Written questions by Hollinrake.

What steps the Government is taking to promote entry-level apprenticeships in the civil service.

This government remains committed to apprenticeships as one pathway to break down barriers to opportunity. On 20th August we launched the application window for a new cross-Government Level 3 apprenticeship programme in Business Administration, The ‘Civil Service Career Launch Apprenticeship’ (CLA) will see new apprentices kick start their careers, across various departments in London, Manchester and Birmingham. In addition, each department is responsible for its own workforce planning and determining the capacity and capability that it needs to deliver its priorities.

What assessment has been made of the reasons for the reduction in the number of Level 2 and Level 3 civil service apprenticeships since 2022.

This government remains committed to apprenticeships as one pathway to break down barriers to opportunity. It is for individual departments to identify the need and assess effectiveness of apprenticeships, including the use of level 2 and 3 apprenticeships, within their workforce and development plans.

What assessment has been made of the reasons for the reduction in the number of civil service apprentices since 2022.

This government remains committed to apprenticeships as one pathway to break down barriers to opportunity. It is for individual departments to identify the need and assess effectiveness of apprenticeships, including the use of level 2 and 3 apprenticeships, within their workforce and development plans.

How many civil service apprentices in 2024 and 2025 were aged between 18 and 24.

Civil Service data is not collected for the 18-24 age bracket. However, we can confirm that 3,010 of on-programme apprentices on 31 December 2024 were aged between 16 and 24. The Cabinet Office no longer collates cross-government data on apprenticeships beyond December 2024, so we are unable to provide data for 2025.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2025 to Question 45800 on Press: Misconduct, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that arbitration schemes operated by press regulators are available to provide timely and effective redress before the Government directs members of the public to them in guidance.

The UK has a self-regulatory system for the press, which is independent from Government. This is vital to ensure the public has access to accurate and trustworthy information from a range of different sources. The Government therefore does not intervene in or evaluate the work of independent press regulators.However, under Section 179 of the Data Protection Act every three years the Secretary of State must lay before Parliament a report on the use and effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution procedures, such as arbitration, in cases involving a failure or alleged failure by relevant media organisations to comply with data protection legislation. The most recent report was presented to Parliament in May 2024 and was carried independently of DCMS by David Rossington, as the Independent Reviewer. The report is published on the Gov.uk website:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67d2ded5fb8db2176d5e97d0/Formatted_240312_SECOND_REPORT_UNDER_SECTION_179_OF_THE_DATA_PROTECTION_ACT_v3__FINAL__accessible.pdf.

Pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2025 to Question 79231 on Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, what her planned timetable is for determining whether to include China in the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme; and what factors have determined that timetable.

As set out in the National Security Act 2023, the Secretary of State may make a specification under the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS) where they consider it is reasonably necessary to do so to protect the safety or interests of the United Kingdom.We look very carefully at which countries should be on the enhanced tier of the scheme, factoring in a broad range of considerations.As I set out in the House of Commons on 20 January 2026, any changes to the countries listed will be brought to Parliament in the usual way.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2025 to Question 23786 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, how many clarification meetings have taken place with other developers on other planning applications since 4 July 2024.

Clarification meetings do not routinely take place with developers on planning applications. However, pre-application engagement occurs on some applications made directly to the Secretary of State. These, and all, planning applications are subject to planning propriety guidance.

Whether a job-related second homes council tax discount was claimed at any point during the occupancy of the former Deputy Prime Minister in Admiralty House.

A job-related second homes council tax discount has not been claimed for the period of occupancy of the former Deputy Prime Minister in Admiralty House.

How much of the funding allocated for compensating Equitable Life With-Profits Annuitants has been spent up to and including 2024-25; and how much was forecast to be spent on both a cash and discounted basis.

The previous Conservative Government allocated £1.5 billion to the Equitable Life Payment Scheme. Before it ceased operations in 2016, the Scheme had issued £1.12 billion in tax-free payments to nearly 933,000 policyholders. The remainder of the £1.5 billion has been set aside for future payments to the With-Profits Annuitants. Further information is available in the Final Report on the Scheme. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equitable-life-payment-scheme-final-report). The total value of payments made by the Scheme stood at £1.35 bn as of 30 May 2025, and the Scheme is on track to pay out the remainder.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of the rent review provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on the risk profile of loans supported by Government-backed loan guarantees or financing facilities to the build-to-rent sector.

My Department engages regularly with build to rent operators and other stakeholders from the sector in relation to the reforms that we are making to the private rented sector and will continue to do so to ensure the successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The Impact Assessment for the Act is available here. While this does not model the specific impacts referred to in the hon. Member’s questions, it concludes that the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually (0.2% of mean annual rents).

Communities and Local Government, whether tenancy deposit scheme data will be made available under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

The use of data collected by Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) schemes is governed by the Housing Act 2004 and the individual data sharing agreements with providers. Details of the purpose of data collection, and where and how TDP data is shared with other bodies is set out in the TDP privacy notice. This can be found on gov.uk here. The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 does not grant the power to allow further use of TDP data beyond its current uses as set out in the Housing Act 2004, contractual agreements, and privacy notice.

Communities and Local Government, what Government-backed loan guarantees or financing facilities currently support lending to the build-to-rent sector.

The government‘s £3.5 billion Private Rented Sector Guarantee Scheme (PRSGS) was reopened in March 2025 to new applicants for another three years and makes loan guarantees available for Build-to-Rent operators to support housebuilding Build to Rent operators are also one of the groups that benefit from finance from our £2 billion Home Building Fund.We have also announced that the National Housing Bank, backed by up to £16 billion of finance, will be launched in April 2026. Its detailed investment approach will be outlined in due course.

Communities and Local Government, under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, what assessment the Government has made of the availability for controlled access or publication of rental price data held by the statutory tenancy deposit schemes, including data on achieved rents at the start of tenancies.

The use of data collected by Tenancy Deposit Protection (TDP) schemes is governed by the Housing Act 2004 and by the individual data sharing agreements in place with each scheme provider. My Department has not undertaken a detailed assessment of options for controlled public access or publication of rental price data held by the statutory tenancy deposit schemes. The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 does not provide powers that would enable any further use of TDP data beyond the purposes for which it is currently permitted.

Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with lenders on assessing the potential impact of changes to rent review mechanics in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on loan availability, loan-to-value ratios and pricing for build-to-rent schemes.

My Department engages regularly with build to rent operators and other stakeholders from the sector in relation to the reforms that we are making to the private rented sector and will continue to do so to ensure the successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The Impact Assessment for the Act is available here. While this does not model the specific impacts referred to in the hon. Member’s questions, it concludes that the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually (0.2% of mean annual rents).

Communities and Local Government, what modelling he has undertaken on the expected number of market rent determination applications following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

My Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunal Service to ensure that the justice system is well prepared for the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act, including the potential impact of the Act on the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). This includes ensuring that suitable arrangements are in place for monitoring data relating to rent increase challenges in the Residential Property Tribunal. The justice system will be supported with funding to ensure that the courts and tribunals have the resources and capacity they need to handle the workload that implementation of the Act will generate.

Communities and Local Government, whether the Government has modelled any increase in contingent liabilities arising from changes to rent review certainty under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

My Department engages regularly with build to rent operators and other stakeholders from the sector in relation to the reforms that we are making to the private rented sector and will continue to do so to ensure the successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The Impact Assessment for the Act is available here. While this does not model the specific impacts referred to in the hon. Member’s questions, it concludes that the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually (0.2% of mean annual rents).

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of rent review provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on the viability and future pipeline of build-to-rent developments.

My Department engages regularly with build to rent operators and other stakeholders from the sector in relation to the reforms that we are making to the private rented sector and will continue to do so to ensure the successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The Impact Assessment for the Act is available here. While this does not model the specific impacts referred to in the hon. Member’s questions, it concludes that the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually (0.2% of mean annual rents).

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of rent review provisions in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 on the valuation methodology of build-to-rent developments where future rental growth assumptions form a material part of valuation.

My Department engages regularly with build to rent operators and other stakeholders from the sector in relation to the reforms that we are making to the private rented sector and will continue to do so to ensure the successful implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. The Impact Assessment for the Act is available here. While this does not model the specific impacts referred to in the hon. Member’s questions, it concludes that the costs of our reforms are estimated to be just £22 per rented property annually (0.2% of mean annual rents).

Whether he has made an estimate of the number of (a) judges and (b) valuers required to determine market rent determination applications within reasonable timeframes following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

Judges, salaried regional surveyors (valuers), and fee paid valuers assigned to the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) Property Chamber can hear any case type in the Chamber, including rent determinations. The number of judges in post as of 1 April 2025 assigned to the Property Chamber is published in the 2025 Judicial Diversity Statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/diversity-of-the-judiciary-2025-statistics. 2 regional surveyors and 77 valuers in post as of 1 April 2025 are assigned to the Property Chamber as their primary appointment. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to assess the impact of the Renters’ Rights Act on the Chamber, including on judicial capacity. Recruitment was completed in 2025 for salaried and fee-paid judges of the FTT, including for the Property Chamber, and further recruitment in 2026 is planned. The independent Judicial Appointments Commission publishes data on the outcomes of these exercises once recruitment is completed: https://judicialappointments.gov.uk/completed-exercises/.

What estimate he has made of the average cost of determining a market rent application; and what the projected annual cost is following implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.

It is not currently possible to identify the cost of determining a market rent application. This is one of several types of case heard by the Residential Property Tribunal and currently costs are not apportioned to individual case types. We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure the Property Tribunal is able to accommodate the impact of the Renters’ Reform Act.