Written questions by Wood.

Innovation and Technology, further to the Cabinet Office publication, Monthly Average HQ Building Occupancy (Quarter 2: July to September 2025), published on 1 December 2025, what were the numeric figures for the (a) Monthly total number of employees in the HQ building and (b) monthly capacity of the HQ building in each of those months for 22 Whitehall.

The numeric figures for July to September 2025 are: Jul 2025Aug 2025Sep 2025(a) Monthly total number of employees in the HQ building9953940311,302(b) Monthly capacity of the HQ building in each of those months for 22 Whitehall997589259350The figures include the adjoining building 26 Whitehall, which was gradually opened and occupied in phases across July, August and September. From October onwards, capacity figures include 26 Whitehall. Monthly totals also include colleagues using meeting rooms and other shared building facilities, which are not included in capacity figures.

With reference to Q341 of the oral evidence session of the Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Committee, on Oral evidence: Work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, HC 385, 3 November 2025, if he will make it Government policy that Parliamentary select committees can question direct ministerial appointments in an oral evidence session.

The government recently published guidance on making Direct Ministerial Appointments, which sets out the principles for this route into government. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/direct-ministerial-appointments

Pursuant to the answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 85184 on Office for Equality and Opportunity: Finance, whether the office plans to make efficiency savings; and what the change in staff headcount was from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

The Office for Equality and Opportunity (OEO) is committed to ensuring that Britain’s equality framework remains robust and fit for the future. OEO’s budget and resource allocation are subject to rigorous business planning and governance to ensure delivery of maximum value for the taxpayer.For the current financial year (2025/26), as part of a wider Cabinet Office exercise, we identified and committed to an in-year programme budget reduction. These savings are being realised through operational streamlining and a focus on cost-effective delivery.OEO’s staff headcount has increased from 142.5 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) in 2024-25 to up to 184 FTE staff in the current year. This increase, agreed by Ministers, ensures OEO is properly resourced to manage a substantial and long-term programme of work in line with the Government’s manifesto commitments, missions and other priorities.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2025 to Question 89471 on Common Purpose: Finance, if he will place a copy of the (a) presentation and (b) handouts from the leadership training in the Library.

Information regarding materials supplied by Common Purpose for the training day will not be disclosed as it is deemed commercially sensitive. Approval for the training day expenditure was granted by a Senior Civil Servant (SCS), not a Minister, as the cost fell within the SCS's delegated authority to approve spend. The spend occurred prior to the Government implementing new controls in April 2025 and followed a robust, compliant procurement procedure in line with Cabinet Office policy.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2025 to Question 86238 on Business: Codes of Practice, whether the appropriate process will require an Impact Assessment to be undertaken by (a) her Department and (b) the Commission.

The Government is considering the draft updated Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations, submitted by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. If the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament for a 40 day period. It is important that the correct process for considering the Code is followed to ensure the Secretary of State can make an informed decision, which includes understanding the consequences for service providers.

Pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2025 to Question 89471 on Common Purpose: Finance, whether the expenditure was approved by a Minister.

Information regarding materials supplied by Common Purpose for the training day will not be disclosed as it is deemed commercially sensitive. Approval for the training day expenditure was granted by a Senior Civil Servant (SCS), not a Minister, as the cost fell within the SCS's delegated authority to approve spend. The spend occurred prior to the Government implementing new controls in April 2025 and followed a robust, compliant procurement procedure in line with Cabinet Office policy.

Pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2025, to Question HL11873, on Equality and Human Rights Commission, whether she has consulted Civil Service (a) trade unions and (b) diversity networks on the proposed response and draft Code.

The Government is considering the draft updated Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations, submitted by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. If the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament for a 40 day period. The Minister is following the process in the Equality Act 2006. It is important that the correct process for considering the Code is followed to ensure the Secretary of State can make an informed decision. This process does not require consultation with civil service trade unions or diversity networks. The EHRC has consulted on its draft guidance.

When she plans to respond to the consultation on Equity law, which closed on 30 June 2025.

We published a call for evidence on equality law which considered areas of existing equality legislation and possible equality law reform. We are giving the responses careful consideration as we consider next steps. We will publish the Government response in due course on: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/equality-law-call-for-evidence.

If the Government will prepare an updated version of a cross-Whitehall Government War Book.

Developing plans for civilian assistance to the military in a time of conflict is a key component of the Cabinet Office’s Home Defence Programme. It is an evolving and enduring programme of work which provides defence, security and resilience planning, focused on aligning military and civil effort in the event of a period of crisis and international hostilities affecting the UK. This work is informed by and reflects the recommendations from government strategies, including the Strategic Defence Review, National Security Strategy and Resilience Action Plan.

Whether she has had recent discussions with the Local Government Association on the interim guidance being given to councils on the Supreme Court ruling on For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers.

We have always been clear that the For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025] Supreme Court ruling should be implemented in full by duty bearers, including local councils. Where necessary, they should seek specialist legal advice. The Equality and Human Rights Commission - as the independent regulator - has submitted a draft Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations to Ministers, and we are working as quickly as we can to review it with the care it deserves. This will provide further guidance to duty bearers on how they should comply with the Equality Act 2010 following the Supreme Court ruling.

What her planned timetable is for the consultation and implementation of ethnicity and disability pay reporting; and whether she has produced an Impact Assessment.

As set out in our manifesto and in the King’s Speech last July, the government remains committed to introducing mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers. Our consultation on ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting closed on 10 June. Good progress has been made in analysing the responses and developing our policy and legislative approach.The regulatory impact assessment for these measures has been produced.We will publish the Government response to the ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting consultation in due course .

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2025, to Question 88698, on DSIT: Disinformation, what specific facility or service does the contract with (a) Total Global Strategy Network and (b) Faculty Science Limit provide.

The Global Strategy Network provides mis‑ and disinformation monitoring analysis narratives from publicly available online information concerning public safety or national security risks to the UK. Faculty Science provides software development for the Counter‑Disinformation Data Platform (CDDP).

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 23 September 2025, to Question 70484, on Government Departments: Training, what role the Director General for Digital Centre Design played in (a) the design and specification of Project 7114, (b) recommending the use of Bloom Procurement Services Ltd as the route to market, and (c) compiling or approving the list of suppliers directly nominated to bid for the contract through Bloom.

The interim Director General for Digital Centre Design, now interim Director General for Digital Transformation, has had no involvement in the design and specification of Project 7114 or in any procurement decisions related to the Cabinet Office Test Learn and Grow Programme.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2025 to Question 88708 on Electronic Government, on what date was the current internal Data Protection Impact Assessment completed.

A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) was completed for GOV.UK One Login in 2023. This was reviewed and updated in 2025 and is planned for publication this year.

Innovation and Technology, whether this Department uses the Global Disinformation Index service.

DSIT does not use Global Disinformation Index service

If he will take steps to reduce the number of government policy announcements.

The Government is committed to communicating clearly and effectively with the public about policies that affect their lives.

What assessment the Department has made of the salary outcomes, promotion rates and role progression of participants in the Directors Leadership Programme compared to a control group of comparable civil servants who did not participate; and what cost benefit analysis the Department has undertaken on expenditure on the programme including any assessment of average time to promotion, changes in performance markings, retention rates and the financial return on investment to the public purse.

A comprehensive assessment of salary outcomes, promotion rates, and role progression for Directors Leadership Programme participants against a control group (or formal cost-benefit analysis) is not currently feasible. A feasibility assessment for management evaluations showed that the required workforce data for rigorous evaluation on these issues are either not easily available or not held centrally; or sufficient time has not passed for enough participants to provide robust data on these measures. An implementation and process evaluation of DLP is in progress, with a public-facing report expected around Summer 2026. A public-facing report is also planned at the same time on the lessons learned (and guidance) on sharing workforce data to facilitate analysis in future on similar issues.

With reference to the Cabinet Office Government Procurement Card spend over £500 data for October 2025, published on 27 November 2025, what was the purpose of the expenditure for a photography course in London; which officials attended; and what was the full name of the specific supplier.

This transaction was used for specialist digital training for four members of staff at a cost of £170 each. This was provided at a discounted rate following a search for the cheapest available supplier.With the move to digital communications, it is important that we produce usable images from relevant government events and announcements.Training existing staff to take photographs presents a cost saving compared to the use of external photographers.

How many full time equivalent staff support Civil Service Coffee Connect.

We have been unable to identify any such central Civil Service initiative.

How many people applied and were appointed to the Public Leaders Programme; and what is the expected cost to the public purse of the programme, including staffing, delivery, administration and digital support.

79 people applied to the Public Leaders Programme for the 2026 cohort, with 61 joining the programme successfully. Some of the costs for delivery in the later stages of the year are still to be confirmed, so the current estimated overall cost to the public purse of the programme is £625,889.09.