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

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 19 March (HL5463), how many people the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs employs on zero-hour contracts.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This department does not offer any zero-hour contracts. The number of staff in the department on zero-hour contracts is 0.

Zero hours contracts are not the normal practice or a recommended approach within the Civil Service. Departments may use them in very limited circumstances to help meet exceptional or fluctuating demands on the business.

The flexibility offered by zero hours contracts can benefit both workers and employers, but without proper safeguards this flexibility can become one-sided, with workers bearing all the financial risk. The Government’s Employment Rights Bill will end exploitative zero hours contracts, ensuring that all jobs provide a baseline of security and predictability so workers can better plan their lives and finances.

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

To ask His Majesty's Government when the Thames Path at Vauxhall Cross will reopen.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Thames Path has been diverted at this location to facilitate construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. During this time pedestrians are required to use the footpath along the main road rather than the riverside route between Vauxhall Bridge and Tintagel House. Two new areas of public access are being created at this site that connect the capital's residents and visitors with the river more closely than is currently possible.

Following the completion of the works in mid-2025 the Thames Path that runs through the middle of the site will be reinstated and the two new areas will be opened.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether minutes of Advisory Military Sub-Committee meetings are kept.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I can confirm that minutes of Advisory Military Sub-Committee meetings are kept.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government on which dates since 2016 the Advisory Military Sub Committee has met.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Advisory Military Sub-Committee (AMSC) is a sub-committee of the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (the “HD Committee”) which provides advice to The Sovereign on honours and medals. Following the independent review of medallic recognition by Sir John Holmes in 2012, the AMSC met later in 2012 and 2013. It was then reconstituted in 2019 and has since met on the following dates:

• 1 May 2019
• 3 September 2019
• 15 November 2019
• 4 February 2020
• 29 January 2021
• 26 April 2021
• 23 June 2021
• 29 September 2021
• 26 August 2022
• 1 June 2023
• 28 March 2025

Further information about the work of the AMSC, including Terms of Reference and a summary of past recommendations can be found at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advisory-military-sub-committee

Question

To ask the Leader of the House when she expects a Written Answer to be given to the question asked by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton on 26 March (HL6184).

Answered by Baroness Smith of Basildon - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

The question was answered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 6 May 2025. I apologise for the delay.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on the 9 April (HL6179), how many non-civil servants are employed by the Cabinet Office on zero-hours contracts as at 1 April.

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

Non-Civil Servants are not employed by the Cabinet Office. Where non-Civil Servants are required, they are engaged via routes other than employment contracts such as contracts for Contingent Labour via a third-party agency. While the Cabinet Office also makes a number of public appointments and direct ministerial appointments, the individuals appointed to such roles are public office holders and not employees.

Cabinet Office has 423 Contingent Labour workers on zero hour contracts as at 28 April 2025 via the contract Cabinet Office has with Alexander Mann Solutions Ltd.

The Cabinet Office uses zero hours contracts to selectively manage temporary demand. To end exploitative zero hours contracts, under the government’s plans to Make Work Pay legislation will be brought in to give workers on zero hours contracts and workers with a ‘low’ number of guaranteed hours, who regularly work more than these hours, the ability to move to guaranteed hours contracts which reflect the hours they regularly work over a 12-week reference period.

Found: LORD COAKER MINISTER FOR THE HOUSE OF LORDS The Rt Hon. the Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton