Andrew Snowden

The EHRC has revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following the consultation and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities.

The Code will provide guidance to duty bearers, including single-sex service providers, which would cover charities and volunteer-led organisations, on how to comply with their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

The Government is considering the updated draft Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Code will be laid before Parliament for a 40 day period.

The tabling of questions is driven by demand from Members and it is therefore difficult to predict peak periods of activity. The Chamber and Participation Team keeps under review appropriate staffing levels for the procedural offices, taking account of Member demand and the fact that the House Administration is undertaking a Savings and Improvement Programme.

There are currently no plans to review staffing levels for the Table Office. The Chamber and Participation Team keeps under review appropriate staffing levels for the procedural offices, taking account of Member demand but mindful of the fact that the House Administration is undertaking a Savings and Improvement Programme.

The Women’s Business Council was established to advise the government on maximising women’s contribution to economic growth. The Council’s members are senior business people and entrepreneurs who are leaders on gender equality in the workplace.

This Government is committed to strong regional membership - which can drive opportunities for growth right across the country. Current members are based in the north west, south west and the south east and we will continue to look for inspirational leaders from across the UK as the Council’s work progresses.

All factual matters material to a criminal sentence must be admitted by the offender or proven in a court to the criminal standard using admissible evidence. By definition, the recording of a previous incident as “non-crime” is unlikely to meet that standard.

The Code for Crown Prosecutors sets out the general principles a prosecutor must apply when making a decision as to whether there is sufficient evidence, and whether it is in the public interest, to authorise criminal charges against a suspect. The Crown Prosecution Service has published guidance on bail, the focus of which is on ensuring that the Court is provided with the relevant information to enable it to come to a proper decision as to whether or not to grant bail, with or without conditions. This will be fact specific to the circumstances of the alleged offence and the defendant. The administrative police recording of an earlier incident or allegation, which has previously been determined not to have been a crime, is unlikely to have any relevance to the question of bail.

All factual matters material to a criminal sentence must be admitted by the offender or proven in a court to the criminal standard using admissible evidence. By definition, the recording of a previous incident as “non-crime” is unlikely to meet that standard.

The Code for Crown Prosecutors sets out the general principles a prosecutor must apply when making a decision as to whether there is sufficient evidence, and whether it is in the public interest, to authorise criminal charges against a suspect. The Crown Prosecution Service has published guidance on bail, the focus of which is on ensuring that the Court is provided with the relevant information to enable it to come to a proper decision as to whether or not to grant bail, with or without conditions. This will be fact specific to the circumstances of the alleged offence and the defendant. The administrative police recording of an earlier incident or allegation, which has previously been determined not to have been a crime, is unlikely to have any relevance to the question of bail.

In the year to December 2024 the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised the charging of a total of 11,777 suspects in hate crime flagged cases with 87.4% of legal decisions resulting in a suspect being charged.

The below table provides a breakdown of the monthly charge volumes and rate for 2024.

Over the same period the CPS has prosecuted 14,657 defendants of which 12,614 were convicted, giving a conviction rate of 86.1% for the 2024 calendar year.

The below table provides a breakdown of the monthly completed prosecutions and convictions for 2024.

The volume of prosecution outcomes for a period differs from the volume of pre charge decisions for the same period. Where the pre charge decision is to bring charges many cases will only reach a conclusion in a later period. This will vary according to the outcome type: for example, the legal process is longer where a case is contested or sent to the Crown Court and tried by jury.

Further information can be found in quarterly data published on the CPS website: CPS quarterly data summaries | The Crown Prosecution Service.

Enforcement of drug driving legislation and how available resources are deployed is an operational matter for individual Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners to determine in conjunction with local crime and policing plans, taking into account the specific local problems and demands with which they are faced.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutes cases that are referred to it by the police.

The Government has announced more than half a billion pounds of additional central government funding for policing next year to support the Government’s Safer Streets Mission.

Section 5A of the Road Traffic Act 1988, introduced in 2015, aligned enforcement of drug driving with that of drink driving by introducing a strict liability offence to avoid the need to prove impairment. CPS management information shows that in the financial year 2023/2024, 25,559 offences were charged under this section which proceeded to a first hearing in the magistrates’ courts.

To ensure transparency of decision-making, results of the Public Interest Test will be published centrally.

The Government is working tirelessly to improve the cyber resilience of our most critical services and systems, including the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure. The Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill will update the existing Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018 to tackle the evolving cyber threats we face. It will protect more essential and digital services from cyber attacks, enable cyber regulators to be more effective, and provide the Government with the flexibility to respond to new threats in the cyber landscape. The Bill has completed its passage through the House of Commons and will move to Second Reading in the House of Lords when parliamentary time allows.

The Test, Learn and Grow Regional Capability Fund is intended to build capability on test and learn and public sector innovation across the country. It will first be available to existing TLG partners, eight Mayoral Strategic Authorities and two local authorities (where there is no MSA).

The running of the Digital ID Advisory Group will be supported by the Cabinet Office’s existing Digital ID Task Force. The Group is not a decision-making body and minutes will not be published.

The running of the Digital ID Advisory Group will be supported by the Cabinet Office’s existing Digital ID Task Force. The Group is not a decision-making body and minutes will not be published.

The running of the Digital ID Advisory Group will be supported by the Cabinet Office’s existing Digital ID Task Force. The Group is not a decision-making body and minutes will not be published.

The Government publishes data on responses to correspondence from Members of Parliament and Peers against the 20 working day target annually, available here. This data is broken down by department.

Ministerial travel is carefully considered to ensure both efficiency and the interests of the taxpayer are prioritised.

It is a matter for individual departments to determine their respective guidance, operational arrangements, terms and conditions, and flexible working frameworks to manage staff attendance and participation at Pride events. Guidance from the Cabinet Office Staff Network policy on activity undertaken as a member of a Staff Network states that these activities should generally happen in an individual's own time.

This Government celebrates pride month in June and proudly stands with the LGBTQ+ community year round, as we seek to build a fairer country where all can live freely, safely and with dignity.

The Cabinet Office does not hold information on spending on Pride by government departments on participation in 2026.

External expenditure information held by the Cabinet Office relating to the financial year 2024/2025 has been published under EDI Expenditure Guidance rules and is available on GOV.UK.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 2nd June is attached.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 2nd June is attached.

No. The government encourages the highest standards of animal welfare at slaughter, and we respect the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.

The National Procurement Policy Statement underscores the government’s commitment to increasing procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practices, including sourcing products raised to high UK welfare standards.

No. I refer the Hon Member to the exchange of letters between the Prime Minister and the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, published on gov.uk

The Prime Minister has made clear public service is a privilege and is committed to restoring trust in government by ensuring ministers are held to the highest standards.

On taking office, the Prime Minister published a new, strengthened, Ministerial Code which sets out the standards expected of all government ministers. It includes a full articulation of the Seven Principles of Public Life, bringing the importance of public service to the front and fore of the Code.

This commitment was further demonstrated in October last year when the Prime Minister updated the Ministerial Code. This update implemented reforms in relation to ministerial severance payments and changes to the operation of the Business Appointment Rules.

Last October the Government also established the Ethics and Integrity Commission. This authoritative body and its new mandate will drive up ethical standards across the public sector and take a leading role in helping put ethics and integrity at the heart of every public sector organisation.

I refer the Hon Member to the Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments which sets out the process for making DMAs, available on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/direct-ministerial-appointments

I refer the Hon Member to the press releases published on gov.uk, outlining the roles.

Details of ministerial severance payments are published in the relevant department’s annual report and accounts.

Data on the number of officials in the Cabinet Office is published monthly at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-workforce-management-data-2023-to-2024. Business Unit level data including for Business Units in Number 10 Downing Street is published quarterly at https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/ff76be1f-4f37-4bef-beb7-32b259413be1/organogram-cabinet-office. We do not routinely comment on individual HR matters.

A response has been issued here.

This government takes identity theft, and the harm it can cause victims, seriously.

It is the responsibility of individual departments as to how they coordinate their policy and operational approaches in relation to identity theft involving government digital services.

The Public Sector Fraud Authority’s (PSFA) remit is to work with departments and public bodies to understand, prevent and reduce the impact of fraud. This is achieved by supporting public bodies to have the basics in place, build counter fraud capability and embed financial targets.

The savings from the three central London office closures relate to the annual property running costs. They have not been adjusted for any one-off transition, refit, or redundancy costs.

It is a longstanding policy not to comment on individuals. The Model Contract for Special Advisers is published online and details the specific circumstances in which payments can be made to special advisers upon termination of employment.

Development of the policy underpinning the national digital credential is ongoing.

We are inviting the public to have their say, including business stakeholders, in the upcoming consultation as we develop a safe, secure, and inclusive system for the UK.