Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 2 January (HL13204), whether they expect the overall Civil Service headcount to decrease, stay the same, or increase between this year and 2030.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Departments are developing plans on the size and shape of their workforces as per the financial settlements that were agreed with HMT in the Spending Review and the priorities set by Ministers, including those set out in the Autumn Budget. These plans will take a whole workforce approach based on the cost of civil servants, Contingent Labour, Consultancy and Managed Services.

At an overall Civil Service level, we have set out plans to reduce back office costs by 16% over the next five years, delivering savings of over £2.2 billion a year by 2030 and targeting spending on front line services. The Civil Service is committed to publishing a Civil Service Strategic Workforce Plan this year, which will confirm more details about the plans for our workforce.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 2 January (HL13132), whether the arm's length bodies (ALB) review described as "recently completed" in paragraph 2.84 of the November 2025 Budget is a separate review to the one described as ongoing in this answer; and whether the decision to close NHS England, announced on 13 March 2025, was a result of either of these ALB reviews.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The reference in paragraph 2.84 of the November 2025 Budget refers to the arm's length body review that was launched on 6 April 2025. That review is ongoing. The decision to close NHS England, announced on 13 March 2025, predates the launch of the arm's length bodies (ALB) review.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 23 December 2025 (HL13096), who took the decision not to include any political activity information in Public Appointments Data Report 2024-25, published on 2 December 2025; and why page 41 of The Commissioner for Public Appointments Annual Report 2024-25, published on 17 December 2025, contained political activity data on regulated public appointments that was not listed in the Cabinet Office's Public Appointments Data Report 2024-25.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The decision not to include political activity data in the Public Appointments Data Report 2024-25 was taken by officials, due to a data collection issue which limited the data that was available.

The Commissioner for Public Appointments sources data from the Cabinet Office. As an independent regulator, he reports separately to the government and decided to include this limited data.

The data collection issue has been rectified, and this information will be considered for inclusion in the 2025-26 data report. In the meantime, information about the political activity of individual public appointees is available on the announcement page of the public appointment digital service.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 18 December 2025 (HL12789), whether they plan to encourage the Church of England to allow appeals in cases where Bishops refuse to extend a parish clergy's period in office.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Aside from the limited extensions permitted by legislation and set out in the previous response dated 18 December 2025 (HL12789), there is a mandatory retirement age of 70 prescribed by section 1(3) of the Ecclesiastical Offices (Age Limit) Measure 1975 which applies to all Archbishops, Bishops, Deans, Archdeacons, residentiary Canons, parish incumbents and curates. Any changes to this, including the introduction of an appeals process, would be for the Church of England to determine.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for the Armed Forces in the Urgent Question on 5 January 2026, whether the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will prevent former members of paramilitary organisations from sitting on the Legacy Commission.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend, at the Northern Ireland Office (Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent), on 24 November 2025 to Question HL11718 in the House of Lords.

Found: Letter dated 15/01/2026 from Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent to the Earl of Clancarty regarding a

Found: Letter dated 15/01/2026 from Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent to Baroness Coussins regarding a question

Found: Letter dated 15/01/2026 from Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent to Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

Found: Letter dated 15/01/2026 from Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent to Lord Clement-Jones regarding a correction

Found: Letter dated 15/01/2026 from Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent to Baroness Helic regarding a question