Shivani Raja Portrait

Shivani Raja

Conservative - Leicester East

4,426 (9.5%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 4th July 2024


2 APPG Officer Positions (as of 12 Oct 2026)
British Hindus, Bulgaria
4 APPG Memberships
Ethnic Minority Business Owners, India, International Students, Women in Parliament
Women and Equalities Committee
25th Nov 2024 - 2nd Jun 2025


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Shivani Raja has voted in 411 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

26 Nov 2024 - Tobacco and Vapes Bill - View Vote Context
Shivani Raja voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 23 Conservative Aye votes vs 35 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 415 Noes - 47
View All Shivani Raja Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Bridget Phillipson (Labour)
Minister for Women and Equalities
(5 debate interactions)
Keir Starmer (Labour)
(2 debate interactions)
Nusrat Ghani (Conservative)
(2 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(6 debate contributions)
Ministry of Justice
(3 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(2 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Shivani Raja's debates

Leicester East Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

The law must change so intended parents in surrogacy arrangements are recognised as their child’s legal parents from birth. Families should not have to go through months of court proceedings and social worker visits to be recognised as the parents of a child they planned and love.


Latest EDMs signed by Shivani Raja

15th September 2026
Shivani Raja signed this EDM as a sponsor on Monday 12th October 2026

National Cholesterol Month

Tabled by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
That this House recognises the importance of National Cholesterol Month in the UK, celebrated in October each year and hosted by HEART UK – The Cholesterol Charity; notes that this campaign raises awareness of cholesterol as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and promotes lifestyle swaps for better heart …
4 signatures
(Most recent: 12 Oct 2026)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 4
2nd September 2026
Shivani Raja signed this EDM as the primary signatory on Wednesday 2nd September 2026

Rushey Mead Academy Ofsted grading

Tabled by: Shivani Raja (Conservative - Leicester East)
That this House celebrates the exceptional Ofsted grade awarded to Rushey Mead Academy in Leicester East; applauds its exceptional rating in every assessment criteria; notes that it becomes only the third school in the country to achieve such a grading; commends its success in providing a rich, high-quality education for …
2 signatures
(Most recent: 3 Sep 2026)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 1
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Shivani Raja's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Shivani Raja, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Shivani Raja has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Shivani Raja has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

Shivani Raja has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Shivani Raja has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
18 Other Department Questions
13th Oct 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with major social media companies regarding misinformation targeting young users.

Ministers and officials regularly engage with social media companies on child online safety issues including harmful and misleading content. Ofcom also works with platforms to promote media literacy and help users critically assess online content.

Alongside engagement, the Online Safety Act requires platforms to tackle mis/disinformation where it is illegal or harmful to children. Services likely to be accessed by children must provide extra protections. Ofcom has strong enforcement powers for platforms failing to meet their duties.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
13th Oct 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what metrics will be used to assess whether its Media Literacy Action Plan is improving children and young people’s ability to recognise misinformation and AI-generated content.

Through the Media Literacy Action Plan, government is helping children and young people recognise misinformation and AI-generated content. We will work with Ofcom to monitor progress through annual research on children’s media use, attitudes, and ability to identify false content, alongside its Evaluation Toolkit for relevant programmes. We will also share information across government to track progress against departmental commitments.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
13th Oct 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when the AI Labelling Taskforce will publish its final recommendations on the labelling of AI-generated content online.

The AI Labelling Taskforce will gather evidence and consider best practice for the labelling of AI-generated content online. We are working at pace to establish the Taskforce – including appointing a chair and membership. We expect the Taskforce to be operational by the end of the year, ahead of publishing its final recommendations to Government next year.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
12th Oct 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to Internet Matters's document entitled Internet Matters Pulse, published on 10 September 2026, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the level of parental anxiety regarding digital safety.

The government recognises that parents and carers need clear support to feel confident helping children stay safe online. The ‘You Won’t Know Until You Ask’ campaign and Kids Online Safety Hub provide practical tools to build children’s resilience to misinformation and critical thinking skills. The Hub offers trusted guidance and resources to help parents and carers discuss harmful or misleading content. We are also introducing a ban on social media services being offered to under-16s.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
15th Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what legislative enforcement action her Department plans to take against major technology companies following the expiry of the Government deadline for tech firms to introduce device-level nudity-blocking technology on children's smartphones and tablets.

On 8 September the Secretary of State made an Oral Statement confirming that the Government will introduce primary legislation, if necessary, to require major technology companies to build in stronger device-level protections for children. The Secretary of State made clear that any legislation introduced must be capable of being effectively enforced. The Government is considering the detail of those enforcement arrangements as legislative proposals are developed.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
3rd Sep 2026
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2026 to Question 16607, what steps the Commission is taking to prevent the continued use of the word Parliamentary by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety.

Under current rules the House Authorities would object to an attempt to register a company or charity using a title which associates it with Parliament. There are no clear routes to objecting to names which have been registered under the previous rules, such as in the case of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety.

2nd Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that regulatory monitoring of wearable recording devices does not impose restrictions on the use of smart technology for private, domestic and legitimate everyday purposes.

The Information Commissioner’s Office is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the application of the UK’s data protection legislation, independently of government.

Personal data processed in the course of a purely personal, private or domestic activity, with no connection to a professional or commercial activity, is outside the scope of the UK’s data protection legislation – regardless of the technology being used.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
2nd Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions her Department has had with major social media platforms regarding their proactive enforcement duties under the Online Safety Act and UK GDPR to remove non-consensual and illicit footage uploaded from wearable recording devices.

We are in regular discussions with social media companies about their obligations under the Online Safety Act and the UK GDPR and expect them to take these obligations seriously. We recently strengthened the Online Safety Act to require platforms to remove reported non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours of a valid report. This would include any relevant intimate images captured by smart glasses.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking through the Youth Investment Fund to ensure local community associations receive funding to refurbish and maintain neighbourhood facilities.

The Youth Investment Fund (YIF) awarded over £300 million to over 250 projects to build, renovate and expand youth provision across some of the less advantaged areas across England. It is projected to support an additional 45,000 young people to regularly attend activities in funded facilities. Applications for the Youth Investment Fund closed in June 2023 with the majority of facilities completed by March 2026.

On 10 July, DCMS launched the delivery partner competition for the Youth Matters Fund. The Youth Matters Fund will provide over £400 million to enable youth organisations across the country to deliver high-quality youth work and activities as well as refurbish or build up to 250 youth facilities. Further details will be available in due course.

Vicky Foxcroft
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what funding her Department is providing to local authorities to support youth clubs, sports facilities and holiday activity programmes in high-deprivation communities.

In December 2025, DCMS published Youth Matters: Your National Youth Strategy, a 10-year cross-government plan backed by over £500 million of DCMS funding over three years to improve opportunities for young people, including establishing or refurbishing up to 250 youth spaces.

Local Authorities have a statutory duty under Section 507B of the Education Act 1996 to secure sufficient youth services and activities based on local need. The National Youth Strategy committed to improve local youth offers so young people have access to more opportunities in their area. To achieve this, DCMS is funding local authorities to deliver the Young Futures Hubs and Transformation Programme to improve local youth services and establish a network of 50 Young Futures Hubs by March 2029.

The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport clubs through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery Funding. This investment includes over 90 Place Partnerships in various locations across the country with high deprivation and low activity levels.

For holiday activities, the Department for Education funds the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme to support children from low-income families by providing access to nutritious meals, enriching activities and safe places during school holidays. Over £600 million has been confirmed for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme over the next three financial years from 2026/27.

Vicky Foxcroft
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance her Department provides to non-departmental public bodies, including Sport England, to ensure that grassroots sports grant funding accounts for secondary costs associated with indoor venue hire for year-round community outreach programmes.

The Department works closely with Sport England to target grassroots investment toward high-need areas experiencing elevated youth violence. Through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme supported with £400 million of funding over the next four years, we are expanding peak evening and weekend capacity by funding floodlights and durable all-weather pitches that offer up to 80 hours of weekly use, alongside targeted partnerships with local Violence Reduction Units. To ensure funding accounts for operational realities, DCMS guides non-departmental public bodies like Sport England to allow outreach providers to include secondary costs, such as indoor venue hire, within grant applications, while enforcing Community Use Agreements to guarantee subsidised or free access for high-priority youth programmes.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to improve access to local sports facilities for young people during evening and weekend peak hours in areas experiencing elevated rates of youth violence.

The Department works closely with Sport England to target grassroots investment toward high-need areas experiencing elevated youth violence. Through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme supported with £400 million of funding over the next four years, we are expanding peak evening and weekend capacity by funding floodlights and durable all-weather pitches that offer up to 80 hours of weekly use, alongside targeted partnerships with local Violence Reduction Units. To ensure funding accounts for operational realities, DCMS guides non-departmental public bodies like Sport England to allow outreach providers to include secondary costs, such as indoor venue hire, within grant applications, while enforcing Community Use Agreements to guarantee subsidised or free access for high-priority youth programmes.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the availability and affordability of indoor sports spaces for grassroots cricket charities operating during winter months; and what plans she has to allocate funding through (a) Sport England and (b) the England and Wales Cricket Board to help offset facility hire costs for community groups.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to affordable quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That's why we’ve invested £3 million into new all-weather, covered cricket domes this year which ensure accessible sport year-round, building on the £1.5m investment into covered cricket domes made last year. New and refurbished facilities give families low-cost options to stay active, helping when many are facing cost-of-living pressures. The wider sports sector helps to drive good growth in every postcode, something I saw when I visited Loughborough University’s Women in Sport Research and Innovation Hub last year.

Between 2022 and 2029, we are supporting grassroots participation with a £13.4m investment via Sport England and the England & Wales Cricket Board. Earlier this year, the ECB also launched their Building Belonging in Cricket Fund - a £45m investment to improve grassroots cricket facilities and help enable year-round play through the construction of all-weather cricket domes, indoor halls, multi-use games areas and community hubs. The ECB is working with Regional Cricket Boards, including Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Foundation, to identify potential projects.

In order to increase availability and accessibility to the local community, Sport England factors in a site's Community Use Agreement, and their capacity to offer free/low cost bookings when determining whether individual projects should receive funding.

We are collaborating with the sports sector, including the ECB, and local leaders to develop investment plans for a range of sports across the country based on what each community needs.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking through Sport England to support community organisations, such as the Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Foundation, in securing affordable indoor facilities during winter months to maintain outreach programmes.

The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to affordable quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That's why we’ve invested £3 million into new all-weather, covered cricket domes this year which ensure accessible sport year-round, building on the £1.5m investment into covered cricket domes made last year. New and refurbished facilities give families low-cost options to stay active, helping when many are facing cost-of-living pressures. The wider sports sector helps to drive good growth in every postcode, something I saw when I visited Loughborough University’s Women in Sport Research and Innovation Hub last year.

Between 2022 and 2029, we are supporting grassroots participation with a £13.4m investment via Sport England and the England & Wales Cricket Board. Earlier this year, the ECB also launched their Building Belonging in Cricket Fund - a £45m investment to improve grassroots cricket facilities and help enable year-round play through the construction of all-weather cricket domes, indoor halls, multi-use games areas and community hubs. The ECB is working with Regional Cricket Boards, including Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Foundation, to identify potential projects.

In order to increase availability and accessibility to the local community, Sport England factors in a site's Community Use Agreement, and their capacity to offer free/low cost bookings when determining whether individual projects should receive funding.

We are collaborating with the sports sector, including the ECB, and local leaders to develop investment plans for a range of sports across the country based on what each community needs.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on cross-departmental initiatives to reduce venue hire costs for sports foundations delivering Sport England-funded youth outreach programs in local school facilities.

We are absolutely committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity, and recognise the crucial role school facilities play in delivering this.

As part of this Government's commitment to school sport, we have announced nearly £200 million to improve school sport and PE infrastructure. We are working with Sport England to ensure the funding tackles inequalities in access to sport and physical activity.

In addition, the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, announced in June 2025, will better connect schools with National Governing Bodies, local clubs and other providers. The model will build on learning from current and previous initiatives, such as Opening School Facilities, and support schools to make more effective and strategic use of their assets, including facilities.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what funding her Department provides to support grassroots sports programmes aimed at diverting young people away from antisocial behaviour and gang involvement.

The Department works closely with Sport England to target grassroots investment toward high-need areas, which includes areas experiencing elevated youth violence. Through the Community Sports Facilities Programme, which is investing £400 million of funding through to 2030, we are expanding peak evening and weekend capacity by funding floodlights and durable all-weather pitches that offer up to 80 hours of weekly use.

In addition, Sport England have partnered with StreetGames to produce a Theory of Change document focused on Sport, Youth Offending and Serious Youth Violence. The document sets out clearly how sport can reduce risk factors linked to youth offending while strengthening protective factors that keep young people safe. That theory underpinned the Ministry of Justice’s £5m Youth Justice Sport Fund, which now informs more than a dozen place-based partnerships with Active Partnerships, Police and Crime Commissioners and Violence Reduction Units.

The Department also funds the Million Hours Fund, in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund, which provides youth organisations with funding to deliver additional hours of positive activities for young people in areas with higher levels of anti-social behaviour. The latest phase of the Fund, which runs until March 2027, awarded £18 million to 292 organisations, including grassroot sports programmes.

DCMS is also funding the Young Futures Hubs and Transformation Programme to improve local youth services and establish a network of 50 Young Futures Hubs by March 2029. Each Young Futures Hub will meet three outcomes of increasing opportunities, improving mental health and wellbeing, and reducing crime.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of the findings of the Centre for Young Lives report on 'looksmaxxing'; and what steps she is taking to counter the progression of young men from body image forums into radicalised misogynistic networks.

This Government is committed to addressing the challenges young men face online and the development of radicalised misogynistic networks. The Online Safety Act requires platforms to take responsibility for the safety of their users by tackling illegal content and protect children from harmful content including misogynistic content. The Government has built on the OSA and gone further in announcing its intention to restrict social media companies from providing services to under-16s.

The Government has also launched its "You Won't Know Until You Ask" campaign to help parents and carers support children in developing critical thinking skills online and resilience to misleading, polarising or harmful content.

Ian Murray
Minister of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
8th Sep 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information her Department holds on the number of people who were employed in the automotive manufacturing sector in each month since January 2026.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon lady Parliamentary Question of 8th September is attached.

Dan Tomlinson
Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
2nd Sep 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2026 to Question 17031 on Government Departments: Aviation, how many of the 32 occasions on which an aircraft was commissioned were for Ministers in each Government department.

Of the 32 occasions on which aircraft were commissioned, 22 were for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, 8 for the Cabinet Office, one for the Home Office, and one for HM Treasury. All aircraft commissioned were for Ministers in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

Mark Ferguson
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps she is taking to hold Civil Service Pension Scheme administrators accountable for the time taken to respond to urgent queries from scheme members and parliamentary offices.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The delays and unacceptable standard of communication facing scheme members and parliamentary offices are entirely unsupportable. This Government has taken robust action to enforce contractual accountability and rectify service delivery.

While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. In response, the Government has withheld £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones and is recovering all public sector surge team costs directly from Capita. To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are conducting a comprehensive technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser has been appointed at Capita’s expense. The contract includes an enhanced penalty architecture featuring automatic financial deductions linked directly to missed service metrics, including correspondence wait times.

To directly address the backlog of unacknowledged correspondence, a dedicated 140-person government support team was deployed to stabilise operations, successfully clearing the 15,000 inherited unread emails. These resources will remain in place while the Government conducts an intensive assessment of Capita's operational data post-June to ensure long-term stability. To safeguard urgent casework from parliamentary offices, the Cabinet Office has instituted dedicated, daily virtual surgeries for Members of Parliament and their staff to provide direct intervention and updates on priority cases.

Sally Jameson
Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps she is taking to hold the Civil Service Pension Scheme administrators accountable for failures to respond to urgent queries from scheme members and parliamentary offices.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The delays and unacceptable standard of communication facing scheme members and parliamentary offices are entirely unsupportable. This Government has taken robust action to enforce contractual accountability and rectify service delivery.

While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. In response, the Government has withheld £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones and is recovering all public sector surge team costs directly from Capita. To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are conducting a comprehensive technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser has been appointed at Capita’s expense. The contract includes an enhanced penalty architecture featuring automatic financial deductions linked directly to missed service metrics, including correspondence wait times.

To directly address the backlog of unacknowledged correspondence, a dedicated 140-person government support team was deployed to stabilise operations, successfully clearing the 15,000 inherited unread emails. These resources will remain in place while the Government conducts an intensive assessment of Capita's operational data post-June to ensure long-term stability. To safeguard urgent casework from parliamentary offices, the Cabinet Office has instituted dedicated, daily virtual surgeries for Members of Parliament and their staff to provide direct intervention and updates on priority cases.

Sally Jameson
Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of the impact of a persistent lack of responses to pension enquiries on (a) retiring civil servants and (b) bereaved families; and what is her planned timeline for resuming normal service standards for correspondence.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The delays and unacceptable standard of communication facing scheme members and parliamentary offices are entirely unsupportable. This Government has taken robust action to enforce contractual accountability and rectify service delivery.

While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. In response, the Government has withheld £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones and is recovering all public sector surge team costs directly from Capita. To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are conducting a comprehensive technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser has been appointed at Capita’s expense. The contract includes an enhanced penalty architecture featuring automatic financial deductions linked directly to missed service metrics, including correspondence wait times.

To directly address the backlog of unacknowledged correspondence, a dedicated 140-person government support team was deployed to stabilise operations, successfully clearing the 15,000 inherited unread emails. These resources will remain in place while the Government conducts an intensive assessment of Capita's operational data post-June to ensure long-term stability. To safeguard urgent casework from parliamentary offices, the Cabinet Office has instituted dedicated, daily virtual surgeries for Members of Parliament and their staff to provide direct intervention and updates on priority cases.

Sally Jameson
Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what maintenance and licensing fees are paid to mobile network operators and technical providers for the infrastructure powering the Emergency Alert system.

The Cabinet Office is committed to delivering value for money to the public. There is no additional or marginal cost of issuing a nationwide Emergency Alert; the most recent activation of the Emergency Alert capability on 14 August was issued at no cost to the taxpayer.

The government contracts with Mobile Network Operators to enable provision of the capability 24/7 nationwide, allowing for individual Alerts to be broadcast at no cost.

The Emergency Alerts system remains ready for activation at short notice around the clock, in response to a range of emergencies.

Dan Jarvis
Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2026 to Question 10289 on Equality: Gender and Intersex and to the Written Answer of 14 July 2026 to Question HL1591 on Civil Service: Gender Recognition, whether the decision not to place the model Policy and Guidance: Supporting Trans and Non-binary Employees in the Library of the House was made on the basis of (a) a policy that internal HR guidance is not published externally or (b) section 36 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

New model Gender Reassignment guidance has been issued to Civil Service departments for them to use as a template for their own departmental guidance. Internal HR policies and guidance are not published externally.

The Cabinet Office also believes disclosure of the model Policy and Guidance: Supporting Trans and Non-binary Employees would also contravene Section 36(2)(b)(i), (ii), and (c) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Mark Ferguson
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse was of planning, executing and reviewing the recent Emergency Alert regarding wildfires by department, mobile network operator and third-party contractors.

The planning and activation of the Emergency Alert capability on 14 August was issued at no cost to the taxpayer.

Dan Jarvis
Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the education system in circumstances where a national emergency alert is required to advise members of the public not to light fires during periods of hot and dry weather.

Young people have consistently expressed a strong desire for more education on climate change, so they are prepared for life and work in a changing world. Teachers have also highlighted previously that limited depth on environmental topics in the national curriculum has made it difficult to develop effective provision in this area.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review recommended earlier sequencing and updated environmental content within the subjects of citizenship, geography, science, and design and technology. The Secretary of State is considering the recommendations of the Review, and we expect there will be a public consultation on the proposals for the curriculum and assessment system in due course.

The department takes periods of hot weather and heatwaves seriously and has published a climate risk assessment and continues to support Responsible Bodies and schools to provide education in a safe environment. The department has published guidance on hot weather available via the Education Hub on www.gov.uk.

In addition to the recent guidance published by the Department for Education, on Friday 14 August, millions of people were sent wildfire emergency phone alerts warning against any activity that could start a fire. The Emergency Alerts system is used to amplify and complement other methods of warning and informing the public in emergency situations. In this case, we took the decision to use the system after a direct request from fire and rescue services on the front line of the fight against wildfires.

The Government furthermore released a press notice reminding the public not to light fires and to take litter home, and took action to implement a temporary ban on disposable barbecues. Various public information campaigns from the Fire and Rescue Services (national and local) include fire safety advice for the public.

Dan Jarvis
Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
15th Jul 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Written Answer of 14 July 2026 to Question HL1591, what public interest factors were weighed in reaching the decision not to disclose the model Policy and Guidance: Supporting Trans and Non-binary Employees; and what conclusion was reached under section 2(2)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

It is long established that effective policy development relies on the ability of ministers and their officials to exchange views and provide free and frank advice on the options available. Disclosing the requested information is likely to have a detrimental effect on the quality of the advice and the way it would be given, which would not be in the public interest.

Mark Ferguson
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
15th Jul 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14th July to Question HL1591, which Minister acted as the qualified person under section 36(5)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in respect of that request; and on what date that opinion was given.

The MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, Chris Ward, acted as the qualified person and gave his opinion on 24 June 2026, during his time as Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office.

Mark Ferguson
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
15th Jul 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 14 July to Question HL1591, on Civil Service: Gender Recognition, in determining the public interest under section 2(2)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 what weight did her Department give to the fact that the document in question is finalised departmental guidance rather than material relating to ongoing deliberation.

The Cabinet Office fully accounted for the status of the requested information when making the public interest assessment under section 2(2)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. While the central model policy templates are finalised, broader rollout of departmental guidance is at active consultation and implementation phase.

Mark Ferguson
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
15th Jul 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 14 July 2026 to Question HL1591, whether it is his Department's policy that exemptions under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 determine what information may be provided in answer to parliamentary questions.

In line with the Ministerial Code, Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament, refusing to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest which should be decided in accordance with the relevant statutes and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Mark Ferguson
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
15th Jul 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether government departments are revising their own policies with reference to the model Policy and Guidance: Supporting Trans and Non-binary Employees issued on 22 May 2026.

Departments are undertaking consultation with relevant stakeholders to revise their own policies.

Mark Ferguson
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jun 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 12 June 2026 to Question 4166 on Equality: Gender and Intersex, if she will place a copy of the New model Policy and Guidance: Supporting Trans and Non-binary Employees, issued to Government departments on 22 May 2026, in the Library of the House.

New model Gender Reassignment guidance has been issued to Civil Service departments for them to use as a template for their own departmental guidance. Internal HR policies and guidance are not published externally.

Satvir Kaur
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
29th May 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the answer of 31 March 2026 to Question 123236 on Ministers: Official Cars, whether there is any HM Government guidance on this matter.

In common with the Department of Transport, the Cabinet Office has not issued formal guidance regarding the provision of official cars outside the Government Car Service (GCS).

Dan Jarvis
Minister of State (Home Office) (Security) (Jointly with the Cabinet Office)
14th May 2026
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many staff with no post are attached to the Skills Match Hub.

At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact number changes on a day-to-day basis.

Satvir Kaur
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
21st May 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the terms (a) Bed Space Size and (b) Bed space in public sector accommodation contracts refer to the number of individuals a room or property is intended to accommodate.

Each department is responsible for specifying its own contract requirements, so the meaning of “Bed Space Size” and “Bed space" may vary based on the criteria established by each department.

Georgia Gould
Minister of State (Education)
12th Oct 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help support independent retailers and small businesses to create local jobs in Leicester East constituency, given the local increase in the claimant count data for August 2026.

The Government recognises the valuable role independent retailers and small businesses play in creating jobs and supporting local communities.

Through the Business Growth Service accessible via business.gov.uk, it is now easier for SMEs, including those in Leicester East, to access advice, guidance and tailored support, such as the Business Support Service and the Business Academy. We are also delivering measures to improve access to finance and tackle late payments, helping small businesses to start, grow and create jobs.

Local businesses can also access free support through Leicestershire Business Growth Hub, helping them identify opportunities to grow and invest.

Blair McDougall
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
12th Oct 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, with reference to Action for Children's document entitled Where is child poverty increasing in the UK?, published on 17 April 2026, what steps he is taking to encourage flexible working arrangements that enable lone parents to enter and sustain employment.

The government is committed to improving access to flexible working and recognises it can be critical in enabling many lone parents to sustainably balance work and childcare responsibilities.

Through the Employment Rights Act, we are strengthening the flexible working framework by introducing a new process employers must follow before rejecting a request and a new reasonableness test requiring employers to explain the rationale for any refusal.

These changes will support more constructive and transparent discussions about flexible working and ultimately make it more likely that requests are accepted.

Kate Dearden
Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
15th Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of financial pressures facing the UK automotive sector.

We engage regularly with industry, including through the Automotive Council, to understand the pressures facing the sector and ensure that Government support continues to reflect businesses' evolving needs. Through DRIVE35, the Government is committing up to £4 billion of capital and R&D funding to 2035, the biggest government investment in the post-war era. We have also introduced the Electric Car Grant, delayed changes to Employee Car Ownership Schemes, and are reducing industrial electricity costs from 2027 through the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.

Blair McDougall
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
15th Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to tackle structural barriers to private capital investment.

Attracting private investment is crucial for driving economic growth across the UK. The Government is focused on tackling barriers to investment, including on planning, access to finance, grid connections, and skills.

For instance, we are also accelerating delivery through the Planning and Infrastructure Act, cutting delays for major projects. Alongside this, the National Wealth Fund’s £27.8 billion capitalisation is helping to share risk and unlock private investment in infrastructure, clean energy and other growth-driving sectors—creating the conditions for investment to flow more quickly into the UK economy.

We have also expanded the Office for Investment to enable greater coordination across government.

Chris McDonald
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
14th Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to maintain the competitiveness of UK car manufacturing in the context of industrial electricity costs and Zero Emission Vehicle mandate targets.

Government is taking action to strengthen the competitiveness of UK car manufacturing. From 2027, the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will cut electricity costs for frontier industries in Industrial Strategy growth, like automotive, by around £35-£40 per MWh, alongside enhanced British Industry Supercharger support for energy-intensive activities including gigafactories. Through DRIVE35, we are investing up to £4 billion to 2035 to support zero emission vehicle manufacturing, skilled jobs and private investment across the country. Government is also consulting now on the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate to ensure we find the right balance of maintaining ambitious targets while ensuring industry can achieve them and compliance costs are affordable.

Blair McDougall
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
14th Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Jaguar Land Rover's job cuts on automotive (a) supply chain businesses and (b) logistics operations in (i) Mercia Park and (ii) the East Midlands.

Jaguar Land Rover has been clear that the proposed redundancies are focused primarily on non-manufacturing roles. Given this, we do not expect a significant direct impact on supply chain businesses.

The Government recognises the supply chain is facing wider issues. The Suppliers Readiness and Transformation Programme, backed by DRIVE35, delivered in partnership with the North East and West Midlands Metro Mayors has allocated up to £50m per region, supporting locally critical components and capabilities via targeted capital grants.

Decisions regarding logistics operations are a commercial matter for Jaguar Land Rover.

Blair McDougall
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
14th Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to safeguard engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs in (a) Leicester and (b) Leicestershire.

This Government recognises the importance of engineering and advanced manufacturing jobs. Our 10-year Modern Industrial Strategy sets out our long-term approach to unlocking investment and productivity growth, backing national strengths and realising Britain’s potential.

Alongside this, the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, backed by up to £4.3bn in government funding, supports manufacturers across the whole of the UK to grow and thrive, including Leicestershire-based HORIBA MIRA.

We are delivering both in collaboration with regional leaders and will deepen that partnership as we work towards “Rewiring the State”.

Blair McDougall
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
2nd Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what industrial support his Department has allocated to the East Midlands.

Regional growth is a core objective of the Industrial Strategy. This includes supporting significant strengths in the Industrial Strategy growth-driving sectors across the East Midlands. The Strategy has committed up to £20m investment each in both the East Midlands and Greater Lincolnshire combined authority areas from the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, is launching a new Technical Excellence College in Lincoln and Derby to address skills shortages including defence and construction, strengthening support for the East Midlands and Humber Freeports, and uplifting the Network Charging Compensation Scheme to support supply chains and foundational industries in the region.

Blair McDougall
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
2nd Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2026 to Question 15472 on Cement, what proportion of cement used domestically was produced in the UK in each of the last 10 years.

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade does hold information about the proportion of cement used[1] domestically that was produced in the UK in each of the last 10 years, which is summarised in the table below:

Year

Cement sales from UK/GB production[2] (kilo tonnes) [A]

Total cement sales (includes all imports, kilo tonnes) [B]

Cement sales from UK/GB production as a proportion of total cement sales [A/B]

2014

8,751

10,568

83%

2015

9,526

11,585

82%

2016

No data

12,001

No data

2017

9,063

11,796

77%

2018

9,141

11,739

78%

2019

9,078

11,605

78%

2020

8,030

10,381

77%

2021

9,077

12,367

73%

2022

8,364

12,010

70%

2023

7,486

11,082

68%

2024

7,091

10,292

69%

Source: Building materials and components statistics: July 2026 - GOV.UK, Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, 5 August 2026.

[1] For the purposes of this analysis, cement sales are used as a proxy for cement usage.

[2] Great Britain up to and including 2014, and the United Kingdom from 2015 onwards.

Blair McDougall
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
2nd Sep 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support home-grown industrial suppliers.

The 10-year Modern Industrial Strategy sets out the government’s long-term approach to unlocking investment and productivity growth, backing our strengths and realising Britain’s potential. The Industrial Strategy is being delivered in close partnership with regional leaders, and we will deepen our collaboration and build on this through the next steps on “Rewiring the State”.

Alongside this, we continue to deliver on the commitments outlined in our Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan. Backed by up to £4.3bn in government funding, the Plan details how we are supporting manufacturers, including industrial suppliers - to grow and thrive, boosting jobs and increasing prosperity across the UK.

Blair McDougall
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to improve the growth and productivity of small and medium-sized enterprises in Leicester East.

Small businesses are at the heart of economic growth, which is why the Government's Small Business Plan is delivering up to 200 measures to help businesses, including those in Leicester East, start up, scale up and succeed. This includes action to improve access to finance, strengthen business support, boost exports and unlock new opportunities for growth in every part of the UK.

As part of this, businesses can access tailored support through the Business Growth Service and their local Growth Hub, while the British Business Bank and UK Export Finance are helping firms secure the finance they need to invest and expand.

Chris McDonald
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
28th Aug 2026
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of access to finance, innovation support, and business expansion in Leicester East.

Small businesses are at the heart of economic growth, which is why the Government's Small Business Plan is delivering up to 200 measures to help businesses, including those in Leicester East, start up, scale up and succeed. This includes action to improve access to finance, strengthen business support, boost exports and unlock new opportunities for growth in every part of the UK.

As part of this, businesses can access tailored support through the Business Growth Service and their local Growth Hub, while the British Business Bank and UK Export Finance are helping firms secure the finance they need to invest and expand.

Chris McDonald
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)