Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2024 to Question 9615 on Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Ministers' Private Offices, how much the Government Property Agency spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, since the dissolution of the last Parliament; and on what items.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government Property Agency has confirmed £42,095.42 excluding VAT was spent on new furniture and fittings plus other refurbishment (including moves) in relation to private offices for the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero ministers. This is broken down as follows;

• New Furniture and Fittings - £28,707.49

• Other Refurbishment of Ministerial Offices including moves - £13,387.93

It should be noted that the number of Ministers in DESNZ increased by one following the general election, the result of which was a higher than usual spend to facilitate an additional office.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support victims of serious and deliberate breaches of sexual harm prevention orders.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

All individuals subject to sexual harm prevention orders (SHPOs) are managed under multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA). This is a process through which the police, probation and prison services work together and with other agencies to assess and manage the risks posed by individuals convicted of serious violent, sexual and terrorism offences living in the community to protect the public. MAPPA risk management plans must address risks to specific and potential victims. Breach of a requirement or restriction in an SHPO is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.

The Ministry of Justice’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund provides funding to over 60 specialist support services supporting victims and survivors of all ages to help them cope with their experiences and move forward with their lives.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2024 to Question 9826 on Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Buildings, how many individual desks were occupied in her Department’s HQ office in the most recent four weeks for which figures are available; and how many staff assigned to that workplace attended the HQ office in person on average in the same period.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Heads of Department have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Office occupancy data for the period July - September has been published, with further publications on a quarterly basis. The data is published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much and what proportion of victim support funding from the Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner is spent on support for victims of sexual offences; and on what services this funding is spent.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The 42 Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) in England and Wales receive annual grant funding from the Ministry of Justice’s victim and witness budget to commission local practical, emotional, and therapeutic support services for victims of all crime types.

My Department has committed £154 million per annum on a multi-year basis across this spending review period, up to the end of March 2025. For 2024/25 we provided £41 million of ringfenced funding for the recruitment of Independent Sexual and Domestic Violence Advisors, and £21 million of ringfenced funding for community-based domestic abuse and sexual violence services.

These funding commitments have enabled us to provide tailored support to enable victims of sexual violence to cope and recover from the devastating effect of their crimes. Funding amounts for individual PCC areas are not routinely published.

The PCC for Avon and Somerset publishes details on services commissioned in their annual reports available at: https://www.avonandsomerset-pcc.gov.uk/reports-publications/annual-reports/.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2024 to Question 9603 on Attorney General: Buildings, how many individual desks were occupied in her Department’s HQ office in the most recent four weeks for which figures are available; and how many staff assigned to that HQ workplace attended the office in person on average in the same period.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) is based in one location in London, at 102 Petty France. For the period 28 October to 22 November 2024, an average of 27 desks were occupied. For the same period, 57 civil servants were assigned to work at the AGO and on average 27 members of staff attended the office in person at any one time (this figure does not take account of annual leave, sickness, attending training or other government buildings).

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of desks were occupied in each of his Department’s offices in the most recent four weeks for which figures are available; and how many staff attended each office in person in the same period.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the percentage of desks that were occupied in the most recent four weeks at our London headquarters on Victoria Street, as we do not routinely collect occupancy data in our other offices:

The Department does not record staff office attendance and just measures office occupancy.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much money has been allocated to be spent on motorway upgrades in the South West for financial year (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26; and if she will publish a list of all scheduled motorway upgrades for this period.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department does not routinely publish a schedule of works to the level of granularity requested. However, National Highways do publish on an annual basis a breakdown of delivery and investment in its Delivery Plan Update and Annual Report and Accounts.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of desks were occupied in each of her Department's offices in the most recent four weeks for which figures are available; and how many staff attended each office in person in the same period.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Heads of Department have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Office occupancy data for the period July - September has been published today, with further publications to now happen on a quarterly basis. The data is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 23 October 2024 to Question 9286 on Department for Work and Pensions: Civil Servants, how many individual desks were occupied in her Department’s HQ office in the most recent four weeks for which figures are available; and how many staff assigned to that HQ workplace attended the office in person on average in the same period.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

Office occupancy data for the period July - September has been published, with further publications on a quarterly basis. The data is published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in her Department since the dissolution of the last Parliament; and on what items this was spent.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has spent £33,790.50 on the refurbishment of Ministerial offices since the dissolution of the last Parliament. This includes a spend of £16,554.89 to ensure Ministers are able to work outside of London.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2024 to Question 9827 on Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Ministers' Private Offices, how much the Government Property Agency spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology since the dissolution of the last Parliament; and on what items.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government Property Agency has confirmed £18074.22 excluding VAT was spent since the dissolution of parliament on 30th May on new furniture and fittings plus other refurbishment (including moves) in relation to private offices for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. This is broken down as follows;

• New Furniture and Fittings - £9985.38

• Other Refurbishment of Ministerial Offices including moves - £8088.84, of which £4,821.76 was incurred between 30th May and July 4th.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in his Department since the dissolution of the last Parliament; and on what items this was spent.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The total cost (excl. VAT) spent on refurbishments to ministerial private offices since the dissolution of the last Parliament is £2,954.67, of which £1,911.93 was for painting. The remainder was spent on television installations, three sets of coasters, and five standing mirrors. The majority of refurbishment costs were incurred before rooms were assigned to or occupied by current ministers.

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Found: /11/2024 from Abby Thomas, Chief Ombudsman and Chief Executive, Financial Ombudsman Service, to Ashley Fox

Submit Evidence (by 31 Jan 2025)

The Justice Committee has launched an inquiry that will examine the scale and impact of drugs in prisons in England and Wales, including the primary factors driving demand. The inquiry will consider the implications of drug misuse in prisons including safety, security, staffing and prisoner well-being.