Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many charges have brought by the Environment Agency with regards to their national criminal investigation into water and sewerage service companies launched on 18 November 2021.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There have been six charges involving two defendant water companies. This includes one conviction and two related acquittals for one defendant, Anglian Water Services Ltd. The other defendant has three charges pending.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many miles of the King Charles III England Coast Path are now fully open to the public.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A total of 2,065 miles of the King Charles III England Coast Path is now open to the public, out of the 2,689 miles submitted to Government. A further 556 miles are currently in the establishment phase, with 78 miles awaiting Government decision.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many presenting officers they employ in the Department for Work and Pensions.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions employs a total of 177.6 (FTE) Presenting Officers.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many and what percentage of the new style Employment and Support Allowance applications were for the primary condition of poor mental health in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Initial ESA Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) by date of decision:
| January 2023 - December 2023 | January 2024 - December 2024 | January 2025 - September 2025 | |||
| Volume | Percentage | Volume | Percentage | Volume | Percentage |
ESA WCAs with main disabling condition 'mental and behavioural disorders' | 19,260 | 23% | 18,210 | 24% | 11,040 | 23% |
ESA WCAs with main disabling condition other than 'mental and behavioural disorders' | 63,350 | 77% | 57,850 | 76% | 37,320 | 77% |
Total | 82,610 | 100% | 76,060 | 100% | 48,360 | 100% |
* Data is taken from Stat-Xplore. Volumes have been rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding and the disclosure control applied.
* The latest available data is for September 2025. Therefore, the 2025 volumes do not cover the entire year and are not comparable to the 2023 or 2024 volumes.
* New Style ESA applications and Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) are distinct processes, and condition is centrally collated only once a WCA has been completed. Not all applications proceed to a WCA, and the primary health condition as per the International Classification of Diseases (2010) classification (ICD10) used in official statistics is captured at the WCA stage rather than on the application form. As a result, the only robust data source for health condition is WCA data. The figures include WCAs for means-tested ESA as well as new style, contributory ESA, but the great majority will be for new style ESA
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of cases have presenting officers from the Department for Work and Pensions been involved in regarding (1) first tier tribunals, and (2) upper tier tribunals, in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
To provide information on the percentage of first tier tribunal hearings across all DWP administered benefits would incur disproportionate costs.
The Department does not send Presenting Officers to Upper Tribunal hearings.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, of the new style Employment and Support Allowance applications granted in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025, how many were in the support group for (a) poor mental health as the primary condition, and (b) for any other reason.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Initial Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) by date of decision and group allocation being Support Group (SG):
ICD10 Medical Condition | Jan 2023 - Dec 2023 | Jan 2024 – Dec 2024 | Jan 2025 - Sept 2025* | |||
| Volume | Percentage | Volume | Percentage | Volume | Percentage |
Mental and Behavioural Disorders (F00 - F99) | 11,520 | 21% | 11,710 | 23% | 7,060 | 21% |
All Other ICD10 Medical Conditions | 42,460 | 79% | 39,850 | 77% | 26,390 | 79% |
Total | 53,980 | 100% | 51,560 | 100% | 33,450 | 100% |
* Data is taken from Stat-Xplore. Volumes have been rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding and the disclosure control applied.
* New Style ESA ‘applications’ and Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) are distinct processes, and SG assignment is determined only once a WCA has been completed. Not all applications proceed to a WCA, and the primary health condition as per the International Classification of Diseases (2010) classification (ICD10) used in official statistics is captured at the WCA rather than on the application form. As a result, the only robust data source for SG outcomes by primary health condition is WCA data.
* The latest available data is for September 2025. Therefore, the 2025 volumes do not cover the entire year and are not comparable to the 2023 or 2024 volumes.
* ESA Group Allocation refers to the result of the WCA decision that been adjusted for appeal outcome. The outcome recorded is the final DWP Decision Maker's decision or appeal tribunal's decision or the recommendation made by the Healthcare Professional where the Decision Maker's decision is not yet available.
* ICD Group refers to the World Health Organisations' International Classification of Diseases (2010) Condition Groups. In DWP statistics, these are sometimes referred to as medical conditions. For reporting purposes, the conditions as recorded on the Employment Support Allowance Benefit system have been mapped to reflect as closely as possible the appropriate ICD10 code. Conditions are based on evidence provided at the start of the claim, this in itself does not confer entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance and may not represent a claimant's most recent medical condition. Where someone has more than one diagnosis or disabling condition, only the predominant one is reported on in these statistics.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, of the new style Employment and Support Allowance applications granted in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025, how many were in the work-related group for (a) poor mental health as the primary condition, and (b) for any other reason.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Initial Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) by date of decision and group allocation being Work-Related Activity Group (WRAG):
ICD10 Medical Condition | Jan 2023 - Dec 2023 | Jan 2024 – Dec 2024 | Jan 2025 - Sept 2025* | |||
| Volume | Percentage | Volume | Percentage | Volume | Percentage |
Mental and Behavioural Disorders (F00 - F99) | 5,070 | 42% | 4,540 | 40% | 2,420 | 41% |
All Other ICD10 Medical Conditions | 6,980 | 58% | 6,860 | 60% | 3,500 | 59% |
Total | 12,050 | 100% | 11,400 | 100% | 5,920 | 100% |
* Data is taken from Stat-Xplore. Volumes have been rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding and the disclosure control applied.
* New Style ESA ‘applications’ and Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) are distinct processes, and WRAG assignment is determined only once a WCA has been completed. Not all applications proceed to a WCA, and the primary health condition as per the International Classification of Diseases (2010) classification (ICD10) used in official statistics is captured at the WCA rather than on the application form. As a result, the only robust data source for WRAG outcomes by health condition is WCA data.
* The latest available data is for September 2025. Therefore, the 2025 volumes do not cover the entire year and are not comparable to the 2023 or 2024 volumes.
* ESA Group Allocation refers to the result of the WCA decision that been adjusted for appeal outcome. The outcome recorded is the final DWP Decision Maker's decision or appeal tribunal's decision or the recommendation made by the Healthcare Professional where the Decision Maker's decision is not yet available.
* ICD Group refers to the World Health Organisations' International Classification of Diseases (2010) Condition Groups. In DWP statistics, these are sometimes referred to as medical conditions. For reporting purposes, the conditions as recorded on the Employment Support Allowance Benefit system have been mapped to reflect as closely as possible the appropriate ICD10 code. Conditions are based on evidence provided at the start of the claim, this in itself does not confer entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance and may not represent a claimant's most recent medical condition. Where someone has more than one diagnosis or disabling condition, only the predominant one is reported on in these statistics.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, what was the average length of time the Employment and Support Allowances were held for in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025 for those placed (a) in the support group, and (b) in the work-related group.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The median duration for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants in both (a) the support group and (b) the work-related activity group was over 5 years in all three years.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many and what percentage of new style Employment and Support Allowance applications were successful in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Initial Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) by date of decision and ESA group allocation:
WCA Outcome | Jan 2023 - Dec 2023 | Jan 2024 – Dec 2024 | Jan 2025 - Sept 2025* | |||
| Volume | Percentage | Volume | Percentage | Volume | Percentage |
Support Group or WRAG | 66,030 | 80% | 62,950 | 83% | 39,360 | 81% |
Fit for Work | 16,570 | 20% | 13,100 | 17% | 9,010 | 19% |
Total | 82,600 | 100% | 76,060 | 100% | 48,380 | 100% |
* Data is taken from Stat-Xplore. Volumes have been rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding and the disclosure control applied.
* The latest available data is for September 2025. Therefore, the 2025 volumes do not cover the entire year and are not comparable to the 2023 or 2024 volumes.
* New Style ESA applications and Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) are distinct processes, and successful outcomes are centrally collated only once a WCA has been completed. Not all applications proceed to a WCA. The only robust data source for successful outcomes is WCA data.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how often UK employer sponsors are reassessed for their suitability to assign certificates of sponsorship for a skilled worker visa.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
On each occasion a sponsor wishes to recruit a skilled worker and bring them to the UK from overseas, they must apply for a defined certificate of sponsorship. Every request is assessed against specific criteria, including ensuring the role is genuine and that appropriate salary levels will be paid.
Where a sponsor wishes to employ a skilled worker that is already working or studying legally in the UK, they require an undefined certificate of sponsorship. Some trusted sponsors receive an automated annual allocation of undefined certificates of sponsorship. Trusted sponsors are those that have robust HR systems and a positive track record of compliance with our policies and procedures. This is kept under constant review
However, any requests from those without an automated allocation or for additional certificates, requested in-year, are assessed in line with the process set out above
At each touch point a sponsor makes with the Immigration System, including the application for Certificates of Sponsorship, their suitability is assessed and if concerns are identified they are fully investigated. This has led to record numbers of revocations of Sponsor Licences during the tenure of this Government.