Written questions by Timothy.

What industrial disputes are ongoing within (a) his Department and (b) each of the arm’s length bodies connected to his Department; how many (i) staff and (ii) contractors are involved in each dispute; what the form of industrial action is in each dispute; which recognised trade union is involved in each dispute; what the substantive matter is that is being disputed in each case; and what steps he plans to take to end each dispute.

There are currently no ongoing industrial disputes with Cabinet Office employees within the Cabinet Office or any of its arms length bodies. There are, however, ongoing disputes between PCS and G4S Security Company (G4S) and International Services System - Facilities Management Services (ISS) who provide facilities management services to the Cabinet Office. The hard work of security guards and other staff keeps the government running. As is longstanding practice under successive administrations, the Government does not provide a running commentary on ongoing disputes.

Whether he plans to decolonise the (a) artwork and (b) heritage assets in (i) his Department and (ii) each of it's Arm's Length Bodies; and what the policy of the Government Property Agency is on this.

There has been no change in the Cabinet Office’s management of artwork or heritage assets since the previous administration. As separate entities, the responsibility for creating policy and guidance for artwork sits with each individual Arm’s Length Body, rather than with the Department. The Government Property Agency does not have a national policy on this topic and will follow any policy and/or guidance provided by relevant client departments.

Whether (a) guidance has been issued and (b) training courses have been delivered to staff in her Department on (i) unconscious bias, (ii) critical race theory and (iii) decolonisation since January 2024.

In 2021-2022, in response to Recommendation 6 of the Windrush Report, the previous government commissioned the introduction of a new training course for Home Office staff on the ‘History of the UK and its relationship with the rest of the world’, created from a wide field of academic and non-academic sources, including academic experts, psychologists, behavioural scientists, sociologists, and historians from outside the Home Office.The training material for this course includes content related to the history and legacy of decolonisation, but does not include any material focused on critical race theory, or unconscious bias. The Home Office has no plans to commission the preparation of any additional training materials in this area.

Whether she plans to reform business rates.

The government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. Autumn Budget 2024 announced the government’s first steps, including an intention to introduce permanently lower multipliers for high street retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties from April 2026. The government intends to fund this sustainably via a higher multiplier on properties with Rateable Values (RV) of £500,000 or more. During the interim period, for 2025-26, RHL properties will receive a 40% relief on business rates bills up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business. The small business multiplier paid by properties with RVs below £51,000 will also be frozen for a further year. The government has published a discussion paper which sets out priority areas for further reform and invites stakeholders to a conversation about transforming the system over the Parliament.

Pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 8515 on Home Office: Art Works and Cultural Heritage, if she will publish the correspondence regarding the formulation of the answer given.

A Freedom of Information request was submitted to the Home Office on 22 October on this matter.We will be happy to share a copy of the response to that request with the Hon. Gentleman once it has been published to the requester.

What his planned timescale is for (a) commencing and (b) completing upgrades to Ely and Haughley junctions.

This government is committed to delivering economic growth, and projects such as the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement and upgrades to Haughley Junction have the potential to contribute to this. While the previous government made public statements of support for both projects, no funding was provided to allow either to progress. The Chancellor has been clear about the state of the nation's finances and has launched a multi-year Spending Review. Decisions and timescales about individual projects will be informed by the review process and confirmed in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2024 to Question 7600 on Asylum: Finance, whether her Department holds data on the lifetime fiscal (a) cost of and (b) income generated by those granted asylum in the UK.

The information requested is not currently available. The information is currently an active piece of our research programme, which includes working with relevant government departments to ensure all the impacts relating to granting a person asylum are identified and measured as accurately as possible. I refer the Honourable Gentleman to PQ 5435.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 October 2024 to Question 7600 on Asylum: Finance, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing an estimate of the lifetime fiscal (a) cost of and (b) income generated by people granted asylum.

As has been the case under successive governments, there is no published estimate available of the requested information.

What (a) guidance and (b) training her Department provides to caseworkers handling asylum applications.

Asylum decision-makers receive extensive training on interviewing and considering asylum claims.https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/asylum-decision-making-guidance-asylum-instructionsAsylum decision-makers carefully consider the claimant’s protection needs by assessing all the evidence provided by the claimant in light of published asylum and country information guidance.https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/country-policy-and-information-notes

How many asylum applications were completed on average per caseworker per week in each month of each year since 2010.

The Home Office publishes quarterly data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum applications and initial decisions are available in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’. The latest data relates to the year ending June 2024. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook.Monthly data on the number of initial decisions and asylum caseworkers is published in table Asy_05(M) of the ‘Immigration and Protection Data’ as part of the ‘Migration Transparency Data release’. The data covers the period from January 2020 to June 2024. Please note that the number of initial decisions will not match the number of decisions in table Asy_D02 as the figures in Asy_05(M) have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. The number of asylum caseworking staff by financial year is available in table Asy_04 with data available from 2011/12 to 2023/24.

How many claims for Research and Development tax credits were made (a) fraudulently and (b) in error since 2010

Estimates of the level of error and fraud in research and development tax credits are published in HMRC’s Annual Report and Accounts. The latest publication can be found on Gov.uk at: HMRC Annual Report and Accounts 2023 to 2024 . The methodology used to calculate the level of error and fraud for 2020-2021 was significantly improved for the 2022-2023 Annual Reports and Accounts. Estimates of the level of error and fraud in research and development tax credits for earlier years are not available on a comparable basis.

How many asylum applications were (a) made and (b) concluded in each month of each year since 2010.

The Home Office publishes quarterly data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum applications and initial decisions are available in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’. The latest data relates to the year ending June 2024. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook.Monthly data on the number of initial decisions and asylum caseworkers is published in table Asy_05(M) of the ‘Immigration and Protection Data’ as part of the ‘Migration Transparency Data release’. The data covers the period from January 2020 to June 2024. Please note that the number of initial decisions will not match the number of decisions in table Asy_D02 as the figures in Asy_05(M) have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. The number of asylum caseworking staff by financial year is available in table Asy_04 with data available from 2011/12 to 2023/24.

Whether external (a) guidance and (b) training has been contracted for discussing (i) unconscious bias, (ii) critical race theory and (iii) decolonisation with staff in her Department.

In 2021-2022, in response to Recommendation 6 of the Windrush Report, the previous government commissioned the introduction of a new training course for Home Office staff on the ‘History of the UK and its relationship with the rest of the world’, created from a wide field of academic and non-academic sources, including academic experts, psychologists, behavioural scientists, sociologists, and historians from outside the Home Office.The training material for this course includes content related to the history and legacy of decolonisation, but does not include any material focused on critical race theory, or unconscious bias. The Home Office has no plans to commission the preparation of any additional training materials in this area.

How many times (a) his Department and (b) each agency sponsored by his Department has experienced a cyber attack in each year since 2010; what the cost to the public purse was of each cyber attack; and who the perpetrator was of each cyber attack.

The hon. Member will understand that it is not possible for me to reveal all details of cyber incidents for reasons of volume and security. For the same reason, it is usual practice not to reveal costs of cyber attacks as this is valuable information that our adversaries can use to determine weaknesses in our systems. The Ministry of Defence is the target of interest for the full range of malign cyber actors and has invested heavily in its defensive capabilities.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 October 2024 to Question 8925 on Charities: Political Activities, whether the Charity Commission plans to investigate political campaigning by HOPE not Hate (a) Limited and (b) Charitable Trust.

Charities can undertake campaigning, awareness-raising and non-party political activities that support them in delivering their charitable purpose. Charities are not permitted to undertake any party-political activity.HOPE not Hate Limited is not a charity; it is therefore not subject to the restrictions on political activity that apply to charities and does not come under the Charity Commission’s jurisdiction.HOPE not Hate Charitable Trust is a charity and therefore does come under the Charity Commission’s jurisdiction and cannot engage in partisan political activity. The Charity Commission does not have an open regulatory case on HOPE Not Hate Charitable Trust.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has provided funding to Hope Not Hate since the general election.

The Department for the Culture, Media and Sport has not provided any funding to Hope Not Hate since the general election.

Whether her Department has provided funding to Hope Not Hate since the general election; and what meetings (a) officials, (b) special advisers and (c) Ministers in her Department have had with representatives of Hope Not Hate since that date.

All relevant meetings attended by ministers, special advisers and senior officials are declared in the normal way in the department’s quarterly transparency releases.Departmental spending and grant allocations are also routinely disclosed, but I can confirm that no funding has been allocated to the organisation in question during the current financial year.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Leader of the House of 17 October 2024, Official Report, column 1000, what his planned timetable is for providing an update on the implementation of the Cass review in the NHS.

On 4 September 2024, my Rt. Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care laid a written ministerial statement in the House of Commons outlining the Government and NHS England's work to implement the Cass Review and transform gender services.In line with NHS England’s ambitious two-year implementation plan, two new services in the North-West and London opened in April. A third new service will open in the South West in November, and a fourth in the East of England in spring of next year. NHS England is advancing towards meeting its commitment for there to be a specialist children’s gender service in every region by 2026. My Rt. Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will update the House when there are further developments.

Whether Ministers have a role in appointing individuals to NHS England's Children and Young People’s Gender Dysphoria Research Oversight Board.

The National Children and Young People’s Gender Dysphoria Research Oversight Board oversees a joint NHS England and National Institute of Health and Care Research programme of research underpinning the redesign and ongoing development of specialised gender services. This includes the planned study into the potential benefits and harms of puberty suppressing hormones as a treatment option for children and young people with gender incongruence. The board has been established, and is run, by NHS England. As such, ministers do not have a role in determining its membership. The Department is represented on the board.

Whether his Department had discussions with the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Dysphoria Research Oversight Board on the (a) planned puberty supressing hormone study and (b) proposals to consider the benefits of puberty blocking treatments in children.

The National Children and Young People’s Gender Dysphoria Research Oversight Board oversees a joint NHS England and National Institute of Health and Care Research programme of research underpinning the redesign and ongoing development of specialised gender services. This includes the planned study into the potential benefits and harms of puberty suppressing hormones as a treatment option for children and young people with gender incongruence. The board has been established, and is run, by NHS England. As such, ministers do not have a role in determining its membership. The Department is represented on the board.