Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many biologically male prisoners were held in E Wing of HMP Downview as at 1st February 2026.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
As of 1 February 2026, seven biologically male prisoners were being held on E Wing.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how many full-time equivalent staff are currently assigned primarily to policy work relating to transgender matters within the Office for Equality and Opportunity.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Office for Equality and Opportunity has responsibility for a range of equalities matters. The specific number of staff allocated to work on any particular issue is based on resource need at any one time.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 15.27 of the Valuation Office Agency's technical manual, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of widening the provision to allow landlords to serve blight notices for their properties.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Section 168 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 legislates how Blight Notices can be used. This legislation and any revisions to it fall within the remit of MHCLG.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether her Department has submitted any proposed amendments to the revised Code of practice for services, public functions and associations to the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament over a 40 day period.
As set out in Equality Act 2006, the EHRC operates independently of the Government and is responsible for drafting and consulting on the Code. The Secretary of State is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and is consulting the Welsh and Scottish Ministers at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9).
The Government does not comment on legal advice it may have received. We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.
Asked by: Rebecca Paul (Conservative - Reigate)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, which external organisations or groups her Department has engaged or consulted with on the draft Code of Practice for services, public functions, and associations.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The EHRC revised its Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations following its consultation after the UK Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland, and submitted it to the Minister for Women and Equalities on 4 September 2025.
The Government is considering the draft updated Code and, if the decision is taken to approve it, the Secretary of State will lay it before Parliament over a 40 day period.
As set out in Equality Act 2006, the EHRC operates independently of the Government and is responsible for drafting and consulting on the Code. The Secretary of State is following the process in the Equality Act 2006 and is consulting the Welsh and Scottish Ministers at the relevant stages, as required under section 14(9).
The Government does not comment on legal advice it may have received. We have always been clear that there is a due process that needs to be followed by all. Our priority is getting this right. We will continue to work with the EHRC to ensure Ministers are able to make a fully informed decision.