Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 16332 on Undocumented Migrants, whether she plans to make an estimate of the number of people in the UK illegally.

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

By its very nature, it is not possible to know the exact size of the illegal migrant population, and so the Home Office under successive governments has not published any official estimates of the illegal migrant population. In June 2019, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published a note on ‘Measuring illegal migration: our current view’.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners have been (a) released in error and (b) released in error and not re-apprehended under the Early Release scheme as of 8 January 2025.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

On 10 September 2024, the Government took the necessary and unavoidable step to move certain release points from 50% to 40%, with an initial tranche of eligible offenders released on this date, and a second tranche released on 22 October 2024.

There was an issue with a repealed Breach of Restraining Order offence, which meant that 37 offenders were released in error in the first tranche because they were incorrectly sentenced. This specific cohort were all returned to custody. All prisoners in custody with this offence recorded against them were reviewed to ensure there were no further releases in error.

We have published data on how many offenders were released on the first day of both initial SDS40 release tranches (1,889 prisoners for Tranche 1, and 1,223 prisoners for Tranche 2). The number of people who have been released in error since September 2024 forms a subset of releases in error data which is scheduled for future publication. In accordance with the requirements of the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, we may not give any early indication of the contents of these statistical reports. Annual totals for releases in error are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via Prison and Probation Performance Statistics - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to improve trade links between Northern Ireland and the channel ports.

Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport is supporting Great Britain–Northern Ireland maritime freight connectivity through implementation of the Windsor Framework to streamline goods movement.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2025 to Question 21403 on Cabinet Office: Pay, whether the mean salary of civil servants in the (a) Women's Equality Unit, (b) Race Disparity Unit and (c) Disability Unit will be included in the Government's transparency reporting.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Details of Cabinet Office structure and salaries are due to be published by the end of January 2025 as part of regular transparency reporting. This will include the Office for Equality and Opportunities and within it the sub units of: Women’s Equality Unit, Race Disparity Unit, and Disability Unit. As was the case under the previous administration, the Cabinet Office does not specifically publish the mean salaries of these civil servants.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Minister is the legal owner of 10 Downing Street.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The registered legal title of 10 Downing Street is held in the name of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, as has been the case under successive governments.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had meetings with representatives of the British Society for Genetic Medicine in the last 30 years.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In the last 30 years, officials in the Department of Health and, later, the Department of Health and Social Care, have had meetings with representatives of the British Society for Genetic Medicine. As far as can be determined, ministers have also had meetings with representatives of the British Society for Genetic Medicine.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 2 May 2023 to Question 182119 on Cabinet Office: Training, if he will take steps to encourage other public sector employers to phase out unconscious bias training.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The government is committed to an evidence based approach to training. In 2021 the previous administration published a report on the efficacy of unconscious bias training with recommendations on alternative approaches to support workforce equality. At the time other public sector organisations were encouraged to take account of this.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/unconscious-bias-and-diversity-training-what-the-evidence-says

There has been no change in the approach under this government

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Environment Agency plans to run an internship programme which is open to people from white British backgrounds in 2025.

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

The Environment Agency offers several career entry opportunities open to people from all ethnic backgrounds (including White British backgrounds) who meet the criteria of the specific programme. In 2025 these programmes include:

• Industry Placements (temporary position) – paid 12-month placement in environmental science, engineering and business and communications disciplines)

• Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Quest Scholarship programme (temporary position) - paid 8-week summer placement for engineering students

• Entry level apprenticeships (permanent position) – various entry level apprenticeships usually attached to a permanent role lasting between 12 and 24 months
• Doctoral Training Partnerships (work placement) – University PhD funded short term (4 weeks to 3 months) placements working on collaborative science projects

Further information about career entry opportunities is publicly available on the Environment Agency’s careers website: Early careers - Environment Agency.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question HL1878 on Armed Forces: Equality, if he will publish the report of the review into equality, diversity and inclusion spending in the Armed Forces.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The review into equality, diversity and inclusion spending in Government Departments, including Civil Service expenditure of behalf of the Armed Forces, was conducted between June 2023 and May 2024 at the request of the then Chancellor of the Exchequer. This work was collated by the Cabinet Office and the release of the associated information is therefore a matter for them.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any products originating from China are stocked by the 10 Downing Street gift shop.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Most suppliers of the 10 Downing Street gift shop are British companies, and many of the items are made in the UK. A very small number of items are manufactured overseas, including China. This was the case under the previous government.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Ministerial residence in 11 Downing Street pays council tax as a (a) sole or main residence, (b) single person discount and (c) second home.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Prime Minister is allocated the flat in 11 Downing Street and personally pays full council tax.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish of the questionnaire form that incoming Ministers are asked to provide to the Propriety and Ethics Team.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The established process for the declaration and management of ministers’ private interests is set out in Part B Chapter 3 of the Ministerial Code. Details of the categories ministers are asked to declare their interests in can be found in the List of Ministers’ Interests, along with more information on the interests process. The last list was published in November 2024 and is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67407bad53373262c0d825f6/List_of_Ministers__Interests.pdf

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 27 December 2024 to Question 20832 on Special Advisers: Pay, if he will ensure that the list of special advisers is published by 31 March 2025.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to my response to PQ 20832 and PQ 22188.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 13808 on 9 Downing Street: Media, whether refurbishment works had been commissioned when this Answer was given.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

No refurbishment works had been commissioned.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Baroness Casey made a declaration of political activity following her appointment as Lead Non-Executive Director.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Baroness Casey followed the published process for declaring any interests.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-executive-board-member-declaration-of-interests-process/non-executive-board-member-declaration-of-interests-process#context

Interests will be published in due course on the department’s website.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2025 to Question 19415 on Ed Miliband, whether the Rt Hon Member for Islington North (a) made an application for and (b) received a severance payment.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Ministers and certain office-holders are entitled to a severance payment when they leave office under the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991.

As set out in the Act, to be eligible to receive the payment ministers and office-holders must be under the age of 65 when they leave office. Under this provision, the Rt Hon Member for Islington North was not eligible to receive a severance payment when he left the role of Leader of the Opposition in 2020.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what her Department’s definition of a tax break is.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

‘Tax breaks’ are commonly understood to be policies that mean taxpayers either pay less tax through exemptions or deductions, or get tax back through credits or repaid in another way.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2025 to Question 21387 on Rachel Reeves: Self-assessment, for what reason she does not plan to publish her tax return.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

I refer the hon member to the answer given on the 7 January 2025 to UIN 21387.

Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that all Departments publish impact assessments to Bills when they are published at first reading.

Answered by Lucy Powell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

The Government is committed to ensuring Parliament has the information it needs to hold the Government to account and to understand the impact of legislation. When a bill is published the Explanatory Notes include information regarding any financial implications.

I have written to all members of Cabinet regarding their ministerial responsibilities to Parliament. Best practice guidance is also provided to departments through the Cabinet Office Guide to Making Legislation, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-making-legislation.

Published impact assessments, including their date of publication, are available on the Parliament website (https://bills.parliament.uk/).

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many cases of gonorrhoea have been diagnosed in each of the last 30 years.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the number of gonorrhoea diagnoses in sexual health services in England between 1994 and 2023:

Source: UK Health Security Agency

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 October 2024 to Question 6066 on Helicopters: Official Visits, what the budget is for the replacement service to the Rotary Wing Command Support Air Transport Helicopter Service.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence is not placing a contract for replacement of the Rotary Wing Command Support Air Contract. Future Ministry of Defence senior leader rotary wing transport will be met through a Cabinet Office administered Commercial Travel Contract and will use existing Department transport budgets.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to remove the gender-neutral toilets in her Department in Marsham Street.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The current number and location of gender neutral toilets in the Home Office’s Marsham office was established under the previous government in October 2017, at a cost of £36,963.20, and has remained unchanged since that time.

There are no plans to spend further public money on the reconfiguration of the Home Office’s toilets.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Office for National Statistics has made an estimate of the (a) number and (b) proportion of people who are potentially in the UK illegally.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Home Office publishes a statistical release with an overview of people who come to the UK irregularly. It includes those arriving on a small boat across the English Channel, along with some other groups arriving without prior lawful permission. The Office for National Statistics does not publish this information.

The most recent Home Office statistics, for the year ending June 2024, are available on gov.uk. As was the case under the previous administration, these statistics should not be used to infer the size of the irregular population in the UK, nor the total number of people entering the UK irregularly.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2024 to Question 15237 on Civil Servants: Political impartiality, whether there has been a disciplinary investigation into party political campaigning by officials in her Department during the Rochdale by-election in February and March 2024.

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

The information you have requested is not on a central system. Gathering this information would require input from team leaders and will incur disproportionate costs.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024,to Question HL1878, on Armed Forces: Equality, if he will list each of the actions from the previous EDI review that were endorsed by his Department's People Committee.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence (Lord Coaker), on 19 December 2024 to Question HL3228 in the House of Lords.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 19468 on Special Escort Group, on what statutory basis the police are able to (a) stop and direct traffic and (b) exceed speed limits in non-emergency situations.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Powers for police to stop and direct traffic are set out in sections 35, 37 and 163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The exemption for speed is set out in section 87(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The exemption to speed does not require there to be an emergency to apply; the relevant requirements are that:

• The vehicle is being used for police purposes, and

• Compliance with the speed limit would be likely to hinder the purpose to which the vehicle is being put at the relevant time.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the implementation of a generational ban on tobacco sales on trends in the level of (a) counterfeit cigarettes and (b) contraband cigarettes being consumed in the UK.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bridlington and The Wolds on 11 December 2024 to Question UIN 17992.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether additional powers will be made available to law enforcement officers to penalise (a) barber shops, (b) off-licences, (c) bookmakers, (d) pubs and (e) other non-grocery and non-newsagent premises illegally selling tobacco products as a result of the implementation of a generational ban on tobacco sales.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will put us on track to a smoke-free United Kingdom, helping to reduce around 80,000 preventable deaths and reduce the burden on the National Health Service and on the taxpayer.

Whilst the published impact assessment on the Bill makes no specific assessment of the potential impact on the illegal sale of tobacco products in non-grocery and non-newsagent premises, we expect most retailers who sell tobacco, regardless of the type of business, to comply with the new and existing measures in the Bill. Further impact assessments will be prepared in advance of secondary legislation, including for a future licensing scheme, which aims to crack down on rogue retailers.

The Bill takes bold action to strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers who break the law regardless of the type of business. It introduces new £200 fixed penalty notices (FPNs), in England and Wales, to support Trading Standards Officers to take swifter enforcement action by issuing on-the-spot fines rather than needing to go through lengthy court processes. Trading Standards will be able to issue a £200 FPN for a range of offences, including to anyone who illegally sells tobacco products to someone underage.

The Bill also provides powers for Ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco products, herbal smoking products, cigarette papers, vaping, and nicotine products. The licensing scheme will support legitimate businesses, act as a deterrent to rogue retailers and provide enforcement agencies with further opportunities to bring penalties against these retailers. We will consult on the details of the licensing scheme ahead of introducing regulations, including the types of business which may hold a licence and the licence conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill on the illegal sale of tobacco products in (a) non-grocery and (b) non-newsagent premises.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will put us on track to a smoke-free United Kingdom, helping to reduce around 80,000 preventable deaths and reduce the burden on the National Health Service and on the taxpayer.

Whilst the published impact assessment on the Bill makes no specific assessment of the potential impact on the illegal sale of tobacco products in non-grocery and non-newsagent premises, we expect most retailers who sell tobacco, regardless of the type of business, to comply with the new and existing measures in the Bill. Further impact assessments will be prepared in advance of secondary legislation, including for a future licensing scheme, which aims to crack down on rogue retailers.

The Bill takes bold action to strengthen enforcement and crack down on rogue retailers who break the law regardless of the type of business. It introduces new £200 fixed penalty notices (FPNs), in England and Wales, to support Trading Standards Officers to take swifter enforcement action by issuing on-the-spot fines rather than needing to go through lengthy court processes. Trading Standards will be able to issue a £200 FPN for a range of offences, including to anyone who illegally sells tobacco products to someone underage.

The Bill also provides powers for Ministers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to introduce a licensing scheme for the retail sale of tobacco products, herbal smoking products, cigarette papers, vaping, and nicotine products. The licensing scheme will support legitimate businesses, act as a deterrent to rogue retailers and provide enforcement agencies with further opportunities to bring penalties against these retailers. We will consult on the details of the licensing scheme ahead of introducing regulations, including the types of business which may hold a licence and the licence conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 3 January 2025 to Question 19417 on Genetics: Diseases, how much funding was provided by NHS England to the Genetic Risk Equity project; and what that funding was used for.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The project began in 2022/23, with total spend being £2.7 million. The following table showing the breakdown by year and to the nearest £100,000:

Source: NHS England

Note: The funding was spent on additional midwifery capacity, genomics associates, neonatal nurses (2024/25 only) and genetic literacy/public health outreach. 5% was spent on project management and evaluation.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes to (a) Business Property Relief and (b) employer National Insurance contributions on SMEs in the defence sector.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence recognises the vital contribution that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make within the defence industry, and we have a long-standing commitment to improve our engagement with such suppliers in order to broaden and strengthen our supply-base. As individual suppliers and contractors will manage the changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions and Business Property Relief differently, it would be extremely difficult for the Department to estimate the impact this will have on SMEs in the defence sector.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2024 to Question 14298 on Workplace Pensions: Inheritance Tax, whether the pension scheme established under The Pensions Increase (Pension Scheme for Keir Starmer QC) Regulations 2013 is UK registered.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The pension scheme referred to is an unregistered UK statutory defined benefit scheme, established under the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993 (JUPRA). As defined benefit schemes, pensions under JUPRA do not have a dedicated fund which can be inherited as defined contribution schemes do. Any lump sum death benefits under JUPRA received after the member is no longer in service are already subject to inheritance tax.

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 11 December 2024 to Question 18400 on 10 Downing Street: Government Art Collection and to the answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 16604 on 11 Downing Street: Art Works, if she will publish a list of each of the Government Art Collection works that have been removed from the 10 Downing Street estate since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

No. It is standard practice, as followed by the previous government of which he was a member, for new ministers to select works from the Government Art Collection for their ministerial offices. All such changes of displays of works from the Government Art Collection constitute 'business as usual' for the Collection. All artworks in the Government Art Collection are on the website and their present locations can readily be searched and identified. The Collection does not publish the history of the locations of artworks.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the video on prisons published by her Department on 11 December 2024, what steps she is taking to ensure compliance with the (a) Civil Service Code and (b) Government Communication Service's Propriety & Ethics Guidance for Government Communicators in relation to video content posted online by her Department.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

This post was taken down from all channels on 12 December after civil servants identified the content did not meet expectations on impartiality.

The Ministry of Justice Communication Team’s usual processes for checking the accuracy and appropriateness of social media posts were not followed properly in this instance. All staff involved have been spoken to and reminded of their responsibility to uphold the Civil Service Code.

In addition to our usual mandatory training on the Civil Service Code and propriety and ethics, the Director of Communications will deliver mandatory refresher training across the Communications Directorate and all staff joining the team will be required to complete the training within the first two weeks of employment.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Questions 10 to 12 of the oral evidence to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on 4 December 2024 on The work of the Cabinet Office, HC 463, whether his Department plans to publish a formal response to Lord Maude’s review on governance and accountability in the Civil Service.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Department will consider Lord Maude's recommendations as this government develops its strategic plan for a more efficient and effective civil service.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to publish a prospectus to allow public bodies to bid for the Public Sector Reform and Innovation Fund.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Test & Learns are a new way of working. The Cabinet office will be working across government and with local partners to codesign the detailed approach to the allocation of the Innovation Fund in early 2025.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her policy is on which flags other than the Union flag should be flown on Government buildings to mark days of (a) national and (b) international significance; and if she will publish her Department's proposed schedule for which flags should be flown on which days in 2025.

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

There is a standing encouragement for Government Buildings to fly the Union Flag every day, and the Ukrainian Flag on a second flagpole if they are able. Government Departments are generally free to fly whichever other flags they deem appropriate, provided they have the necessary consent from their local planning authority.

Regarding the flags flown by DCMS, a decision has not yet been taken on which non-Union flags will be flown in 2025. Over the last two years, this decision was finalised in February.

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 7 November 2024 to Question 12252 on Charity Commission: Correspondence, if she will publish the regulatory advice and guidance issued by the Charity Commission to the Hope not Hate Charitable Trust.

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

The Charity Commission is not subject to Ministerial or departmental direction or control. It is for the Charity Commission to decide whether to publish correspondence or statements about its work on specific regulatory cases. The Charity Commission does not usually publish statements about regulatory cases that are not statutory inquiries, unless there is significant public interest in doing so.

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 7 November 2024 to Question 12252 on Charity Commission: Correspondence, if she will publish that letter; and if the Charity Commission will issue a public statement on the contents of that letter.

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

The Charity Commission is not subject to Ministerial or departmental direction or control. It is for the Charity Commission to decide whether to publish correspondence or statements about its work on specific regulatory cases. The Charity Commission does not usually publish statements about regulatory cases that are not statutory inquiries, unless there is significant public interest in doing so.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 17545 on Prime Minister: Public Appointments, if he will list the public appointments for which the Prime Minister is directly responsible; and when the term of office ends for each.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I refer the Rt Hon Member to my answer of 11 December, Official Report, PQ 17545. The end dates of appointments are published alongside their announcement on gov.uk.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Qs8 and 17 of the oral evidence given by the Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee on 4 December 2024, HC 463, if he will list each of the 40 distinct groups within the Cabinet Office.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As of December 2024, there were 37 established business units within the Cabinet Office. This number will change following recent Machinery of Government changes. .

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2024 to Question 17300 on Muslim Council of Britain, what her policy is on engagement with (a) Cage, (b) MEND and (c) the Muslim Association of Britain.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 20228 on 24 December 2024.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2024 to Question 14352 on Government Departments: X Corp, and with reference to the SAFE Framework: the 4 principles for HMG Brand Safety, how many platforms have been removed from the HMG Inclusion List in the last 12 months; what the reasons for their removal were; and what appeals process is available for platforms seeking reinstatement.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

HMG operates an inclusion list of websites for programmatic advertising that meet the existing HMG acceptable standards. This inclusion list does not cover platforms, which are assessed separately. No platforms have been removed in the last 12 months.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Question 28 of the oral evidence to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on 4 December 2024 on The work of the Cabinet Office, HC 463, if he will publish a breakdown of the £105 million of potential savings; and which of those savings have been implemented.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The details of the savings identified by each public body review under the Public Bodies Review Programme are already published individually on gov.uk. Each department is responsible for ensuring the implementation of the relevant savings by its public bodies.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2024 to Question 16595 on Cabinet Office: Pay, what the mean salary is of a civil servant in the (a) Women's Equality Unit, (b) Race Disparity Unit and (c) Disability Unit.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Salaries ranges for each civil servant grade are set by the Cabinet Office and are not at the discretion of the individual business units such as the Office for Equality and Opportunity. Details of Cabinet Office structure and salaries are due to be published on the 30th of January 2025 as part of transparency reporting.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to Question 28 of the oral evidence to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on 4 December 2024 on The work of the Cabinet Office, HC 463, what his planned timetable is for publishing the modernised public directory of Arm’s Length Bodies.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office's Arm's Length Bodies Landscape Analysis 2023 was published on 17 December 2024.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 16596 on Cabinet Office: Senior Civil Servants, how he plans to publish details of the panel members.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Details of panel members will be published on Gov.uk.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 October 2024 to Question 6066 on Helicopters: Official Visits, whether the replacement to the Rotary Wing Command Support Air Transport Helicopter Service will be outsourced to the private sector.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence is not placing a contract for replacement Rotary Wing Command Support Air Contract. Future Ministry of Defence senior leader rotary wing transport will be met through a Cabinet Office administered Commercial Transport Contract and will use existing Department transport budgets.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 23 December 2024 to Question 19416 on Maternity Services: Nurses, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of close relative marriage neonatal nurses there are in the NHS; and if he will publish this data.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has no plans to make such an estimate.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21699 on Gonorrhoea: Health Services, what data his Department holds on the cost of treating gonorrhoea to the NHS; and if he will publish that data.

Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The data on the cost of treating gonorrhoea to the National Health Service is not held centrally. This is because most gonorrhoea infections are treated with antibiotics in sexual health services using funding from the Local Authority Public Health Grant. In 2023, there were 85,223 diagnoses of gonorrhoea in sexual health services in England.

For infections and complications requiring treatment in secondary care, the UK Health Security Agency estimates that the cost to the NHS of treating gonorrhoea in secondary care in 2022/23 was approximately £2,000 per in-patient admission. Data on the number of admissions is not held centrally.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question HL2771 on Civil Servants: Recruitment and pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2024 to Question 14502 on Gender: Equality, if she will issue guidance to public bodies to stop the practice of internship programmes which restrict applications on the basis of race or ethnicity.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Equality Act 2010 (The Act) provides protections for people from discrimination in the workplace and in society. It makes it unlawful to treat someone unfairly or discriminate against anyone based on certain personal characteristics. This includes race and ethnicity.

The Act also makes it unlawful for recruiters to hire by race, where the person is to be paid under a contract for services. Under certain conditions, a recruiter choosing between candidates of equal merit can hire the candidate from the more disadvantaged or lower-participating race or ethnicity. This is one type of ‘positive action’. Positive action can deliver better outcomes for particular groups in order to overcome or minimise a disadvantage arising from a protected characteristic.

In April 2023, the previous government published guidance to help employers understand the difference between positive action and positive discrimination. The guidance is available on gov.uk at www.gov.uk/government/publications/positive-action-in-the-workplace-guidance-for-employers. Section 9 of this guidance explains the general positive action provision. Section 10.2 explains tie-breaking in more detail. With this considered, there are currently no plans to issue further guidance to public bodies on positive action.

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 16341 on Political Parties: Discrimination, if she will issue guidance on the distinction between philosophical and political belief.

Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has issued guidance and codes of practice covering philosophical belief. What is and is not a political belief as opposed to a philosophical belief is a question that is for individuals to consider and, if necessary, the courts to determine, if raised in the context of Equality Act 2010 protections.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people with citizenship of other countries can vote in UK elections; of which countries such people hold citizenship; which elections they are eligible to vote in; and whether these arrangements are reciprocal.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Electoral statistics are not available broken down by citizenship.

The franchise for UK Parliamentary elections, Northern Ireland Assembly elections, local government elections in England and Northern Ireland and Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales are reserved. This answer relates to reserved elections only.

Irish citizens resident in the UK can vote in all elections. These rights are reciprocal. Commonwealth citizens lawfully resident in the UK can vote in all elections. These rights are not generally reciprocal.

EU citizens resident in the UK before EU exit can in the main continue to vote in local elections. Post-Brexit migrants from some EU Member States (Poland, Luxembourg, Spain, Portugal and Denmark), with whom the Government has agreed reciprocal arrangements, can vote in local elections.

The franchise for devolved elections in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to lay an Official Statistics Order to include Great British Energy.

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

The Department does not expect to amend the Official Statistics Order 2023 to include Great British Energy (GBE), because GBE will be an operationally independent energy company and we do not anticipate it will produce the sorts of statistics expected of bodies included in the order.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of efficiency savings she plans to require of Government departments in each year of the Spending Review Phase 2 in order to meet her planned 5% savings over this Parliament; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels of efficiency savings announced in (a) her Department's policy paper entitled Fixing the foundations: public spending audit 2024-25, published on 29 July 2024 and (b) the Autumn Budget 2024 on her planned 5% efficiency savings over this Parliament.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

In developing their plans for the Spending Review departments will need to find 5% savings and efficiencies against their current budgets, to help drive out waste and ensure all funding is focused on the Government’s priorities.

The Government will set out its spending plans in the multi-year Spending Review in June 2025.

The Government uses the Government Efficiency Framework to distinguish between efficiencies and savings.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Whether his Department has issued guidance to staff in the (a) Cabinet Office, (b) Office for Equalities and Opportunities and (b) Civil Service People Group on holding in-house Christmas parties.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The position on parties and personal conduct has not changed since the previous administration.

The “Away days, staff days, and celebrations” policy covers any proprietary issues and the approvals required. Additionally, the standards of behaviour which all staff are expected to adhere to and their responsibilities both in and outside of the workplace are outlined in the Civil Service Code, and Cabinet Office “Personal conduct” and “Alcohol, drug misuse and smoking” policies. All internal policies are published on the Cabinet Office intranet and available to all staff.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff in his Department have undertaken two consecutive jobs without external competition since 3 July 2024.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The requested information is not centrally held, and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 December 2024 to Question 16510 on Public Sector: Procurement, if he will exempt SMEs from the new National Procurement Policy Statement’s requirements on (a) social value and (b) trade union recognition and access.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The government will publish a new National Procurement Policy Statement shortly. The Procurement Act, due to come into force in February 2025, requires contracting authorities to have regard to the particular barriers facing SMEs, and to consider what can be done to overcome them.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to ensure the availability of positive mental health initiatives including (a) on-site mental health resources, (b) training for employers in mental health first aid and (c) helplines for the construction industry.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Considerable investment has been made in improving mental health in the construction sector. Since 2018, the Construction Industry Training Board has supported 950 employers and invested over £1.5m in mental health projects, including training mental health first aiders, and providing awareness training and other resources.

The Construction Leadership Council is working in partnership with the Mates in Mind charity, the University of Warwick, and firms in the construction industry, to identify the underlying factors leading to poor mental health, and how to tackle these.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the increase in the number of veterans able to vote due to the introduction of the Veterans ID card as voter ID.

Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

All veterans eligible to vote already have the opportunity to do so. If they do not have one of the accepted forms of identification, they are able to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, free of charge, or they can choose to vote by post or by proxy.

The Veteran Card has been issued to approximately 250,000 former service personnel, and they will be able to use these as ID at the polling station from May 2025 onwards. We have no data on the number of those veterans who do not possess another form of accepted voter ID.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) national and (b) local inquiries have been carried out into rape grooming gangs.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

It is essential that we continue to learn from past failings on group-based Child Sexual Exploitation to improve and strengthen our ongoing response to grooming gangs offending.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), led by Professor Alexis Jay, was conducted over seven years and engaged with more than 7,000 victims and survivors. None of the 20 recommendations from the final report were implemented by the previous Government. IICSA also conducted a dedicated two-year investigation into abuse by organised networks and published a report in February 2022. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue (HMICFRS) published an inspection into the effectiveness of the police response to group-based Child Sexual Exploitation in December 2023. Local inquiries have also taken place in many local authority areas including Rotherham, Oldham, Rochdale, Bradford and Telford.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 19414 on Non-departmental Public Bodies, how many non-departmental public bodies the Government plans to (a) open and (b) close.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As said in my previous answer of 8 January 2025, Cabinet Office maintains records and oversight of formally established Arm’s Length Bodies, including NDPBs. Individual departments are responsible for any proposals to open or close NDPBs.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any internship programmes at (a) MI5, (b) M16 and (c) GCHQ were open to people from white British backgrounds.

Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Yes. In recent years, UKIC has run a number of internships and placement schemes. They are designed to provide insight about what it is like to work in UKIC to individuals who have particular skills and expertise, want to work in a particular area and/or are from demographics and backgrounds under-represented across Government.

Any internship participant wishing to subsequently apply for employment with UKIC or the Civil Service is required to take part in a fair and open competition, in the normal way, with selection based on merit.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to discuss the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in negotiations on changes to the EU-UK relationship.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

There has been no change in the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice rulings in relation to the UK. We are also clear that we will not be re-joining the Single Market, the Customs Union or Freedom of Movement.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the (a) cost and (b) incidence of cousin marriage.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government has not carried out an assessment of health costs resulting from cousin marriage. The Department also does not hold data on the incidence of cousin marriage.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of (a) 6 January 2025 to Question 21057 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Unpaid Work and (b) 20 November 2024 to Question 14502 on Gender: Equality, whether guidance is provided to Government departments on the potential situations in which it would be permissible for access to internship schemes to be restricted to people from non-white backgrounds.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Individual departments are responsible for recruitment decisions and they are required to meet all obligations of relevant legislation, including the Equality Act 2010. If a department wants to restrict an internship programme to a specific group or groups, it would be expected to ensure on a case by case basis that it complies with the relevant legislation. As a result, as was the case under the previous administration, no central guidance is provided on this matter.

Found: , Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) Tracy Gilbert (Labour, Edinburgh North and Leith) Mr Richard Holden

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to lay an Official Statistics Order to include Great British Energy.

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

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to the hon Member for Basildon and Billericay (Richard Holden) to Question UIN 21394.

Found: Presented by Mr Richard Holden supported by Robert Jenrick, Dan Carden, Claire Coutinho, David Smith