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Written Question
Office of the Parliamentary Counsel: Staff
Wednesday 15th October 2025

Asked by: Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many people were employed by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in total in (1) 2015, and (2) 2025; and how many of those people were employed as (a) counsel, and (b) support staff, in each of those years.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The number of staff broken down by grade in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel is provided in the table below for both 2015 and 2025.

Grade

2015 Headcount

2025 Headcount

Permanent Secretary

1

1

Parliamentary Counsel Grades

44

46

Delegated Civil Servant Grades

13

7

Division Vote (Lords)
14 Oct 2025 - Renters’ Rights Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (XB) voted Aye and against the House
One of 36 Crossbench Aye votes vs 8 Crossbench No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 204 Noes - 215
Division Vote (Lords)
14 Oct 2025 - Business of the House - View Vote Context
Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (XB) voted Aye and against the House
One of 10 Crossbench Aye votes vs 47 Crossbench No votes
Vote Tally: Ayes - 211 Noes - 261
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 18 Sep 2025
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

"My Lords, I would like to add one very specific but pertinent comment to the debate at this point. Obviously, we are not going redesign the whole of apprenticeships here on the Floor of the House, but I strongly support the emphasis that the noble Lord, Lord Layard, has placed …..."
Baroness Wolf of Dulwich - View Speech

View all Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 10 Sep 2025
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

"I apologise, that was my fault. I rise at the end of a very interesting group and look forward to the summing-up. One amendment has rather disappeared in the context of these important issues, but I strongly support it—Amendment 432B, tabled by the noble Baroness, Lady Barran. Until she tabled …..."
Baroness Wolf of Dulwich - View Speech

View all Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 10 Sep 2025
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

"I thank the Minister very sincerely for the clarification on 16 to 19 academies, which I had so dismally failed to obtain. It would be extremely helpful if she could write to noble Lords and generally cascade the information about current flexibilities and the position of the Government on their …..."
Baroness Wolf of Dulwich - View Speech

View all Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 10 Sep 2025
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

"..."
Baroness Wolf of Dulwich - View Speech

View all Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 10 Sep 2025
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill

"My Lords, I will speak to Amendment 436A. I declare an interest as a governor of King’s College London Mathematics School.

Clause 46 is intended to have important consequences for the staffing of schools. As it stands, it certainly will, but I am not sure that they will be the …..."
Baroness Wolf of Dulwich - View Speech

View all Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill
Written Question
Teachers: Qualifications
Thursday 28th August 2025

Asked by: Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern (HL8283), what assessment they have made of whether clause 46 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which refers to school teachers' qualifications and induction, applies to 16–19 academies.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Qualified teacher status (QTS) has never been a requirement for further education (FE) settings. QTS is the professional qualification for teachers in primary and secondary schools, therefore the requirement established through clause 46 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will apply to primary and secondary state funded schools in England, with some limited exemptions set out in regulations.

High quality teacher training qualifications are available that are specifically targeted to those wishing to teach in FE settings.

The government has liaised extensively with stakeholders from a range of settings to ensure that the exemptions to the requirement for QTS set out in regulations will continue to provide them with the flexibility to employ individuals with the specialist skills and experience to support the needs of their pupils.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 23 Jul 2025
Employment Rights Bill

"My Lords, I will speak to Amendments 181 and 182 in my name and those of the noble Lords, Lord Aberdare and Lord Knight, and the noble Baroness, Lady Garden. I thank my fellow sponsors, and the noble Lord, Lord Londesborough, for so ably standing in for me in Committee.

…..."
Baroness Wolf of Dulwich - View Speech

View all Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (XB - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Employment Rights Bill