Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with stakeholders on (a) the Eden Portland project and (b) its potential contribution to (i) biodiversity education, (ii) scientific learning and (iii) tourism.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department welcomes the ambition of the Eden Project Portland and its stated aims to contribute to tourism, biodiversity education, and scientific learning on the Jurassic Coast.
In relation to departmental support, officials discussed the project with representatives of the Eden Portland Project on 22 April 2025. It was explained that while primary responsibility for considering central Government funding for a project of this nature rests with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, my department would be happy to engage with them to express our support for the project’s significant cultural, heritage, and tourism contributions.
I remain focussed on creating the conditions for the visitor economy to thrive. My department is working closely with the sector to draft a Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, which we anticipate publishing later this year. We encourage projects like Eden Portland to engage with their Local Visitor Economy Partnership, in this case the Visit Dorset Business Support Hub, to ensure they are aligned with and can benefit from this important work.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had discussions with the Eden Project on support for Eden Portland.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department welcomes the ambition of the Eden Project Portland and its stated aims to contribute to tourism, biodiversity education, and scientific learning on the Jurassic Coast.
In relation to departmental support, officials discussed the project with representatives of the Eden Portland Project on 22 April 2025. It was explained that while primary responsibility for considering central Government funding for a project of this nature rests with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, my department would be happy to engage with them to express our support for the project’s significant cultural, heritage, and tourism contributions.
I remain focussed on creating the conditions for the visitor economy to thrive. My department is working closely with the sector to draft a Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, which we anticipate publishing later this year. We encourage projects like Eden Portland to engage with their Local Visitor Economy Partnership, in this case the Visit Dorset Business Support Hub, to ensure they are aligned with and can benefit from this important work.
Asked by: Steve Barclay (Conservative - North East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on how many days she has worked from her Department's office in Wolverhampton since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Deputy Prime Minister and ministerial team work from a number of locations and offices across the country. The Deputy Prime Minister does not regularly work from the Wolverhampton office or Darlington Campus.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities's report entitled The impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission: executive summary, published on 16 June 2022.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The park homes sector is an important part of the housing market.
The government recognises that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home.
We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question
To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answers of 23 January 2025, to Questions 25270 and 25269, on Candidates: Expenditure, whether the Electoral Committee has had discussions with (a) the Cabinet Office and (b) the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the issue of (i) notional invoices and (ii) declarations of value of notional spending.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
The Commission is not currently discussing notional spending laws with either the Cabinet Office of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
In recent years, the Commission has discussed notional spending with the Cabinet Office and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when the UK Government introduced changes to the notional expenditure regime in the Elections Act 2022.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 2 February 2024 to Question 11521 on Government Departments: Sick Leave, if he will make an estimate of the number of staff days lost to long term sick absences in each Department in 2023.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The table below provides the estimates requested, number of long term sick days lost per department, along with our preferred measure, Average Working Days Lost (AWDL) per staff year which accounts for workforce size and composition. Data is provided for the main Ministerial Departments consistent with the answer of 2 February 2024 to Question 11521.
Long term sickness absence by Main Department, days lost and average working days lost per staff year, 2023
| 2023 (year ending 31 Mar 2023) | |
Department | Long Term Sick Days Lost | Average Working Days Lost |
Cabinet Office | 24,260 | 2.3 |
Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities | 8,360 | 2.0 |
Department Culture Media and Sport | 3,370 | 1.4 |
Department for Environment | 25,560 | 2.1 |
Department for Education | 19,790 | 2.5 |
Department for Transport | 75,190 | 4.8 |
Department for Health and Social Care | 34,180 | 3.3 |
Department for Work and Pensions | 367,360 | 4.7 |
HM Customers and Revenue | 305,190 | 4.5 |
HM Treasury | 4,230 | 1.5 |
Home Office | 139,980 | 3.8 |
Ministry of Defence | 173,050 | 3.2 |
Ministry of Justice | 580,740 | 6.9 |
Scottish Government | 151,000 | 5.8 |
Welsh Government | 21,560 | 3.9 |
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 72 of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities annual report and accounts 2022-23, what is the Cash Equivalent Transfer Value of the civil service pension of the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The Cabinet Office, like other government departments, publishes the Cash Equivalent Transfer Value of civil service pensions of civil servants on its Board in its Annual Report and Accounts. This does not include other civil servants, including special advisers.
Asked by: Kemi Badenoch (Conservative - North West Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to update the guidance note published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, entitled Permitted development rights for householders: technical guidance, updated on 10 September 2019.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government will continue to keep the ‘Permitted development rights for householders: technical guidance’ under review.
Asked by: Lord Udny-Lister (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the most recent headquarters occupancy data for each Government department across each week in the last month for which figures are available.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The latest headquarters occupancy data for each Government department is available publicly on gov.uk, and is set out below. The publication of this data was suspended in line with pre-election guidance for the duration of the Pre-Election Period.
Departmental HQ | Building | w/c 6th May | w/c 13th May | w/c 20th May |
Cabinet Office | 70 Whitehall | 85% | 93% | 90% |
Department for Business and Trade | Old Admiralty Building | 76% | 84% | 78% |
Department for Culture, Media and Sport | 100 Parliament Street | 61% | 63% | 66% |
Department for Education | Sanctuary Buildings | 69% | 78% | 80% |
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | 3-8 Whitehall Place/55 Whitehall | 82% | 100% | 100% |
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 2 Marsham Street | 58% | 82% | 81% |
Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities | 2 Marsham Street | 71% | 78% | 73% |
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | 1 Victoria Street | no data | no data | no data |
Department for Transport | Great Minster House | 85% | 89% | 82% |
Department for Work and Pensions | Caxton House | 58% | 69% | 66% |
Department of Health and Social Care | 39 Victoria Street | 68% | 67% | 72% |
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | King Charles Street | 67% | 74% | 71% |
HM Revenue and Customs | 100 Parliament Street | 53% | 66% | 60% |
HM Treasury | 1 Horse Guards | 63% | 66% | 63% |
Home Office | 2 Marsham Street | 78% | 88% | 86% |
Ministry of Defence | MOD Main Building | 81% | 91% | 87% |
Ministry of Justice | 102 Petty France | 66% | 85% | 78% |
Northern Ireland Office | 1 HG/Erskine House | 66% | 71% | 69% |
Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland | Dover House | 53% | 81% | 71% |
Office of the Secretary of State for Wales | Gwydyr House | 53% | 56% | 66% |
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Newcastle (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase investment in children’s services and provide updated funding formulae to (1) direct resources according to deprivation-based need, and (2) account for changing levels of deprivation.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The government is aware the costs of delivering children’s social care are rising, which is why the department has already taken action and announced a series of additional measures:
This additional funding illustrates our commitment to support councils in continuing to deliver high-quality services to vulnerable children and families.
But the department knows that rising costs are unsustainable and that whole system reform is needed. It is more important than ever that the department continues with the plans to improve and stabilise the children’s social care system. The department's ambitious strategy, set out in ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’ will bring about fundamental reform, rebalancing local authority spending from costly acute services to effective earlier intervention, thereby improving outcomes for children and families. More information can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/642460653d885d000fdade73/Children_s_social_care_stable_homes_consultation_February_2023.pdf.
When ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’ was published, the department announced an additional £200 million funding for implementation. However, this is only part of the wider picture of spending on children’s social care reform. In total, across the department's programmes, almost £700 million has been committed to start delivering the reforms.
In ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’, the department committed to work with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to update, publish and consult on a new funding distribution formula. Departmental officials are working in partnership towards implementing an updated approach to distributing available funding for children and young people’s services, based on an up-to-date assessment of relative need in local authorities.
Whilst the government is not able to implement funding reform in this spending period, the department remain committed to updating the funding formula for children’s services to better direct resources to where they are most needed, and work will continue across government to that end.