Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average percentage attendance rate was of assigned HRA staff at 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

In the most recent working week for which figures are available, the average attendance rate for Health Research Authority staff working at 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester was 50%, with sixteen staff on average in attendance.

On the wider issues raised, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 15 September 2025 in response to Question 72016.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average percentage attendance rate was of assigned DHSC staff at 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

In the most recent working week for which figures are available, the average attendance rate for Health Research Authority staff working at 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester was 50%, with sixteen staff on average in attendance.

On the wider issues raised, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 15 September 2025 in response to Question 72016.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average percentage attendance rate was of assigned DWP staff at 2 St Peter's Square, Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

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 has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending grant funding schemes to support subscription-based models that enable farmers to access agricultural technology.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

No assessment has been made.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average percentage attendance rate was of assigned DWP staff at Anchorage Anchorage Quay, Salford in the most recent working week for which figures are available as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026, to Question 18049, on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, and to the answer of 14 July 2026, to Question 14979, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, what was the average percentage attendance rate of assigned HMRC staff at Trinity Bridge House, 2 Dearmans Pl, Salford M3 5DS in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not calculate office attendance as a weekly percentage. Employees are expected to spend at least 60% of their working time in an office or other workplace, regardless of location, which is monitored over a monthly period. This expectation may be adjusted, where appropriate, to accommodate individual circumstances, including health-related needs, agreed workplace adjustments or the requirements of a particular role. The latest validated data show that, in August 2026, 2,600 of 3,030 of colleagues assigned to Trinity Bridge House in Salford met their individual office attendance expectation representing 85.8% of assigned staff.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049 on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, what the average percentage attendance rate of assigned Network Rail staff was at Square One 4 Travis Street in Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

While Manchester Square One is an office base used by Network Rail colleagues and industry partners from across the country, its colleagues work flexibly across a range of rail industry locations, depending on their role and the work they are undertaking. Network Rail has provided desk occupancy data for Square One to help answer the question directly.

Last week (week commencing 5 October 2026), average desk occupancy across the five working days was 51 per cent of the office’s 1,761 desk capacity, equivalent to an average of 903 desks in use each day. Occupancy peaked at 75 per cent on Thursday, when 1,321 desks were in use.

Network Rail’s office requirements in Manchester have been considered over several years, including previous plans to move from Square One as the site was expected to be required for HS2. The creation of Great British Railways now presents new opportunities to bring colleagues from across the railway closer together, supporting greater collaboration and closer working across the industry.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026, to Question 18049, on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, what was the average percentage attendance rate of assigned Historic England staff at Canada House in Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport does not hold records on office attendance for its public bodies, including Historic England.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2026, to Question 16029, on Darlington Economic Campus: Remote Working, how many staff in her Department are assigned to Darlington Feethams House; and what is the expectation of the percentage rate of office attendance for staff at that office.

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

There are currently 9 Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport staff assigned to Feethams House, with a further 36 in the process of transferring into DCMS as a result of the recent Machinery of Government change. 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.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049, on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, and to the Answer of 14 July 2026 to Question 14979, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, what the average percentage attendance rate of assigned DCMS staff was at Bloc 17 Marble St in Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

We do not hold the information to enable us to answer the average percentage attendance rate of assigned DCMS staff at Bloc 17 Marble Street in Manchester. In the most recent working week for which figures are available, there were on average 96 staff visits per day from a total assigned workforce of 320 colleagues based in Manchester.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049, on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, what the average percentage attendance rate of assigned OFCOM staff was at 1 Circle Square in Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport does not hold records on office attendance for its public bodies, including Ofcom.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answers of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049 on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, and 14 July 2026 to Question 14979 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, what was the average percentage attendance rate of assigned NHS England staff at 3 Piccadilly Place 3 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 3BN in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

Further to the answer provided on 12 October in response to Question 29641, I can confirm that: (i) the Care Quality Commission has no staff based at 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester; (ii) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence does not collect data in a way that allows the average percentage attendance rate for the Manchester office to be determined; and (iii) NHS England does not collect the relevant attendance data.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answers of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049 on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, and 14 July 2026 to Question 14979 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, what was the average percentage attendance rate of assigned NICE staff at 3 Piccadilly Place 3 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 3BN in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

Further to the answer provided on 12 October in response to Question 29641, I can confirm that: (i) the Care Quality Commission has no staff based at 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester; (ii) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence does not collect data in a way that allows the average percentage attendance rate for the Manchester office to be determined; and (iii) NHS England does not collect the relevant attendance data.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answers of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049 on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, and 14 July 2026 to Question 14979 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, what was the average percentage attendance rate of assigned CQC staff at 3 Piccadilly Place 3 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 3BN in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

Further to the answer provided on 12 October in response to Question 29641, I can confirm that: (i) the Care Quality Commission has no staff based at 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester; (ii) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence does not collect data in a way that allows the average percentage attendance rate for the Manchester office to be determined; and (iii) NHS England does not collect the relevant attendance data.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026, to Question 18049, on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, what the average percentage attendance rate of assigned DBT (BIST) staff was at Piccadilly Gate in Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The department does not collect data in a way that enables us to determine the percentage of assigned staff attending Piccadilly Gate, Manchester. The office attendance expectation is that employees attend a departmental office, or undertake qualifying off-site work, for 60% of their working time (Senior Civil Servants) and 40% (delegated grades), subject to any agreed workplace adjustments or flexible working arrangements.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049, on Government Departments: Greater Manchester what the average percentage attendance rate of assigned (a) DSIT and (b) DBT staff was at Trinity Bridge House in Salford in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The department does not collect data in a way that enables us to determine the percentage of assigned staff attending Trinity Bridge House, Salford. The office attendance expectation is that employees attend a departmental office, or undertake qualifying off-site work, for 60% of their working time (Senior Civil Servants) and 40% (delegated grades), subject to any agreed workplace adjustments or flexible working arrangements.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2026, to Question 16029 on Darlington Economic Campus: Remote Working, how many of his Department's staff are assigned to Feethams House, Darlington; how many CMA staff are assigned to work in Darlington; and what is the expectation of the percentage rate of office attendance for staff at each of those offices.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

As of September 2026, there are 238 former Department for Business and Trade staff based at Feethams House, Darlington. The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade does not currently have confirmation of the number of former Department for Science, Innovation and Technology staff who are based in Darlington and have joined the newly formed department.

The Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) has 21 staff assigned to work at the Darlington Economic Campus.

Expected office attendance for staff based in both offices varies by grade, ranging between 40-60%.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the Answers of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049 on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, and 14 July 2026 to Question 14979 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, what was the average percentage attendance rate of assigned EITA staff at 3 Piccadilly Place 3 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 3BN in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The department does not collect data in a way that enables us to determine the percentage of assigned staff attending Piccadilly Place, Manchester. The office attendance expectation is that employees attend a departmental office, or undertake qualifying off-site work, for 60% of their working time (Senior Civil Servants) and 40% (delegated grades), subject to any agreed workplace adjustments or flexible working arrangements.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049, on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, what the average percentage attendance rate of assigned Competition and Markets Authority staff was at 1 New Bailey St in Salford in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) produces office attendance figures monthly rather than by individual working week. For the most recent month for which figures are available, August 2026, office attendance for CMA staff assigned to 1 New Bailey Street, Salford, was 41%, based on total office days attended as a proportion of total available working days.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on the internal market of the Scottish Government’s decision to implement ultra-high frequency bovine electronic identification.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Office of the Internal Market (OIM) concluded in a report of 29 October 2025 that divergent standards for electronic identification of bovines would have a limited effect on the trade in cattle. The Government is committed to working with devolved governments to implement OIM recommendations on coordination, and interoperability.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the level of fraud and error in the social security system.

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

Fraud and error levels are at their lowest since the pandemic, falling from 4.3% in FYE 2022 to 3.2% (£9.9bn) in 25/26. Thanks to prevention activity, use of data and analytics, and new powers under the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act we remain on track to meet the OBR forecast of a 2.8% overpayment rate by 2028-29. This would be the lowest cross-welfare overpayment rate since tax credits began in 2003.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026, to Question 18049, on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, and to the answer of 14 July 2026, to Question 14979, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, what was the average percentage attendance rate of assigned GIAA staff at Piccadilly Gate 26 Store St, Manchester M1 2WD in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

The Government Internal Audit Agency does not currently record desk and office utilisation data and are therefore unable to provide the information requested.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049 on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, what the average percentage attendance rate of assigned TF staff was at Piccadilly Gate in Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

For the week commencing 5 October 2026, Transport Focus’s estimate for staff attending Piccadilly Gate, Manchester (as a percentage of those contractually allocated there this week, based on number of staff attending over full working week) is 34%. The estimate for the absolute attendance over that week is 54.

The attendance is an estimate provided by Transport Focus and is subject to limitations in the available data. The number of staff contractually allocated to Piccadilly Gate, Manchester is derived from headcount and has not been adjusted for part-time contracts or approved flexible working arrangements. Recorded attendance is by desk booking. Some staff attending meetings at Piccadilly Gate, Manchester, may not have booked desks. Some staff contractually allocated to Piccadilly Gate, Manchester, may have been attending meetings elsewhere, working from other Transport Focus locations, on approved leave, or absent due to illness.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average percentage attendance rate was of assigned Home Office staff at (a) Dallas Court, Salford and (b) Soapworks and Boiler House, Salford in the most recent working week for which figures are available as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

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

The below table shows the data for the week commencing 27 September 2026.

Many individuals assigned to these locations will have attended other Home Office workplaces in the course of their official duties and that therefore this data does not indicate a specific level of workplace attendance.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answers of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049 on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, and 14 July 2026 to Question 14979 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, what was the average percentage attendance rate of assigned Salix staff at 3 Piccadilly Place 3 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 3BN in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department does not hold information on the workplace attendance of employees of Salix Finance Ltd. While sponsored by the Department, Salix is an operationally independent non-departmental public body and is responsible for its own workforce management and any associated attendance records. The Department therefore cannot provide the average percentage attendance rate of Salix staff assigned to 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester in the period requested.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answers of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049 on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, and 14 July 2026 to Question 14979 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Darlington, what was the average percentage attendance rate of assigned DESNZ staff at Trinity Bridge House, 2 Dearmans Pl, Salford M3 5DS in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We do not receive attendance/pass swipe data in Trinity Bridge House.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049, on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, what the average percentage attendance rate of assigned Insolvency Service staff was at 3 Piccadilly Place in Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

For the period of Oct 5^th 2026 – Oct 9^th 2026, the average attendance for the 388 workers with Manchester assigned as their home office was 27%. This does not include allowances for working offsite, part time working and agreed leave. The Insolvency Service’s Manchester office has 146 desks, across the week the office was 71% full.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 18049 on Government Departments: Greater Manchester, what the average percentage attendance rate of assigned ORR staff was at Piccadilly Gate in Manchester in the most recent working week for which figures are available, expressed as a percentage of assigned staff attending the workplace and in absolute terms.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

For the week commencing 28th September (the last week for which full data was available) ORR had an average of 40% of staff attending per day at Piccadilly Gate in Manchester. In absolute terms, 14 staff on average attended each day during this week. These figures exclude staff who have a reasonable workplace adjustment.

Found: Connectivity in Scotland: Digital Connectivity Seamus Logan MP, John Lamont MP, Jamie Stone MP, John Cooper

Found: Hill London SE5 BV21605155/1 Henrietta Cooper 28/12/2015 Westminster London W2 BV21711975/1 John Cooper

Found: Hill London SE5 BV21605155/1 Henrietta Cooper 28/12/2015 Westminster London W2 BV21711975/1 John Cooper

Found: Hill London SE5 BV21605155/1 Henrietta Cooper 28/12/2015 Westminster London W2 BV21711975/1 John Cooper

Found: Hill London SE5 BV21605155/1 Henrietta Cooper 28/12/2015 Westminster London W2 BV21711975/1 John Cooper

Found: authorisation will be 5 vehicle(s) OF2022923 SN DEOL HAULAGE LTD Director(s): SANDEEP DEOL 66 JOHN COOPER

The Committee are launching an inquiry into the UK export support system. The inquiry examines whether the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade alongside UK Export Finance:

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