Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse is of advertising the Digital ID consultation on podcasts.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The digital ID consultation is open to the public, and its success is hinged on open and transparent participation. We have a duty to reach as broad a population as possible and have worked with media partners in order to ensure that the public are aware of the consultation and how to participate. For this campaign, we’ve worked with two podcast partners: Acast and Audioboom, with a combined spend of £62,817 for the duration of the 12 week consultation.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of UK GDPR data protection principles on his Department's disclosure of Lord Mandelson's personal information under the humble Address.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer you to the Oral Statement on the 23rd February, in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, and the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 16th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
All relevant material is being prepared for publication, including the appropriate checks relating to national security, international relations, legal privilege and the protection of personal data.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2026, to Question 111932, on Lord Mandelson, what assessment has been made of why the letter from Lord Glasman to the Prime Minister's Office on the probity of Lord Mandelson was not copied across to the official record.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 9 February 2026, Official Report, PQ 111932.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the responsibilities are of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister; and whether they have changed since the departure of the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister's responsibilities are available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/people/darren-jones
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to Question HL15477 on Lord Mandelson, whether special advisers, including Jonathan Powell, have any role in making recommendations on redactions of material relating to the Government response to the Humble Address.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer you to the Oral Statement on the 23rd February, in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 16th March, and the Government's statement and release of information on 11th March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
All relevant material is being prepared for publication, including the appropriate checks relating to national security, international relations, legal privilege and the protection of personal data.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question HL15477 on Lord Mandelson, whether Ministers are able to (a) provide a steer, (b) submit requests or (c) exercise a veto of Civil Service decisions to deem that material (i) is out of scope or (ii) should be redacted.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As set out in the Humble Address debate of 4th February, the process is being conducted and led by the Cabinet Secretary who has delegated the role to the Cabinet Office Permanent Secretary. Civil servants are of course accountable to Ministers, who are in turn accountable to Parliament.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 51163 on Prime Minister: Email, whether emails which 10 Downing Street which are automatically removed after 90 days that have not otherwise been saved for long-term storage are still considered to be held for the purposes of Government responses to Humble Addresses.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer you to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12th February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and the Oral Statement on the 23rd February, in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, which set out an update on the Government's process and that Departments have been instructed to retain material that may be relevant to the motion.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2026, to Question 44467, on Government Departments: Social Media, if he will request that the Ethics and Integrity Commission consider this issue as part of their commissioned review into lobbying and transparency.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Prime Minister's letter to the Ethics and Integrity Commission Chair, dated 11 March 2026 and published on GOV.UK, sets out the policy areas the Commission has been asked to review.
Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release entitled Conclusion of His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme, of 28 November 2024, what the percentage take-up figure was for principal councils in England.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
His Majesty The King’s free Portrait Scheme was a voluntary programme offering a free, framed portrait of The King to any eligible public institution that requested one.
Following the conclusion of the scheme, a breakdown of the take up, including percentage take-up figures were published on gov.uk.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 2 April 2026, to Question 122728, on Cabinet Office: Email, whether John Pond's emails be transferred to the National Archives.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office manages its departmental records in accordance with the provisions of the Public Records Act 1958. Section 3 of the Act sets out the provisions for selecting and preserving public records.