Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 4161, on Government departments: marketing, how much has been spent on branded goods and merchandise by (a) the Attorney General’s Office and (b) each of its superintended departments since the Government Chief Commercial Officer letter was sent; on what items, and at what cost.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General

The table below contains data for the Attorney General's Office and each of its superintended departments relevant to the question.

Total Spend on branded goods and merchandise

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, how many Senior Civil Service away days have taken place in calendar year 2026 to date; in what specific venues across the Attorney General’s Office and each of its superintended departments; at what cost; and if there was any associated social or team-building activity at public expense.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Attorney General

The Attorney General’s Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) held no Senior Civil Service (SCS) away days in calendar year to date 2026.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has held two SCS away days, held at the Civil Service Club. The total cost was £1,390.75. There were no associated social or team-building activity at public expense.

The Government Legal Department (GLD) has held two centrally organised SCS away days. They were held at Herbet Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, Exchange House and at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. There were no costs attached for the venue or associated social or team-building activity.

The Crown Prosecution Service has held one SCS away day, at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Picadilly. The total cost of this event was £37,367.60.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what was the outturn spending by the department on communications, marketing and advertising in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

DWP’s spend on communications, marketing and advertising is an important part of our duty to inform the public about essential policies and services that support people, including some of the most vulnerable, in their daily lives.

Our campaigns reach key audiences effectively and communicate a range of DWP campaign messages. For example, the Pension Credit campaign which informs people about targeted financial support available. Employment campaigns support customers to take up work and training opportunities. The Tell DWP Campaign is designed to address fraud and error in the benefits system.

Without targeted campaigns, millions of citizens would miss out on services, rights, and support to which they are entitled.

In financial year 2024 -25 the Department spent £9.8m on marketing and advertising.

For financial year 2025-26 the data is not yet held by the Department, as the contract with the government’s media buying agency for the requested period has now ended.

Please note figures are rounded to nearest £0.1m.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list each industrial dispute live within her Department, including the nature of the dispute and level of industrial action.

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

There are no live industrial disputes in DCMS.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many departmental Senior Civil Service away days have taken place in calendar year 2026 to date; in what specific venues; at what cost; and if there was any associated social or team-building activity at public expense.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As of Thursday 3 September, the Department for Transport has held 11 away days with different groups of senior civil service staff in 2026.

All events were held in accordance with departmental guidance and approval processes for away days. Departmental away days are intended to support business objectives, leadership development, strategy development, collaboration and organisational effectiveness.

Any expenditure associated with these events was met from departmental budgets and incurred in line with the Department's policies and controls on spending and value for money.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department has spent on social media influencers since July 2024.

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

Today’s media landscape is unrecognisable compared to even a decade ago, and the way the public receives information and communicates has changed drastically in this time.

The Government has a duty to engage with the public where they are, using channels and voices they trust to ensure all citizens can access government services, information and support - meeting audiences where they are.

The total spend is £71,460.00 since July 2024. Please note this cost includes agency and wider fees, such as expenses.

Content Creators are paid fairly for their services, time and expertise in content creation. Their work reaches people directly on the channels they use daily. Without targeted campaigns, millions of citizens would miss out on services, rights, and support to which they are entitled.

The guidelines for influencer and content creator marketing were created by the Government Communication Service and first published internally in November 2023.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, further to the answer of 22 June 2026, to Question 10189, on Databases: EU law, if they will list the data and reporting requirements that the department must make to the European Commission and its agencies.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The UK and EU share information and data where it supports our mutual safety, security, and prosperity, as part of our broader cooperation on trade, the economy, and defence and security.

DCMS acts in accordance with the reporting and information-sharing provisions relevant to the Department. These provisions are set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework. These documents are publicly available.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the percentage of desks provided for staff is as a proportion of the total number of assigned staff in her Department's London headquarters.

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

It has been the practice of successive governments not to comment, on grounds of both national security and staff safety, on the physical capacity or staffing numbers for individual buildings of the government estate.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department’s (a) Permanent Secretary and (b) Ministers have had correspondence with Flint Global since July 2024.

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

It is not routine to disclose correspondence between Ministers or Permanent Secretaries and any individual or organisation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what written representations have Ministers received from the Mayor of Greater Manchester since July 2024.

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

It is not routine to disclose correspondence between Ministers or Permanent Secretaries and any individual or organisation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what specific diversity and inclusion (a) days, (b) weeks and (c) months, were recognised and marked by (i) the department and (ii) each of its agencies, in the calendar year 2025.

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

Defra and its arm's-length bodies mark a range of external awareness days, weeks and months throughout the year. This provides the opportunity to raise awareness of different aspects of diversity and inclusion, and to support staff networks and wider engagement on these issues with our people.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the percentage of desks provided for staff is as a proportion of the total number of assigned staff in his Department's London headquarters.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The percentage of desks as a proportion of the total number of colleagues at Caxton House equates to approximately 62%.

In addition, colleagues can work from a range of alternative spaces within the building including meeting rooms, collaboration areas and privacy booths.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 4161, on Government departments: marketing, how much has been spent on branded goods and merchandise by (a) the department and (b) each of its Arm’s Length Bodies since the Government Chief Commercial Officer letter was sent; on what items, and at what cost.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The information requested is not held centrally and could not be provided within the appropriate cost limit.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department’s (a) Permanent Secretary and (b) Ministers have had correspondence with Flint Global since July 2024.

Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip

I can confirm that the Permanent Under-Secretary and the Minister of State, Stephen Doughty, have had correspondence with Flint Global in the course of routine engagement.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what specific diversity and inclusion (a) days, (b) weeks and (c) months, were recognised and marked by (i) the department and (ii) each of its agencies, in the calendar year 2025.

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

a) DCMS recognised the following diversity and inclusion days in

2025:

• Holocaust Memorial Day, January 2025

• Time to Talk Day, February 2025

• International Women's Day, March 2025

• World Day for Cultural Diversity, May 2025

• World Suicide Prevention Day, September 2025

• International Men's Day, November 2025

b) DCMS recognised the following diversity and inclusion weeks in

2025:

• Mental Health Awareness Week, May 2025.

• Social Mobility Week, September 2025

• National Inclusion Week, September 2025

• Invisible Disabilities Week, October 2025

• Interfaith Week, December 2025

c) DCMS recognised the following diversity and inclusion months in

2025:

• Women's history month, March 2025

• Neurodiversity Awareness Month, April 2025

• Black History Month, October 2025

• South Asian Heritage Month, July 2025

• Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 2025

• International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls, November 2025

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will list each industrial dispute live within (1) NHS England and (2) her Department, including the nature of the dispute and level of industrial action.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are currently no ongoing disputes between (1) the Department and (2) NHS England, and any of their respective recognised trade unions. Details of disputes within other NHS organisations are not centrally held.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what is the percentage office workplace attendance requirement in each of the department’s offices, broken down by location; and whether attendance statistics are collated for each of those individual offices.

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

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has an attendance requirement of 60%. This is applied across all of the Department’s offices regardless of location.

The Department monitored aggregated and anonymised office attendance data across its two HQs in London (100 Parliament Street) and Manchester (17 Marble Street).

London HQ occupancy figures are published quarterly on GOV.UK as part of the Civil Service HQ occupancy transparency data.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, further to the answer of 8 July 2026, to Question 14349, on Civil Service: Temporary Employment, if they will list each of the internship schemes have been made available in the last 12 months through the department, other than the Fast Stream Summer Internship Programme.

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

DCMS runs an internship scheme with one of our partners, Upreach, which is restricted to applicants of a low-socio economic background. In addition, internships were provided via a contract held with Change 100 - these were for students and recent graduates who identify as disabled and/or having a long-term health condition.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what was the total cost of facility time to the department in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-25 and (c) 2025-26; and what was the headcount number of facility time staff in each; how many were 100% facility time; and whether funding was provided for trade union activities in each of those years.

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

*2025/26 data shows the total number of representatives that are entitled to facility time, not necessarily representatives that have used facility time.

From 2025/26 Public-sector organisations are no longer required to submit data relating to the use of facility time in their organisation to the Cabinet Office. As a result, this data is not held by DCMS.

Current DCMS policy allows for 30% of paid facility time for trade union duties, for each recognised union, split amongst staff representatives. The total number of staff representatives currently in DCMS that are entitled to facility time is six.

Departments have discretion to provide paid facility time for trade union activities in certain circumstances. Although DCMS does not currently provide paid facility time for trade union activities, this is under review. The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, contains a statutory requirement for employers to provide reasonable paid time off for the undertaking of union duties.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, further to the answer of 3 June 2026, to Question 3339, on Special Advisers: Public Appointments, how many delivery advisers have been appointed to date, broken down by (a) special advisers, (b) Direct Ministerial Appointments, (c) civil servants appointed by exception, and (d) permanent civil servants appointed through open competition.

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

As of July 20th, Delivery advisors appointed to were as follows:

a) A list of special advisers is published each year in the Annual Report on Special Advisers.

b), 1 Direct Ministerial Appointment

c) 0 Civil Servants appointed by exception and

d) 1 permanent Civil Servant appointed through open competition.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if she will list each industrial dispute live within her Department, including the nature of the dispute and level of industrial action.

Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office currently has one registered formal trade dispute regarding pay, raised by Unite the Union on behalf of its members who work in the Government Car Service. Unite the Union has not yet balloted its members for industrial action.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what written representations have Ministers received from the Mayor of Greater Manchester since July 2024.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

It is not routine to disclose correspondence between Ministers or Permanent Secretaries and any individual or organisation.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to the answer of 22 June 2026, to Question 10189, on Databases: EU law, if they will list the data and reporting requirements that the department must make to the European Commission and its agencies.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The UK and EU share information and data as part of our broader cooperation on trade, economy, and security. The UK acts in accordance with the reporting and information sharing provisions set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Withdrawal Agreement, including the Windsor Framework.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the percentage of desks provided for staff is as a proportion of the total number of assigned staff in his Department's London headquarters.

Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)

The Ministry of Defence’s Main Building in London has 3,681desks (kiosk and touch down desks are excluded) and the total number of staff assigned to Main Building is 4,621.

The ratio of desks to staff is 79.6% providing a ratio of 1.26 people per desk.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what the percentage of desks is provided for staff as a proportion of the total number of assigned staff in her Department's London headquarters.

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

The former Department for Culture Media and Sport currently has 340 desks provided for 730 contracted staff in its London headquarters. This represents a 46% provision.

As of 1st September 2026, the former Department for Science, Innovation and Technology had 778 IT-enabled work settings provided for a total of 1790 contracted staff (1560 DSIT and 230 DESNZ/ICS) in its London HQ. This represents a 43% provision.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what was the total cost of facility time to the department in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-25 and (c) 2025-26; and what was the headcount number of facility time staff in each; how many were 100% facility time; and whether funding was provided for trade union activities in each of those years.

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

The information on trade union facility time for 2023/24 and 2024/25 is publicly available through the Defra Annual Report and Accounts, on GOV.UK.

For the Defra bargaining unit in 2025/26, the total cost of trade union facility time was £119,469 and the headcount of staff claiming facility time was 23 people. Nobody was allocated 100% trade union facility time and no funding was provided for trade union activities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the outturn spending by the department on communications, marketing and advertising in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

In 2024-25, the department spent £6,599,338 and in 2025-26 the department spent £4,219,047 on communications, marketing and advertising.

A significant proportion of the expenditure in 2024-25 was for marketing the offer of retail shares in NatWest and was recovered accordingly from NatWest.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 4161, on Government departments: marketing, how much has been spent on branded goods and merchandise by (a) the department and (b) each of its Arm’s Length Bodies since the Government Chief Commercial Officer letter was sent; on what items, and at what cost.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

DWP Policy states that money shouldn’t be spent on non-essential branded merchandise. The distribution of branded merchandise is to be restricted to instances where it is truly necessary; for example, where expenditure on merchandise is necessary for operational purposes.

No expenditure occurs in our central records for the core department.

This table outlines responses for DWP’s Arm’s Length Bodies:

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list each industrial dispute live within his Department, including the nature of the dispute and level of industrial action.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions has no live formal trade disputes at present.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many departmental Senior Civil Service away days have taken place in calendar year 2026 to date; in what specific venues; at what cost; and if there was any associated social or team-building activity at public expense.

Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In the calendar year 2026, the Cabinet Office has not held any departmental Senior Civil Service away days.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether any internship schemes managed by (a) her Department and (b) each of its Arm’s Length Bodies are restricted to applicants on the basis of (i) ethnicity, (ii) social class and (iii) both.

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

1. DCMS runs an internship scheme with one of our partners, Upreach, which is restricted to applicants of a low-socio economic background. In addition, DCMS takes part in the Cabinet Office run Summer Internship Scheme which provides placements to individuals from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. No schemes are run which are restricted to applicants on the basis of ethnicity.

2. DCMS does not collect this information for its Arms Length Bodies.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, further to the answer of 3 June 2026, to Question 3339, on Special Advisers: Public Appointments, how many delivery advisers have been appointed to date, broken down by (a) special advisers, (b) Direct Ministerial Appointments, (c) civil servants appointed by exception, and (d) permanent civil servants appointed through open competition.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The department has not appointed any Delivery Advisers through either a (a) special adviser, (b) Direct Ministerial Appointments, (c) Civil Servants appointed by exception, and (d) permanent Civil Servants appointed through open competition in the time since the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister address to the FDA Union of 15 May 2026.

A list of special advisers is published each year in the Annual Report on Special Advisers.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many departmental Senior Civil Service away days have taken place in calendar year 2026 to date; in what specific venues; at what cost; and if there was any associated social or team-building activity at public expense.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

There have been no departmental Senior Civil Service away days in 2026 to date. The Department has held one off-site one day conference focused on placed-based delivery and strengthening our performance. A suitable free government building was not available at the time. There was no associated social or team-building activity at public expense at the event.

Found: Letter dated 17/09/2026 from Sir Martyn Oliver, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Ofsted to Charlie Dewhirst