Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the 2009 Drayson partitions remain Government and UK Research and Innovation policy.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The “Drayson partitions” policy established in 2010, prior to the formation of UKRI, was to avoid tensioning parts of the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) portfolio in an inappropriate way, whilst acknowledging that tensioning different portfolio elements is a very necessary part of managing research and innovation investment.

These are not and have never been used as a ringfencing mechanism and crucially do not provide recourse to additional funds when cost pressures arise. Funding lines have been, and continue to be, independent and distinct, but cost pressures have always been dealt with across the portfolio.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer to written question 118611, what the policy rationale is for defining a delay under the Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) contracts, for the purposes of the relevant Contract Delivery Indicator, as arising only "where a Court is prevented from commencing its planned business at the intended start time, and/or it has no other business that can reasonably be rescheduled to undertake instead"; and what assessment his Department has made as to whether that definition adequately captures delays in the transfer of prisoners to court in circumstances where the court is able to proceed with alternative business.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS) contracts require Suppliers to deliver prisoners to court in time for their hearing to avoid loss of court time. Contract Delivery Indicator (CDI)15 therefore measures “Courtroom delay due to Supplier actions resulting in a Prisoner who is the responsibility of the Supplier not being available in the Courtroom at the required Courtroom appearance time and delay to court proceedings”.

CDI 15 is structured to take account of the fact that not all prisoners are scheduled to appear at the standard 10:00 commencement time used by the courts. Within the Magistrates’ courts, several prisoners may be listed for hearings at the same time, and courts then determine the running order of cases as required. PECS Suppliers are, therefore, required to transport prisoners in accordance with their individual hearing times and to ensure that they are available when their hearings are due to begin. Where a courtroom is unable to begin proceedings because a prisoner is not available at the required time, this is recorded as a delay. Where the court is able to progress other work in the interim, a contractual delay is not recorded; however, the incident will be logged to support assurance activity.

CDI 15 aligns with H M Court and Tribunal Service’s Court Exception Reporting process. Through this process, any delays to court proceedings as a result of late prisoner delivery, regardless of fault, are formally recorded and shared with the PECS Contract Management Team in H M Prison and Probation Service. In addition, suppliers are required to self-report any delays resulting from their actions, to ensure consistency and accuracy in reporting.

These contractual mechanisms ensure that performance issues are rigorously captured, transparently monitored, and proportionately addressed. They take account of situations where delays arise owing to factors outside the supplier’s reasonable control, supporting fair and accurate performance assessment, and promoting continuous improvement across the criminal justice system.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to monitor the proposed involvement of UK listed firms in a takeover of Eurasian Resources Group to ensure no benefit to sanctioned Russian entities.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Russia regulations prohibit the making available of funds or economic resources to a designated person without a licence. They also prohibit the provision of certain services to designated persons and persons connected with Russia.

UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world.

OFSI assesses every instance of reported non-compliance and takes action in all cases where we conclude a breach has occurred.

For serious breaches, OFSI may impose a civil monetary penalty. OFSI may also refer suspected criminal activities to law enforcement partners for investigation.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department plans to publish the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman's independent review into the use of restraints on pregnant women during hospital escorts between 2021 and 2025.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Prisons & Probation Ombudsman will publish the report of his investigation once it has concluded. We understand that no publication date has been set at this stage.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, how many pupil barristers who undertook pupillage with the Government Legal Department left upon completion in each of the past five years.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government Legal Department’s (GLD) Legal Trainee Scheme lasts for two years in total. Those who join the GLD as pupil barristers qualify as barristers at the end of Year 1 of the Training Scheme (the pupillage period). They then remain on the Training Scheme for a further 12 months, during which they gain wider experience of GLD’s legal work.

The number of pupil barristers who left upon completion of the two‑year Training Scheme in each of the past five years is as follows:

• Out of the 5 pupil barristers that completed the scheme, 3 pupil barristers left upon completion in 2021.
• Out of the 5 pupil barristers that completed the scheme, no pupil barristers left upon completion in 2022.
• Out of the 5 pupil barristers that completed the scheme, 1 pupil barrister left upon completion in 2023.
• Out of the 3 pupil barristers that completed the scheme, 2 pupil barristers left upon completion in 2024.
• Out of the 3 pupil barristers that completed the scheme, 1 pupil barrister left upon completion in 2025.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, how many trainee solicitors who undertook a training contract with the Government Legal Department left upon completion in each of the past five years.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government Legal Department’s (GLD) Legal Trainee Scheme is a two‑year programme. Accordingly, the year of completion reflects cohorts who began their training contracts two years earlier.

The number of trainee solicitors who undertook a training contract with the GLD and left upon completion of the two‑year scheme in each of the past five years is as follows:

• Out of the 37 trainee solicitors that completed the scheme, 2 trainee solicitors left upon completion in 2021.
• Out of the 36 trainee solicitors that completed the scheme, 3 trainee solicitors left upon completion in 2022.
• Out of the 37 trainee solicitors that completed the scheme, 2 trainee solicitors left upon completion in 2023.
• Out of the 33 trainee solicitors that completed the scheme, 2 trainee solicitors left upon completion in 2024.
• Out of the 36 trainee solicitors that completed the scheme, 1 trainee solicitor left upon completion in 2025.

Found: Tessa Munt (Liberal Democrat; Wells and Mendip Hills) Sarah Russell (Labour; Congleton) Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst

Found: the meeting Members present: Andy Slaughter (Chair); Pam Cox; Warinder Juss; Tessa Munt; Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst

Found: Sabine (Liberal Democrat, Frome and East Somerset) (added 28 Oct 2024) 18 of 26 (69.2%) Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst

Found: Andy Slaughter (Chair); Matt Bishop; Pam Cox; Warinder Juss; Tessa Munt; Sarah Russell; Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst