Written questions by Bedford.

What was the total (a) apprenticeship levy revenue received from eligible employers, (b) sum and proportion of levy revenue spent on Level 4, 5, 6 and 7 apprenticeship qualifications and (c) the sum and proportion of unspent levy revenue returned to HM Treasury in each of the last five years.

All UK employers with an annual pay bill above £3 million pay 0.5 per cent of their pay bill to invest in apprenticeship training. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for collecting the levy on behalf of the government. Annual apprenticeship levy receipts are published at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67b5fd2c9ae06ef4a71cf2e0/NS_Table_final.ods. The department is responsible for apprenticeships in England only and receives an annual protected apprenticeships budget, which is agreed at spending reviews. Although closely linked, this is distinct from the total levy income collected and the funds in employer accounts. In total, this apprenticeship budget covers the spend drawn down by all levy-paying employers, as well as apprenticeships for those who do not pay the levy, the costs of English and mathematics tuition for apprentices, and additional payments to employers, training providers and apprentices. It also covers the administrative costs of running the apprenticeships programme. The table below provides details of the ring-fenced apprenticeships budget, and the total and proportion of the budget that was unspent in each of the last five years. £ (million) Financial year2019/202020/212021/222022/232023/24Department ring-fenced apprenticeships budget2,4692,4672,4662,5542,525*Underspend against Department ring-fenced apprenticeships budget550604119616*Proportion of underspend against the apprenticeship budget 22%24%1%4%1%* *The 2023/24 annual apprenticeship budget was revised in-year from £2,585 million to £2,525 million, as £60 million was surrendered in-year. Where the department’s apprenticeships budget is underspent by the end of the financial year, funds are returned to HM Treasury in line with standard practice set out in the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance, a copy of which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/consolidated-budgeting-guidance-2024-to-2025. The table below provides a breakdown of spend against the apprenticeship budget by apprenticeship level 4 to level 7, and the proportion of the budget spent at level 4 to level 7 for each of the five past years. Budget spend by apprenticeships level (£ million & %) Financial yearLevel 4Level 5Level 6Level 72019/20156 (8%)128 (7%)114 (6%)103 (5%)2020/21181 (10%)146 (8%)172 (9%)165 (9%)2021/22241 (10%)181 (7%)296 (12%)236 (10%)2022/23249 (10%)166 (7%)349 (14%)234 (10%)2023/24268 (11%)171 (7%)387 (15%)238 (9%)

Whether his Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

Artificial intelligence does not form part of the established process within the Department for answering written parliamentary questions.

Whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

DWP has access to AI software tools to support day-to-day workings such as the drafting process for responding to written parliamentary questions. The terms of use are clear that the license holder must review the content provided by the tool. All responses are drafted and reviewed by policy officials to ensure accuracy and consistency with government policy, and are signed off by Ministers.

Whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

No, the Attorney General's Office has not used AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

Whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

The Department for Transport is not currently using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

No, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has not used AI software to respond to written parliamentary questions.

Whether his Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

The Department does not formally use AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

Whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

The Ministry of Justice has not used AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has made Microsoft Copilot available to staff as part of a trial. It is therefore possible that officials have used Copilot to assist them when drafting replies to written parliamentary questions. All responses are reviewed by policy officials to ensure accuracy and consistency with government policy, and are signed off by Ministers.

Whether his Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

I can reassure the hon. Member that all parliamentary questions are personally signed off by a Minister. I signed this one off at my desk in the Ministry of Defence at 3.07pm on 4 March 2025 for instance.

Whether his Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

A small proportion of staff in the Department for Business and Trade have access to AI software tools at the moment. These tools may be used to support the drafting process for responding to written parliamentary questions. All responses are reviewed by policy officials to ensure accuracy and consistency with government policy, and are signed off personally by Ministers.

Innovation and Technology, whether his Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology does not have a specific policy on the use of AI for responding to written parliamentary questions. However, staff do have access to AI software tools to support the drafting process. All responses are reviewed by policy officials to ensure accuracy and consistency with government policy, and are signed off by Ministers.

Media and Sport, whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

No, DCMS has not used AI software to respond to written parliamentary questions.

Whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

In HM Treasury, written parliamentary questions are drafted by civil servants and answered by ministers. For information on the use of AI in HM Treasury, I refer the member to the answer given to UIN 23715 on 22 January 2025.

Whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

No, Home Office has not used AI software to respond to written parliamentary questions..

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

No, Defra has not used AI software to respond to written parliamentary questions.

Whether her Department is using AI software in responding to written parliamentary questions.

The department sometimes uses Artificial Intelligence software tools to support the drafting process for responding to written parliamentary questions. All responses are reviewed by policy officials to ensure accuracy and consistency with government policy and are signed off by Ministers.

What recent estimate his Department has made of the number and proportion of civil servants who work from home every day in each Department.

Central data on Civil Service Headquarters (HQ) occupancy is collected and published quarterly on GOV.UK for all HQ buildings of Whitehall Departments, Office for Scotland, Office for Wales and Northern Ireland Office. The latest data for the period October to December 2024 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of irregular migrants that will enter the UK via the English Channel in each of the next five years following the passing of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.

An impact assessment of the Bill is published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/border-security-asylum-and-immigration-bill-2025-impact-assessment. This includes analysis of how the new powers in the Bill could achieve the intended impacts, including by leading to more effective interventions in disrupting and prosecuting those who seek to facilitate irregular migration to the UK. The Home Office will continue to monitor and evaluate measures within the Bill once they have been implemented, subject to Parliament’s approval.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing plastic straws.

The Secretary of State has not made an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing plastic straws. However, the Department is currently conducting a post-implementation review of the Environmental Protection (Plastic Straws, Cotton Buds and Stirrers) (England) Regulations 2020 to ensure it is fit for purpose.