Written questions by Wood.

Pursuant to the answer of 4 September 2025, to Question 70499, on Public Bodies: Unpaid Work, whether the parental occupations of a (a) tool-maker and (b) factory owner are deemed to be eligible working class socio-economic background for applicants to the Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme.

As we set out in August, we will be opening our Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme exclusively for undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds for 2026. We will determine eligibility based on parental occupation at age 14 in line with guidance from the Social Mobility Commission and the Office for National Statistics definition.

With reference to the Government's Plan for Change document of December 2024, CP1210, what changes have been made to the Government’s (a) milestones, (b) missions, (c) foundations and (d) mission boards since 1 September 2025.

No changes have been made to the Government’s Plan for Change.

For what reason the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip has been appointed as a member of the Parliamentary and Political Service Committee..

The Parliamentary and Political Service Honours Committee (PPS Committee) is one of ten specialist honours committees, made up of individuals with considerable experience of the area the committee covers. The PPS Committee considers candidates for honours from the UK Parliament, the Devolved Legislatures, the staff of Westminster and other Assemblies, the staff of bodies which report to them, Party workers, councillors and others working for local government. In order to broaden the pool of nominations considered by the committee and to increase transparency, the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip was asked to join the Committee in April 2025, in order to represent the third largest party in the House of Commons. The Liberal Democrat Chief Whip now sits on the committee alongside an independent chair and four independent members, appointed through a public appointments process, and the Chief Whips from the Government and the opposition.

With reference to the written statement of 21 July 2025 entitled Government of service, HCWS870, whether the reformed Committee on Standards in Public Life will have political members nominated by the main political parties in the House of Commons.

The Ethics and Integrity Commission will be established in Autumn by the Government strengthening and reforming the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL). As with CSPL, the Ethics and Integrity Commission will continue to have political members nominated by the main political parties in the House of Commons.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2025 to Question 54408 on Recruitment: Equality, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the Rooney rule being adopted by NHS bodies.

No such assessment has been made. We expect National Health Service organisations to implement policies and procedures relating to recruitment that are in line with employment law and good human resources practice, including the Equality Act 2010 and other relevant legislation.

With reference to the Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, whether he plans to reconstitute the Joint Operations Committee.

The Framework Document between the Cabinet Office, the Civil Service Commission, the Advisory Committee for Business Appointments (ACOBA) and the Commissioner for Public Appointments sets out the broad governance framework for the Independent Offices, including the role of the Joint Operations Committee established by those organisations. The Framework Document will be updated to reflect the changes announced in the Written Statement on 21 July and will set out the governance arrangements of the Civil Service Commission and Commissioner for Public Appointments, following the closure of ACOBA.

Whether Ministers are asked by (a) his Department, (b) the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests and (c) their Department whether they have a criminal record prior to their Ministerial appointment.

There is an established process in place for the appointment of ministers. Any conversations held take place in confidence. All ministers are expected to adhere to the high standards of conduct set out in the Ministerial Code.

With reference to the Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, whether he plans to increase the remuneration for the (a) First Civil Service Commissioner and (b) chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

The remuneration of the First Civil Service Commissioner and the chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life will be set out in the annual reports and accounts for those organisations in the usual way.

With reference to the Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, whether changes to the Business Appointment Rules will be retrospective.

The changes to the way the Rules are administered will come into effect on 13 October. The changes announced in the 21 July Written Ministerial Statement will not be applied retrospectively.

With reference to the Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, what the line management structure of the (a) Ethics and Integrity Commission secretariat and (b) secretariat supporting the Independent Advisor on Ministers Interests will be; and whether those staff will report to a named senior civil servant in his Department.

I refer the member to the answer provided by Baroness Anderson on 6 August 2025 (HL9881).

With reference to his Department's news story entitled Appointment to Cabinet Office Board, published on 19 August 2025, whether Greg Jackson (a) made a declaration of political activity and (b) was selected through open and fair competition.

Greg Jackson has disclosed his interests in line with all of the relevant guidance and has declared no political activity. Greg was appointed via a fair and open recruitment competition in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, overseen by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

With reference to the written statement of 21 July 2025 entitled Government of service, HCWS870, whether he plans to make any changes to the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

I refer the Hon. Member to the written statement by the Prime Minister of 19 June 2025 (HCWS718), which sets out the Government's position on appointments to the House of Lords, including the role of the House of Lords Appointments Commission.

With reference to the written statement of 21 July 2025 entitled Government of service, HCWS870, whether the Civil Service Commission will include political members nominated by the main political parties in the House of Commons.

As set out in the Written Statement of 21 July 2025, HCWS870, the Government has decided to close the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) and to transfer its function to provide independent advice on the application of the Business Appointment Rules (BARs) in respect of the most senior civil servants and special advisers to the Civil Service Commission (the Commission). The requirements for membership of the Civil Service Commission and the appointment of Commissioners are set out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 and do not include political members nominated by the main political parties.

With reference to the Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, who will be responsible for determining whether a former minister has seriously breached the (a) Ministerial Code and (b) Business Appointment Rules.

As set out in the Ministerial Code, the Prime Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a minister and the appropriate consequences of a breach of those standards.

With reference to the written statement of 21 July 2025 entitled Government of service, HCWS870, whether the Ethics and Integrity Commission will consider complaints relating to alleged breaches of ethics and integrity.

The Written Ministerial Statement "Government of Service", laid on 21 July 2025, outlines the role of the Ethics and Integrity Commission. Further detail on the Commission will be published when it becomes operational on 13 October 2025.

With reference to the Written Statement of 21 July 2025 on Government of service, HCWS870, if he will publish the audit findings by the Civil Service Commission on the application of Business Appointment Rules below senior levels.

The Civil Service Commission is operationally independent of Government. The publication of information about the Commission’s audit activity in respect of the application of Business Appointment Rules below the most senior grades will be a matter for the Commission.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 42571 on Cabinet Office: Equality, which diversity networks in his Department received network time in the last month for which figures are held; and how much time was given in each case.

Collating and recording network time would present a disproportionate administrative burden on the central HR team as this information is not held centrally.

How much and what proportion of employer pension contributions for NHS employees are funded by NHS England.

As of 1 April 2024, the National Health Service employer pension contribution rate rose to 23.7%. Employers pay 14.38% and central payments are made by NHS England for the remaining 9.4%.

How many (a) embedded communications and (b) members of the Government Communications Service are employed by (i) his Department and (ii) NHS England.

At the end of August 2025, the Department had 40 full-time equivalent (FTE) communications staff embedded in the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities working on public health and prevention programmes, and 85 FTE staff working in the Communications Directorate, covering a broad range of roles including media relations, marketing and branding, public health campaigns, internal communications and external publishing on GOV.UK. All are members of the Government Communications Service.At the end of July 2025, NHS England had 330 FTE staff working in communications covering a wide range of roles and support functions, including business operations, system and stakeholder engagement, events and visits teams, and parliamentary briefing and Freedom of Information (FOI) management. There are also five FTE staff embedded in other directorates, including working with FOI management and parliamentary briefing.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2025 to Question 67413 on France: Military Alliances, with reference to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question HL6719 on Nuclear Weapons, how his Department defines tactical nuclear weapons.

The UK does not categorise nuclear weapon capabilities as either strategic or sub-strategic/tactical. The UK and NATO have said that any employment of nuclear weapons against NATO would fundamentally alter the nature of a conflict. The UK’s nuclear weapons are a tool aiming to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, and that of our NATO Allies, rather than a warfighting capability intended to achieve a tactical or battlefield military advantage in a conflict.