Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department's targeted staff headcount reduction was prior to 31 March 2026.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Over financial year 2025/26, DfT(central) had an 8% headcount reduction target which was achieved by March 2026.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with relevant Trade Unions on the proposed transfer of staff from her Department to the Department of Transport Operator Ltd.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what protections are in place for staff transferring to the Department of Transport Operator Ltd in respect of a) civil servant status, b) terms and conditions and c) occupational pension.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Staff were transferred from DfT to DFTO on 1st April 2026. In terms of a) DFTO is a public corporation and therefore staff are Public Servants. This means staff transferred to DFTO have not retained Civil Servant status. Regarding b), Terms and Conditions of staff transferring to DFTO are protected by TUPE regulations. All relevant issues arising from DFTO on transferring employees’ Terms and Conditions were presented and consulted on formally with Trade Unions, as staff representatives, ahead of transfer. Regarding c), staff transferred to DFTO retained their membership of their existing pension scheme. This includes those who are members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme and Rail Pension Scheme.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason she plans to transfer staff to Department of Transport Operator Ltd prior to the completion of the Railways Bill.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On 1 April 2026, an important milestone in delivering Great British Railways (GBR) was reached, as a significant part of the functions and staff responsible for the operational railway transferred from DfT to the DFT Operator (DFTO), the Government’s public sector rail owning group.
This move is a practical step towards creating a simpler, more accountable railway that delivers better outcomes for passengers, communities and taxpayers. It ensures the right capabilities sit in the right place now to maintain the strong progress we have already made to improve rail services. It also reduces the risk associated with simultaneous transfer of the organisations, functions, teams and operational capabilities that will form GBR in 2027.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on health outcomes for Latinos, and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not hold data on the health outcomes of people with an ethnicity of ‘Latino’.
Population health surveys and National Health Service data collections used for routine reporting of health outcomes by ethnic group, generally collect ethnicity using the same categories as those used in the decennial census in England. The census has never provided a ‘tick-box’ option related to ‘Latino’ ethnicity and therefore this information is not routinely available for reporting health outcomes.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate he has made of the percentage of people living in each UK constituency who identify as Latino.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Rt Hon. gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 26th February is attached.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including the ethnic group classification of Latino in the next national census.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Rt Hon. gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 26th February is attached.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to conduct due diligence when licensing arms transfers to the United Arab Emirates to prevent weapons being used by the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All export licence applications are assessed for the risk of diversion and are kept under careful and continual review. We have recently reviewed over 2,000 licences for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The risk of diversion is complex and is the single biggest reason export licences are refused. We regularly refuse licences, including to the UAE, for this reason.
We carefully review any reports we receive, but to date, there is no evidence of UK weapons or ammunition being used in Sudan.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether data recorded by his Department classifies Latinos as an ethnic group.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department uses the Government Statistical Service (GSS) Harmonised Standard on Ethnicity which is publicly available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans he has to review the Local Housing Allowance tin the context of private rented costs.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are annually reviewed, usually in the Autumn. At Autumn budget 2025, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions reviewed LHA and announced that rates would be maintained at their current levels for 2026/27. Rent levels across Great Britian were considered alongside other factors such as the challenging fiscal context and welfare priorities, including the removal of the two-child limit which will bring 450,000 children out of poverty.
Renters facing a shortfall in meeting their housing costs can apply for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) from local authorities. From April 2026 DHPs for England will be incorporated into the Crisis and Resilience Fund.