Written questions by Wood.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the new proposed dynamic alignment with the EU will ban the sale of oatcakes in the UK due to new EU agricultural standards.

The oats sector plays a vital role in UK agriculture, particularly in Scotland, and we fully recognise the importance of this issue for those businesses. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit in May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common SPS Area. We have been clear that in some areas we will need to account for conditions specific to Great Britain; and on the importance of ensuring that the SPS Agreement delivers positive outcomes for businesses across the UK, while safeguarding our high standards. Officials in Defra are actively engaging with industry representatives on this important issue, as well as with the Scottish Government.

Whether the Government provides funding to Jean Monnet activities.

Jean Monnet Actions are funded from a dedicated share of the Erasmus+ budget. When the UK associates to Erasmus+, it will contribute to the overall programme budget.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the proposed dynamic alignment with the EU will prevent the adoption of gene-edited crops under the provisions of the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.

Defra remains committed to implementing the Precision Breeding Act and enabling the safe development of innovative genetic technologies Under the UK-EU Common Understanding, it is recognised that there will be areas where the UK will retain its own rules. The detail of those areas is now part of ongoing negotiations. Throughout this process, Defra has been clear on the importance of maintaining the UK’s ability to regulate precision breeding in a way that supports innovation, gives farmers access to new tools, and upholds high standards of safety.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of Digital ID on Right to Work checks.

As the Prime Minister has recently stated in the House of Commons, there will be checks. They will be digital and they will be mandatory.We will consult on the technical detail of how this will be implemented.

Pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 92613 on Digital Technology: Identity Cards, whether Digital ID will be required for Digital Right to Work checks.

As the Prime Minister has recently stated in the House of Commons, there will be checks. They will be digital and they will be mandatory. We will consult on the technical details of how this will be implemented.

Pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 91382 on Prime Minister: Aviation, if he will publish those calculations for G-GBNI for 2024-25.

I refer the Hon Member back to the answer given in UIN 73729.

Pursuant to the answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 927 on Civil Servants: Performance Related Pay, if he will publish the performance assessment process guidance on considering delivery against the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

For the Senior Civil Service (SCS), the performance management framework sets out a series of ‘minimum standards’, which requires individuals to deliver a threshold level of financial management, cross-system leadership, and people management, including D&I. These minimum standards supplement business delivery objectives, which attract bonuses, and are driven by ministerial and departmental priorities. Individuals that fail to meet the minimum standards are deemed underperforming and placed on a performance development plan. For Civil Service grades below the SCS, it is for individual departments to determine pay and performance arrangements for this cadre.

Whether he plans to review recruitment practices in the public sector.

The public sector - healthcare, education, emergency services, and infrastructure - has delegated authority to determine their own recruitment needs, job roles and hires in line with organisational and industry guidelines. With regard to the Civil Service, the Government is committed to ensuring it attracts, develops, and retains talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds. To support this, we are currently reviewing and implementing several measures.

Pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2026 to Question 104805 on Senior Civil Servants: Redundancy Pay, and with reference to deposited paper entitled Permanent secretary model employment contract, DEP2025-0830, deposited on 4 December 2025, for what business reason the former Cabinet Secretary was awarded the exit payment under the Compulsory Early Termination of Contract provision of paragraph 18.1 and not under the medical grounds or voluntary exit provisions of paragraph 14.

I refer to my answer for PQs 104805 and 104161, the business case was made on the basis that the Cabinet Secretary departed the Civil Service, and it was calculated on the basis of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme i.e. 1 month’s pay (capped at £149,820 salary) for each year of service.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2026 to Question HL13276 on Arms Length Bodies, what is his timetable for the completion of the review; and how will it report.

The review is ongoing. Outcomes will be communicated in due course.

With reference to his speech of 20 January 2026, entitled “Move fast. Fix things”, whether the new National School of Government and Public Services will be part of the Cabinet Office, or a new Arm's Length Body; and what is its annual budget.

The National School of Government and Public Services will be part of the Cabinet Office. Its annual budget will be defined through normal Cabinet Office processes with any relevant information published as part of the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 100885 on Cabinet Office: Remote Working, if he will set out the methodology for the (a) physical and (b) electronic data collation of the Civil Service headquarters occupancy data, including the use of (i) wifi log-ins associated with location, (ii) computer log-ins associated with location, (iii) swipe pass entry data, (iv) space booking systems, (v) desk booking systems and (vi) manual counting.

There are four main methods used by departments to collect their Headquarter Occupancy data. It is for departments to determine the most appropriate method of collection. Methods used are: Wifi and/or computer log-ins associated with location which track device connectivity to, or logins within, specific building locations.Swipe pass entry data which counts arrival and/or exit at defined access points.Space or desk booking system which records pre-booked workspaces.Manual count which will involve the use of a member of staff physically counting people either at a specified time each day or as they enter and/or exit a building.

Pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2026, to Question 104159, on Trade Unions: Facilities Agreements, if he will place in the Library the names of the individual public sector organisations which were requested by Cabinet Office Trade Union Facility Time Reporting Service to submit trade union facility time data but which did not do so, for the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 datasets.

The answer provided to 104159 was inaccurate and has been corrected. The Cabinet Office does not hold the requested information.

With reference to his Department's policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated on 22 December 2025, whether he intends that the Government will make additional financial contributions to the European Union related to the provision of services through entry and temporary stay of natural persons for business purposes.

The UK and EU have agreed to set up dedicated dialogues on short term business mobility and the recognition of professional qualifications. This will create a forum for us to address mobility barriers faced by UK services providers in the EU. This will not involve a financial contribution to the European Union.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 November 2025 to Question 86666 on Government Departments: Advertising, and with reference to paragraph 223 of his Department's publication entitled Guide to Parliamentary Work, updated on 19 November 2024, if he will set out the public interest basis for not disclosing the full list of publications assessed under the SAFE framework.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of PQ108665. There are currently no plans to publish the full list of publications assessed under the SAFE framework as the area remains subject to ongoing policy development. Premature publication of the inclusion list would have negative impacts.

With reference to his renegotiation of EU agreements, what is his policy on (a) asymmetric or (b) symmetric early termination payments, payable (i) by the United Kingdom if it terminates early and (ii) by the European Union if they terminate early.

The details of any agreements, including specific clauses, are subject to ongoing negotiations with the EU. We will not provide a running commentary on the progress of those negotiations, although I would note termination provisions are routine in international agreements.

Pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 104160 on Publications: Gender, which publishers were assessed but not included in the inclusion list.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of PQ108665. There are currently no plans to publish the full list of publications assessed under the SAFE framework as the area remains subject to ongoing policy development. Premature publication of the inclusion list would have negative impacts.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2025 to Question 104163 on Public Appointments: Political Impartiality, which public body holds the data on past political activity held in the Public Appointments Digital Service online application database.

The Public Appointments Digital Service is operated by the Cabinet Office. As set out in the service’s privacy notice, the Cabinet Office, Office for the Commissioner of Public Appointments and the recruiting government department are joint data controllers for the political activity data held within the service.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2026 to Question 92580 if he will list the 39 business cases that were approved.

Due to commercial sensitivities, business case titles not covered by the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) are not published. All projects and programmes on the GMPP must publish a Summary, Full, or Programme Business Case on GOV.UK within four months of receiving HM Treasury approval. A copy must also be deposited in the House of Commons Library.

Whether Ministers in his Department have received coaching in a foreign language funded by his Department since July 2024.

No Cabinet Office Ministers have received any coaching in foreign languages funded by the department since July 2024.