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Written Question
Regulation: Public Bodies
Friday 23rd June 2023

Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy for all Departments to publish a list of all their associated public bodies that have been delegated power to (a)make amend or revoke, (b) enforce and (c) monitor compliance with regulations.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

The Cabinet Office publishes a list of public bodies classified as arm’s length bodies, the public bodies directory, which includes whether an organisation performs a regulatory function.

The arm’s length bodies which departments have flagged as performing a regulatory function through the most recent public bodies directory data collection are:

  • Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board

  • Animal and Plant Health Agency

  • British Hallmarking Council

  • Care Quality Commission

  • Charity Commission for England & Wales

  • Civil Justice Council

  • Civil Service Commission

  • Coal Authority

  • Commission on Human Medicines

  • Competition and Markets Authority

  • Copyright Tribunal

  • Education and Skills Funding Agency

  • Environment Agency

  • Equality and Human Rights Commission

  • Food Standards Agency

  • Forestry Commision

  • Gambling Commission

  • Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority

  • Health and Safety Executive

  • Health Education England

  • Health Research Authority

  • Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England

  • Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  • Human Tissue Authority

  • Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements

  • Independent Office for Police Conduct

  • Information Commissioner's Office

  • Insolvency Service

  • Legal Services Board

  • Marine Management Organisation

  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)

  • Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

  • Natural England

  • NHS Improvement (includes Monitor and TDA)

  • Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

  • Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

  • Office for Environmental Protection

  • Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OFSTED)

  • Office for Students

  • Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem)

  • Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (OFQUAL)

  • Office of Rail and Road

  • Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner

  • Oil and Gas Authority (now called the North Sea Transition Authority)

  • Parades Commission for Northern Ireland

  • Pensions Ombudsman

  • Planning Inspectorate

  • Regulator of Social Housing

  • School Teachers’ Review Body

  • Sea Fish Industry Authority

  • Security Industry Authority

  • Single Source Regulations Office

  • Small Business Commissioner

  • Social Work England

  • Sports Grounds Safety Authority

  • The Housing Ombudsman

  • The Pensions Regulator

  • The Statistics Board, publicly known as the UK Statistics Authority

  • Theatres Trust

  • Traffic Commissioners

  • Trinity House

  • UK Hydrographic Office

  • UK Space Agency

  • Valuation Tribunal for England

  • Valuation Tribunal Service

  • Veterinary Medicines Directorate

  • Water Services Regulation Authority (OFWAT)


Written Question
Regulation: Public Bodies
Friday 23rd June 2023

Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will provide a list of all public bodies that have been delegated powers to (a) make amend or revoke, (b) enforce and (c) monitor compliance with regulations.

Answered by Jeremy Quin

The Cabinet Office publishes a list of public bodies classified as arm’s length bodies, the public bodies directory, which includes whether an organisation performs a regulatory function.

The arm’s length bodies which departments have flagged as performing a regulatory function through the most recent public bodies directory data collection are:

  • Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board

  • Animal and Plant Health Agency

  • British Hallmarking Council

  • Care Quality Commission

  • Charity Commission for England & Wales

  • Civil Justice Council

  • Civil Service Commission

  • Coal Authority

  • Commission on Human Medicines

  • Competition and Markets Authority

  • Copyright Tribunal

  • Education and Skills Funding Agency

  • Environment Agency

  • Equality and Human Rights Commission

  • Food Standards Agency

  • Forestry Commision

  • Gambling Commission

  • Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority

  • Health and Safety Executive

  • Health Education England

  • Health Research Authority

  • Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England

  • Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority

  • Human Tissue Authority

  • Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements

  • Independent Office for Police Conduct

  • Information Commissioner's Office

  • Insolvency Service

  • Legal Services Board

  • Marine Management Organisation

  • Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)

  • Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

  • Natural England

  • NHS Improvement (includes Monitor and TDA)

  • Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

  • Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

  • Office for Environmental Protection

  • Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (OFSTED)

  • Office for Students

  • Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem)

  • Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (OFQUAL)

  • Office of Rail and Road

  • Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner

  • Oil and Gas Authority (now called the North Sea Transition Authority)

  • Parades Commission for Northern Ireland

  • Pensions Ombudsman

  • Planning Inspectorate

  • Regulator of Social Housing

  • School Teachers’ Review Body

  • Sea Fish Industry Authority

  • Security Industry Authority

  • Single Source Regulations Office

  • Small Business Commissioner

  • Social Work England

  • Sports Grounds Safety Authority

  • The Housing Ombudsman

  • The Pensions Regulator

  • The Statistics Board, publicly known as the UK Statistics Authority

  • Theatres Trust

  • Traffic Commissioners

  • Trinity House

  • UK Hydrographic Office

  • UK Space Agency

  • Valuation Tribunal for England

  • Valuation Tribunal Service

  • Veterinary Medicines Directorate

  • Water Services Regulation Authority (OFWAT)


Written Question
Lotteries
Tuesday 6th September 2022

Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the increase in the annual sales limit for society lotteries from £10 million to £50 million, if she will publish a breakdown of the distribution of overall returns to good causes across (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.

Answered by Damian Collins

The annual sales limit for society lotteries was increased from £10 million to £50 million in July 2020.

We published a review of the impact of these and other changes to society lottery sales and prize limits in March 2022 (link). Early indicators are positive, for example the increase in the annual sales limit has allowed some multiple licensed operators who previously had annual sales in excess of £10 million, to take advantage of the new limit to restructure and become single licence holders, and use the cost savings in doing so to increase good cause returns. The review concluded that it is too soon to reach any firm view on the impact of the changes, especially during a time that the effect of the Covid pandemic made any evaluation more difficult, given changes in consumer behaviour over this period which may have had a distorting effect. We want to see more data on annual growth of the sector to fully measure their impact. Since the review, the Gambling Commission has published further data which shows that the large society lottery sector is continuing to grow.

The Gambling Commission does not collect data on the location of beneficiaries of grant funding. Society lotteries are a helpful way of permitting non-commercial societies to fundraise for good causes. Funds raised by society lotteries are distributed within the stated purposes of that society, and it is for each operator to determine where the money raised is distributed. Larger lotteries may support local, national or international charities, but many others exist solely to support their own work, such as hospice lotteries.

Legislation regarding society lotteries in Northern Ireland is determined by the Northern Ireland Assembly.


Written Question
Lotteries
Tuesday 6th September 2022

Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effect of the increase in the annual sales limit for society lotteries from £10 million to £50 million on money returned to good causes.

Answered by Damian Collins

The annual sales limit for society lotteries was increased from £10 million to £50 million in July 2020.

We published a review of the impact of these and other changes to society lottery sales and prize limits in March 2022 (link). Early indicators are positive, for example the increase in the annual sales limit has allowed some multiple licensed operators who previously had annual sales in excess of £10 million, to take advantage of the new limit to restructure and become single licence holders, and use the cost savings in doing so to increase good cause returns. The review concluded that it is too soon to reach any firm view on the impact of the changes, especially during a time that the effect of the Covid pandemic made any evaluation more difficult, given changes in consumer behaviour over this period which may have had a distorting effect. We want to see more data on annual growth of the sector to fully measure their impact. Since the review, the Gambling Commission has published further data which shows that the large society lottery sector is continuing to grow.

The Gambling Commission does not collect data on the location of beneficiaries of grant funding. Society lotteries are a helpful way of permitting non-commercial societies to fundraise for good causes. Funds raised by society lotteries are distributed within the stated purposes of that society, and it is for each operator to determine where the money raised is distributed. Larger lotteries may support local, national or international charities, but many others exist solely to support their own work, such as hospice lotteries.

Legislation regarding society lotteries in Northern Ireland is determined by the Northern Ireland Assembly.


Written Question
Government Departments: Vacancies
Thursday 21st July 2022

Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many job vacancies there are in each Government (a) department and (b) agency.

Answered by Heather Wheeler

As at 8am on 19 July, there are 3,349 adverts for 10,409 total postings advertised on the Civil Service Jobs website. The below table shows vacancies and posts by department.

Department

Agency (if applicable)

Adverts Live

Total Posts Live

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence

597

1,199

HM Prison & Probation Service

HM Prison & Probation Service

519

3,480

HM Revenue and Customs

HM Revenue and Customs

243

504

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Internal)

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (Internal)

230

262

UK Health Security Agency

UK Health Security Agency

112

175

Home Office

Home Office

107

990

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

86

164

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice

82

206

Department for Work and Pensions

Department for Work and Pensions

76

396

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office

50

60

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade

50

61

Department of Health and Social Care

Department of Health and Social Care

48

54

Office for National Statistics

Office for National Statistics

47

149

Department for Education

Department for Education

45

71

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory

43

203

Crown Prosecution Service

Crown Prosecution Service

39

82

Health and Safety Executive

Health and Safety Executive

38

63

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

HM Courts and Tribunals Service

38

297

OFGEM

OFGEM

37

57

Natural England

Natural England

36

82

Scottish Government

Scottish Government

34

43

Department for Transport

Department for Transport

30

32

Forestry Commission

Forestry Commission

26

28

HM Treasury

HM Treasury

26

31

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

24

36

House of Commons

House of Commons

23

32

Social Security Scotland

Social Security Scotland

22

70

Government Digital Service

Government Digital Service

20

30

Insolvency Service

Insolvency Service

20

34

Homes England

Homes England

19

28

Government Legal Department

Government Legal Department

17

146

DEFRA

Food Standards Agency

16

20

Government Commercial Function

Government Commercial Function

16

29

Care Quality Commission

Care Quality Commission

16

65

Forestry Commission - Forest Research

Forestry Commission - Forest Research

16

16

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

15

25

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

15

16

College of Policing

College of Policing

15

44

UK Hydrographic Office

UK Hydrographic Office

15

49

Valuation Office Agency

Valuation Office Agency

14

130

Pensions Regulator

Pensions Regulator

13

16

Met Office

Met Office

13

23

Welsh Government

Welsh Government

13

56

National Crime Agency

National Crime Agency

13

144

The Money and Pensions Service

The Money and Pensions Service

13

18

Government Property Agency

Government Property Agency

12

29

DEFRA

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

12

13

Legal Aid Agency

Legal Aid Agency

11

29

Historic Environment Scotland

Historic Environment Scotland

10

10

HM Land Registry

HM Land Registry

10

18

Information Commissioner's Office

Information Commissioner's Office

10

19

FCDO Services

FCDO Services

10

10

Crown Commercial Service

Crown Commercial Service

9

14

Office for Students

Office for Students

9

20

Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills

Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills

9

12

Disclosure & Barring Service

Disclosure & Barring Service

8

16

UK Export Finance

UK Export Finance

8

11

Department for Transport

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

8

20

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

8

9

House of Lords

House of Lords

8

9

Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation

Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation

7

7

Companies House

Companies House

7

7

Marine Management Organisation

Marine Management Organisation

7

9

Government Office for Science

Government Office for Science

7

28

GCHQ

GCHQ

7

22

UK Space Agency

UK Space Agency

7

7

Joint Nature Conservation Committee

Joint Nature Conservation Committee

6

6

Student Loans Company

Student Loans Company

6

14

Department for Transport

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency

6

92

Department for Transport

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

6

10

Serious Fraud Office

Serious Fraud Office

5

9

Office of the Public Guardian

Office of the Public Guardian

5

12

Trade Remedies Authority

Trade Remedies Authority

5

5

Planning Inspectorate

Planning Inspectorate

5

7

Cross Departmental Opportunities

Cross Departmental Opportunities

5

9

UK Statistics Authority

UK Statistics Authority

4

4

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service

4

5

DEFRA

Rural Payments Agency

4

5

Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office

4

6

Forestry and Land Scotland

Forestry and Land Scotland

4

4

Intellectual Property Office

Intellectual Property Office

4

4

Consumer Scotland

Consumer Scotland

4

5

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

4

4

Office of Rail and Road

Office of Rail and Road

4

5

Government Statistical Service

Government Statistical Service

4

40

Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

4

10

Charity Commission

Charity Commission

4

7

Independent Office for Police Conduct

Independent Office for Police Conduct

4

5

Independent Monitoring Authority

Independent Monitoring Authority

3

3

UK Research and Innovation

UK Research and Innovation

3

3

Government Internal Audit Agency

Government Internal Audit Agency

3

4

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

3

7

Medical Research Council

Medical Research Council

3

3

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

3

3

The National Lottery Community Fund

The National Lottery Community Fund

3

3

DEFRA

Animal and Plant Health Agency

3

3

Defence Electronics & Components Agency

Defence Electronics & Components Agency

3

3

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service

3

3

Gambling Commission

Gambling Commission

3

3

Registers of Scotland

Registers of Scotland

3

4

Competition & Markets Authority

Competition & Markets Authority

2

3

Innovate UK

Innovate UK

2

3

National Savings and Investments

National Savings and Investments

2

2

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

2

2

Housing Ombudsman Service

Housing Ombudsman Service

2

2

MI5

MI5

2

2

DEFRA

Veterinary Medicines Directorate

2

2

Office for Nuclear Regulation

Office for Nuclear Regulation

2

2

Ofwat (Water Services Regulation Authority)

Ofwat (Water Services Regulation Authority)

2

3

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

2

2

Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council

Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council

2

10

Security Industry Authority

Security Industry Authority

2

3

Office for Environmental Protection

Office for Environmental Protection

1

2

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Equality and Human Rights Commission

1

1

Home Office

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services

1

1

The National Archives

The National Archives

1

1

Valuation Tribunal Service

Valuation Tribunal Service

1

1

DEFRA

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science

1

2

MI6 - Secret Intelligence Service

MI6 - Secret Intelligence Service

1

1

Government Actuary's Department

Government Actuary's Department

1

5

Environmental Standards Scotland

Environmental Standards Scotland

1

1

Scottish Forestry

Scottish Forestry

1

1

Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority

1

1

UK Debt Management Office

UK Debt Management Office

1

1

Parole Board

Parole Board

1

1

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Criminal Cases Review Commission

1

1

Youth Justice Board

Youth Justice Board

1

6

Building Digital UK (BDUK)

Building Digital UK (BDUK)

1

1

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

1

1

Grand Total

3,349

10,409


Written Question
National Lottery
Wednesday 1st December 2021

Asked by: Simon Fell (Conservative - Barrow and Furness)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2021 to Question 71465, on National Lottery, if he will provide a breakdown by region of the 222 National Lottery retailers that only sell National Lottery scratchcards and do not sell tickets for draw based games.

Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Gambling Commission have provided the following information showing retailers across different regions that only sell National Lottery scratchcards and do not sell tickets for draw based games. These retailers are spread throughout the different regions of the UK.

Following on from the previously mentioned PQ, Question 71465 answered on 15 November 2021, the number of retailers selling only National Lottery scratchcards has decreased by one as one of the stores is no longer active, meaning the total number in the table below is 221.

Region

Active stores

East Coast of Scotland & Northeast England

8

West Coast of Scotland & Northern Ireland

11

Lake District, North Lancashire, West Yorkshire

25

East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, East Midlands

30

M62 Corridor, Yorkshire to Liverpool (including Manchester

18

West Midlands & North Wales

18

East Anglia

12

Home Counties (Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire, Berkshire)

15

M4 Corridor (Bristol to London)

21

London

18

South Coast

22

South West, South Wales

23

Total of 221


Written Question
Gaming Machines: Northern Ireland
Monday 5th July 2021

Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with his Northern Irish counterpart on the operation of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) in Northern Ireland following the reduction in the maximum stake on FOBTs in Great Britain to £2 in 2019.

Answered by John Whittingdale

Gambling in Northern Ireland is a devolved issue regulated under the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985. I have not discussed the operation of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals following the 2019 stake cut with my Northern Irish counterpart.


Written Question
Gambling: Northern Ireland
Monday 8th March 2021

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will publish the total gross gambling yield that licensed remote (online) operators receive from customers based in Northern Ireland for the period November 2014 to September 2019.

Answered by John Whittingdale

Gambling activity is a devolved issue in Northern Ireland, regulated under the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985. The UK government and the Gambling Commission therefore do not collect official data on the gross gambling yield derived from customers in Northern Ireland.


Written Question
Gambling: Black Economy
Monday 21st September 2020

Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his Answer of 8 September 2020 to Question 81831 on Gambling: Regulation, what his Department's policy is on the distinction between (a) grey and (b) black gambling markets; and whether Northern Ireland is considered a (i) grey or (ii) black market for gambling.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Jurisdictions in which there are not clear laws on the legality of gambling are often referred to as grey markets. Jurisdictions where gambling is clearly and unambiguously prohibited by law are often referred to as black markets.

Northern Ireland is not considered either a grey market or a black market for gambling. Gambling activity in Northern Ireland is a devolved issue regulated under the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985. The law is enforceable by the Northern Irish authorities such as the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

There is no provision for licensing online gambling in the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985 but under section 5 of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 online operators who wish to advertise their services in Northern Ireland must hold a licence from the Gambling Commission. The Department of Communities for Northern Ireland completed a consultation on gambling regulation in February 2020.


Written Question
Gambling: Northern Ireland
Wednesday 29th July 2020

Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Swansea East)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason the Gambling Commission permits licensees to offer remote gambling in Northern Ireland which would not be permitted in land-based venues under the laws of Northern Ireland.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Gambling activity in Northern Ireland is a devolved issue regulated under the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985. The Gambling Commission has no role in setting or enforcing rules on stake limits, physical premises requirements, and the remote gambling offered in Northern Ireland, or any jurisdiction other than Great Britain.

There is no provision for licensing online gambling in the Betting, Gaming, Lotteries and Amusements (NI) Order 1985, however, under section 5 of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 online operators who wish to advertise their services in Northern Ireland must hold a licence from the Gambling Commission.

In accordance with the Statement of Principles for Licencing and Regulation (June 2017), the only time Gambling Commission assumes jurisdiction in Northern Ireland to investigate regulatory breaches is when an Northern Ireland consumer has a dispute with an online operator which is relying on the GB licence it holds from the Gambling Commission.