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 21 October 2025 to Question 82668 on New Media Unit: Marketing, how the £13.2 million is allocated by (a) topic and (b) programme.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
This allocation has enabled multiple campaigns of varying scale and reach, supporting missions communications and government priorities.
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 20 October 2025 to Question 81876 on Government Departments: Advertising, which publications have been assessed as appropriate for government advertising under the SAFE framework.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
There are currently no plans to publish the full list of publications assessed under the SAFE framework.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 73352 on Government: Cryptoassets, in which accounting funds cryptocurrency assets are assigned; and whether external companies are used to hold the crypto assets.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HMT and central government do not hold any cryptoassets.
The seizure, recovery and management of cryptoassets, under the Proceeds of Crime Act, is for independent law enforcement and the courts to consider.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 77460 on Department for Business and Trade: Social Media, on which campaigns influencers were used.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade used influencers as part of the National Minimum and Living Wage campaign, to raise awareness of the wage rate increases for workers that came into effect from 1st April 2025. This ensured workers understood their new entitlements and encouraged them to check their pay and act if they were paid incorrectly.
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 Nigel Topping has made a declaration of political activity.
Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The appointment of Nigel Topping as Chair of the Climate Change Committee was made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. In supporting evidence for his pre-appointment scrutiny by the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee on 16 July 2025, Nigel Topping confirmed he had no political activity to disclose.
Nigel Topping brings a wealth of experience to the CCC Chair position, having been appointed to several public roles under previous governments, including as High-Level Climate Action Champion for COP26 in 2020 and as a Board Member of the UK Infrastructure Bank in 2022.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2025 to Question 82329 on Department for Business and Trade: Mr Money Jar, whether his Department has paid Mr Money Jar for social influence or digital work since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The department has not paid Mr MoneyJar (Rotimi Merriman-Johnson) for any social media content since 4 July 2024.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when severance payments to (a) Simon Case and (b) Alex Chisholm were approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury applies rigorous scrutiny when approving special severance payments.
(a) Simon Case’s severance payment was approved by the Chief Secretary in March 2025.
(b) Alex Chisholm’s severance payment was approved by HM Treasury officials in accordance with published guidance.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the substantive information released on 21 October 2025 under the Freedom of Information Act, ref FOI2025/12565.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
All Freedom of Information requests are considered on their individual merits in accordance with the relevant legislation. A copy of the information released in the response will be deposited in the House Library.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77563 on Palantir, whether the visit to Palantir was arranged through Global Counsel; and whether Lord Mandelson was involved in arranging that visit.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Officials from our Embassy in Washington arranged this trip in the normal way.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Information Commissioner has issued guidance on the amount of time that a Freedom of Information request applicant should wait following a decision notice before (a) seeking an internal review from a public authority and (b) making an appeal to the Information Commissioner.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Whilst DSIT sponsors the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), government policy for Freedom of Information (FOI) sits with the Cabinet Office. The ICO has not issued specific guidance for applicants on how long to wait after a decision notice before seeking an internal review or making an appeal. Under the FOI Act, internal reviews are not statutory, and authorities set their own timelines. The Code of Practice on FOI issued by the Cabinet Office states that it is usual practice for public authorities to accept a request for an internal review within 40 working days. The ICO advises applicants to complain to the ICO within three months of the final response or last substantive contact with the public authority, or risk ineligibility.