Written questions by O'Brien.

What the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal performance warnings were issued to staff.

Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns, is published annually. The data is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence. The next update will be for the year ending 31 March 2025. In the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, 13 formal performance warnings were issued to staff.

How many and what proportion of staff in her Department in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.

The department does not currently operate a performance management system that includes ratings. However, it is in the process of introducing ratings for its Senior Civil Servants, with ratings for the 2025/26 performance year due to be determined in spring 2026.

How many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) the Department and (b) its agencies by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegation related to (A) performance and (B) conduct in the last twelve months.

The number of cases concluded against civil servants within the Department for Business and Trade in the previous year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 are as below. Core DBT: PerformanceTimeframeTotal NumberNo Action / Informal ActionWarningResignationDismissal1 April 2024 – 31 March 202535218<5<5 ConductTimeframeTotal NumberNo Action / Informal ActionWarningResignationDismissal1 April 2024 – 31 March 20252013<5<5<5 Insolvency Service PerformanceTimeframeTotal NumberNo Action / Informal ActionWarningResignationDismissal1 April 2024 – 31 March 202590<506 ConductTimeframeTotal NumberNo Action / Informal ActionWarningResignationDismissal1 April 2024 – 31 March 202510<5<50<5 Companies House: PerformanceTimeframeTotal NumberNo Action / Informal ActionWarningResignationDismissal1 April 2024 – 31 March 202560<50<5 ConductTimeframeTotal NumberNo Action / Informal ActionWarningResignationDismissal1 April 2024 – 31 March 202550<50<2

How many and what proportion of staff were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.

As of 31 March 2025, a total of 576 civil servants, representing approximately 9.7% of those on the payroll, were promoted to higher grades during the previous year. The table below provides a breakdown of these promotions by performance marking (as of 31 March 2024) and grade.Delegated grades within the Department have two performance ratings - Met and Not Met.Senior Civil Servants (SCS) have four box ratings ‘Exceeding’, High Performing’ ‘Achieving’ and ‘Partially Met’. Exceeding is the top box rating.We do not have information about in-grade promotions because lateral moves are not considered promotions and are not tracked currently.GradeMetNot MetAchieving (for SCS only)High Performing (for SCS only)Exceeding (for SCS only)Number of civil servants without a performance rating recorded in 23/24Total promotion (as of 31.03.25)AO5000049EO5810003392HEO127100065193SEO115000042157G75800003492G6900001625SCS10012508Total3722125194576

What the total cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff in her Department in the last year.

For the last financial year, the total cost to the department of payments associated with settlement agreements is set out in annual report and accounts. Where relevant, this includes special severance payments that have associated settlement agreements.

What the total cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff in the last year.

For the last financial year, the total cost to the Department of Business and Trade of payments associated with settlement agreements is set out in Annual Report and Accounts. Where relevant, this includes special severance payments that have associated settlement agreements.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 May 2025 to Question 45822 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Equality, if she will publish the Freedom of Information Act response with reference FOI2025/24724, disclosed on 2 December 2025.

The Freedom of Information Act response has been published and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/staff-numbers-in-the-hr-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-edi-team-foi202524724.

How many and what proportion of staff in her Department were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.

The table below shows the grade breakdown and proportions of promotions to a higher grade (excluding temporary promotions) between November 2025 and October 2025. Please note: The promotion counts shown are based on internal departmental staff who were promoted to a higher grade within the department between November 2024 and October 2025. These figures exclude individuals who joined the department on promotion and those who left on promotion to another department, as this information is not captured in our central HR systems.Since 2019 the flexible performance management framework has enabled departments to adopt a performance management approach which best suits their organisational and cultural needs. There is no common performance rating across government. The department does not currently operate a performance management system that includes performance markings. However, it is in the process of introducing ratings for its Senior Civil Servants, with ratings for the 2025/26 performance year due to be determined in Spring 2026.Grade*Average headcountCount of those promoted to gradeProportion of roles filled by internal candidates on promotion (%)**EO655<30-HEO1,488956SEO2,3422029Grade 72,2291296Grade 6905445Deputy Director206<30-Director46<30-Total8,0264826Data has been suppressed where there are fewer than 30 employees.*The grade displayed in the table represents the grade to which staff were promoted.** The percentage scores in the table represent the number of promotions to each higher grade between November 2024 and October 2025, expressed as a proportion of the average headcount for that higher grade during the same period.

How many households are exempt from the Household Benefit Cap solely as a result of receiving (a) Personal Independence Payment and (b) Carer’s Allowance by region.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

How many households are exempt from the Household Benefit Cap solely as a result of receiving (a) Disability Living Allowance and (b) Attendance Allowance by region.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

What proportion of total benefit income received by the average benefit-capped household is accounted for by (a) Universal Credit excluding child elements, (b) the Universal Credit child element, (c) Housing Benefit, (d) Incapacity Benefit, (e) Employment and Support Allowance, (f) Income Support, and (g) Jobseeker’s Allowance.

The information is not available. This is because, whilst there are different elements in the determination of the gross entitlement, Universal Credit is paid as one single payment. As such it is not possible to quantify the amount of Universal Credit excluding child elements or the amount of Universal Credit child element that the average benefit-capped household would receive after reductions due to earnings for example.

How many additional households will become subject to the Household Benefit Cap following the removal of the two-child limit on the Universal Credit child element.

The requested information is not available.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of additional households that would become subject to the Household Benefit Cap following the removal of the two-child limit on the Universal Credit Child Element.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

What assessment he has made of the impact of each exemption from the Household Benefit Cap on (a) the number of households subject to the cap and (b) overall welfare expenditure.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

How many households with total benefit entitlement above the level of the Household Benefit Cap have entitlement above (a) £30,000, (b) £40,000 and (c) £50,000 per year, or the equivalent weekly and monthly amounts.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

How many households currently subject to the Household Benefit Cap are living in (a) council housing and (b) housing association accommodation.

There were 540 households on Housing Benefit affected by the benefit cap in May 2025. Of these, 40 were living in council housing and 100 were living in housing association accommodation.There were 123,000 households on Universal Credit affected by the benefit cap in May 2025. Accommodation data in Universal Credit does not identify housing association accommodation separately from council housing. Of the 123,000 households on Universal Credit affected by the benefit cap in May 2025, 45,000 were living in council housing or housing association accommodation.

How many and what proportion of driving-test bookings had their test location changed before the test was taken in the last 12 months.

Between the 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025, just over 565,000 tests were recorded as being moved between driving test centres (DTC). This equates to approximately 31% of tests. Please note, in line with other published data that the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) produces, this data currently only covers the 12-month period from July 2024 to June 2025.

How many and what proportion of staff in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.

The table below shows the number and proportion of each non-Senior Civil Service (SCS) grade receiving the top performance category at the end of 2024/25 for DfTc. GradeNumber of staff receiving the top performance category (“Outstanding”)Proportion of staff in grade who received a performance descriptor (%)AO-EO167.2%HEO215.1%SEO366.4%Grade 7537.4%Grade 64012.7%The SCS have a separate performance management system. For the 2024/25 performance year, 20.3% of Group DfT SCS received a top performance category, following departmental moderation processes.

How many and what proportion of staff were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.

Higher Grade promotions Total StaffHigher grade promotionsProportionAO/EO52951%HEO/SEO/FS18201388%G7/G618161186%SCS267218%Totals44322826% Payband GroupsHigher grade promotions23/24 Year End MarkingAE/EO5Not Available/ReportableHEO/SEO/FS24AchievingHEO/SEO/FS6DevelopingHEO/SEO/FS57ExceedingHEO/SEO/FS44Not Available/ReportableHEO/SEO/FS7OutstandingG7/G633AchievingG7/G6<5DevelopingG7/G645ExceedingG7/G632Not Available/ReportableG7/G67OutstandingSCS9Achieving

What the total cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff in the last year.

For the last year (1st November 2024 to 31st October 2025), there have been no settlement agreements or special severance payments made to departing Department for Transport central staff outside of statutory, contractual or other requirements.