Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many (a) press, (b) media and (c) other communications posts there are in his Department; and what the salary band is for each post.

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

In the central Communications team of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, there are a total of 86 Full Time Equivalent Government Communications Service posts.

Of this 24 work in media relations.

This is the latest available data from March 2025.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many waiver requests from overpayment recovery of Universal Credit were (a) recorded and (b) granted (i) in full and (ii) partially for (A) each of the last two calendar years and (B) the current calendar year to date.

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

In last year's Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) waivers were included as part of the losses and special payments section on page 258: DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 (HTML) - GOV.UK.

Information regarding Secretary of State discretion to waive recovery of debt can be found in Chapter 8 of the Benefit Overpayment Recovery Guide which is published on gov.uk. Benefit overpayment recovery guide - GOV.UK

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the EHCR's Interim update on the practical implications of the UK Supreme Court judgment published on 25 April 2025, what guidance her Department has provided to (a) workplaces and (b) hospitality venues on access to single sex facilities.

Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Wales Office)

The Government has set out our expectation that organisations follow the clarity the ruling provides. The EHRC’s interim update provides a perspective on how the judgment and Equality Act are practically applied in some areas. The EHRC has already committed to supporting organisations, including workplaces, with its updated statutory Code of Practice following consultation; we will engage them as necessary as they progress this work.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many posts there are for (a) press, (b) media and (c) other communications staff in his Department; and what the salary band is for each post.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

In the central Cabinet Office communications team, there are a total of 37 Full Time Equivalent Government Communication Service professionals.

Of this total, 14 are in the media discipline which covers press and media responsibilities.

This is the latest available data from June 2024.

Information on Cabinet Office salary bands can be found in the Statistical tables - Civil Service Statistics: 2024 found here.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to respond to the letter of 9 April 2025 from the hon. Member for Aberdeen North, reference ZA32718, case CMPT12025/33740.

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

We aim to investigate issues raised by complainants, and MPs on their behalf, within 15 working days, but where the case is complex, we may need to take longer.

We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 9th April 2025 and will provide a reply shortly.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many rejections of statelessness applications submitted in 2024 have been followed by renewed applications.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to data provided by her Department in relation to the court case Asylum Aid v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2025] EWHC 316 (Admin), for what reason 170 statelessness applications submitted between 31 January and 31 December 2024 were rejected without consideration.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the most common grounds were for the rejection of statelessness applications submitted in 2024.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many decisions on statelessness applications made in 2024 were challenged through administrative review; how many of those reviews have been completed; and how many of those completed resulted in a grant of leave.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question 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, how many posts there are for (a) press, (b) media and (c) other communications staff in his Department; and what the salary band is for each post.

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

Defra Group Communications is the first shared service communications team in Whitehall, merging 6 geographically dispersed communications teams from the core department and Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs). Alongside the department, the team works to the Environment Agency, Natural England, the Animal and Plant Health Agency, Forestry Commission and Rural Payments Agency.

The teams work across all communications disciplines in support of the policy and operational priorities including a frontline team across the country providing a 24-hour communications response to incidents, working with local media and partners to give communities timely information they need to take action and prepare. This includes local and national media, planning, stakeholder engagement, digital communications and internal.

Defra Group Communications staff work in an agile way to 6 organisations, it is not possible to provide granular full-time equivalent figures for each part of the group.

The communications team employs professionals across all Civil Service grades, you can find more details on the salaries across Civil Service grades here - Civil Service Grades Explained - Defra Jobs - UK Government.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many posts there are for (a) press, (b) media and (c) other communications staff in her Department; and what the salary band is for each post.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In the central Department for Education communications team, there are a total of 93.82 full-time equivalent (FTE) Government Communication Service professionals.

Of this total, 27.80 FTE are in the media discipline which covers press and media responsibilities. This is the latest available data from June 2024.

The department does not hold salary band information in the format requested. Our HR system holds positions based on team name and grade and not specific job titles with corresponding salary costs.

Denis Law Legacy Trail

Aberdeen’s Sustainable Food Places gold award

Aberdeen Science Centre

Peterhead Football Club, Scottish League 2 champions

Trans+ History Week

Humanitarian aid into Gaza

Arms exports to Israel

Ensuring stability for Ukrainian refugees in the UK

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