Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will place in the Library a copy of Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s declaration of political activity.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales

Under the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies, no declaration of political activity is required for Direct Ministerial Appointments.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any of his Department’s Arm’s Length Bodies (a) affiliate or (b) subscribe to Stonewall and its services.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales

The only arm’s length body with a subscription to Stonewall is NHS Blood and Transplant.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will list the names of the organisations that have (a) had departmental Civil Servants seconded to them since July 2024, and (b) seconded organisational staff to the department.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales

The organisations that have had departmental civil servants seconded to them since July 2024 are:

• Association of British Health Ind;
• Greater London Authority;
• National Wealth Fund;
• NHS England;
• Royal Borough of Windsor;
• Royal London Hospital;
• Wellcome Trust; and
• Westminster City Council.

The organisations that have seconded staff into the Department since July 2024 are:

• Bangor University;
• Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust;
• Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust;
• Christie NHS Foundation Trust;
• Centre for Mental Health;
• College of Policing;
• Department for Transport;
• Edge Health;
• Foundation for Liver Research;
• Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust;
• Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust;
• Health Education North East;
• Health Services Safety Investigations Body;
• House of Commons;
• Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust;
• Institute for Public Policy Research;
• Kings College London;
• Laboratory of the Government Chemist;
• Leeds Teaching Hospital;
• Liverpool City Council;
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine;
• Made Tech;
• Mersey and West Lancashire NHS Trust;
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence;
• The Kings Fund;
• NHS Blood and Transplant;
• NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (ICB);
• NHS Business Authority;
• NHS England;
• NHS Leadership Academy;
• NHS Resolution;
• North East Lead Employer Trust;
• North East and North Cumbria;
• North London NHS Foundation Trust;
• North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB;
• Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust;
• Northumbria Health Care NHS Foundation;
• Nottingham City Council;
• Oxford University Hospitals;
• Plymouth City Council;
• Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland;
• Prudence Trust;
• Queen Mary University of London;
• Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust;
• Social Finance;
• South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust;
• St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospital;
• The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust;
• UK Health Security Agency;
• UK Research and Innovation;
• University College London;
• University of Birmingham;
• University of Bristol, Centre for Academic Primary Care;
• University of Cambridge;
• University of Liverpool;
• University of Oxford; and
• Wellcome Trust.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment has been made of (a) the cost of the Turing scheme per UK student placement and (b) the proposed cost for the Erasmus scheme per UK student placement.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Over the four academic years from 2021/22 to 2024/25, the Turing Scheme allocated £291.4 million to support 116,902 overseas placements.

The UK will contribute around £570 million to the Erasmus+ programme in 2027, down from the approximately £810 million we would have paid under default terms.

The UK will receive most of that money back to distribute amongst the UK beneficiaries, who will also have the opportunity to compete for grants from an approximately £1 billion central pot directly managed by the European Commission.

Erasmus+ has a much broader scope of activity than the Turing Scheme and provides many other opportunities aside from mobility placements, including funding for international partnership projects that drive innovation and enhance the global reputation of UK institutions.

We expect that over 100,000 people in the UK could benefit from mobility and partnership opportunities from participation in 2027.

The 2026 Erasmus+ Programme Guide sets out grant rates for 2027.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish Baroness Casey's status as a Direct Ministerial Appointment, including her remuneration, on the Direct Ministerial Appointments portal on gov.uk.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales

We do not intend to update Baroness Casey's status and her remuneration on the GOV.UK website portal.

Baroness Casey’s appointment and the Terms of Reference were published in line with the guidance in force at the time. There is no requirement in the updated guidance to publish appointments made prior to its introduction.

As the commission into adult social care is independent, it is responsible for reporting on its financial expenditure and will be doing so in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what are the powers of (a) the Secretary of State, (b) Insolvency Service and (c) Insolvency Practitioners to request that corporate electronic communications held by a company in administration are retained where there is a wider public interest that such communications are not lost.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Insolvency office-holders, including administrators, are responsible for securing a company's records upon their appointment. The Insolvency Service, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, may request relevant records are retained where it is conducting investigations or legal proceedings into the company and its directors, where this is in the public interest to do so. There is no general power under insolvency law to request retention of a company's electronic communications solely on wider public interest grounds.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2026 to Question 6089 on DESNZ: Secondment, to what policy area and part of his Department staff from (a) the IPPR and (b) TUC were seconded.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

An individual from the IPPR (Institute for Public Policy Research) has been seconded to work in Energy Infrastructure Group on industrial strategy.

An individual from the TUC (Trades Union Congress) has been seconded to work in Energy Infrastructure Group on workforce policy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2026 to Question 1816 on Government Departments: Bureaucracy, how his Department has changed how it produces its Annual Report.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales

The Department has not changed how it produces its own annual report and accounts. The consultation referred to in the answer of 20 May 2026 was the Department’s annual consultation on the draft Group Accounting Manual. This manual provides technical guidance for group bodies to support the preparation of annual reports and accounts across the group. The consultation gives group bodies and auditors the opportunity to comment on proposed changes to the guidance, identify where further clarification is needed, and suggest practical improvements. It is not a consultation on changes to the way the Department prepares its own annual report and accounts.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the answer of 21 April 2026 to Question 126621 on Gambling Commission: Legal Opinion, in what circumstances may joining a consultancy that advises the gambling industry require prior approval under paragraph 45.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

All employees of the Gambling Commission are required to declare any intention to work in the regulated gambling sector, including consultancy. This is dealt with under a conflict of interest procedure, requiring sign off from a member of the executive team. This includes an assessment of any associated risks and/or conflicts that may arise, alongside any mitigation which can be put in place.

In the last 12 months, approvals were granted in respect of three individuals.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the answer of 21 April 2026, to Question 126621, on Gambling Commission: Legal Opinion, how many prior approvals have been awarded in the last 12 months.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

All employees of the Gambling Commission are required to declare any intention to work in the regulated gambling sector, including consultancy. This is dealt with under a conflict of interest procedure, requiring sign off from a member of the executive team. This includes an assessment of any associated risks and/or conflicts that may arise, alongside any mitigation which can be put in place.

In the last 12 months, approvals were granted in respect of three individuals.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Answer of 30 July 2024 to Question 920, on Civil Service: Artificial Intelligence, what trials have taken place on AI and public service productivity.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government has delivered a range of trials on AI and public service productivity. The Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (i.AI) tested Consult, a tool to analyse consultation responses, on seven live consultations during 2025, saving around 8,000 hours of administrative time and over £250,000. Other examples include the Ministry of Justice's Justice Transcribe tool, which reduced note-taking time for probation officers by 75 per cent. The Government also conducted a cross-government pilot involving 20,000 civil servants using Microsoft Copilot, which found average time savings of 26 minutes per person per day. Trials of AI coding assistants found that public sector engineers reported average time savings of 56 minutes per day.

Early estimates suggest that AI is more likely to augment than replace many public sector roles. This is supported by Department for Education analysis which suggests that 10–30 per cent of UK jobs are highly automatable over two decades, but that net employment effects remain uncertain, with many roles more likely to be enhanced by AI than replaced.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what correspondence his Department had with Global Counsel in the period that Lord Mandelson was Ambassador to the United States.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

There was no formal correspondence, between DSIT Ministers and Global Counsel during the period specified.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether householders not on social tariffs can require that the smart element of their smart water meter is deinstalled if they decline to participate in a (a) progressive water metering and (b) seasonal water metering tariffs.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Currently, individual water companies decide the best way to manage water demand issues, including their approach to metering. However, to inform their decisions, Defra issues guiding principles that set out our priorities, including our expectations on water companies to increase metering where appropriate. Customers should reach out to their individual water companies with any queries they have about their meter.

Customers may also wish to contact the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) for additional support and advice. CCW is an independent organisation that represents customer interests and is a free service to all water customers.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many departmental staff work on equality, diversity and inclusion roles.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

There are less than five staff members within DCMS who hold equality, diversity, and inclusion roles.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the answer of 12 December 2024, to Question 17808, on DSIT: Equality, if he will place a copy of the updated guidance in the Library of the House.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology published guidance for staff related to the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in June 2024. We are updating this guidance to reflect our recently published Equality Objectives and to provide additional support for staff across DSIT to continue to discharge our legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010. We anticipate this project will be completed by the end of the 2026/27 financial year. Therefore, we will not be placing a copy of the updated guidance in the Library of the House at this time.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which organisations have (a) had departmental Civil Servants seconded to them and (b) seconded organisational staff to her Department since July 2024.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

Since July 2024, staff have been seconded to the following organisations:

• Sports Grounds Safety Authority

• Tate

• The Independent Football Regulator

• East Midlands Combined Country Authority (EMCCA)

• Office for Students

• Reclaim Fund Ltd

• National Lottery Fund

Since July 2024, staff have been seconded from the following organisations:

• UK Youth

• British Academy Award Letter

• PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC)

• OfCom

• The Metropolitan Police Service

• Young Men’s Christian Association (YCMA) England Wales

• University Court of the University of Glasgow

• Financial Conduct Authority

• Bank of England

• University College London

• Better Society Capital

• The Independent Football Regulator

• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Policy Fellowship

• The University of Manchester

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to page 17 of the Water White Paper of January 2026, whether the integrated water regulator will have the same budget as the Environment Agency, Natural England, Ofwat and Drinking Water Inspectorate elements.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

We are considering the detail of the funding arrangements that will be needed. In doing so, we will ensure that the new regulator will have the funds to deliver its responsibilities in full, balancing the interests of customers, investors and the environment

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients were referred to specialist OCD treatment centres commissioned by NHS England in each of the last five years.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The following table shows the number of patients referred to specialist obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) treatment centres that have been reported by financial year and service line:

People with OCD are generally treated through a stepped model of care. Tiers one to five comprise support delivered across primary care, NHS Talking Therapies, community mental health services, and secondary mental health services, including psychological therapies and pharmacological interventions. NHS England commissions highly specialised Tier six services, which represent the highest level of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s stepped-care pathways, and which are reserved for a small proportion of adults, children, and young people with severe, treatment-resistant OCD, who have exhausted appropriate treatment options available through local services, including evidence-based cognitive behavioural therapy and medication.

As a result, duplication may occur where an individual patient has been referred in multiple financial years and/or has been referred to both the children and young people's and adult services at different points in time.

The total recorded referrals across the period 2021/22 to 2025/26 equate to 951. However, the distinct number of individual patients referred across the same period is 744.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release, "Social media to be banned for under-16s in landmark government move to give kids their childhood back", of 15 June 2026, at what time of the evening would the overnight curfew start.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

Keeping children safe online is a priority for this government. On 15 June, the government published a progress statement following the ‘Growing up in the Online World’ consultation.

This announced that government were banning social media companies offering their services to children under the age of 16, preventing under 16s accessing harmful functions on a wider range of services and preventing under 18s from accessing AI chatbot services that primarily offer sexualised content and requiring AI chatbots to prevent children under 18s from accessing features that generate sexually explicit conversations.

The government will provide a further update on any curfew measures in the coming weeks.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the answer of 5 June 2026, to Question 3763o n Government Communications Service: Staff, and of 19 January 2026 to Question 104195 on Government Communication Service: Staff, how many headcount staff in the department are (a) members of the Government Communication Network and (b) are embedded communicators but are not counted as members of the Government Communication Network.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales

In June 2026, the Department had 79 staff working in the Communications Directorate, all of whom are members of the Government Communication Service. the Department’s Communications Directorate covers a broad range of roles including media relations, marketing and branding, public health campaigns, social media, internal communications, and external publishing on the GOV.UK website.

The Department has a further 32 communication specialists embedded within the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). These staff work in the OHID Behavioural Programmes Unit on health improvement and prevention, including on cross Government and commercial partnerships and digital behaviour change products. All are members of the Government Communication Service.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Regulatory Policy Committee document, Post-implementation reviews outstanding across government 2015 to 2026, updated 12 May 2026, what steps are the (a) department and (b) Food Standards Agency taking to undertake and publish each the outstanding Post Implementation Reviews identified by the Committee.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales

The Department is fully committed to undertaking its obligations to review regulations after implementation. The Department has taken steps to progress post-implementation reviews identified by the Regulatory Policy Committee as outstanding and will continue work to complete the remaining outstanding post-implementation reviews as soon as possible.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is currently reviewing all its existing domestic legislation to prepare for changes necessary to implement a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the European Union when it is reached. The FSA is considering how this analysis might enable them to meet their outstanding review obligations in a proportionate way.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether guidance has been given to National Park Authorities on access to the countryside by ethnic minorities.

Answered by Mary Creagh

The Government recognises that currently access to nature is unequal, where people living in more deprived areas, ethnic minorities and younger people are more likely to live in areas with less access to green space.

The Government supports the work Protected Landscapes and the Protected Landscape Partnership are implementing to improve access and their focus on equality, diversity and inclusion.

Projects to improve inclusive access, such as improved path surfacing, inclusive signage, and community engagement programmes delivered by National Parks and National Landscapes will help to remove barriers and ensure that everyone feels safe and welcome to enjoy spending time in nature.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the written statement on Implementing the Employment Rights Act: June Consultations on Employment Rights for Unpaid Carers, Time off for Public Duties and Government responses, HCWS100, made on 9 June 2026, for what reason the public duties for national organisations are being removed.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Government comprehensively reviewed the Time Off for Public Duties legislation and set out our findings in the Time Off for Public Duties Review Report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/time-off-for-public-duties-review-report). We are now consulting on proposed changes to the list of duties eligible for time off, which is open until 4 September. No decisions on potential changes will be taken before these consultation responses are analysed. We propose that public duties for national organisations are removed because they do not align with the legislation’s original purpose, which was to enable working people to play an active role in shaping and supporting their local community.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has a policy for reviews of regulations that have been introduced.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

My Department regularly reviews regulations that have been introduced, including through statutory Post-Implementation Reviews (PIRs) where required. Through these reviews my department assesses whether regulations have achieved their objectives, whether those objectives remain appropriate, and whether they could be achieved in a less burdensome way. Where relevant, qualifying PIRs are scrutinised by the independent Regulatory Policy Committee.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether there is any guidance from (a) her Department and (b) the Office for Students on the use of POLAR3 and POLAR4 for university admissions by higher education providers.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department does not issue guidance to higher education (HE) providers on the use of Participation of Local Areas (POLAR)3 or POLAR4 in admissions decisions. Universities are autonomous institutions and are responsible for their own admissions policies and decisions.

The Office for Students (OfS) publishes information on area-based measures of higher education participation, including POLAR and TUNDRA. POLAR measures participation rates in higher education by local area, while TUNDRA Tracking Underrepresentation by Area (TUNDRA) uses linked individual-level data on state-funded mainstream school pupils in England to identify areas with lower rates of progression to higher education. The OfS recommends the use of TUNDRA where an area-based measure of young participation is needed, as it provides more precise targeting and improved consistency with other participation measures, although POLAR may still provide additional insights in some circumstances. HE providers remain responsible for determining whether and how such measures are used in admissions processes.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what number and proportion of wind farms are owned or managed by organisations which are ultimately owned by Chinese companies.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The vast majority of UK wind farms have no direct ownership from China. We work very closely with industry and across government to maintain a detailed picture of foreign involvement in energy infrastructure. We continue to take a consistent, long-term and strategic approach to managing relations with China and will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Answer of 5 June 2026 to Question 3763 on Government Communications Service: Staff, and of 19 January 2026 to Question 104195 on Government Communication Service: Staff, how many headcount staff in his Department are (a) members of the Government Communication Network and (b) are embedded communicators but are not counted as members of the Government Communication Network.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

All embedded communicators are members of the Government Communication Service.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much his Department has spent on branded goods and merchandise since 24 April 2025; on what items; and at what cost.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The information can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many headcount staff in his Department are (a) members of the Government Communication Network and (b) embedded communicators but not members of the Government Communication Network.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

All embedded communicators are members of the Government Communication Service.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the cost it has spent on branded goods and merchandise.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

DCMS spent £2,970 on 1,500 VE Day 80 branded lanyards in 2025 to support the safe delivery of the commemorative events. Lanyards help identify authorised personnel and manage access within a secure event footprint.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the recommendations in the National Audit Office report entitled The UK’s resilience to severe space weather, HC1737, March 2026.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

The Government welcomes the National Audit Office’s report, The UK’s resilience to severe space weather, and recognises the value of its recommendations in strengthening the United Kingdom’s resilience to this national risk. The report identified progress made in improving our forecasting capability and preparedness, while highlighting areas where further work is needed, including governance, defining the level of resilience required, strengthening exercising and response planning, and enhancing engagement with businesses and the public.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology accepts the report’s recommendations in full and will work with the National Audit Office to provide them with updates on the implementation of our response to the recommendations in line with National Audit Office procedures. Of note, is the ongoing review of the UK Severe Space Weather Preparedness Strategy, due this year. The Government remains committed to working across departments, industry, academia and international partners to improve the UK's preparedness for and resilience to severe space weather events.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Answer of 13 March 2026 to Question 117997 on EU Files Forum, if he will list the organisations that attended each of those meetings.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

We would not release names of participants without their agreement.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Government Office for Science provides guidance to Departments on the requirements to publish Area of Research Interest.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

The Government Office for Science (GO-Science) provides guidance to departments on the publication of Areas of Research Interest (ARIs). GO-Science published updated guidance on GOV.UK in November 2024, which advises ministerial departments, non-ministerial departments, agencies and arm’s-length bodies on the development, publication and use of ARIs.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2026, to Question 3350, on Public Appointments, whether the Expert Adviser was seconded when she was previously an adviser in the department on Clean Power 2030.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Expert Adviser was appointed to DESNZ as a secondee when working on Clean Power 2030.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the direct ministerial appointments gov.uk portal entry of 20 April, Interim Non-Executive Director Great British Energy and Great British Energy Start-Up Chair, for what reason the five non-executive directors and chairman to Great British Energy were appointed as direct ministerial appointments; and what consideration he has given to making these positions regulated public appointments.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The start-up Chair and five Non-Executive Directors of Great British Energy (GBE) were appointed through direct ministerial appointment to provide the expertise and experience needed for the rapid establishment of the company during its set-up phase.

Consideration will be given as to whether these positions should be regulated public appointments when the Public Appointments Order in Council is next updated. We are now running an open and fair competition for the permanent GBE board and all future GBE appointments will follow the process and principles of regulated public appointments.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether special advisers in his Department have had meetings with (a) David Taylor and (b) Asia House since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

There have been no meetings between the special advisers for the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and David Taylor or Asia House.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the "Thematic report on emerging food innovations in the UK", published by the Food Standards Agency on 13 March 2026, whether it is the policy of HM Government to promote insects in the human diet.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government currently has no plans to promote eating insects. The ‘Thematic report on emerging food innovations in the UK’ is one of the resources published by the FSA and FSS on the Innovative Food Guidance Hub. The report provides a forward look of emerging food innovations expected in the UK over the next 5 to 15 years, where food safety and regulatory preparedness could be needed. The role of the FSA and FSS is to protect consumers and ensure food is safe and what it says it is. The report does not promote or discourage any particular technology.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 12 February 2026 to Question 111737 on Electoral Commission: Cybersecurity, whether the National Cyber Security Centre received representations in 2023 and 2024 relating to the leaking of Electoral Commission data on investigations into Labour Together following the Chinese cyber-hack.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) handles any reports it receives relating to cyber incidents in confidence and so it would not be appropriate to comment on any such engagements.

More generally, however, defending democracy is a priority for the NCSC. It engages regularly with organisations and individuals involved in our democratic and electoral processes to provide expert advice on cyber security best practice and to help raise resilience in the face of rising online threats.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 110793, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay work compressed hours over a four day week in her Department.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

As of 1 July 2026, 46 full-time civil servants at the Department work compressed hours over a four-day week. This represents 4.0% of the Department’s 1,158 civil servants. Figures do not include staff currently on a career break.

DCMS remains committed to flexible working and the business benefits it offers, including supporting the Civil Service’s priority of ensuring the continued, effective, and productive delivery of services.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what savings her Department has made to communications and marketing spending by cancelling the Environment Agency Fishing Licence Marketing Campaign since July 2024.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Following a Government wide review of campaigns with over 100k spend, it was communicated in September 2024 that the EA fishing licence campaign would not continue in 25/26. At this point the campaign's marketing budget for 24/25 (300k) had already been utilised.

In November 2024, a strategic business case asking for the campaign to be reinstated and requesting budget for 25/26 and 26/27 was submitted to Cabinet Office. Budget of £250,000 per annum was subsequently approved.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) his Department and (b) NHS England plan to issue revised guidance on trade union facility time in (i) the NHS and (ii) Arm’s Length Bodies.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are currently no plans for the Department or NHS England to issue revised guidance on trade union facility time. Existing relevant legislative provisions are outlined in the ACAS Code of Practice on time off for trade union duties and activities and incorporated into relevant National Health Service employment frameworks, including Section 25 of the NHS terms and conditions service handbook. ACAS is updating its Code of Practice following changes made by the Employment Rights Act 2025. Any implications for the NHS terms and conditions would be considered through the NHS Staff Council supported by NHS Employers, once the updated ACAS Code is finalised.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what expenditure (a) his Department and (b) NHS England has undertaken via Freuds since July 2024, including via subcontractors.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department holds a contract with AMV, previously MullenLowe, which was procured following a competition under the CCS/GCA RM6125 Campaign Solutions Framework. The contract provides access to various subcontractors, including Freuds. Spend with AMV is detailed in the regular transparency data released by the Department, which can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/spending-over-25-000--2

This spend covers consumer engagement activity for a number of campaigns including smoking cessation, Best Start In Life, and Health Choices Quiz.

NHS England has a direct contract with Freuds, and the spend under that contract for the period requested is £1,161,083.

This activity included encouraging people to come forward with symptoms of cancer, attend life-saving cancer screening, access NHS Talking Therapies, use NHS 111 for urgent help, consult community pharmacists with common illnesses, contact their general practice online to avoid the 8am rush, use the NHS App to manage their health, and Act FAST at the first sign of stroke.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2026, to Question 9341, on Ofwat: Equality, if she will provide a breakdown of the £4,200 expenditure of external EDI expenditure in 2025-26, including suppliers, amount and purpose.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Below is the information sent to the Cabinet Office on EDI expenditure for 2025/26. This was sent to the Cabinet Office on 9 April.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which organisations have (a) had departmental Civil Servants seconded to them and (b) seconded organisational staff to her Department since July 2024.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since July 2024, a total of 45 organisations had Civil Servants seconded to them from Defra whilst in the same period, Defra received secondees from a total of 22 organisations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Regulatory Policy Committee document, "Post-implementation reviews outstanding across government 2015 to 2026", updated 12 May 2026, what steps is the department taking to undertake and publish each the outstanding Post Implementation Reviews identified by the Committee.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) identified one outstanding Post Implementation Review for Defra: The Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018, commonly known as Farming Rules for Water. The Department has completed this review. The RPC rated it fit for purpose, and the review and RPC opinion were published in May 2026.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department has spent on social influencers directly and via contractors since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not spent any money on social influencers directly or via contractors since 4 July 2024.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the answer of 21 April 2026, to Question 125703, on Food: Labelling, whether the SPS agreement will lead to foods other than fruit jams, jellies & marmalades being required to change their labelling for sale in (a) Great Britain and (b) the United Kingdom.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement is still being negotiated and the final list of legislation in scope remains subject to negotiations. This Government has begun publishing sector specific information to help businesses get ready.

As set out in this Government’s published information on legislation currently envisaged to be within scope of the SPS Agreement, alignment is expected to extend beyond the rules relating to fruit jams, jellies and marmalades. The areas currently identified include wider food information and consumer information requirements, nutrition labelling, nutrition and health claims, compositional standards and certain agri-food marketing standards.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to facilitate the answering of written Parliamentary Questions by Hon Members about operational matters of Arts Council of England, by copying or depositing the reply from those public bodies via the sponsoring Minister.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

As noted in the Cabinet Office Guide to Parliamentary Work, there is no provision for arm’s length bodies such as Arts Council England (ACE) to provide a reply directly to Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs). DCMS strives to provide full responses to all WPQs from Honourable Members, including those about operational matters at ACE, with whom we work closely. ACE also has a range of publicly available data resources, including its National Investment Dashboard and annual National Portfolio Organisation survey results.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) his Department and (b) NHS England has provided guidance to (i) its arms length bodies or (ii) NHS Hospitals on spending public funds on flying flags associated with identity politics.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department follows general Government guidance on flying flags, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flying-flags-a-plain-english-guide/flying-flags-a-plain-english-guide

Neither the Department nor NHS England has issued guidance regarding expenditure on flags.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance has (a) his Department, (b) NHS England and (c) MHPRA provides to NHS bodies and his Department’s arm’s length bodies on (a) the expression of gender critical views and (b) recognition of biological sex.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

No specific guidance has been issued. The Department expects its arm’s-length bodies and the National Health Service to adhere to the Equality Act 2010, which protects everyone against discrimination on the basis of the protected characteristics set out in the act. In addition to this, public bodies have a legal duty to eliminate discrimination and advance equality of opportunity.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent steps the Information Commissioner has taken to link (a) bonuses and (b) pay rises for staff who meet Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objectives.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The ICO is responsible for its own staffing, pay and operational decisions. It is an independent regulator accountable to Parliament.

The ICO does not pay bonuses and there have not been any recent changes to pay arrangements linked to the ICO's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objectives. Since 2024, the ICO's Career Banding framework, which is the mechanism through which staff can access in-grade promotion, has been linked to the ICO’s values, one of which is inclusion.

Memorial plaque for Ann Widdecombe

Richard Pengelly

Found: (Chair) Sarah Bool (Conservative; South Northamptonshire) Juliet Campbell (Labour; Broxtowe) Charlie Dewhirst

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Mr Alistair Carmichael (Chair); Sarah Bool; Charlie Dewhirst; Sarah