Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish a list of programmes and schemes that require the UK to provide payments to the EU and are not included in the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement of 2020.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
All UK participation in EU programmes takes place under the framework of Part V of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The UK has participated in two EU programmes since 2023, the Horizon Europe research and development programme and Copernicus earth observation programme. The UK will also participate in the Erasmus+ education, youth and sport programme in 2027. Payments are published by the responsible department in its Annual Report and Accounts.
The UK also fulfils obligations related to outstanding EU commitments from the UK’s participation in the EU budget before 31 January 2020, as agreed under the Withdrawal Agreement. This is paid by HM Treasury, and details of payments can be found in HM Treasury's EU Finances Statement, published annually.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what role the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has in monitoring Bloom Procurement Services Ltd’s compliance with the NEPRO3 framework; and whether CCS is required to audit the fees and margins applied by Procurement Services Ltd on behalf of client departments.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The NEPRO3 framework is not managed or administered by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS).
CCS does not monitor the compliance of Bloom Procurement Services Ltd with the NEPRO3 framework, and it does not have a role in auditing any fees or margins that may be applied by Bloom Procurement Services Ltd to departments.
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 82673 on Government Departments: Social Media, how much has been spent on social influencers through (a) OmniGov and (b) Pablo Unlimited since July 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Spend on influencer costs (exclusive of agency fees) since July 2024 to the date of this PQ is £365,331. This figure is reflective of currency conversion rates at the time of the request.
Please note, some data has been withheld due to commercial and wider sensitivities.
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 9 April 2025 to Question 42994 on Government Departments: Aviation, whether helicopter travel under the Central Cabinet Office Corporate Travel Agency Contract has been commissioned since April 2025.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Ministerial travel is carefully considered to ensure both efficiency and the interests of the taxpayer are prioritised.
While the Cabinet Office can facilitate helicopter travel in exceptional circumstances, routine helicopter journeys for ministers are no longer carried out under this Government.
Helicopter travel has been commissioned under the Cabinet Office Central Travel Contract on five occasions since April 2025. Only one of these flights was for a government minister.
24 Prime Ministerial helicopter tasks were facilitated under the Command Support Air Transport Fleet between 01 February 2021 and 04 September 2023.
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's correspondence entitled Letter from the Prime Minister on government transparency and open data, published on 14 December 2017, whether the approach set out in the letter is Government policy.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government's approach to transparency and open data is set out on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/how-to-publish-central-government-transparency-data.
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 Department’s fixed asset register.
Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Summary information relating to the Cabinet Office fixed asset register is available in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25.
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 policy paper entitled UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, updated on 22 December 2025, whether he intends that the Government will make additional financial contributions to the European Union related to the provision of services through entry and temporary stay of natural persons for business purposes.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The UK and EU have agreed to set up dedicated dialogues on short term business mobility and the recognition of professional qualifications. This will create a forum for us to address mobility barriers faced by UK services providers in the EU. This will not involve a financial contribution to the European Union.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Ministers in his Department have received coaching in a foreign language funded by his Department since July 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
No Cabinet Office Ministers have received any coaching in foreign languages funded by the department since July 2024.
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 4 September 2025 to Question 70478 on Disinformation, if he will publish the (a) contract and (b) terms of reference for the Storyzy service.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Please find contractual information relating to the Storyzy service at the following link:
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/57daa888-59d7-4ae2-8f9f-3977a4aa80a4?origin=SearchResults&p=1
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 November 2025 to Question 86666 on Government Departments: Advertising, and with reference to paragraph 223 of his Department's publication entitled Guide to Parliamentary Work, updated on 19 November 2024, if he will set out the public interest basis for not disclosing the full list of publications assessed under the SAFE framework.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of PQ108665.
There are currently no plans to publish the full list of publications assessed under the SAFE framework as the area remains subject to ongoing policy development. Premature publication of the inclusion list would have negative impacts.