Written questions by McMurdock.

What proportion of staff in her Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid and (c) remote-working contracts.

HM Treasury is an office‑based organisation. Staff are employed on office‑based contracts and may work remotely under the Department’s hybrid working policy, which expects at least 60% office attendance. Hybrid working is an informal arrangement and not contractual. The Department does not generally offer home‑based contracts; full‑time homeworking is only agreed on a temporary basis, for example as a workplace adjustment.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled End to surprise phone and broadband bill hikes to help with cost of living, published on 11 February 2026, what steps she is taking to help ensure that customers in financial difficulty can switch to cheaper plans without penalty.

The Telecoms Consumer Charter strengthens protections for customers who may be eligible for social tariffs by securing commitments from major providers to ensure these tariffs are clearly signposted and easy to find in customer communications. This ensures that those who may benefit from a social tariff can more easily identify and access one. This includes, for example, signposting offers in End-of-Contract notifications, provider websites, app menus, and customer service scripts. Eligibility for social tariffs is assessed on an individual basis and requires customers to provide information, such as confirmation that they receive a means-tested benefit, before providers can determine whether they qualify. For this reason, providers cannot proactively identify eligible households, as they do not have access to the necessary personal data unless and until a customer applies. The Charter focuses on making clear, visible information available at the points where customers are most likely to look for support. The Charter also includes a specific commitment to support customers who are facing financial difficulty by offering practical support such as allowing them to move to cheaper packages without charge or penalty, or manageable payment plans. This ensures people under financial pressure can switch to more affordable options without incurring additional costs.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the barriers to long-term investment in mobile network infrastructure.

On 10th February, the Government published the Mobile Market Review (MMR) call for evidence. The MMR is a deep dive into the factors shaping industry's ability to invest in networks over the long-term, from investment challenges to the rapid technological developments occurring across the sector.Delivering the government’s ambition for all populated areas to have standalone 5G by 2030 requires sustained investment from industry. Through this call for evidence, we want to understand what further action more government can take to create the conditions for long-term investment in mobile networks across the UK.

How many and what proportion of staff in her Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid and (c) remote-working contracts.

As of February 2026, 486 employees of the department (6%) work remotely because their roles require them to be based at a distance from a departmental office.All other employees, apart from a small number with homeworking as a reasonable adjustment, are office‑based with access to hybrid working arrangements. Hybrid working arrangements are non-contractual and led by business needs.

How many and what proportion of staff in his Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid and (c) remote-working contracts.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD), along with other Government Departments, is committed to Smarter Working and much of our workforce has embraced the benefits of hybrid working, both for the business and themselves. We have implemented Government direction on increased office attendance and, as a broad average, at least 60% of time is spent working in office for office-based workers. For some this will be more, for others less, and is dependent upon the activity, business outcomes to be delivered and sometimes site capacity constraints. All employees agree their working location with their local line management and a central record of working locations is not held. The MOD does not issue specific remote working contracts and does not record centrally remote working activity; remote working falls under hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual arrangement.

How many and what proportion of staff in his Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid and (c) remote-working contracts.

(a) There are 4926 employees who have an office-based contract. This is 100% of the Department. (b) and c) There are no recorded hybrid or remote-working contracts. Hybrid working is a non-contractual arrangement under which employees are expected to spend 40-60% of their working hours in the office as the norm (with a minimum of 40%) with Senior Civil Servants and Fast Stream employees aiming towards 60% office attendance during a 4-week accounting period.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled End to surprise phone and broadband bill hikes to help with cost of living, published on 11 February 2026, what steps her Department is taking to monitor compliance with the Telecoms Consumer Charter.

The Telecoms Consumer Charter is public a commitment made by providers, building on Ofcom’s existing rules on pricing transparency, switching and end‑of‑contract notifications, and goes further in areas where Government has identified improvements are needed.While it is not our intention to regulate, we are monitoring implementation of the commitments within the Charter through regular engagement with the sector. Ofcom continues to monitor compliance with its own regulatory measures, including transparency reforms and One Touch Switching.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled End to surprise phone and broadband bill hikes to help with cost of living, published on 11 February 2026, what discussions she has had with Ofcom on potential enforcement action where providers fail to meet the commitments set out in the Telecoms Consumer Charter.

The Telecoms Consumer Charter is public a commitment made by providers, building on Ofcom’s existing rules on pricing transparency, switching and end‑of‑contract notifications, and goes further in areas where Government has identified improvements are needed.While it is not our intention to regulate, we are monitoring implementation of the commitments within the Charter through regular engagement with the sector. Ofcom continues to monitor compliance with its own regulatory measures, including transparency reforms and One Touch Switching.

What proportion of staff in the Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid, and (c) remote-working contracts.

Contracts issued to staff do not record the information requested. Hybrid working is an informal, non-contractual agreement.The AGO is committed to flexible working and the business benefits that it offers, including supporting the Civil Service priority of ensuring continued, effective and productive delivery of the work carried out by civil servants across the full range of services.The AGO operates a ‘hybrid’ approach, led by business needs, and as a result many employees work both from home and in the workplace on an informal basis.

With reference to his press release entitled Every child caught with a knife to get tailored support, published on 11 February 2026, if he will set out how the £320 million Youth Justice Services funding package will be allocated across England and Wales; and what proportion of that funding is new money.

Over the next three financial years, the Ministry of Justice will allocate £281 million for youth justice grants and a further £46 million of funding for the extension of the Turnaround grant programme.This is a continuation of funding levels from previous years but the Department has provided multi-year funding to youth justice services. This will give youth justice services the stability to retain staff, plan effectively with partners, and commission services more efficiently - ultimately strengthening their ability to tackle knife possession and other offences committed by children.Funding will be allocated to Youth Justice Services across England and Wales using same distribution method that has been applied for the past 13 years. We recognise that the current method for allocating youth justice funding needs updating and later this year we will undertake a consultation about long-term funding and oversight arrangements for youth justice services.

What proportion of staff in his Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid and (c) remote-working contracts.

The Ministry of Justice does not offer remote or hybrid working contracts at the point of recruitment, with all employees having one of the Department’s offices or properties as a contractual base location.Hybrid working is an informal, non-contractual arrangement that does not involve changes to pay, terms and conditions, or one’s contractual workplace.Remote working may be agreed through a flexible working request, or as a reasonable adjustment. In some exceptional circumstances, employees have transferred into the Ministry of Justice on protected terms that include homeworking. Records of this, as well as flexible working and workplace adjustments records, are held locally and are not centrally accessible. This information could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

What recent assessment he has made of the value for money of the £50 million funding given to the International Labour Organisation since 2020.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) plays an important role in setting international labour standards and holding those that fail to uphold international labour rights accountable. The UK was a founding member of the ILO; the Government is committed to maintaining its membership.The UK’s assessed annual contribution is based on the standard United Nations system of assessed contributions applied to all 187 ILO member states, broadly linked to relative levels of GDP. In 2025–26 the total UK contribution totalled £14.76 million, the majority of which is classed within the UK’s Official Development Assistance. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) ensures that the UK financial contribution to the ILO is used effectively, demonstrates value for money and aligns with the UK’s national objectives. Through our permanent membership of the ILO Governing Body, we undertake robust scrutiny of the ILO’s budgetary proposals and administration to increase the impact, effectiveness and delivery of the Organisation.

With reference to the Trade Remedies Authority's press release entitled Anti-dumping measure on ironing boards from China maintained, published on 12 February 2026, what the anti-dumping duties on Chinese ironing boards will be spent on.

Revenue collected from this and other trade remedies measures is not ringfenced and is therefore part of how public services, including schools, police, and the NHS, are funded.

Innovation and Technology, what proportion of staff in his Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid and (c) remote-working contracts.

99.86% of the workforce has an office-based contract.0% of the workforce has a hybrid working contract. Hybrid working is a non-contractual arrangement under which employees are expected to spend 40-60% of their working hours in the office as the norm (with a minimum of 40%) with Senior Civil Servants and Fast Stream employees aiming towards 60% office attendance during a 4-week accounting period.0.14% of the workforce has a remote-working contract.

Communities and Local Government, how Thurrock and Basildon councils' debts will be distributed once local government reorganisation in Essex has concluded.

The assets, liabilities and ongoing commitments of the councils being replaced would transfer to the new authorities, in line with previous reorganisations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of staff in her Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid and (c) remote-working contracts.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office employs approximately 17,500 staff across hundreds of locations worldwide, many of which operate with locally managed HR arrangements and procedures. The information the Hon Member has requested is therefore not centrally held and could only be collated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Communities and Local Government, how Essex County Council's debts will be distributed once local government reorganisation has concluded.

The assets, liabilities and ongoing commitments of the councils being replaced would transfer to the new authorities, in line with previous reorganisations.

What proportion of staff in her Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid and (c) remote-working contracts.

In the Department for Transport the majority of employees are assigned to an office or a specific workplace location within their contract. Hybrid working is not a contractual form of working and as it is agreed within individual teams based on business needs, is not centrally recorded.The only employees who could be classed as having ‘remote-working contracts’ would be those who are contractual homeworkers. Only 0.67% of employees within the core department have a recorded homeworking contract as of January 2026.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the level of competition in the mobile telecoms market.

The Government is committed to a competitive mobile market where consumers and businesses have access to high-quality, secure and affordable connectivity. Strong competition in the sector has helped deliver wide consumer choice and some of the lowest mobile prices internationally, even as data use has grown year on year. The Government launched a Mobile Market Review call for evidence on 10 February which will remain open for 10 weeks. This call for evidence assesses how the market is changing and seeks to understand what more can be done to support investment, innovation, and competition across the mobile sector. More broadly, it is the responsibility of Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority to promote competition and protect consumers in telecoms markets. Where they identify anti‑competitive behaviour, they have powers to investigate and implement measures to promote competition.

Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the proportion of social housing landlords who do not allow tenants to have pets.

My Department does not hold information on the proportion of social housing landlords who do not allow tenants to keep pets.On 12 February 2026, Baroness Taylor wrote to all social housing landlords setting out my Department’s position on fair consideration of requests to have a pet in social housing. Her letter can be found on gov.uk here.We have not made a projection of how many social housing landlords may change their pet policies as a result of the letter or wider reforms.The government has no current plans to issue new guidance.