Written questions by Wood.

Pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2025, to Question HL12741, on Propriety and Constitution Group: Directors, for what policy reason the Director General, Propriety and Constitution group entry on the Cabinet office senior staff gov.uk page has been removed.

The Director General, Propriety and Constitution Group is not listed on the senior staff webpage because a biographical page has not yet been created for her. She is currently listed on the 'our governance' webpage. The webpages will be updated in due course.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2026, to Question 112176, on Public Appointments: Standards, whether his policy intent is to further restrict the use of (a) Whatsapp, (b) Signal and (c) similar applications, on (i) corporate and (ii) non-corporate communication devices by (1) Ministers, (2) special adviser and (3) civil servants.

This government has a robust set of security policies and guidance in place that apply to Ministers, Special Advisors and Civil Servants, which are kept under consideration, including ‘Using Non-Corporate Communication Channels for Government Business’, which provides a framework for using these applications on both corporate and non-corporate devices. The Government is considering the way that different non-corporate communication channels are being used, as part of its commitment to raise information security standards.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2026, to Question 112168, on Government, if he will list the relevant stakeholders who were consulted in Summer 2025.

I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given to HL15004.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2026, to Question 110020, on Cabinet Office: Public Appointments, if the Cabinet Office will make it their policy to update the Direct Ministerial Appointments portal to include the full details and terms of each serving Direct Ministerial Appointment that was appointed before the creation of the portal.

The responsibility for the publication of information on Direct Ministerial Appointments rests with individual sponsor departments, as it has done under successive administrations. Departments should add all existing DMAs to the portal.

Pursuant to his response of 23 February 2026, Official Report, Column 29, on Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review, what is the evidential basis for his statement that the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards cannot undertake an investigation to a Minister who has been suspended; and whether different provisions apply to (a) paid and (b) unpaid Ministers.

The Ministerial Code applies to serving Ministers. If a Minister is removed from office, there would be no avenue for the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards to investigate.

Pursuant to his response of 23 February 2026, Official Report, Column 29, on Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review, whether the Independent Adviser will ask (a) PRCA, (b) APCO Worldwide and (b) the journalists who were investigated by APCO/Labour Together to submit evidence.

The Prime Minister asked civil servants in the Cabinet Office propriety and ethics team to establish the facts in relation to allegations concerning the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State jointly in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Cabinet Office, Josh Simons MP. These facts were reported to the Prime Minister, who referred the matter to the independent adviser on Ministerial standards. The Independent Adviser’s subsequent advice to the Prime Minister is published on gov.uk As a private company, any questions related to Labour Together are a matter for the board of Labour Together.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2026 to Question 109541 on Jean Monnet Action: Finance, whether UK educational institutions will participate in the Jean Monnet Actions in relation to (a) supporting European Union studies, (b) the Jean Monnet Network on internal policy and (c) teacher training.

I refer the hon. Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire to the answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 114071.

Whether the recruitment of the permanent Director General for the Proprietary and Constitution Group has been discussed at the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee.

The Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee (SLC) is consulted on the selection route for all appointments to Director General.Plans for the permanent recruitment to the role of Director General for Propriety, Ethics and Constitution are being developed in accordance with governance procedures.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the EU's Industrial Accelerator Act on non-tariff barriers with (a) Great Britain and (b) the United Kingdom.

This government is closely following the Commission's proposals for the Industrial Accelerator Act, and the EU’s Made in Europe agenda more widely and has engaged directly with Member States, the Commission and industry on the issue.We have been clear in discussions with EU counterparts that the UK is a close and trusted European partner, and that the UK and EU must work together to boost growth, resilience, and economic security. We are considering the Act as published earlier this week and engaging with industry on its contents.

Whether the Turing scheme will be renewed for (a) 2027-28 and (b) 2028-29.

Guidance on the Turing Scheme for the 2026/27 academic year has been published on GOV.UK, and applications for funding are open until 16 March 2026. The budget for 2026/27 will be confirmed in due course.​The Turing Scheme is a demand led, competitive programme, so providers can shape applications to the needs of their students. We do not set targets for the number of Turing Scheme placements in each year, as this is highly dependent on the numbers of students that individual providers intend to send, where they intend to go and how long for. Instead, we allocate funding to prioritise the participation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and disabilities.​The UK has agreed in principle to associate with Erasmus+ from 2027, and decisions on the Turing Scheme for 2027/28 will be shared in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2026 to Question 92580, how many of the 39 business cases approved related to projects within the Government Major Projects Portfolio.

Between July 2024 and November 2025, seven of the 39 business cases related to projects that are part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio.

What the budget is for the Turing scheme in 2026-27; and what the target number of UK students supported is.

Guidance on the Turing Scheme for the 2026/27 academic year has been published on GOV.UK, and applications for funding are open until 16 March 2026. The budget for 2026/27 will be confirmed in due course.​The Turing Scheme is a demand led, competitive programme, so providers can shape applications to the needs of their students. We do not set targets for the number of Turing Scheme placements in each year, as this is highly dependent on the numbers of students that individual providers intend to send, where they intend to go and how long for. Instead, we allocate funding to prioritise the participation of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and disabilities.​The UK has agreed in principle to associate with Erasmus+ from 2027, and decisions on the Turing Scheme for 2027/28 will be shared in due course.

Pursuant to the answer of 12 February 2026 to question 110013, whether the incorrect expenditure was included in the audited financial statements within the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024 to 2025.

The expenditure is included in the audited financial statements. However, an administrative error meant this amount was not disclosed in the separate, unaudited breakdown of Cabinet away day costs provided on page 67. This will be explained in next year's annual report.

With reference to the Budget Information Security Review, published on 9 February 2026, whether monitoring and recording of access to documents classified as Budget - Market Sensitive will include Ministers.

Yes.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2025 to Question 92580, how many of the 39 business cases were approved without conditions.

Of the 39 business cases, one business case was approved without being subject to conditions. This is not unusual for significant levels of spending.

When he plans to respond to Question 110814, tabled on 5 February 2026.

A response has been issued here.

Whether there is a minimum age to participate in the (a) Turing and (b) Erasmus+ scheme.

Most Erasmus+ activities do not have a specific age limit, except for youth activities which are only available to 18 to 30-year-olds. Erasmus+ is designed for a wide range of participants, including learners, trainees, and staff across higher education (HE), further education, vocational education and training, schools, adult education, youth programmes and sport programmes.Students can participate in Turing Scheme placements if they are receiving education from an eligible provider from primary school through to HE.

With reference to paragraph 1.3 of the Budget Information Security Review, published on 9 February 2026, if he will publish the recommendations from his Department's leak inquiry.

The recommendations from the Cabinet Office leak inquiry have been published and are included in the HM Treasury Budget Information Security Review.

Whether the Civil Service Coffee Connect programme still operates.

I refer to PQ 105699, answered on 21 January, 2026. We have been unable to identify any such central Civil Service initiative.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108242 on Senior Civil Servants: Recruitment, if he will publish any new guidance on the recruitment and retention of Senior Civil Servants.

There are no plans to publish internal-facing guidance to the public domain, as it constitutes HR-to-HR guidance designed for departments to integrate into their respective policies and processes.