Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of staff in her Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

21% of staff in DCMS have a flexible working arrangement - which represents 275 individuals. Of these, 138 (50%) work compressed hours.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what proportion of staff in his Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

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

The Department’s flexible working policy sets out the types of formal and informal flexible working available to our employees.

All eligible employees have a statutory right to request flexible working arrangements, including, for example, part time working and compressed hours.

In addition, some informal flexible working arrangements within the parameters of the policy are managed locally. Central information on the proportion of Departmental employees with flexible working arrangements is therefore not held.

Currently, there are 289 employees formally working compressed hours.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of staff in her Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions her Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The department does not centrally record data on staff who do not meet our 60% office attendance expectation, this is managed locally by line managers.

Failure to meet a reasonable request from a line manager can result in a sanction under our disciplinary procedure for failing to follow a reasonable management request.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what proportion of civil servants in her Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Due to the nature of locally managed arrangements, we are unable to confirm the total number of staff currently utilising flexible working options. However, we can confirm that, as of 31 August 2025, 1,158 payroll-active employees have formally arranged flexible working in place. This represents approximately 29% of the workforce. Of these, 690 employees have formal compressed hours arrangements, equating to 17% of the workforce.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of potential impact of the Renter's Rights Bill on the supply of private rented housing for people from each (a) income group and (b) geographic region.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government published an Impact Assessment for the Renters' Rights Bill on 22 November 2024. It received a 'Green' rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee, indicating that it is 'fit for purpose'.

While we acknowledge that it will take time for the sector to adjust to a significant change in regulation, we do not believe that our Renters’ Rights Bill will have a harmful impact on future rental supply.

Although landlords have been aware of successive governments’ plans to reform the private rented sector since 2019, the size of the sector as a whole has remained broadly stable since 2013-14.

The Bill will make sure good landlords have the confidence they need to continue to invest and operate in the sector. We will continue to work with good landlords and their representative associations throughout implementation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill on levels of private rented housing availability.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government published an Impact Assessment for the Renters' Rights Bill on 22 November 2024. It received a 'Green' rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee, indicating that it is 'fit for purpose'.

While we acknowledge that it will take time for the sector to adjust to a significant change in regulation, we do not believe that our Renters’ Rights Bill will have a harmful impact on future rental supply.

Although landlords have been aware of successive governments’ plans to reform the private rented sector since 2019, the size of the sector as a whole has remained broadly stable since 2013-14.

The Bill will make sure good landlords have the confidence they need to continue to invest and operate in the sector. We will continue to work with good landlords and their representative associations throughout implementation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Renter's Rights Bill on the number of court-adjudicated evictions.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department is working closely with the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunal Service to ensure that the county courts are ready for the implementation of the Renters' Rights Bill. This includes an ongoing assessment of any additional burdens on the justice system arising from the Bill.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of staff in his Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

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

The information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Department is committed to delivering its business effectively and sustainably, by creating workplaces that enable smart, flexible and hybrid working. Flexible working is a broad category which refers to any type of working arrangement that gives some degree of flexibility around how long, where or when an individual works.

Individuals can request informal arrangements which, if implemented, would have no impact on an employee's pay or other terms and conditions, or as a formal request. Compressed hours, for example, may be an ad hoc arrangement that doesn’t involve a contractual change to the employee's daily working hours, or a formal arrangement. Both formal and informal arrangements are agreed between the employee and line manager, and therefore there is not a central record of all the arrangements that exist. There would be disproportionate cost involved in reviewing all employee files and collating information on all informal and formal flexible working arrangements, including compressed hours.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of staff in his Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions his Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

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

On 24 October 2024, the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time.

If people do not meet that reasonable expectation, as with any management instruction, it will be dealt with via existing performance management processes and ultimately with disciplinary action should there be sustained failure to comply.

Data on office attendance is published on the Government website and is available at the following link:

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, what proportion of staff in her Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions her Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

For the latest period published, May 2025, the occupancy of the Department’s Headquarters (as against available capacity) ranged between 71% to 78%. The Department’s expectation on Office Attendance is consistent with the general approach across the Civil Service i.e. that individuals will attend an office 60% of the time over the long term. If an individual employee does not meet the agreed expectation for Office Attendance it will be dealt with via existing management processes and, ultimately, with disciplinary action should there be a sustained failure to comply.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of staff in his Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions his Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On 24 October 2024 the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time. Due to space constraints the department has set the requirement of 40% for delegated grades.

The department does not hold information on the number of staff who have met the minimum office attendance target. See Civil Service Headquarters occupancy data for published information covering departmental headquarters building occupancy. The department introduced a process to record office attendance information from 4 August 2025. This data is not yet available.

Staff who operate under the department’s hybrid working policy are expected to meet the minimum office attendance requirements. If people do not meet that reasonable expectation, as with any management instruction it will be dealt with via existing performance management processes and ultimately with disciplinary action should there be sustained failure to comply.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of staff in her Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions her Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

On 24 October 2024 the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time. Home Office employees with disabilities and health conditions which impact their ability to travel to or work in the office have adjusted workplace attendance targets.

Details of these are not held centrally. If an employee consistently fails to attend the workplace in line with expectations this will ultimately become a disciplinary matter.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of staff in her Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

Flexible working arrangements, including compressed hours, are managed locally and therefore the requested information could only be obtained for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of staff in his Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As of July 2025, 6.2 per cent of Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office UK-based staff have formal flexible working arrangements. These include part-time hours, job sharing, and compressed hours. The Department does not currently hold separate data on compressed hours, as flexible working is recorded using Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) metrics. Staff may work compressed hours informally, but such arrangements are not centrally tracked unless part of a formal agreement.

Informal compressed hours are typically agreed locally between staff and line managers, reflecting the Department's commitment to flexible working and alignment with Civil Service-wide practices that support work-life balance and operational needs.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of staff in her Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions her Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

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

On 24 October 2024 the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time.

If people do not meet that reasonable expectation, as with any management instruction it will be dealt with via existing performance management processes and ultimately with disciplinary action should there be sustained failure to comply.

Published data on office attendance is available on Civil Service Headquarters occupancy data.

Should disciplinary action be taken, the sanctions will be the standard disciplinary outcomes, which are a first written warning, final written warning and ultimately dismissal.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of staff in her Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

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

All DWP staff have access to flexible working options where appropriate to their role. This may include flexibility around start and finish times, compressed hours, or remote working. We do not have data on the number of staff who are unable to or choose not to take advantage of any form of flexibility.

In June 2025, 2.8% of staff were working compressed hours.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what proportion of staff in his Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions his Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

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

Employees are expected to spend a minimum of 40% of their working hours in the office. Office attendance requirements are managed locally to ensure employees are meeting the requirements, and no central data is held on this.

Line Managers are responsible for ensuring the requirements are met and taking steps to address any non-compliance, including consideration of disciplinary action should that be necessary.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of staff in his Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions his Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Department does not routinely issue sanctions for not meeting the office attendance expectation. However, where a staff member refuses a reasonable management instruction - such as attending the office when required - this may be addressed through the Department's disciplinary procedures, in line with established HR policy. Such cases are rare and typically resolved before formal action is considered.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of staff in her Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions her Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 24 October 2024, the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time. If people do not meet that reasonable expectation, as with any management instruction, it should be dealt with via existing management processes and, ultimately, with disciplinary action should there be sustained failure to comply.

Decisions on the working arrangements within individual departments are delegated matters, but the department’s approach is aligned with this wider expectation and managers are empowered to address non-compliance through informal conversations or formal warnings depending on the nature and seriousness of the issue.

Data on average office occupancy is available on a quarterly basis at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-headquarters-occupancy-data.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of staff in her Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Flexible working arrangements are a core part of the Civil Service employment offer. These arrangements play a vital role in attracting top talent to government roles and support the delivery of high quality public services.

Whilst comprehensive data on all flexible working arrangements across the department is not currently available, the table below provides a snapshot of staff working part-time or compressed hours as at 31 August 2025.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of staff in his Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Based on the information recorded centrally about working patterns, Defra can report that 13.5% of employees work compressed hours.

Additionally, working from home is a form of flexible working and almost all roles in Defra include some flexibility to work from home for up to 40% of their hours, in line with wider Civil Service policy.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of staff in his Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions his Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

On 24 October 2024 the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time.

Occupancy rates in our London HQ are given in the published Civil Service Headquarters occupancy data.

Agriculture

Found: meeting Members present: Andy Slaughter (Chair); Josh Babarinde; Pam Cox; Linsey Farnsworth; Sir Ashley Fox

Found: meeting Members present: Andy Slaughter (Chair); Josh Babarinde; Pam Cox; Linsey Farnsworth; Sir Ashley Fox

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