Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many (a) headcount and (b) full-time equivalent trade union representatives in her Department receive trade union facility time; what proportion of their working hours are spent on facility time on average; what the potential cost to the public purse is of facility time; and whether she has had discussions with unions on potential changes to these arrangements.

Paid facility time is captured and published in line with the Cabinet Office guidance on statutory reporting requirements Public-sector trade union facility time data - GOV.UK. As with any changes to employment legislation, internal policies and processes will be updated as appropriate in preparation for when the Employment Rights Bill 2024 comes into effect.