Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any civil servants in his Department have been granted authorisation to attend the (a) Labour, (b) Conservative, (c) Liberal Democrat, (d) Scottish National Party and (e) Reform party conference in a private capacity in 2025.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
This information is not held centrally within the Cabinet Office.
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 1 April 2025 to Question 41254 on Ministers: Aviation, whether (a) his Department and (b) the Crown Commercial Service hold information on the (i) locations and (ii) activities undertaken by EDF under that contract.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office has used the HMG Crown Commercial Services (CCS) RM6251 Energy Supply Framework (Additional Services) with EDF for offsetting GBNI related emissions.
CCS has no involvement in the contract beyond providing the framework. The Cabinet Office does not hold details of EDF’s activities or locations under the Energy Supply Framework.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to p.382 of the document entitled Central Government Supply Estimates 2024-25, Main Supply Estimates, HC139, published on 17 July 2025, what policy area relates to the Cabinet Office’s contingent liabilities that are subject to legal privilege.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The contingent liabilities referred to are related to a small number of cases and disputes which are subject to legal privilege. Given this, we are unable to disclose any details.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Government press release entitled Internship Scheme To Get More Working Class Students Into Civil Service, published on 1 August 2025, whether children of police officers will be eligible to apply for the Summer Internship Programme in her Department in 2026.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
I refer to the answer given to PQs UIN 74202 and 74515.
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-09-02/74202
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-09-02/74515
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the press release entitled Internship Scheme To Get More Working Class Students Into Civil Service, published on 1 August 2025, whether prison wardens are defined as working class, for the purpose of their children applying to the internship scheme.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
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.
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 FOI reference, FOI2025/09624, dated 16 July 2025.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
A copy of the information released in the response to the referenced Freedom of Information request has been deposited in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) Ministers and (b) Departments utilise the rooms in 26 Whitehall.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) now occupy 26 Whitehall.
Their Ministers are listed below:
Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Chair)
Lord Vallance, Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation
Ian Murray MP, Minister of State
Kanishka Narayan MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Liz Lloyd, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Digital Economy)
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Public Bodies Handbook – Part 2: The Approvals Process for the Creation of New Arm’s-Length Bodies, whether his Department's public bodies team assessed Passenger Standards Authority against the requirement that the creation of a new arm's length body should only be considered as a last resort; whether the Department for Transport provided evidence that alternative delivery models were considered; and which of the three tests in Chapter 2 of that guidance Great British Railways met.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department for Transport (DfT) is currently considering delivery options for the Passenger Watchdog.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department's policy is on whether (a) trade union diversity networks are eligible for trade union facility time and (b) whether staff can claim both diversity network time and facility time.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Trade unions are separate organisations from the Civil Service and they may have their own diversity networks for their members.
In line with the Cabinet Office Facility Time Framework, trade union representatives are entitled to be granted reasonable unpaid time off to participate in trade union activities.
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 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.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Collating and recording network time would present a disproportionate administrative burden on the central HR team as this information is not held centrally.