Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate his Department has made of the annual budget for the Certification Officer for the financial year starting on 1 April 2022.

The Certification Office cost: £883,370 in the year commencing 1 April 2017; £1,103,037 in the year commencing 1 April 2018; £1,097,132 in the year commencing 1 April 2019; and £1,079,812 in the year commencing 1 April 2020.

The Certification Office budget for the year commencing 1 April 2021 has not yet formally been allocated. The Certification Office anticipates that the total cost of the office will be approximately £1,100,000.

The Government’s latest estimate is that the office will cost approximately £1,150,000 in the year commencing 1 April 2022. This figure includes an adjustment to account for the costs associated with implementing the additional powers granted to the Certification Officer by the Trade Union Act 2016, which are due to come into force from April 2022.