Written questions by Wood.

Whether any leadership and promotion schemes run by the Care Equality Commission are restricted to ethnic minorities and other protected characteristics.

The Department has interpreted the question as referring to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), as there is no public body called the ‘Care Equality Commission’.The CQC operates a positive action development programme aimed at addressing barriers to career progression, aligning with the ambitions set out in the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, to support colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds and disabled colleagues.Participation in the programme does not guarantee promotion, as all appointments are made through fair and open competition in accordance with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles.

Pursuant to the answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 92594 on Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure, whether any types of regulation are excluded from the regulation reduction target; and whether taxation measures which create regulation are counted.

We have committed to reduce the administrative burden of regulation on businesses by £5.6bn by the end of this Parliament. As set out in the Regulation Action plan progress update in October 2025, Taxes, duties, levies and charges administered by HMRC are not included within the baseline and target. Mirroring the approach taken in the successful 2005-10 Administrative Burden Reduction Programme, HMRC will take a complimentary approach to reduce the administrative burden of taxation. Building Safety provisions relating to the safety of tenants, residents and building occupants, are also exempt, to enable the Government’s response to the Grenfell Tragedy.

Pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2025, to Question 86250, on NHS: Industrial Disputes, whether (a) his Department and (b) the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has provided guidance to employers on trade union representative access to the building of the employer on strike days.

The Department has issued a range of guidance, available on Gov.UK, for employers, workers, and trade unions, on handling industrial disputes. Acas provides joint employer-worker guidance on industrial action. Neither the Department, or Acas, have issued specific employer guidance on trade union representatives’ access to the employers’ building on strike days.Trade union representatives may have a right of access if a recognition agreement provides it, but responsibility for managing access to buildings during industrial action rests with individual employers, who are best placed to assess local circumstances and ensure arrangements align with operational needs, agreements, and legal obligations.

With reference to the Media Buying contract with MANNING GOTTLIEB OMD, for what reason the requirement to promote diversity, inclusion and social mobility is a key performance indicator.

The KPI is intended to incentivise the supplier to address issues of workforce inequality.In line with Government procurement policy on social value, and because we are required to include a related KPI, this KPI was selected from an approved list in the Social Value Model linked to the policy.

If he will publish emails and documents from 2009-10 held by Integrated Corporate Service containing the words Jeffery Epstein.

A search has been conducted by Integrated Corporate Service containing the words “Jeffrey Epstein” and no records were found. In compliance with the Public Records Act, the Department has no plans to publish emails and documents from 2009-10 held by Integrated Corporate Service.

Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason Ofwat's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2025-28 refers to gender rather than sex awareness.

Ofwat's Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy makes reference to "gender" in relation to the statutory Gender Pay Gap. Further references to gender are intended to be interpreted broadly and to include both sex and gender identities that do not align with sex at birth. This helps Ofwat to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty, which covers protected characteristics including both sex and gender reassignment, as set out in the Equality Act 2010.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2025 to Question HL12794 on Government Art Collection, if she will list the (a) date received, (b) reference number, (c) date substantively answered, (d) substantive response, and (e) broad request, of each Freedom of information request received by his Department relating to the Government Art Collection across the last 12 months.

DCMS has received 45 requests relating to the Government Art Collection since 4 July 2024. All Freedom of Information requests are considered on their individual merits in accordance with the relevant legislation.

Media and Sport, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Freedom of Information Act disclosure, reference FOI2025/05106, of 8 July 2025.

I will deposit a copy of FOI2025/05106 in the Libraries of both Houses.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2025 to Question 98120 on DEFRA: Public Appointment, whether any made a declaration of political activity.

Direct Ministerial Appointees are not typically expected to submit declarations of political activity. However, they are expected to comply with the provisions on political activity set out in the code of conduct for board members of public bodies. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-conduct-for-board-members-of-public-bodies.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to Ofwat’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2025-28, how much Ofwat has spent on external equality, diversity and inclusion training since July 2024; via which suppliers; and what the estimated cost of mandatory EDI training is in 2026.

The total expenditure on EDI training since July 2024 to date is £7,495 (not including VAT). These details can be broken down as requested: Name of supplierSession topicCostAndrew Pain LtdMen's mental health£800Champions UKBlack History Month£1,200Powered by DiversityA monthly session on a range of EDI topics (i.e. International Women's Day, Time to Talk Day)£2,000Wellity GlobalSupporting neurodivergent individuals through times of change and stress£3,495

Media and Sport, how much funding (a) her Department and (b) the Arts Council has allocated to Decolonise Fest since July 2024.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not allocated any funding to Decolonise Fest.The Arts Council England, which awards funding independently of the government, has awarded a grant of £18,808 in 2025.In addition, the Decolonise Festival has also received £3,500 funding via the PRS Foundation, a charity funding new music and talent development that receives Art Council Funding.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2025 to Question 88693 on Stamp Advisory Committee, if he will list the dates that officials have attended meetings of the Stamp Advisory Committee since July 2024.

Stamp Advisory Committee meetings are confidential and a matter for Royal Mail. However, our records show that, since July 2024, a government official attended five meetings.

Pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2025, to Question HL11348, on Industrial Disputes: Trade Unions, whether the Government will take steps to revise the Code of Practice on picketing to ban leverage tactics during industrial disputes.

The government has laid a revised Code of Practice on Picketing before Parliament, that reflects legislative updates made by the Employment Rights Act 2025. We also intend to consult publicly on wider updates to the Code of Practice on Picketing in due course, noting that this Code has not been substantively updated for some time. We encourage all interested parties to respond to that consultation, with their views on the content of the Code.

Further to the Ofcom "Call for input: Review of postal regulation – pricing and affordability", of 4 November 2025, whether stamp prices for ordinary customers will have to cross-subsided the proposed reduction in stamp prices for those on the social tariffs.

As the independent regulator for postal services, Ofcom is responsible for decisions on price controls. The government does not have a role in Ofcom’s regulatory decisions.Affordability is at the heart of Ofcom's regulatory framework. Ofcom will consult on any proposals, ahead of the expiry of the current control on Second Class letter prices in early 2027.

Pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2025, to Question 88692, on Companies House: Recognition of States, if he will list each foreign nationality that is recognised by Companies House for the purposes of the Register of Companies that is not formally recognised by the UK Government as a nation.

The list of nationalities that are accepted for company filings is available here:Nationalities and countries for company filings - GOV.UKThe use of a standard list of nationalities ensures that information in the Register of Companies is captured consistently and is transparent to users of the Register.Presence of a nationality on the list does not imply formal recognition by Companies House or the UK Government more widely.

What departmental receptions have taken place in the offices of consultant lobbying firms since 4 July 2024, and what was the rationale in each case.

The Department for Business and Trade hosted an Industrial Strategy Business reception at the offices of FGS Global on 23 June 2025. The Department had worked with several businesses to find a suitable central London business location to host the reception.The Department does not hold a centralised list of every Departmental reception event. This event is the only reception at a consultant lobbying firm that the department has a record of taking place since June 2024.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2025, to Question 88707, on Research: Finance, what estimate he has made of the (a) monetary and (b) regulatory cost of the inclusion of equality, diversity and inclusion targets in publicly funded research.

The Government does not hold an estimate of any monetary or regulatory cost because it does not set equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) targets in publicly funded research. EDI considerations form part of existing research funding assurance and governance processes, and no additional reporting burdens or dedicated compliance mechanisms have been introduced beyond those already in place. Rather than mandating specific EDI targets, the Government expects research organisations to foster fair and inclusive environments that support excellence, in line with established funding terms and conditions.

Innovation and Technology, how much his Department has spent in the last 12 months on X premium, and on which tier.

No expenditure has been made by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on X premium.

With reference to the regulated public appointment, Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) - Committee Members - 5 roles, with application deadline of 23 October 2024, who was the Advisory Assessment Independent Panel Member listed on gov.uk as "To be confirmed".

The Independent Panel Member for this public appointment was Dr Alison Walker-Fraser. Alison is a business consultant and Chair of Trustees at Anaphylaxis UK. She is an experienced IPM for non-executive recruitment campaigns.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2025 to Question 98126, on DSIT: Public Appointments, whether any of the Direct Ministerial Appointments made a declaration of political activity when appointed.

All Direct Ministerial appointees must complete a declaration of interest form before their appointment can be finalised. If appointees declare any political activity, the detail is reviewed, assessed for risk and appropriate mitigations implemented where necessary.