Written questions by Bedford.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing the Office for Budget Responsibility.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is the government’s official independent forecaster. The OBR’s independent scrutiny, via its economic and fiscal forecasts, underpins the credibility of the government’s fiscal policy. That is why on coming into office, one of the first bills this Government passed was the ‘fiscal lock’ to ensure that no future government can sideline the OBR.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the operational effectiveness of the Environment Agency.

The Environment Agency’s (EA) principal aim is to protect or enhance the environment and contribute to sustainable development. I am grateful for all the work the EA does to keep people safe during environmental and flooding emergencies to minimise serious and lasting damage to the environment and the communities it serves. The department works closely with the EA at every level to assess its performance and delivery and provide constructive challenge and support.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of HM Prison and Probation Service in Leicestershire.

We publish performance ratings regularly of the prison and probation service Leicestershire, which can be found at the following links: Prison Performance Ratings: 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK and Community Performance Annual, update to March 2024 - GOV.UK.This Government inherited prisons on the point of collapse and is taking action to ensure we never again run out of prison places.The previous Government left the probation service under real strain with current caseloads far too high. We are hiring 1,300 trainee probation officers by March 2026 in addition to the 1,050 already appointed last year. We are also investing in new technology to lift the administrative burden on probation officers so they can focus on what they do best – managing and rehabilitating offenders.Probation funding will increase by up to £700 million by the final year of the spending review – a 45% increase in the next three years. We will deliver thousands more tags, more staff, and more accommodation to ensure that offenders are tracked and monitored closely in the community.The Probation Service in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland was recently inspected by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP). The report of the inspection can be found at the following link: An inspection of probation services in: Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland PDU.Following the inspection, a revised Quality Improvement Plan has been drawn up, which takes account of HMIP’s recommendations. A development day has also been organised, with a focus on quality and management oversight, to ensure that all staff receive the training they need to carry out their demanding roles.

What steps his Department taken to (a) monitor and (b) ensure the adherence by regulators to the The Growth Duty Performance Framework, last published on 16 May 2024; and how many complaints his Department has received about regulators that have not adhered to this Framework in each year since 2021.

The Growth Duty Performance Framework was introduced by the last government on 16 May 2024, and was launched as a voluntary process for regulators to self-report in relation to how they are delivering economic growth. Being voluntary, there was not a requirement for adherence. The current government set out an extensive Action Plan in March this year, including: a list of key regulator pledges delivering tangible impacts on growth; a strengthened model of accountability and formalised performance reviews; and regulators publishing clear targets for processing authorisations.

Pursuant to Answer of 31 March 2025 to Question 40979 on Employment: Disability, when will further analysis be published.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published in the impacts analysis and equality analysis on 26 March 2025 and the evidence pack on 2 May 2025 at:[https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper]

Whether he has made an assessment of the effectiveness of his Department's procurement function.

The Ministry of Defence delivers some of the most complex programmes in Government.We recognise the need for radical reform of the defence procurement system to reduce waste, speed up decision making, support UK growth and meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Through our Defence Reforms our new National Armaments Director will ensure our forces have the equipment they need, when they need it.As set out in the Strategic Defence Review, we will improve delivery through a segmented approach to procurement, tailoring acquisition processes to the type of capability, supplier and risk involved; and introduce service agnostic capability portfolios to increase flexibility and drive pace.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of specialist training contracts for junior doctors.

We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure that patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.We will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the National Health Service in the future. NHS England will work with stakeholders to ensure that any growth is sustainable and focused in the service areas where need is greatest.To reform the NHS and make it fit for the future, we have launched a 10-Year Health Plan as part of the Government’s five long-term missions. Ensuring we have the right people, in the right places, with the right skills will be central to this vision. We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to deliver the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, and treat patients on time again.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 May to Question 46599 on Civil Servants: Workplace Pension, what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of changing the civil service pension scheme to a defined contribution model.

The Civil Service Pension Scheme in Great Britain is an unfunded defined benefit pension scheme. The Public Service Pensions Act 2013 (the Act) provided for the introduction of new pension schemes for staff in public services, including the civil service. New schemes were introduced in 2014-15, with benefits calculated on a career average rather than final salary basis.The Act provides that should the government wish to change, before the 31 March 2040, the extent to which the Civil Service Pension Scheme is a care average scheme it must consult those likely to be affected (or their representatives) with a view to reaching agreement with them and lay a report in Parliament. Under section 27 of the Act, the report must set out why the changes are proposed, having regard to the desirability of not making such a change before 31 March 2040.The government has not assessed the cost of changing the Civil Service Pension Scheme. The costs of any defined contribution structure would be dependent on the exact design of any reformed scheme, and would need to consider total civil service remuneration, including pay. A move to a funded defined contribution scheme would have significant implications for the public purse, as employer and member contributions that are currently used to meet the cost of current pensions would instead need to be invested, leading to increased Total Managed Expenditure of around £7bn per annum for the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the merits of the security and counter-terrorism partnership between the UK and India.

The UK and India have a long-standing security relationship, including on counter-terrorism and we work together both bilaterally and through multilateral mechanisms.We continue to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation to take decisive and concerted action against globally proscribed terrorists and terror entities. India hosted the sixteenth meeting of the UK-India Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group in New Delhi in May 2024. We look forward to hosting the seventeenth Joint Working Group this year in London.Ensuring the utmost safety of British nationals - and the protection of British interests - in India will continue to inform our deepening relationship with the Government of India.

Whether she plans to review sentencing for (a) careless driving that leads to (i) serious injury and (ii) death and (b) other driving offences.

Safety on our roads is an absolute priority for this Government. That is why the Department for Transport is committed to delivering a new Road Safety Strategy – the first in over a decade. They will set out next steps on this in due course.Provisions in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 increased the maximum penalty from 14 years’ imprisonment to life for the offences of causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs, and causing death by dangerous driving. These measures came into force on 28 June 2022 and apply to offences committed on or after that date.The Sentencing Council has reflected these changes in the sentencing guidelines and the starting point for cases falling into the highest level of seriousness is now 12 years’ imprisonment, a significant increase from the previous 8 years’ starting point. The sentence range for the most serious instances is now 8 to 18 years’ imprisonment.Although the starting points and sentence ranges for this offence have increased, the courts still retain the discretion to impose a life sentence where the seriousness of the offence is such that they consider it more appropriate and proportionate.We continue to work alongside the Department for Transport to ensure sentencing law for driving offences is appropriate.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases to betting levies on employment within the horseracing industry.

The Government recognises the contribution made by horseracing to our regional economies and national cultural life. We are committed to bolstering and protecting this contribution and continue to engage with racing stakeholders on such matters to ensure a secure, sustainable future for the sport.Future proposals on Gambling Levies are a matter for HMT, and we would encourage all interested parties to engage with ongoing consultations on the matter, which runs until the 21st of July. Should legislative changes come about following this consultation, we expect them to be accompanied by tax and impact notes from HMT, as is standard practice.

When he plans to respond to Question 46599, tabled by the hon. Member for Mid Leicestershire on 17 April 2025.

With apologies to the Hon. member, a response has now been issued.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases to betting levies on the horseracing industry.

The Government recognises the contribution made by horseracing to our regional economies and national cultural life. We are committed to bolstering and protecting this contribution and continue to engage with racing stakeholders on such matters to ensure a secure, sustainable future for the sport.Future proposals on Gambling Levies are a matter for HMT, and we would encourage all interested parties to engage with ongoing consultations on the matter, which runs until the 21st of July. Should legislative changes come about following this consultation, we expect them to be accompanied by tax and impact notes from HMT, as is standard practice.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of UK-trained qualified dentists.

We are determined to rebuild National Health Service dentistry, but it will take time and there are no quick fixes. Strengthening the workforce is key to our ambitions.Integrated care boards are recruiting posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.We have launched a 10-Year Health Plan to reform the NHS. A central part of the plan will be our workforce and how we ensure we train and provide the staff, technology, and infrastructure the NHS needs to care for patients across our communities.We will ensure the NHS has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

What the average number of sick days was per employee in each Government department in (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25.

The Cabinet Office publishes sickness absence data for the Civil Service on an annual basis on gov.uk. We do not report the average number of sick days per employee. Our preferred measure is Average Working Days Lost (AWDL) per staff year which accounts for workforce size and composition, in a way that average number of sick days per employee does not. In 2022-23, overall AWDL per staff year in the Civil Service was 8.3 days in the year ending 31 March 2023. AWDL per staff year by main departments is available in Table 3a of the data tables available at: Civil Service sickness absence, 2023: report. In 2023-24, overall AWDL per staff year in the Civil Service was 7.8 days in the year ending 31 March 2024. AWDL per staff year by main departments is available in Table 3a of the data tables available at: Civil Service sickness absence, 2024: report. Data for 2024-25 is not yet available, but will be published in early 2026.

How many permanent civil servants had contracts of employment terminated for poor performance in (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25.

Departments have delegated responsibility for managing poor performance. Information on how many civil servants in departments have had their contracts of employment terminated for poor performance is therefore not available centrally.

Whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of appointing a Minister for men.

We are committed to making equality a reality for everyone. The Equality Act 2010 requires the interests of both men and women to be considered when making decisions or developing and implementing policies. This Government recognises that men can face specific challenges in today’s society and is taking steps to address these through work across Departments. For example, we announced earlier this year that we would develop England’s first ever men’s health strategy; and in the workplace, the landmark Employment Rights Bill will extend day one rights and support flexible working, so that fathers can better support their families and spend more time with their children if they choose.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the number of public houses.

On Monday 21 October, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill [Employment Rights Bill: impact assessments - GOV.UK]. The majority of employees will benefit from new protections in the Bill. However, our assessment finds that workers in the low-paying sectors like hospitality, including public houses, will benefit the most from the Bill. The Bill will also deliver wider benefits for the business environment by improving wellbeing, incentivising higher productivity, and creating a more level playing field for good employers. This could have a positive knock-on impact on productivity and growth.

What estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of correcting cosmetic dental surgery undertaken by British nationals abroad in the last 12 months.

The Department does not hold data on the overall costs to the National Health Service of treating complications arising from cosmetic, including dental, procedures undertaken overseas. We are exploring ways to improve our understanding of the scale and impact of these costs on NHS services.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of including financial education for (a) primary and (b) secondary education in the national curriculum.

I refer the hon. Member for Mid Leicestershire to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43513.