, one of a number of officials and advisers copied into the emails.
Pursuant to 18 March 2026, to Question 118534, on Morgan McSweeney, whether (a) Paul Ovenden, (b) Matthew Doyle and (c) Morgan McSweeney were subject to an offboarding procedure in relation official government information held on non-corporate devices; and whether significant information for the public record was transferred to an appropriate official system.
There is an established system for Special Advisers in place for the management of official government information held on non-corporate devices during the departure process. The policy covering non-corporate communication channels is published on gov.uk.
What assessment his Department made of the potential impact of the work-in-progress data backlog for the Civil Service Pension Scheme of the outgoing supplier on Capita.
The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve. Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme. Capita has made lump sum payments to 10,147 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April. To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time. The Cabinet Office has mandated Capita that they must restore service levels by the end of June 2026. We are using every commercial lever at our disposal, including withholding payments for deliverables that have not been met. We also reserve the right to take further formal action to ensure the service returns to the required standards.The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason her Department’s contracts with Inter Mediate are not on Contract Finder.
Contracts Finder is used for the publication of commercial contracts, rather than government grants, such as the Accountable Grant Agreements typically used by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to administer partnerships with NGOs.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 11 February 2026, to Question HL14050, on Haiti: Inter Mediate, whether Inter Mediate has undertaken any work for HM Government in relation to Iran.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 25 September to question 70453.
Whether companies on the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme register are required to publish an estimated value of their contract and work.
The FIRS public register ensures that, for the first time, we have transparency about foreign state-directed political influence activities. The aim of this register is to better inform the public as to the scale and extent of foreign influence in UK political affairs and our democratic processes.There is full guidance online that sets out what needs to be registered, and what of the information provided at registration will be published on the register https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-influence-registration-scheme-registration-and-public-registerThe value of the contract and/or work being undertaken will not appear on the public register. However, information that will be published includes the nature and form of the arrangement being registered, the name of the foreign power in the arrangement, a description of the types of activities to be carried out and the purpose and sought outcome of those activities.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the (a) key performance indicators and (b) social value requirements were under the contract listed in the FCDO Conflict Resolution Department (CRD) Conflict Resolution Programme tracker with reference GB-GOV-1-400035-403.
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 25 September to question 70453.