Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton

The question was answered by the Department for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 26 June 2025. I apologise for the delay.

The question was answered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 6 May 2025. I apologise for the delay.

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) does not employ any staff on a zero-hour contract. The AGO has a mix of permanent and fixed term contracts.

Non-Civil Servants are not employed by the Cabinet Office. Where non-Civil Servants are required, they are engaged via routes other than employment contracts such as contracts for Contingent Labour via a third-party agency. While the Cabinet Office also makes a number of public appointments and direct ministerial appointments, the individuals appointed to such roles are public office holders and not employees.

Cabinet Office has 423 Contingent Labour workers on zero hour contracts as at 28 April 2025 via the contract Cabinet Office has with Alexander Mann Solutions Ltd.

The Cabinet Office uses zero hours contracts to selectively manage temporary demand. To end exploitative zero hours contracts, under the government’s plans to Make Work Pay legislation will be brought in to give workers on zero hours contracts and workers with a ‘low’ number of guaranteed hours, who regularly work more than these hours, the ability to move to guaranteed hours contracts which reflect the hours they regularly work over a 12-week reference period.

There are no civil servants employed by the Cabinet Office on zero hour contracts.

The number of (a) civil servants and (b) contractors employed on zero hour contracts is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office.

Zero hours contracts are not the normal practice or a recommended approach within the Civil Service. Departments may use them in very limited circumstances to help meet exceptional or fluctuating demands on the business.

The flexibility offered by zero hours contracts, zero hour arrangements and low hour contracts can benefit both workers and employers, but without proper safeguards this flexibility can become one-sided, with workers bearing all the financial risk. The Government’s Employment Rights Bill will end one-sided flexibility, ensuring that jobs provide a baseline of security and predictability so workers can better plan their lives and finances. We will consult extensively on the implementation of the legislation to ensure it works for workers and employers alike, and anticipate this meaning the majority of reforms will take effect no earlier than 2026. Government understands that adjusting to these new reforms will take time and is committed to ensuring that all stakeholders receive appropriate time to prepare for these changes ahead of their commencement.

In its manifesto, the Government promised to bring about an immediate reform by removing the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

The Government has now introduced legislation to implement this reform. This is a first step in taking forward the Government's commitments to wider reform of the House of Lords, including the introduction of a retirement age, a new participation requirement, changes to the appointments process, as well as establishing an alternative second chamber that is more representative of the regions and nations of the UK.

The Department for Business and Trade holds regular meetings to discuss critical minerals policy with other departments, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of critical mineral supply chains. Chris McDonald MP as Minister for Industry in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) holds responsibility for critical minerals and regularly engages other Ministers on critical minerals policy.

The Department for Business and Trade engages regularly with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Critical Minerals as part of its wider parliamentary and stakeholder outreach. Officials have participated in APPG meetings, including those focused on international alignment and partnerships, where they have provided updates on UK engagement with key partners and multilateral forums. This forms part of the Government's broader programme of international cooperation set out in the UK Critical Minerals Strategy, which includes collaboration through strategic partnerships and global initiatives.

His Majesty's Government recognises the strategic importance of strengthening the UK's critical minerals security. The Critical Minerals Strategy, published on 22 November 2025, sets out a cross-government approach involving the Department for Business and Trade, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the Ministry of Defence and other partners. Ministers and officials already work closely together through established governance structures to ensure policy alignment and effective coordination. We continually review whether these arrangements remain proportionate and effective. At present, we believe the existing cross government ministerial oversight provides the appropriate mechanism for coordinating critical mineral security policy.

Chris McDonald MP was appointed Minister for Industry in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) on 11 September 2025. As Minister for Industry, his responsibilities cover critical minerals, including their security of supply.

A secure supply of critical minerals is vital to the UK’s economic growth and security, industrial strategy and clean energy transition. The 2025 UK Critical Minerals Strategy supports innovation and R&D in the UK to secure our critical minerals supply, through domestic production and international collaboration that is responsible and sustainable.

Following Spending Review 2025, new funding of up to £50 million will be made available by DBT to support critical mineral projects, to expand research and innovation as well as supporting commercialisation. Further details will be announced later this year.

Evidence from DESNZ analysis and evaluations, including the evaluation of the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting framework, suggests that well-designed climate and ESG disclosures can strengthen corporate governance, improve monitoring and management of emissions, and support firms to identify and implement emissions reduction measures. The Government therefore supports approaches that promote credible, science-based targets and transition planning.

The Government is working to reduce the risk of emissions displacement through adopting and supporting the use of internationally recognised sustainability standards.

The Government is also taking action to address carbon leakage, including by introducing a carbon border adjustment mechanism from January 2027. This will ensure highly traded, carbon intensive products from jurisdictions outside the UK face a comparable carbon price to that paid by UK manufacturers, so that UK decarbonisation efforts lead to a true reduction in global emissions rather than simply displacing carbon emissions overseas.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) does not employ people on 0 hour contracts.

Zero. DCMS does not have this type of contract.

The government is committed to breaking down the barriers to accessing sport and physical activity for children and young people, including girls. Our manifesto set out our intention to support more children to be active by protecting time for physical education (PE) in schools and working across government to support the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport and physical activity.

On 19 June, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister announced next steps for the future of PE and sport in schools. As part of our mission-led approach and Plan for Change, the government will co-design PE and School Sport Partnership networks. We are looking to develop and build strong partnerships between schools, national governing bodies, local organisations and clubs. The planned model will look to strengthen and broaden partnership-based support with the aim to increase equal access for children to high quality PE and extracurricular sport.

Schools are also supported to increase girls’ engagement in sport through programmes delivered by sector organisations, such as the Football Association’s ‘Barclays Girls’ Football School Partnerships’ programme and Sport England’s online Studio You programme.

The department does not have any employees on zero-hour contracts.

The Thames Path has been diverted at this location to facilitate construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. During this time pedestrians are required to use the footpath along the main road rather than the riverside route between Vauxhall Bridge and Tintagel House. Two new areas of public access are being created at this site that connect the capital's residents and visitors with the river more closely than is currently possible.

Following the completion of the works in mid-2025 the Thames Path that runs through the middle of the site will be reinstated and the two new areas will be opened.

This department does not offer any zero-hour contracts. The number of staff in the department on zero-hour contracts is 0.

Zero hours contracts are not the normal practice or a recommended approach within the Civil Service. Departments may use them in very limited circumstances to help meet exceptional or fluctuating demands on the business.

The flexibility offered by zero hours contracts can benefit both workers and employers, but without proper safeguards this flexibility can become one-sided, with workers bearing all the financial risk. The Government’s Employment Rights Bill will end exploitative zero hours contracts, ensuring that all jobs provide a baseline of security and predictability so workers can better plan their lives and finances.

The Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce was paused so that ministers could assess the work of the taskforce so far and determine how it fitted into the Government’s priorities for the Department. Although the taskforce has been paused, the work carried out to date has been valuable, and remains important to the Department's work. We are committed to progressing work in this area, and are in the process of considering next steps for taking forward the taskforce's work and leadership.

We are committed to helping the NHS diagnose cancer on time, diagnose it earlier and treat it faster so that more patients survive this horrible set of diseases. We are also committed to improving patients’ experience across the system. This includes children and young people cancer and their families.

The Department is currently reviewing the work of the Children and Young People’s Cancer Taskforce and are in the process of considering next steps for taking forward the Taskforce's work.

Diplomatic relations between the UK and Nepal stretch over 200 years and are grounded in mutual respect. The UK Government holds the Gurkhas in the highest regard and acknowledges the outstanding contribution they make to the United Kingdom. Separately, the UK's development partnership with Nepal focuses on long‑term economic welfare and development as part of our global Official Development Assistance strategy.

Since 2019, FCDO projects delivered through the Gurkha Welfare Trust have totalled £14,249,415.21, comprising £2,500,000.00 (2019), £3,287,835.23 (2020), £1,999,999.70 (2021), £1,981,792.73 (2022), £1,892,458.82 (2023), £1,408,265.60 (2024), £1,069,681.90 (2025) and £109,381.22 (2026). Over the past seven years, The Gurkha Welfare Trust has delivered two major UK‑funded programmes: the Rural Water & Sanitation Programme V (RWSP V, until 2021) and the Resilient Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and Emergency Preparedness Programme (RWEPP, up to March 2025) - providing safe, reliable water to over 53,000 people and upgrading facilities in 185 public institutions. These programmes have strengthened water security, sanitation and disaster resilience across Nepal.

Since 2019, FCDO projects delivered through the Gurkha Welfare Trust have totalled £14,249,415.21, comprising £2,500,000.00 (2019), £3,287,835.23 (2020), £1,999,999.70 (2021), £1,981,792.73 (2022), £1,892,458.82 (2023), £1,408,265.60 (2024), £1,069,681.90 (2025) and £109,381.22 (2026). Over the past seven years, The Gurkha Welfare Trust has delivered two major UK‑funded programmes: the Rural Water & Sanitation Programme V (RWSP V, until 2021) and the Resilient Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and Emergency Preparedness Programme (RWEPP, up to March 2025) - providing safe, reliable water to over 53,000 people and upgrading facilities in 185 public institutions. These programmes have strengthened water security, sanitation and disaster resilience across Nepal.

The Government will set out details in the coming months of Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations for the period up to 2029. We will not engage in speculation in the interim on the impact of hypothetical funding scenarios for different countries or programmes.

Development is an essential part of the UK's global objectives and to the delivery of the Government's missions: working with partners to strengthen and stabilise countries, to tackle poverty and support growth, and to make the world safer. The UK continues to work closely with the Government of Nepal and other partners to ensure UK Official Development Assistance aligns with Nepal's national development priorities. Therefore, we have prioritised the following for our 2025-26 allocation: Nepal's inclusive economic transformation and the creation of jobs; building resilience to disasters and climate change, infrastructure development, and the strengthening of social services. We are aware that budget reductions will have an impact on Nepal and British Embassy Kathmandu is in continuing discussions with the Government of Nepal about these issues.

The BRIXMIS Association submission was an agenda item at the independent Advisory Military Sub-Committee (AMSC) meeting on 9 July 2025. Following discussions, the Secretary was directed to prepare a letter to the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) for its consideration. The findings of the sub-committee will be communicated to the Association in due course.

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (also known as the Ottawa Convention) continues to play an important role in protecting civilians from harm caused by anti-personnel landmines. As a State Party to the Ottawa Convention, the UK’s commitment to it remains unwavering.

The UK’s ambition in the Strategic Defence Review to double and then triple the UK Army’s fighting power reflects a fundamental transformation in how the Army prepares for and conducts warfare. This is not simply about increasing firepower or platform numbers — it’s about reimagining how we fight.

His Majesty’s Government (HMG) has noted that Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have stated their intention to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention. The UK acknowledges and shares concerns about the security environment in the region as a result of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. We also acknowledge that it is the sovereign right of those countries to make this decision. The UK will work to mitigate impacts on vital arms control and disarmament norms, while continuing to engage bilaterally on the actions States plan to take.

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (also known as the Ottawa Convention) continues to play an important role in protecting civilians from harm caused by anti-personnel landmines. As a State Party to the Ottawa Convention, the UK’s commitment to it remains unwavering. We continue to encourage countries to join the Ottawa Convention, subscribe to its provisions; and discourage States from using anti-personnel landmines.

HMG continues to publicly express its commitment to the Ottawa Convention, most recently by Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Baroness Chapman, at a House of Lords debate on Landmines and Cluster Munitions on 3 April 2025 (Official Report vol 845, column 425).

The Advisory Military Sub-Committee (AMSC) is a sub-committee of the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (the “HD Committee”) which provides advice to The Sovereign on honours and medals. Following the independent review of medallic recognition by Sir John Holmes in 2012, the AMSC met later in 2012 and 2013. It was then reconstituted in 2019 and has since met on the following dates:

• 1 May 2019
• 3 September 2019
• 15 November 2019
• 4 February 2020
• 29 January 2021
• 26 April 2021
• 23 June 2021
• 29 September 2021
• 26 August 2022
• 1 June 2023
• 28 March 2025

Further information about the work of the AMSC, including Terms of Reference and a summary of past recommendations can be found at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advisory-military-sub-committee

I can confirm that minutes of Advisory Military Sub-Committee meetings are kept.