Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether Lord Mandelson played a role as Ambassador to the United States in the decision of HM Government not to impose tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

No.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Office for Budget Responsibility will publish a fiscal mandate assessment alongside the Spring Statement.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

As the Chancellor announced at Budget 2025, the OBR will assess performance against the fiscal rules once a year at the Budget, in line with the government’s commitment to a single major fiscal event per year.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 28 January 2026, to Question 107374, on Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure, whether regulatory costs imposed through implementation of EU laws in Northern Ireland, and the application of EU laws through dynamic alignment across the wider United Kingdom, would score towards the administrative burden of business.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The target to cut the administrative burden of regulation by 25% by the end of the Parliament covers the burden of central UK government regulation, whether this is to implement domestic or international commitments.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Budget Information Security Review, February 2026, paragraph 1.2, if she will publish the terms of reference of the Cabinet Secretary’s review of cross-government publishing of sensitive information.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The review is being conducted by the Government Internal Audit Agency and is looking into cross-government website publishing. The aim is to validate and strengthen the effectiveness and consistency of publication processes on GOV.UK and on non-GOV.UK websites, particularly with respect to sensitive information. As it is not standard practice to publish the terms of reference of GIAA reviews, there are no plans to do so; however, the objectives are as follows:

1. Understand and validate the consistency of application of controls designed to secure appropriate publication on GOV.UK.

2. Understand and validate the consistency of application of controls designed to secure appropriate publication on independent websites.

3. Make observations concerning weaknesses in control design and/or effectiveness identified.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Budget Information Security Review, February 2026, paragraph 4.7, whether the new rules that media contact must be authorised by the communications team will (a) allow or (b) prohibit, the pre-Budget briefing of Budget announcements or speculation by HM Treasury special advisers to the media where that briefing has been authorised by Treasury Ministers, but not authorised by Civil Servants.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

As explained by the Budget Information Security Review (BISR), the information security policies at para 4.7 are not new

The approach that applies to briefing is set out in paras 5.19 and 5.20 of the BISR, which notes that they apply to all staff including Special Advisers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data (a) her department and (b) NISTA holds on the number of PFI contracts which are due to expire in each of the next three years; and what guidance has been given to central government on PFI expiry and next steps.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

HM Treasury publishes aggregate information on PFI and PF2 projects annually, including data on contract expiry dates.

NISTA has published guidance for contracting authorities on managing PFI contract expiry and next steps.

Question to the HM Treasury:

|To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 23 December 2025 to Question 98157 on Customs: Digital Technology, how much has been spent on the Single Trade Window programme.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The delivery of the Single trade Window (STW) has been paused and additional funding was not provided in the Spending Review 2025. Therefore, there are currently no HMRC staff assigned to the operational delivery of the STW programme. However, policy development continues with resources from a range of teams including Customs Policy and Strategy and Customer Services and Operations.

The government’s policy development work is focussed on understanding industry needs and designing a service that delivers genuine value to businesses and strengthens the UK’s border system.

The STW programme had £180 million funding allocated at the 2021 Spending Review across three financial years - 2022/23 to 2024/25. The final spend on STW over 22/23, 23/24 and 24/25 was £111.44 million.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 23 December 2025, to Question 98157, on Customs: Digital Technology, what is the status of the Single Trade Window programme, how many HMRC staff now work on it, and whether it has been funded in the Spending Review 2025.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The delivery of the Single trade Window (STW) has been paused and additional funding was not provided in the Spending Review 2025. Therefore, there are currently no HMRC staff assigned to the operational delivery of the STW programme. However, policy development continues with resources from a range of teams including Customs Policy and Strategy and Customer Services and Operations.

The government’s policy development work is focussed on understanding industry needs and designing a service that delivers genuine value to businesses and strengthens the UK’s border system.

The STW programme had £180 million funding allocated at the 2021 Spending Review across three financial years - 2022/23 to 2024/25. The final spend on STW over 22/23, 23/24 and 24/25 was £111.44 million.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Sir Chris Wormald has entered into a (a) confidentiality, (b) non-disclosure and (c) settlement agreement in connection with his departure as Cabinet Secretary.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Sir Chris Wormald has entered a settlement agreement with the Cabinet Office, on his departure from the Civil Service. Financial details will be published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many candidates were assessed as appointable in the competition for the post of Cabinet Secretary that resulted in the appointment of Sir Chris Wormald.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In accordance with data protection regulations, we do not provide information about candidates in Civil Service recruitment processes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Questions 261-263 of the oral evidence session of the Foreign Affairs Committee entitled Oral evidence: Work of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, HC 385, 3 November 2025, if she will list the specific measures that were put in place with Lord Mandelson in relation to his Global Counsel shares and clients.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon. Member to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12 February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Intelligence and Security Committee will be consulted on the scoping exercise for the Government response to the Humble Address; and whether they will be informed of the content considered to be out of scope.

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 Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who has final authority to determine whether material falls within scope of the Humble Address of 4 February 2026.

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 Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, If he will place a copy in the Library of the most recent guidance on undertaking due diligence for a (a) regulated public appointment, (b) direct ministerial appointment and (c) special adviser.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The requirements to conduct appropriate due diligence for regulated public appointments and direct ministerial appointments are set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments and the Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments respectively, both of which are publicly available. The specific due diligence processes undertaken in each case will be those standard processes agreed by the Accounting Officer within each department for all appropriate due diligence undertaken by that department.

As with other civil servants, special advisers are subject to pre-employment checks and declaration of relevant interests. This is set out in the Code of Conduct and Model Contract for Special Advisers.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office of 12 February 2026, Official Report, Column 923, on Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address Motion, if he will publish the instruction given to Government departments on retaining relevant material.

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 Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether voluntary disclosures by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care relating to Lord Mandelson’s appointment will be treated as indicative of the proper scope of disclosure under the Government response to the Humble Address of 4 February 2026.

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 Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who was involved in determining the scope of material to be disclosed in the Government response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson.

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 Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process for complying with the Humble Address motion. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament’s instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his speech of 20 January 2026, entitled Move fast. Fix things, what role Permanent Secretaries will retain in agreeing, moderating and approving KPIs set for Senior Civil Servants.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Permanent Secretaries are responsible for delivering on and cascading their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), as set by Ministers, to their direct reports and subsequently the rest of the SCS cadre.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any formal performance concerns were recorded in relation to Sir Chris Wormald as Cabinet Secretary.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Prime Minister and Sir Chris Wormald agreed that Sir Chris would stand down as the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service by mutual agreement.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of enabling announced life peerages to be withdrawn before Letters Patent.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

There is no established precedent for withdrawing a peerage nomination after it has been announced.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office of 12 February 2026, Official Report, Column 932, on Lord Mandelson: Government Response to Humble Address Motion, if he will publishing the findings of the investigation into Matthew Doyle.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Government is not conducting an investigation into Lord Doyle. An investigation is being carried out by the Labour Party.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether officials in his Department had discussions with MOD officials on the suitability of Capita to run government contracts prior to the award of the Civil Service pensions contract.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The then Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Jeremy Quin MP, had overall responsibility for Civil Service workforce matters at the time and confirmed that the Cabinet Office should proceed to award the contract to Capita. This was further subject to the Cabinet Office’s controls process for which the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, Alex Burghart MP, had oversight.

The contract awarded in November 2023 followed a standardised rigorous procurement process with an open and transparent evaluation process, centred on the core criteria of quality, cost, and social value.

The Cabinet Office did not approach any other government department as part of the procurement exercise, past performance is covered in the selection stage of the procurement and, as no concerns were raised at this stage, Capita progressed through to the next stage.

While Capita is not currently covering the costs associated with the deployment of the surge team, they remain responsible for any additional expenses incurred, such as the use of contractors. Furthermore, any further service failures by Capita will attract financial penalties, which will reduce the overall cost of the contract.

The contract includes key performance indicators that, if not met, include financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect of Capita’s performance in December.

The Cabinet Office will continue to use all available commercial levers to hold Capita to account and ensure they deliver the contractual service levels.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Minister signed off the decision to award the Civil Service Pensions contract to Capita.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The then Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Jeremy Quin MP, had overall responsibility for Civil Service workforce matters at the time and confirmed that the Cabinet Office should proceed to award the contract to Capita. This was further subject to the Cabinet Office’s controls process for which the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, Alex Burghart MP, had oversight.

The contract awarded in November 2023 followed a standardised rigorous procurement process with an open and transparent evaluation process, centred on the core criteria of quality, cost, and social value.

The Cabinet Office did not approach any other government department as part of the procurement exercise, past performance is covered in the selection stage of the procurement and, as no concerns were raised at this stage, Capita progressed through to the next stage.

While Capita is not currently covering the costs associated with the deployment of the surge team, they remain responsible for any additional expenses incurred, such as the use of contractors. Furthermore, any further service failures by Capita will attract financial penalties, which will reduce the overall cost of the contract.

The contract includes key performance indicators that, if not met, include financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect of Capita’s performance in December.

The Cabinet Office will continue to use all available commercial levers to hold Capita to account and ensure they deliver the contractual service levels.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who will pay the costs of resolving issues related to the administration of the Civil Service Pension scheme by Capita.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The then Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Jeremy Quin MP, had overall responsibility for Civil Service workforce matters at the time and confirmed that the Cabinet Office should proceed to award the contract to Capita. This was further subject to the Cabinet Office’s controls process for which the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, Alex Burghart MP, had oversight.

The contract awarded in November 2023 followed a standardised rigorous procurement process with an open and transparent evaluation process, centred on the core criteria of quality, cost, and social value.

The Cabinet Office did not approach any other government department as part of the procurement exercise, past performance is covered in the selection stage of the procurement and, as no concerns were raised at this stage, Capita progressed through to the next stage.

While Capita is not currently covering the costs associated with the deployment of the surge team, they remain responsible for any additional expenses incurred, such as the use of contractors. Furthermore, any further service failures by Capita will attract financial penalties, which will reduce the overall cost of the contract.

The contract includes key performance indicators that, if not met, include financial penalties. These have already been applied in respect of Capita’s performance in December.

The Cabinet Office will continue to use all available commercial levers to hold Capita to account and ensure they deliver the contractual service levels.