Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many non-party political life peers he intends to ask the Commission to nominate in 2025.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
It is for the Prime Minister to make recommendations to the Sovereign on new peers. As set out in his written ministerial statement of 19 June 2025, in doing so he will continue to ask the House of Lords Appointments Commission to nominate individuals to sit as Crossbench peers.
Any such appointments will subsequently be announced by the Commission in the usual way.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who will (a) procure and (b) own the nuclear weapons to be deployed on the F35-A fighter jets; and whether permission will be required from (i) NATO and (ii) the USA to (A) deploy and (B) launch them.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As confirmed when the Ministry of Defence announced our intention to participate in NATO’s nuclear mission, the nuclear weapons allocated to the NATO dual capable aircraft (DCA) nuclear mission are United States (US) nuclear weapons and the US retains control and custody over them, as the UK does with its own nuclear weapons.
The NATO DCA nuclear mission would operate under the orders of NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, when authorised by NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group, through which Allies exercise political control over the mission. The UK would always retain the right to participate, or not participate, according to a political decision by the UK Prime Minister.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish any (a) external and (b) internal guidance produced for NATO members on what types of spending may be included in the definition of spending for (i) defence and (ii) security and resilience.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The publication of NATO's defence spending guidance for core defence and security related investment is a matter for NATO.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether appointments to the National Energy Systems Operator will be included in the Public Bodies Order in Council; whether the Chair appointment will be classified as a Significant Appointment.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As the Shareholder of the National Energy System Operator (NESO) the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero appoints the Chair of NESO's Board. This appointment is subject to the Public Appointments Order in Council and as such must comply with the Governance code on Public Appointments. The appointment of NESO’s Chair was also considered a Significant Appointment and therefore involved a Senior Independent Panel Member.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department provides an annual allowance for works on the Chancellor’s flat in Downing Street.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMT does not provide an annual allowance for works to be undertaken on the Chancellor’s flat in Downing Street.