Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps the Commission is taking to ensure women have access to safe spaces when visiting Parliament.
Answered by Nick Smith
Everyone is welcome at UK Parliament and should feel safe being here. We strive to be an organisation which treats all our visitors with respect.
All visitors are reminded of the Parliamentary Behaviour Code, which applies to everyone who visits and works in Parliament. The Behaviour Code requires users of the Estate to treat each other with respect. Visitors who behave in ways that constitute intimidation, bullying or harassment may be asked to leave the Estate.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Unless undertaking work in an official capacity, the department only permits overseas working in limited circumstances and for short periods of time. The department’s international remote working policy considers any country outside of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as overseas including all British Overseas Territories.
In line with Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office guidance, the department has currently granted temporary permission to 24 staff to work outside the UK in the following countries: Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Morocco, Spain, South Africa, and Turkey.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Cabinet Office staff may apply for permission to temporarily work remotely overseas in exceptional circumstances. Examples of this might include when accompanying a Civil Service or Armed Forces partner on an official posting.
There are <5 staff registered on payroll whose permanent working location is abroad. On security and data protection grounds, we are not able to share their location/s.
Separately, there is also a process for staff to request to take their IT overseas with them while on leave, for example if they believe they may need to be contacted during that time.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As at 2 July 2025, 10 DESNZ employees, who are all UK-based, have exceptionally been given permission to work remotely outside of the UK for a limited period. The countries are Thailand, Botswana, Barbados, India, Slovenia, United States of America, France, Belgium and Ireland. Permission is granted for various reasons, including to accompany a partner posted overseas on official government business.
International remote working is separate from and does not include employees who are conducting official business abroad. DESNZ’s international remote working policy allows staff to make an application to work remotely overseas for a short period of time for a number of limited reasons. Approval of such a request is subject to the employee having the legal right to work in the country and the necessary security and other clearances.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has a clear policy on International Remote Working (IRW), which is only permitted in very limited circumstances, either on compassionate grounds for up to four weeks where an employee has a seriously ill relative abroad, or to enable an employee to accompany their spouse/partner on a Diplomatic or other Government posting abroad. No other IRW is permitted.
Since January 2025 9 employees have been allowed a period of remote working on compassionate grounds. We also have 11 employees currently working remotely while they accompany their spouse/partner on an international posting.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As at 2 July 2025, 7 DSIT employees, who are all UK-based, have exceptionally been given permission to work remotely outside of the UK for a limited period. The countries are: Ghana, United States of America, Italy, Belgium, Sweden and Germany. Permission was granted for various reasons, including to accompany a partner posted overseas on official government business.
International remote working is separate from and does not include employees who are conducting official business abroad. DSIT’s international remote working policy allows staff to make an application to work remotely overseas for a short period of time for a number of limited reasons. Approval of such a request is subject to the employee having the legal right to work in the country and the necessary security and other clearances.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on (a) social media promotions, (b) influencer marketing and (c) online advertising in the last 12 months.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Commercial sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend, which could prejudice commercial interests. All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Office does not have any employees working remotely from outside the UK. All staff are based within the UK.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, how many staff in her Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) does not have any staff working permanently outside the UK.