Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether benefits advisors are classified as civil servants for the purposes of the regulated period ahead of an election.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Section 4.4 of the Civil Service Management Code sets out restrictions on civil servants with regard to political activity, including examples of roles that fall into the politically restricted category. This category includes members of the Senior Civil Service and civil servants at levels immediately below the Senior Civil Service, plus members of the Fast Stream Development Programme.
A civil servant is normally defined as someone who is employed by the Crown to work for a Civil Service body.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which job roles are restricted on involvement in political campaigning during the short campaign of an election.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Section 4.4 of the Civil Service Management Code sets out restrictions on civil servants with regard to political activity, including examples of roles that fall into the politically restricted category. This category includes members of the Senior Civil Service and civil servants at levels immediately below the Senior Civil Service, plus members of the Fast Stream Development Programme.
A civil servant is normally defined as someone who is employed by the Crown to work for a Civil Service body.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which roles the Government classifies as civil servants for the purposes of short campaign election regulation.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Section 4.4 of the Civil Service Management Code sets out restrictions on civil servants with regard to political activity, including examples of roles that fall into the politically restricted category. This category includes members of the Senior Civil Service and civil servants at levels immediately below the Senior Civil Service, plus members of the Fast Stream Development Programme.
A civil servant is normally defined as someone who is employed by the Crown to work for a Civil Service body.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help increase representation of (a) women and (b) minority ethnic founders in venture capital funding.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department leads on the Invest in Women Taskforce (IWT) and the Investing in Women Code (IWC). In November, the IWT launched a £255 million fund for female entrepreneurs, which will be invested through female investors in the UK, including backing female emerging fund managers. Signatories to the IWC diversify their investment committees and decision makers, recognising diverse leaders make better decisions.
In February 2025, a roundtable discussion was held with the finance industry, including Venture Capital representatives, to address access to finance issues for ethnic minority founders.
We have also launched a Call for Evidence on Small Business Access to Finance to help inform government policy and initiatives, which includes a specific focus on underserved entrepreneurs.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on support to improve the investment readiness of (a) women and (b) BAME entrepreneurs.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government backed Invest in Women Taskforce aims to make the UK the best place in the world to be a female entrepreneur. To improve investment readiness, it seeks to break down barriers such as lack of mentorship, resource and networks for aspiring women-led businesses. In 2024, our Venture Capital Unit launched a Female Founders Cohort initiative to support women-led businesses raise funds from international venture capital investors.
In February 2025, a roundtable discussion was held with ethnic minority businesses (EMB) and the financial services sector to discuss challenges in accessing finance, as well as how we can better engage and support EMB founders.
We have also launched a Call for Evidence on Small Business Access to Finance to help inform government policy and initiatives, which includes a specific focus on underserved entrepreneurs.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the licensing criteria for Houses in Multiple Occupation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
It is important that private rented properties are safe, well-maintained, and properly managed. Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing schemes play a crucial role in achieving this.
The Renters’ Rights Bill introduces reforms to drive-up standards within the private rented sector properties, including HMOs. This includes a Decent Homes Standard and new enforcement powers for local authorities.
We will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make his policy to require venture capital firms to (a) record and (b) publish the diversity of founders receiving investment.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is working to improve access to finance for diverse founders. An example of one initiative is the Investing in Women Code.
It was established in 2019 as a recommendation of the Alison Rose Review to increase transparency and data reporting on gender in the investment landscape. It is a commitment to support the advancement of women entrepreneurs in the UK by improving their access to the tools, resources and finance they need to achieve their goals. Signatories to the Code are voluntary, and data is published on an annual basis on the GOV.UK website.
In February 2025, a roundtable discussion was held with the finance industry, including Venture Capital representatives, to address access to finance issues for ethnic minority founders. We are exploring how best to gather and monitor the impact of having better ethnicity data.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to improve trading relations with Albania.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Albania was worth £358 million in 2024, an increase of 11% or £35 million in current prices from 2023.
DBT actively works to resolve barriers to trade affecting companies exporting to Albania, and our trade relationship is underpinned by the Partnership, Trade and Cooperation Agreement (PTCA), signed in 2021. This agreement offers generous trade preferences and places a strong emphasis on cooperation across key trade themes that are common to major trade agreements. We look forward to convening the next PTCA Joint Committee in the near future.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on the safety of rehydration clauses in combat sports.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I have not had any recent discussions with stakeholders about the safety of rehydration clauses in combat sports. It is the responsibility of individual sports and event organisers to determine the appropriate measures to ensure the safety of participants.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will review and strengthen crossbow regulation.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office conducted a call for evidence on strengthening controls on crossbows on public safety grounds, between 14 February to 9 April 2024.
The responses have been reviewed and we will shortly publish the Government’s response, which will include what action we intend to take alongside a summary of the responses received.