Written questions by Wood.

What discussions he is having with his European counterparts on the recognition of (a) legal qualifications and (b) other professional qualifications.

HMG remains committed to making it easier for UK and EU professionals to have their qualifications recognised across regulated professions.In the 2025 Common Understanding, the UK and EU committed to setting up dedicated dialogues on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement provisions which enable regulator-led, sector-specific recognition agreements to be negotiated.The annual Trade Specialised Committee on Services, Investment and Digital Trade also provides a forum for the UK and EU to discuss the recognition of professional qualifications.HMG encourages and supports UK regulators, including legal regulators, to work with their EU counterparts to improve recognition of professional qualifications, including through guidance and funding.

Pursuant to the answer of 5 January 2025, to Question 100331, on Ministers: Official Cars, what is the estimated, non-granular aggregate expenditure by the Government Car Service on official cars for civil servants in the last 12 months.

The Government Car Service (GCS) offers vehicles to government departments as a shared resource. Each department independently determines the allocation of these vehicles. GCS does not invoice separately for ministerial or civil servant use.

With reference to the publication entitled Ministers' overseas travel and meetings: Publication Guidance, January 2025, and the paragraph 1(a) guidance on foreign meetings, whether a meeting with a foreign government with an external organisation would require the publication as attendees of (a) the name of the foreign government and the name of the external organisation or (b) just the name of the external organisation.

The same Publication Guidance the Hon Member quotes makes clear that in such scenarios, "the meeting should be declared including the names of these [external] organisations or individuals only”.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025, to Question 90240, on Cabinet Office: Secondment, if he will list the names of the organisations that have had Civil Servants seconded to them since July 2024, according to records centrally held through the secondments data commission.

The Civil Service has seconded staff in from private, public and voluntary sector organisations and has also seconded staff out. Secondments remain a key route to utilising essential skills and experience into the right roles and teams, enabling talented individuals from within and outside the Civil Service to share critical capabilities and innovative thinking for a set period of time. The secondments data commission provides insight on inward and outward secondments taking place across government. The Cabinet Office has worked closely with departments to improve the amount, detail and quality of the data available including names of organisations individuals have been seconded from or to, where this information is available. The limited number of records/ data sets can impact third party organisations and makes the data personally identifiable information, and therefore it will not be possible to publish this data.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 December 2025, to Question 93747, on Cabinet Office: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, what the date, title, location and purpose of the cross-government event related to the public expenditure on TasteThatLove are.

See answer to WPQ 93747. The purpose of the event was to encourage collaboration between government departments, academia and the private sector.

Further to the Commissioner for Public Appointment’s annual report 2024-25, published December 2025, page 17, what is the timetable for the Cabinet Office publishing a Senior Independent Panel Member list.

The Senior Independent Panel Member list referred to in the Commissioner for Public Appointment’s annual report 2024-25 is not intended for public disclosure. The list, which is under development, will be an internal register available for departmental officials to access in the public appointments digital service, to support the efficient and effective running of public appointment campaigns. The composition of an advisory assessment panel is provided in the advertisement for each campaign, including the Senior Independent Panel Member.

Pursuant to the answer of 21 July 2025, to Question 65368, on Empty Property, how many dwellings are owned or managed by the Government Property Agency which are currently empty.

There are currently 13 vacant properties within the Government Property Agency’s managed portfolio. This total includes sites that are in the process of being disposed of or have been vacated to facilitate ongoing refurbishment work with the aim to improve the overall condition and efficiency of the managed estate.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 July 2025, to Question 66951, on Environment Protection: Public Bodies, and with reference to paragraphs 211, 233 and 234 of the Cabinet Office's Guide to Parliamentary Work, if he will publish the disclosed information or provide a relevant hyperlink to the information.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 66951 on 21 July 2025.

Pursuant to the answer of 2 January 2026, to Question 99531, on Government Departments: Advertising, how much has been spent on (a) digital, (b) out of home, (c) press, (d) radio and (e) television since July 2024.

The total spend figures across central departments since July 2024 is £214,900,056.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025, to Question 90245, on Admiralty House: Official Residences, which civil servants, and from which business unit, are allowed to stay in the Admiralty House official residences.

I refer the Hon Member to my answer of 20 November 2025, Official Report, PQ 90245.

Pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2025, to Question 90240, on Cabinet Office: Secondment, if he will list the names of the organisations that have seconded staff into central government since July 2024, according to records centrally held through the secondments data commission.

The Civil Service has seconded staff in from private, public and voluntary sector organisations and has also seconded staff out. Secondments remain a key route to utilising essential skills and experience into the right roles and teams, enabling talented individuals from within and outside the Civil Service to share critical capabilities and innovative thinking for a set period of time. The secondments data commission provides insight on inward and outward secondments taking place across government. The Cabinet Office has worked closely with departments to improve the amount, detail and quality of the data available including names of organisations individuals have been seconded from or to, where this information is available. The limited number of records/ data sets can impact third party organisations and makes the data personally identifiable information, and therefore it will not be possible to publish this data.

With reference to the Commission for Public Appointments, Annual Report, 2024-25, p.41, if he will place in the Library a copy of the full dataset on the 67 individuals who declared political activity that is held by the Cabinet Office.

As was the case under previous governments, and in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, the political activity of successful candidates is published by government departments as part of the public announcement regarding the appointment.

With reference to the Freedom of Information response by the Cabinet Office, Ref: FOI2025/18068, of 5 December 2025, if he will publish the Guidance for Influencer Marketing.

Influencers have proven to be effective in reaching audiences that traditional marketing channels find hard to reach. Influencer work is supported primarily via the agencies OmniGov and Pablo Unlimited via the Campaign Solutions 2 framework, detailed at the following link: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6125 While there were no immediate plans to release the guidance at the time of Question 70489, increased public interest in this topic has now led us to conclude that the public interest favours its release. I can confirm that the Guidance for Influencer Marketing will be placed in the House Library.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2025, to Question 70489 on Government Communication Service: Marketing, and with reference to paragraph 211 of the Cabinet Office Guide to Parliamentary Work, for what reason the information was released under the Freedom of Information Act but not disclosed to Parliament.

Influencers have proven to be effective in reaching audiences that traditional marketing channels find hard to reach. Influencer work is supported primarily via the agencies OmniGov and Pablo Unlimited via the Campaign Solutions 2 framework, detailed at the following link: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6125 While there were no immediate plans to release the guidance at the time of Question 70489, increased public interest in this topic has now led us to conclude that the public interest favours its release. I can confirm that the Guidance for Influencer Marketing will be placed in the House Library.

Pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2025, to Question 74206, on Government Departments: Social Media, which external firms are used to procure social media influencers across government under CCS Framework RM6125 – Lot 1 End.

Influencers have proven to be effective in reaching audiences that traditional marketing channels find hard to reach. Influencer work is supported primarily via the agencies OmniGov and Pablo Unlimited via the Campaign Solutions 2 framework, detailed at the following link: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6125 While there were no immediate plans to release the guidance at the time of Question 70489, increased public interest in this topic has now led us to conclude that the public interest favours its release. I can confirm that the Guidance for Influencer Marketing will be placed in the House Library.

Pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2025, to Question 91376, and of 23 December 2025, to Question 99834, on Government Hospitality: Wines, and to the answer of 30 January 2025, to Question 26019, on Written Questions, if he will provide a relevant hyperlink to the transparency data for spending on Berry Bros since 4 July 2024 for (a) non-GPC transactions under £25,000 and (b) GPC transactions under £500, or otherwise place unpublished spending data in the Library.

Transparency publications are available and searchable here: https://www.gov.uk/government/government-efficiency-transparency-and-accountability

Whether Tim Allan has been recused on matters relating to (a) Sanctuary Counsel and (b) Thorndon Partners and (c) their clients.

Before joining the government, Mr Allan sought and received advice on his interests. He has followed every element of the advice received.

Whether any (a) gifts and (b) hospitality he has received in a Ministerial capacity by Lord Alli have been (i) returned and (ii) refunded since July 2024.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 26 November 2025, Official Report, PQ 92005.

Whether Dale Vince was invited to receptions at Downing Street in (a) November and (b) December 2025.

As under previous administrations, details of official receptions are published in quarterly transparency returns on gov.uk.

What is the forecast profile of yearly (a) defence and (b) security spending to meet the respective 3.5% and 1.5% GDP NATO targets by 2035.

NATO qualifying defence spending will increase to 2.6 per cent of GDP by April 2027. The Government’s ambition is to spend 3 per cent of GDP on defence next Parliament, when economic and fiscal conditions allow, and 5 per cent of GDP on national security spending by the Parliament after next.In 2029, when NATO review capability requirements and this pledge, the UK and Allies will review the trajectory and the balance of spending, which is currently 3.5 per cent on core defence and 1.5 per cent on security and resilience-related spend.