Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the National Security Adviser is (a) secretary of the National Security Council, (b) head of the National Security Secretariat and (c) Principal Accounting Officer for the Single Intelligence Account.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The role of secretary to the National Security Council is fulfilled by the Deputy National Security Advisers. The Executive Deputy National Security Adviser is the corporate head of the National Security Secretariat. The Cabinet Secretary is the Principal Accounting Officer for the Single Intelligence Account.
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 answers of 3 June 2025 to Question 53890 on Civil Servants: Media and Public Speaking, and 18 June 2025 to Question 59753 on Civil Servants: Media and Public Speaking, if he will publish the guidance issued to civil servants.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Civil Service Management Code makes clear that civil servants “must clear in advance material for publication, broadcasts or other public discussion which draws on official information or experience.”
As it has done for several years, the Government continues to approve public activity by civil servants on a case-by-case basis. Informal, internal guidance is available to support this decision-making process. There are no plans to publish this.
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 written ministerial statement of 19 June 2025, HCWS718, on House of Lords Appointments, whether the Prime Minister has a numerical target for the number of peerages that he will invite from HOLAC in each year of this Parliament.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As set out in the Prime Minister’s recent statement, the Prime Minister will continue to invite nominations from the House of Lords Appointments Commission for individuals to sit as Crossbench peers. Future appointments will be announced in the usual way.
The number of nominations that HOLAC can make is a matter for the Prime Minister.
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 25 June 2025 to Question 62086 on King Charles III: Artworks, whether (a) the BBC and (b) Channel 4 took up the offer from the Cabinet Office of a free portrait of the King to place in their offices.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As eligible public institutions, both the BBC and Channel 4 placed orders for Official Portraits of His Majesty The King while the Government scheme was operational, for the purposes of display in their buildings.
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 23 June 2025 to Question 60822 on Public Buildings: Concrete, whether the Government Property Agency holds this information; and how many buildings in his Department have RAAC.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
As at February 2024, there were three Government Property Agency (GPA) buildings with confirmed presence of RAAC. None have been identified post 1st January 2025.
The GPA does not hold information on buildings across the wider public estate.
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 Commissioner for Public Appointment’s letter to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar, whether the powers of the Public Appointments Commission to require appointing authorities provide information extends to information held by the No10 Political Office.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The scope of the powers of the Commissioner for Public Appointments to request information relevant to his inquiries are set out in Article 4(6) of the Public Appointments (No. 2) Order in Council 2023.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the (a) cost to the public purse, (b) number and (c) designs for lanyards bought by (i) 10 Downing Street, (ii) the Office for Women and Equalities, (iii) the Civil Service People Group, (iv) the Crown Commercial Service and (v) the Cabinet Office since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office has purchased a total of 6,376 lanyards for £5,069.99 since 4 July 2024. This includes those bought for the aforementioned business units and Crown Commercial Service as an executive agency.
On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. Whilst it was agreed that some expenditure on merchandise items is necessary for operational purposes (security lanyards), all of these orders were made prior to the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise.
In comparison, the Cabinet Office purchased a total of over 18,000 lanyards for £17,322.76 in the 12 months to July 2024.
Staff will continue to be able to wear existing lanyards.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much (a) his Department and (b) the Office for Equality and Opportunity has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; and what designs of lanyards have been purchased.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office has purchased a total of 6,376 lanyards for £5,069.99 since 4 July 2024. This includes those bought for the aforementioned business units and Crown Commercial Service as an executive agency.
On 6 April, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster announced the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise. Whilst it was agreed that some expenditure on merchandise items is necessary for operational purposes (security lanyards), all of these orders were made prior to the ban on unnecessary branded merchandise.
In comparison, the Cabinet Office purchased a total of over 18,000 lanyards for £17,322.76 in the 12 months to July 2024.
Staff will continue to be able to wear existing lanyards.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether civil servants receiving London weighting have to work in an office within Greater London.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Decisions on pay, including London weighting, are delegated to individual departments for grades below the Senior Civil Service (SCS). The SCS pay framework is managed centrally and only operates a national pay range.
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 make it his policy to reduce the size of the Government Communication Service.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
I refer the hon. member to the answer given to PQ25449, given on the 29 January 2025.