Written questions by Hayes.

What fiscal steps he is taking to help reduce the cost of household energy bills for people in South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

Awaiting answer.

What recent steps she has taken to tackle sham marriages.

Awaiting answer.

Whether his Department has used artificial intelligence to assist with drafting (a) legislation and (b) policy in the past 12 months.

The drafting of primary and secondary legislation is the responsibility of a large number of officials across government departments. A range of tools are used to assist with this drafting, including AI which is most commonly used to check, critique, and otherwise interrogate drafts. Work is continuously underway to identify ways of improving the efficiency of this work, including collaboration between departments to share ideas and emerging practices. While AI can be used to assist with the drafting of legislation, the production of the draft remains the responsibility of a lead human drafter to meet the high standards expected of Government legislation. It is Parliament's responsibility to scrutinise and amend legislation as it sees necessary. More widely, His Majesty’s Government has issued cross‑government guidance and training to civil servants supporting the safe and responsible use of generative AI. The AI Knowledge Hub was launched in May 2025. This includes core principles and relevant guidance for civil servants and supersedes the AI Playbook for Government.

What steps she has taken to help support Lincolnshire County Council to maintain roads and highways in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

The Government has confirmed a record £7.3 billion investment into local highways maintenance over the next four years. By confirming funding allocations for the next four-year period, authorities have certainty to plan ahead and shift from short-term fixes to proactive, preventative maintenance.Lincolnshire County Council is the local highway authority for South Holland and The Deepings and sits within the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA). GLCCA are eligible to receive over £368 million in highways maintenance funding over the next four years. To further support improvement and ensure best use of public funding, the Department published a new traffic light rating system for all local highway authorities in England on 11 January which rates authorities red, amber or green based on: the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads and whether they do so using best practice. This system allows the Government to target support to places that need extra help and red-rated authorities have been offered dedicated support to bring them in line with best practice.Lincolnshire County Council received an overall amber rating, with individual scorecards showing amber for condition, amber for spend and amber for best practice.

Whether his Department has used artificial intelligence to assist with drafting (a) legislation and (b) policy in the last 12 months.

Awaiting answer.

If she will provide a list of training programmes used by civil servants in her Department since 2020.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what recent steps she has taken to end the use of animals in scientific research for human medicine and products.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, if she will list the training programmes used by civil servants in her Department since 2023.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) provides training for civil servants through a combination of cross‑government, departmental and locally procured learning, alongside apprenticeships and structured development schemes.We define training programmes as a broad term covering both individual courses and collections of interventions delivered under a single scheme. Since its establishment, DSIT has accessed learning through Civil Service Learning, the Government Campus, and specialist external providers, which together support core, functional, profession‑specific and domain‑specific capability‑building. The Department has offered learning covering core skills, leadership and management, and specialist skills, including artificial intelligence. DSIT also offers internal learning through departmental‑led provision, including learning supported through professions and initiatives focused on leadership development, specialist capability‑building, and talent and career development. DSIT does not hold a single, centrally maintained list of all individual training courses undertaken. Learning is delivered through multiple teams and platforms aligned to business and professional needs, which is consistent with practice across government departments.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will list the training programmes used by civil servants in her Department since 2020.

A complete list of training programmes used by civil servants in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office since 2020 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

If he will list the training programmes used by civil servants in his Department since 2020.

Civil servants have access to a wide range of training through the Government Campus and Civil Service Learning (CSL), covering areas including leadership, policy, digital and project management skills. Key provision includes Civil Service Essentials, Line Management Induction, and specialised courses on security, policy‑making and communications. A recommended learning curriculum is published on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-civil-service-recommended-curriculum. Defence also provides training for its Civil Service workforce through a range of internal programmes, including classified courses and profession and domain specific training, which are organised and delivered at a local level. A comprehensive list of all training programmes within the scope of the question is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

If he will list the training programmes used by civil servants in his Department since 2020.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

If she will provide a list of training programmes used by civil servants in her department since 2020.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

If he will publish a list of training programmes used by civil servants in his Department since 2020.

Over this period, the majority of the training has been delivered via the Government Campus’ Learning Framework. The listed training includes e-learning, in-person training, live virtual training, and structured programmes involving various sessions. Some sessions have been run on a closed basis, just for DIT/DBT staff and others have involved an individual member of staff going taking a place on a cross-government course.The attached document sets out a list of the training programmes undertaken via the framework in this period for DBT staff and for staff in DIT prior to the formal creation of DBT in Feb 2023. We do not have access to pre-DBT data from the former BEIS.If an application is made to Government Campus and they agree that the specific learning need cannot be met via the Learning Framework, alternative training can be procured, subject to commercial rules. There is no central record of what training has been undertaken by DBT civil servants under this provision as a significant amount of learning is organised and funded at the level of individual teams.

If he will publish a list of training programmes used by civil servants in his Department since 2023.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Communities and Local Government, if he will provide a list of training programmes used by civil servants in his department since 2020.

We define ‘training programmes’ as a broad term covering both individual courses (e.g. Advising and Briefing) and a collection of interventions under one scheme ‘banner’, (e.g. Beyond Boundaries). The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) provides training programmes for civil servants through a combination of cross‑government, departmental and locally procured learning alongside apprenticeships and structured development schemes. Since 2020, Departmental capability-building activity has included learning accessed through Civil Service Learning and the Government Campus, which bring together core, functional and profession‑specific training across government. During this time, the Department has offered learning programmes covering topics including core skills, leadership and management, and specialist and domain-specific skills. The Department does not hold a single centrally maintained list of all individual training courses undertaken, as learning is delivered by a range of teams. This includes a central Capabilities team, teams delivering profession-specific learning, and teams sharing domain-specific knowledge and best practice.

If he will publish a list of training programmes used by civil servants in his Department since 2020.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment he has made of the constitutional implications of rejecting the recommendations of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on changes to women's state pension age, published 21 March 2024.

We have taken the PHSO’s report seriously and given the findings the close examination that they deserved. We have set out the detailed reasons for our decision in our new response, on the 29 January, which has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

If he will publish the list of training programmes used by civil servants in his Department since 2020.

The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

If he will publish a list of training programmes used by civil servants in his Department since 2020.

The Department’s approach to learning, development, and training programmes is designed to build a highly skilled, confident workforce. The Department has progressively strengthened its offer since 2020 through the introduction and iteration of the Core Skills Programme. The training programme focuses on developing profession specific and working in Government skills.In addition to departmental learning provisions, business areas are allocated devolved learning and development budgets, enabling them to prioritise training that addresses their own identified capability needs. These individual training requirements tend to be job-specific, personal development, technical, qualifications, or accreditation based, or subject matter expertise related, such as specific policy areas.A full list of departmental provision since 2020 is provided below, and this is in addition to courses that can be booked individually through Civil Service Learning, the cross Civil Service Learning Platform:- Management Fundamentals 2020;- New Manager Programme 2021;- Experienced Manager Programme 2021;- Foundation Management Programme 2023;- Practitioner Management Programme 2023;- Department of Health and Social Care Management Fundamentals 2023;- ACAS Line Manager training 2023;- Core Skills Programme 2023 to present, covering policy, digital, project delivery, commercial, analysis and finance, and working in Government skills;- the Department’s Management Academy, Managing Change Programme 2023 to 2024, to strengthen capability in leading people through organisational change;- People Policies Workshop 2025 to present, for line-management learning intervention focused on practical application of core people policies; and- Leadership Development Programme, which is ongoing.The Department also delivers a number of talent schemes which incorporate formal training and development programmes alongside on‑the‑job experience. These schemes are designed to build future capability in priority professions and leadership pipelines, supporting individuals at different career stages, including both delegated grades and Senior Civil Servants (SCS), through a combination of a defined learning curriculum, practical development, and coaching and mentoring. A list of departmental talent schemes that have delivered training programmes since 2020 is set out below. For delegated grade talent schemes, they are as follows: - Health Policy Fast Track Scheme;- Civil Service Fast Stream;- Future Leaders Scheme;- Beyond Boundaries;- Interdepartmental Talent Programme;- Summer Internship Programme;- Autism Exchange Internship Programme;- Care Leavers Internship Scheme; and- Civil Service Apprenticeship Programmes. And for SCS talent schemes, the programmes are as follows: - Senior Leaders Scheme;- Directors Leadership Programme;- Forward Institute Exchange Programme ;- Forward Institute Fellowship;- Individual Development Programme;- OpDel Exchange Programme;- Policy Fellowship for the Centre for Science and Policy;- Whitehall and Industry Group Senior Leaders Programme;- Whitehall and Industry Group Exchange Programme; and- High Potential Development Scheme.

What recent steps he has taken to reduce agricultural fatalities in Lincolnshire.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.