Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many staff network events took place in her Department in May 2025 ; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department. As a result, events are organised by staff themselves, not the department. We are aware of the following events that these networks organised in May 2025.
7 events were held in May:
For Mental Health Awareness Week, 5 events took place:
Women’s Mental Health Talk, Monday, May 12.
Men’s Mental Health Talk, Monday, May 12,
Keeping Healthy at Work, Wednesday, May 14
LGBT+ Awareness Talk, Thursday, May 15
Mental Health Awareness Week Panel, Thursday, May 15
For World Culture Day, optional drop-in “bring your own lunches” were hosted in Manchester, Darlington and London on Wednesday, May 21.
The Faith and Belief Network, held a “Faith, Fasting and Food” lunchtime discussion on Thursday, May 22
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has updated guidance on the use of single-sex facilities in response to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
We will review and update policy wherever necessary to ensure it complies with the latest legal requirements. We aim to ensure appropriate facilities are available for all staff.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many staff network events took place in his Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department. As a result, events are organised by staff themselves, not the department. We are not aware of any events that these networks organised in May 2025.
There were two centrally co-ordinated staff network events in May 2025: the monthly meeting of the Department’s Staff Network Chairs, which was for network chairs only and lasted for one hour, and an online session with Staff Network Chairs to mark National Staff Network Day which was available to all staff to attend and also lasted for one hour.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2025 to Question 52848 on Offenders: Foreign Nationals, what steps her Department is taking to support the police when immigrants who have arrived in the UK illegally are housed in communities, in the context of the absence of data on those people being electronically monitored by nationality.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office communicates regularly with local police forces, and with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, to assess the operational implications of housing asylum seekers in different areas and regions around the country, and will always do what is necessary to protect the safety and security of each local community affected.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many staff network events took place in her Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff rather than the Department. The majority of staff time spent on network activities is voluntary and unpaid.
We are aware of seven events organised by networks in May 2025:
Parenting in the Fast Lane: Managing work, life, and everything in between. Parents Network panel event.
Meet the new MoJ Armed Forces Network and commemorate VE Day.
My journey to Islam: A panel event hosted by the MoJ Muslim Network where colleagues explore their experience of joining Islam.
Meet your staff networks: lunchtime marketplace event in Petty France.
Parent’s Network and Safe Space Forum session on understanding the impact of domestic abuse.
Frontline Staff Network Knowledge Sharing event: Tips for presenting data.
Let’s Talk Menopause: Supporting the Workplace in Menopause (SWIM) Network Event for Managers.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has updated guidance on the use of single-sex facilities in response to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
Answered by Nia Griffith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Across government, we will review and update policy wherever necessary to ensure it complies with legal requirements. We aim to ensure appropriate facilities are available for all staff.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many staff network events took place in his Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Ian Murray - Secretary of State for Scotland
Staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department. As a result, events are organised by staff themselves, not the department. We are aware of the following events that these networks organised in May 2025:
Network | Date of Meeting |
Parent and Carers Network | 7th May 2025 |
LGBT+ Network | 8th May 2025 |
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff network events took place in his Department in May 2025; and what the names of those events were.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Information is not held centrally on the Ministry of Defence’s employee network events which encompass a wide range of interests and activities. Network events specifically related to diversity are only tracked where central funding has been requested: no such diversity network events took place in May 2025.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether her Department has updated guidance on the use of single-sex facilities in response to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
We will review and update policy wherever necessary to ensure it complies with the latest legal requirements. We aim to ensure appropriate facilities are available for all staff.
Asked by: Esther McVey (Conservative - Tatton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has updated guidance on the use of single-sex facilities in response to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 May 2025 to Question 47442 to the hon. Member for Great Yarmouth (Mr Rupert Lowe).