Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 79231 on Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, what her planned timetable is for determining whether to include China in the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme; and what factors have determined that timetable.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As set out in the National Security Act 2023, the Secretary of State may make a specification under the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) where they consider it is reasonably necessary to do so to protect the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.
We look very carefully at which countries should be on the enhanced tier of the scheme, factoring in a broad range of considerations.
As I set out in the House of Commons on 20 January 2026, any changes to the countries listed will be brought to Parliament in the usual way.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2025 to Question 45800 on Press: Misconduct, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that arbitration schemes operated by press regulators are available to provide timely and effective redress before the Government directs members of the public to them in guidance.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK has a self-regulatory system for the press, which is independent from Government. This is vital to ensure the public has access to accurate and trustworthy information from a range of different sources. The Government therefore does not intervene in or evaluate the work of independent press regulators.
However, under Section 179 of the Data Protection Act every three years the Secretary of State must lay before Parliament a report on the use and effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution procedures, such as arbitration, in cases involving a failure or alleged failure by relevant media organisations to comply with data protection legislation. The most recent report was presented to Parliament in May 2024 and was carried independently of DCMS by David Rossington, as the Independent Reviewer. The report is published on the Gov.uk website:
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has negotiated a signed data sharing agreement with the Labour Party in relation to the operation of the Number 10 Political Office.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
I refer the Hon Member to the answer of 31 March 2025, Official Report, PQ 39119.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to promote entry-level apprenticeships in the civil service.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
This government remains committed to apprenticeships as one pathway to break down barriers to opportunity. On 20th August we launched the application window for a new cross-Government Level 3 apprenticeship programme in Business Administration, The ‘Civil Service Career Launch Apprenticeship’ (CLA) will see new apprentices kick start their careers, across various departments in London, Manchester and Birmingham. In addition, each department is responsible for its own workforce planning and determining the capacity and capability that it needs to deliver its priorities.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment has been made of the reasons for the reduction in the number of Level 2 and Level 3 civil service apprenticeships since 2022.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
This government remains committed to apprenticeships as one pathway to break down barriers to opportunity. It is for individual departments to identify the need and assess effectiveness of apprenticeships, including the use of level 2 and 3 apprenticeships, within their workforce and development plans.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment has been made of the reasons for the reduction in the number of civil service apprentices since 2022.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
This government remains committed to apprenticeships as one pathway to break down barriers to opportunity. It is for individual departments to identify the need and assess effectiveness of apprenticeships, including the use of level 2 and 3 apprenticeships, within their workforce and development plans.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil service apprentices in 2024 and 2025 were aged between 18 and 24.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Civil Service data is not collected for the 18-24 age bracket. However, we can confirm that 3,010 of on-programme apprentices on 31 December 2024 were aged between 16 and 24. The Cabinet Office no longer collates cross-government data on apprenticeships beyond December 2024, so we are unable to provide data for 2025.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the average cost of determining a market rent application; and what the projected annual cost is following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
It is not currently possible to identify the cost of determining a market rent application. This is one of several types of case heard by the Residential Property Tribunal and currently costs are not apportioned to individual case types.
We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure the Property Tribunal is able to accommodate the impact of the Renters’ Reform Act.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government will publish data on market rent determinations, tribunal volumes, decision times and outcomes following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Currently HM Courts and Tribunals Services (HMCTS) publish quarterly data on the Residential Property Chamber.
HMCTS is reviewing the data captured, drawn and published from the supporting systems for the Tribunal as part of preparations for the Renters’ Rights Act.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time taken to determine a market rent application from receipt to decision is in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
HM Courts & Tribunals Service does not hold specific information for applications for market rent determination. Published data is available on receipts, disposals and open caseload for residential property within Tribunals Statistics Quarterly, which will include applications for market rent determination. This information in available in column AS in tables S_2, S_3 and S_4:
Main_Tables_Q2_2025_26.ods.