Written questions by Dewhirst.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54826 on Senior Civil Servants: Training, whether external venues have been booked for away days since 6 April 2025.

On 4 April, guidance was issued on restrictions to booking external venues. Departments were asked to put appropriate approval mechanisms in place. The guidance was clear that external venues for awaydays and events should only be used when space in government buildings is unavailable. When it is absolutely necessary to use an external venue, they should be procured through established procurement routes where available. The Cabinet Office issued instructions on its intranet on 30 April 2025 that prior to booking any external venues approval must be obtained from the relevant Budget Holder and Finance Business Partner. Prior to this period, bookings may have been made which would have proved more costly to cancel, therefore some pre-booked events may still take place. However, this guidance is now live across the Department and is being implemented accordingly.

With reference to his Department's press release entitled, Portraits of His Majesty the King for UK public authorities, published on 1 April 2023, how many portraits were provided to public bodies; and what the total cost was of that scheme.

I refer the Honourable Member to the information published on GOV.UK on 28 November 2024 which provided a summary of the His Majesty The King Official Portrait Scheme, including the number of portraits provided and the total cost of the scheme: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/conclusion-of-his-majesty-the-kings-free-portrait-scheme The HMK Portrait scheme was launched on 14th November 2023 and, including two extensions of scope, ran until 15th August 2024. A total of 20,565 orders were received, the cost of which, including delivery, was £2,710,705.50 with an average price of £131.81 per portrait.

What his Department's planned timetable is for the the publication of substantive details on the implementation and configuration of the proposed new duty of candour; and whether he plans to issue a formal consultation.

We remain fully committed to bringing in this legislation which will include a legal duty of candour for public servants and criminal sanctions for those who do not comply. Having consulted with groups and their representatives, more time is required to draft the best version of a Hillsborough Law.

Pursuant to the Answer of 30 May 2025 to Question 53546 on House of Lords Appointments Commission, whether the recruitment campaign to appoint the two independent members was re-opened after it originally closed.

The campaign to appoint new Independent Members to the House of Lords Appointments Commission was launched earlier this year and remains active. It has not been re-opened.

If she will make an assessment of the number of pensioners who will need to pay back the Winter Fuel Payment through tax system, in each financial year between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2029.

From this winter 2025-26 Winter Fuel Payment eligibility will be expanded in England and Wales. Pensioners with incomes below or equal to £35,000 will benefit from Winter Fuel Payments. About 9 million individuals will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payments this winter. Winter Fuel Payments will be paid automatically meaning any pensioner receiving a State Pension or DWP benefit or who has previously received a Winter Fuel Payment will not need to make a claim. There are about 2 million individuals with an income above £35,000. Those who receive a Winter Fuel Payment will have the full amount of their Winter Fuel Payment recovered via HMRC. Pensioners do not need to take any immediate action, and those that wish to opt out of receiving the winter fuel payment can do so. Winter Fuel Payments are devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

With reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, whether she plans to raise taxes.

In the Spending Review, money was allocated to the priorities of the British people: our security, our health service and growing the economy to put more money in people's pockets. Everything the Chancellor set out in the Spending Review is costed and has been budgeted for. The OBR will produce a new forecast in the Autumn for the annual Budget, and the Chancellor will take decisions in the round based on that forecast.

Whether there is a Crown Commercial Service communications and marketing framework which covers branded goods.

In April, the government announced that spending taxpayer money on new unnecessary branded merchandise will be banned and will only be permitted when essential for delivering the government’s agenda, for example, in overseas trade and diplomacy, to promote growth. Government departments can continue to use existing branded merchandise.Branded goods are presently available through the Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) Campaign Solutions 2 Framework (RM6125), which was established under the previous administration in September 2021. CCS is in the process of establishing a new framework, RM6364 Media and Creative Services, which will replace Campaign Solutions 2. The new framework will not cover branded goods.

What his planned timetable is for responding to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee's report entitled Lobbying and Influence HC 203, published on 2 May 2024.

In addition to steps this Government has already taken to improve transparency, in particular through the introduction of the monthly register of ministers' gifts and hospitality, the Government continues to develop its broader work on ethics and standards and will update the Committee on the outcome of that work in due course.

Whether Sizewell C will be classified as (a) public or (b) private expenditure and borrowing for the purposes of the national accounts.

While HMG's investments in the project since November 2022 have resulted in the project being consolidated to the government’s balance sheet, a decision on the economic classification of Sizewell C will be made by the Office for National Statistics, independently of HMG.

If she will list the (a) topic and (b) title of each item of external research commissioned by HMRC since 4 July 2024.

Details of projects in the HMRC Research Programme are available at: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/about/research#research-activities-funded-by-hmrc The content of this webpage will be updated to include projects commissioned since 4 July 2024 as soon as possible.

What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises in the (a) aviation and (b) maritime sectors have adequate access to Government procurement contracts.

The Department for Transport runs a series of regional Meet the Buyer Small Business roadshows across the UK to highlight opportunities and encourage participation in our supply chains. This programme also enables the Department to identify opportunities to remove barriers to SME participation in our competitions. In total the Department has hosted nineteen events with around 3500 small businesses attending so far. The programme is continuing in 2025/26 following very positive feedback from the small business community.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises can contribute to the Government’s sustainable aviation fuel targets.

There are a number of steps we are taking to support enterprises of all sizes to contribute to SAF targets. We are encouraging the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the UK through the SAF mandate, which obligates fuel suppliers to supply a proportion of SAF in their fuel. To minimise the impact on small or micro businesses from being obligated, the minimum threshold for registering with the SAF mandate scheme and being set an obligation is 15.9 terajoules of aviation fuel, or 450,000 litres, per annum. This minimises unnecessary administrative burdens with negligible impact on GHG emissions reductions. We are supporting the production and development of UK supplies of SAF through the Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF). Applicants were invited to apply for funding in 2025 with no restriction on the size of the project. Previous rounds have supported a range of proposals from demonstration to commercial scale. The Spending Review 2025 will continue support for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in the UK to 2029/30. Our SAF Clearing House also supports SAF producers through the testing process – a grant funding window is currently open to applications. Finally, we have introduced to Parliament the legislation required to implement a revenue certainty mechanism to support SAF producers to secure the private funding needed to construct SAF plants.

What engagement his Department has had with small and medium-sized enterprises in the (a) aviation and (b) maritime sectors on barriers to (i) growth, (ii) innovation and (iii) sustainability.

The Department believes that small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have a vital role to play within the aviation and maritime sectors and in supporting our objectives on growth, innovation and the environment. The Department has regular engagement with SMEs and their trade bodies on these matters and on the challenges and opportunities they face. The Department and other government bodies have provided support to SME companies via innovation and decarbonisation funding in both the aviation and maritime sectors. This includes the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) Clean Maritime Demonstration Competitions. The Future of Flight Programme will also enable the routine use of drones and eVTOLs in the UK in this Parliament. This will unlock growth for small and medium businesses in the aviation sector and beyond, including innovative aerospace manufacturing startups, and existing service providers such as surveyors that use drones to expand their markets. In addition, the Department continues to work with the Civil Aviation Authority and Maritime and Coastguard Agency to consider how the regulatory regimes interact with these factors in relation to SMEs. The UK aviation and maritime sectors are predominantly privately operated therefore operators are responsible for managing their own contingency plans and ensuring that they are robust and meet their own individual circumstances. My officials engage regularly with these sectors to gain assurances that plans are in place to ensure that disruptions are kept to a minimum.

What engagement she has had with small and medium-sized enterprises in the aviation sector to better understand the challenges and opportunities they face.

The Department believes that small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have a vital role to play within the aviation and maritime sectors and in supporting our objectives on growth, innovation and the environment. The Department has regular engagement with SMEs and their trade bodies on these matters and on the challenges and opportunities they face. The Department and other government bodies have provided support to SME companies via innovation and decarbonisation funding in both the aviation and maritime sectors. This includes the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) Clean Maritime Demonstration Competitions. The Future of Flight Programme will also enable the routine use of drones and eVTOLs in the UK in this Parliament. This will unlock growth for small and medium businesses in the aviation sector and beyond, including innovative aerospace manufacturing startups, and existing service providers such as surveyors that use drones to expand their markets. In addition, the Department continues to work with the Civil Aviation Authority and Maritime and Coastguard Agency to consider how the regulatory regimes interact with these factors in relation to SMEs. The UK aviation and maritime sectors are predominantly privately operated therefore operators are responsible for managing their own contingency plans and ensuring that they are robust and meet their own individual circumstances. My officials engage regularly with these sectors to gain assurances that plans are in place to ensure that disruptions are kept to a minimum.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the role of small and medium-sized enterprises in supporting (a) innovation and (b) resilience in the UK (i) aviation and (ii) maritime sectors.

The Department believes that small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have a vital role to play within the aviation and maritime sectors and in supporting our objectives on growth, innovation and the environment. The Department has regular engagement with SMEs and their trade bodies on these matters and on the challenges and opportunities they face. The Department and other government bodies have provided support to SME companies via innovation and decarbonisation funding in both the aviation and maritime sectors. This includes the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) Clean Maritime Demonstration Competitions. The Future of Flight Programme will also enable the routine use of drones and eVTOLs in the UK in this Parliament. This will unlock growth for small and medium businesses in the aviation sector and beyond, including innovative aerospace manufacturing startups, and existing service providers such as surveyors that use drones to expand their markets. In addition, the Department continues to work with the Civil Aviation Authority and Maritime and Coastguard Agency to consider how the regulatory regimes interact with these factors in relation to SMEs. The UK aviation and maritime sectors are predominantly privately operated therefore operators are responsible for managing their own contingency plans and ensuring that they are robust and meet their own individual circumstances. My officials engage regularly with these sectors to gain assurances that plans are in place to ensure that disruptions are kept to a minimum.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has a target for the (a) number and (b) combined area of Marine Protected Areas.

The UK is committed to ensuring that by 2030 at least 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, are effectively conserved and managed through ecologically representative, well-connected protected areas. In England there is a comprehensive network of MPAs covering 40% of English waters. Defra’s focus is to ensure those areas are effectively conserved and managed.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has a long-term strategy for the fishing sector.

We recognise the calls from across the industry for a long-term strategy for the fisheries sector. We are keen to engage with stakeholders to explore this further and shape a strategic approach that supports the industry's future. Nonetheless, our investment in the industry shows our long-term support for the sector: we have reopened the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme on 9 June 2025, allocating around £6 million to create a sustainable and resilient seafood sector. This is in addition to the recently announced £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, which will provide investment over the next 12 years to support sustainable fisheries and coastal communities.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding has been delivered through the UK Seafood Fund; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK's exit from the EU leads to investment in small-scale British fishing communities.

Since 2021, over £76 million has been delivered through the UK Seafood Fund. This Government remains committed to supporting the fishing industry and small-scale coastal communities. On 19 May 2025, we announced the £360 million Fisheries and Coastal Growth Fund will help invest in the next generation of fishermen, while on 9 June we reopened the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, two schemes that will support this part of the industry.

Whether he is taking steps to accelerate the removal of retained EU law; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK's exit from the EU increases international competitiveness.

The Government’s approach to assimilated law reform (formerly ‘retained EU law’) is to deliver reforms that serve the national interest and support economic growth and wider Government priorities. Unlike the previous Government we will not set arbitrary targets for revoking assimilated law for the sake of it.This Government is seizing the flexibility of Brexit, making the best choices for business and citizens from its position outside the EU as evidenced through significant deals with the US and India and our new partnership with the EU.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps to increase the flexibility of fishing quotas so that fishermen can respond to changes in species abundance.

Through participating in international negotiations with other coastal States, the UK sets total allowable catches for fish stocks based on the best available scientific advice, primarily that from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES). The advice for most stocks is updated yearly, based on scientific data and sampling information from stock surveys, to reflect the current state of fishing stocks. Regular engagement with the fishing industry to communicate expected changes as early as possible, is also central to the UK’s approach.