Written questions by Ranger.

What steps he is taking to help increase the number of civil servants who come from low income backgrounds.

We are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds to create a modern Civil Service that delivers high quality public services.There are a range of policies to support those from low socio-economic backgrounds wishing to join the Civil Service, this includes internships and apprenticeships which support people to gain valuable paid work experience in the Civil Service, as well as extensive outreach events to raise awareness of the Civil Service as an inclusive employer. The Civil Service also provides entry routes through the Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) recruitment schemes across government. GFiE uses innovative approaches, working in partnership including with local government and the voluntary sector, to recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds into the Civil Service who may not otherwise have considered a Civil Service job, including people from low socio-economic backgrounds.

What steps she has taken to support people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds in accessing employment opportunities.

The Get Britain Working White Paper focuses on building a thriving labour market, reducing economic inactivity and increasing the number of people in work, which is central to growing the economy. We will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity, create an inclusive labour market in which everybody can participate and progress in work, and meet the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate. We are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access good, meaningful work, and support them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. The new service will be available for anyone who wants to look for work, to increase their earnings or to change their career or retrain. It will be responsive to local employers, inclusive for all customers and will work closely in partnership with local services to tackle the challenges associated with local labour markets. Additionally, our Youth Guarantee will ensure that all young people aged 18-21 in England can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship, or employment support, helping to bridge the gap for those who might otherwise struggle to find employment due to their socio-economic status. We are committed to breaking down barriers and fostering greater social mobility across the UK, our plans as set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper Get Britain Working White Paper - GOV.UK set us on a path to achieving this.

What steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve social mobility.

We are committed to delivering better life chances for all - breaking the link between background and success. Through the Opportunity Mission, this Government is working to ensure all children and young people can access opportunities and that every child thrives in education and achieves their ambitions in work and later life, no matter their background. Work is underway to deliver our manifesto commitment to commence the socio-economic duty in England. The duty will require specified public bodies to actively consider how their strategic decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.

What steps she is taking to help improve access to (a) higher education opportunities and (b) apprenticeships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Too many people across our country do not get the chance to succeed. This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to go to university or pursue an apprenticeship, regardless of their background, where they live and their personal circumstances.All English higher education (HE) providers registered with the Office for Students (OfS) that intend to charge higher level tuition fees are required to have an Access and Participation Plan approved by the OfS. These plans articulate how providers will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups. In creating their plans, providers should consider the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register which details 12 key sector risks across the student lifecycle and the student groups most likely to experience these, including students from disadvantaged backgrounds.Whilst many HE providers have demonstrated positive examples of widening access, including targeted outreach and bursaries, we want to see the sector go further.In the summer the department will set out our plan for HE reform and we expect providers to play an even stronger role in improving access and outcomes for all disadvantaged students.The department also wants to ensure that more young people can undertake apprenticeships. We are introducing foundation apprenticeships for young people, a work-based offer providing high-quality progression pathways into further work-based training and employment, including occupationally specific apprenticeships. The department is continuing to provide employers and providers with additional funding to support more apprenticeship opportunities for young people, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. We provide £1,000 to both employers and training providers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, and up to age 24 for apprentices with an education, health and care plan or who have been in local authority care. These payments can be used to support costs such as work equipment, uniforms or travel.

What steps his Department is taking to support social mobility for people from (a) underrepresented and (b) disadvantaged groups in the green energy sector.

The Office for Clean Energy Jobs is working closely with industry and trade unions to improve accessibility of jobs in the clean energy sector, and coordinate across social inclusion initiatives. In January it published a ‘Clean Energy Jobs Employer Handbook’ which summarises support available, including for employees from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. The Department will set out its wider approach to clean energy workforce strategy later this year, to support delivery of the workforce for the Clean Energy Superpower Mission.

What steps the Government is taking to improve access to opportunity in disadvantaged areas to promote social mobility for students from low-income backgrounds.

For too many children and young people in Britain, their background, where they come from or their parents' income limits the life they are able to build. The government’s Opportunity Mission aims to break this link between a child’s background and their future success. To achieve the department’s overall mission objective of closing the opportunity gap, we have set a milestone of a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn.As the Plan for Change set out, the department will measure our progress through 75% of 5-year-olds reaching a good level of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage assessment. We are already making good progress to deliver this first milestone, we have announced the largest ever uplift to the Early Years Pupil Premium, confirmed the first wave of 300 school-based nurseries and are on track to deliver the final increase in childcare entitlement from September. This first milestone is only the beginning of our ambition for children and young people. The department’s first step for the Opportunity Mission is recruiting an additional 6,500 new expert teachers across our schools, both mainstream and specialist, and our colleges over the course of this Parliament. The quality of teaching is the single most important in-school factor in improving outcomes for children, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The department has already made good early progress towards this key pledge, including providing a 5.5% pay award for teachers and leaders in maintained schools, announcing a £233 million initial teacher training financial incentives package for the 2025/26 recruitment cycle, and confirming targeted retention incentives for shortage subjects worth up to £6,000 after tax. More widely the department has already shown commitment to supporting the most disadvantaged by confirming over £3 billion will be provided to state-funded schools in England through the pupil premium in the 2025/26 financial year, an increase of almost 5% from 2024/25, to help disadvantaged pupils achieve and thrive in education and remove the barriers to learning that hold too many children back.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that businesses and employers are contributing to enhancing social mobility through (a) apprenticeships, (b) internships and (c) employment practices.

The Plan to Make Work Pay aims to improve fairness at work, ensure equal treatment and opportunity, and support low-paid workers.Too many young people are struggling to access high-quality opportunities. That is why this government is working with businesses to develop new foundation apprenticeships: to give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working lives whilst supporting the pipeline of new talent that employers will need to drive economic growth.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle foreign interference in politics.

Protecting the UK and our democratic processes from foreign interference is a priority for this Government and we have several mechanisms in place. The National Security Act 2023 provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt state threats. The Government's Defending Democracy Taskforce, chaired by the Minister of State for Security, is focused on safeguarding our democracy from the full range of threats including foreign interference. The Joint Election Security and Preparedness Unit (JESP) works between the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) to coordinate election security and preparedness activity including working with the devolved administrations, local authorities and the Electoral Commission. The Government has also committed to enhancing the safeguards against foreign funding of election campaigns and will be bringing forward proposals in due course. The Government also works with like-minded international partners to share expertise and develop tools to build our collective democratic resilience.

What recent progress the Defending Democracy Taskforce has made.

The Taskforce has undertaken a comprehensive review of last year’s elections and is now driving forward a programme of work to ensure the UK’s democracy is strengthened and protected against a multitude of threats.This includes work to tackle the unacceptable instances of harassment and intimidation of elected representatives that we saw during the General Election.This vital work is ongoing, and I will further update the House in due course.

What the selection criteria is for membership of the Hospitality Sector Council.

The Hospitality Sector Council’s Terms of Reference is publicly available, outlining that membership is by invitation only and is subject to final agreement by DBT Ministers in consultation with the joint chairs. Members are selected to provide a breadth of knowledge and experience across the hospitality sector and Government. All members are selected in a personal capacity and will be expected to speak for their areas of expertise rather than the specific interests of their organisation. Membership is reviewed by DBT and it may be amended to take account of changing priorities in the sector to ensure appropriate representation and expertise is maintained.

What recent discussions he has had with representatives of Oscar Mayer Limited on its employment practices.

Ministers meet regularly with business organisations and trade associations. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly on GOV.UK. This Government has introduced the Employment Rights Bill, representing the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. This includes day one protections from unfair dismissal, banning exploitative zero hours contracts and ending fire and rehire.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of Avanti West Coast trains from stations in north Wales.

The Secretary of State is clear that the performance of Avanti West Coast (AWC) on its North Wales route is not good enough with passengers facing too many cancellations and delays. Poor Network Rail (NR) infrastructure reliability has also contributed si...

What role North Wales will have in helping the UK reach it's 2030 energy targets.

Following NESO’s advice on 2030 Clean Power, the Government will publish a Clean Power Action Plan later this year, which will set out how we can deliver our ambition. The resources of North Wales already play a key role in delivering clean power, includi...