Written questions by Dhesi.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Questions 118252, 118255 and 118258, for what reason the College of Policing and Independent Office for Police Conduct have not met their statutory obligation to respond within 56 days to the Prevention of Future Deaths reports of Oladeji Omishore, Sean Fitzgerald and Ashley Crews.

I refer my Honourable friend to the response published on 19 March and suggest that he consider writing to the College of Policing and the Independent Office for Police Conduct concerning their statutory obligations to respond to the respective coroners who published the PFD reports in these cases.

How many service leavers who left in 2014 subsequently rejoined in a) 2014, b) 2015, c) 2016, d) 2017, e) 2018, f) 2019, g) 2020, h) 2021 and i) 2022.

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

What the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

The size and set-up of each ministerial private office can vary significantly, as they are often determined by the specific requirements and nature of the workload involved at any given time. This flexibility ensures that each office is best equipped to meet its unique responsibilities and demands.

What the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

The average size of a ministerial private office is 5, although some private office staff are shared between two ministers, working for both. Private office staff are found at all civil service grades from EO to SCS1. Over the last 12 months there has been an average turnover rate of circa 25% for ministerial private offices. The base annual salary for all private office staff is set by the same policy as all civil servants in the Cabinet Office, according to their grade. A non-consolidated Private Office Allowance is payable to staff working in Private Offices; rates are grade-dependent and not linked to general pay awards. For staff appointed to the Civil service prior to the 01 April 2013, full-time conditioned hours are 36 hours. For those appointed to a post in Cabinet Office advertised on or after 01 April 2013, or who are promoted into a role advertised on or after 01 July 2013 full-time conditioned hours are 37 hours. All Cabinet Office employees can apply for flexible working, including part time working, from their first day of employment. All staff working in ministerial private offices currently work full time hours.

Whether his Department seeks feedback from military personnel on the catering service provided by Sodexo.

The Ministry of Defence actively seeks and acts upon the feedback from Military Personnel regarding catering services provided by Sodexo. Military Personnel are able to submit feedback by scanning site QR codes displayed on tables, using digital feedback applications, or through established local engagement channels. Additionally, each catering facility maintains a comments and suggestions book, which is regularly reviewed.

Innovation and Technology, what the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

Ministerial private offices within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology are resourced flexibly to meet business needs, and the size of individual offices varies.Staff are appointed across a range of grades EO-SCS1.Remuneration is in line with the Department’s published pay scales for each grade. Contracted working hours are typically 37 hours per week.Staff turnover rates specific to ministerial private offices are not calculated.The total number of staff currently working in ministerial private offices in the Department is 35.An allowance of up to 18% of base salary is available to staff in private offices who meet the relevant eligibility criteria.

What the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

Ministerial private offices are small teams whose composition varies by Minister and portfolio. Private secretaries are paid in line with Civil Service pay frameworks, with contractual hours set out in individual contracts. The Department does not hold data on turnover for individual private offices.

What the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

Private Office in the Scotland Office has an average staffing complement of 12 staff and serves 2 Ministers, appointed from EO to Grade 6. Typical contracted hours for these posts are 37 hours a week, with additional private office allowance paid to qualifying staff for regular out of hours work.AA0AO0EO3HEO4SEO3G71G61 LondonNational 2025/2026 pay range minima2025/2026 pay range maxima2025/2026 pay range minima2025/2026 pay range maximaAA£26,618£25,012AO£30,109£25,582EO£33,551£35,564£29,303£31,061HEO£40,014£42,859£35,335£37,847SEO£49,325£53,081£42,914£46,182G7£63,343£70,725£58,511£65,329G6£75,674£85,257£71,381£80,419 In the last 12 months, there has been a turnover rate of 50% in Private Office.

What the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

HMT ministerial private offices hire an average 6.5 FTE per office. Staff are appointed at grades: AO, EO, HEO, SEO, G7, G6 and Deputy Director. Contracted working hours for these staff members are 37 hours per week. Staff salaries for the appointed grades are typically between £26,200 - £117,800. Designated posts may also benefit from Private Office Allowance. The average staff turnover over the last 3 years was between 20-30%, which can include staff on loans to HMT returning to their home departments, or individuals leaving to other government departments, including on promotion.

How many vehicles are part of the Land Rover WOLF fleet.

I can confirm that as of 19 March 2026, there are 5,826 platforms in-service in the Land Rover WOLF fleet. This figure includes those in the active fleet and those in or awaiting to commence the disposal process.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

The size, grading and remuneration of ministerial office staffing vary depending on the responsibilities of the Minister.

What the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.

Ministerial private offices in the Home Office have a mean of 6 staff members, at grades ranging from Executive Officer to Grade 6 (excluding the Principal Private Secretary and one other member of staff, who are Senior Civil Servants). Staff are contracted between 36 and 37 hours per week depending on their terms and conditions, and their base remuneration is on this basis. An additional allowance is paid in recognition of the expectation that private office staff face additional and out of hours demands. The most recent publication of Home Office salaries (December 2024) lists the salary bands for these grades as: GradeSalary minimumSalary maximumPrivate Office allowanceExecutive Officer£30,000£35,700£5,000Higher Executive Officer£37,300£44,191£6,000Senior Executive Officer£44,720£52,130£7,000Grade 7£60,300£70,730£9,000Grade 6£73,900£85,690£10,000 Pay bands for the Senior Civil Service are centrally determined. Staff turnover for calendar year 2025 was 68%.

When he will respond to Question 109579 tabled on 29 January 2026.

A response has been issued here.

When he will respond to Question 109580 tabled on 29 January 2026.

A response has been issued here.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent progress has been made on the banning of snares.

This Government was elected on a mandate to introduce the most ambitious plans to improve animal welfare in a generation and this included a commitment to bring an end to the use of snare traps in England. This was recently reaffirmed in the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025. Defra is now actively looking to bring a ban on snares into force as swiftly as possible.

What steps he is taking to increase the naval mine hunting capability of the Royal Navy.

The Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme continues to deliver an advanced suite of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs) and SWEEP (the first Sovereign minesweeping capability since 2006) into service within the Royal Navy, enabling frontline mine warfare specialists to enhance operational effectiveness. These cutting-edge autonomous mine-hunting systems are deployed by the Mine and Threat Exploitation Group for evaluation, training, and operational deployment. The comprehensive scope of the MHC programme encompasses multiple USVs, UUVs, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for identification and neutralisation, and a state-of-the-art, sovereign mine-sweeping capability. Additionally, the programme has delivered HMS STIRLING CASTLE, a dedicated support vessel designed to enhance the deployment and sustainment of autonomous systems.

What recent discussions her Department has had with train operating companies on the adequacy of information available to rail passengers on the use of (a) emergency door releases and (b) passenger communication alarms.

No recent discussions have been had, as these are operational matters which are the responsibility of the train operating companies. However, all train operating companies must adhere to relevant health and safety legislation to be able to operate on the railways. This is enforced by the independent railway safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of treatments for patients with rare diseases in a) Slough constituency and b) the South East.

The Government is committed to improving the lives of those living with rare diseases, and we acknowledge unmet need remains, with just 5% of rare diseases having an approved and effective treatment. The UK Rare Diseases Framework sets out four priorities collaboratively developed with the rare disease community, such as improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs, including in Slough. We published the fifth annual England action plan in February 2026, where we report on the steps we have taken to advance these priorities. These include:the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) developing a framework to enable innovation in rare disease therapies;new clinical trial regulations being fully implemented from April 2026;the MHRA and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) aligning a pathway for parallel decision making to reduce the gap between marketing authorisation and NICE guidance decisions;continuing to review the effectiveness of the Early Access to Medicines Scheme, the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway and the Innovative Medicines Fund, access pathways for rare therapies; andNHS England progressing work to develop an operational framework for individualised therapies.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with local authorities on the potential environmental impact of their use of pesticides in public places.

The UK Pesticides National Action Plan, published last year, sets out actions we will take to increase awareness and knowledge of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies across all sectors. Last year I chaired a roundtable on pest and weed management in urban settings to hear directly from representatives from local authorities and councils. This highlighted the importance of peer-to-peer learning, and Defra will continue to encourage local authorities to share knowledge that promotes best practice. Defra funded an update to the Parks for London Integrated Weed Management guide.This ensures that up to date guidance is now freely available to all amenity managers, including in local authorities, to help to promote the sustainable management of our public spaces.

Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of regulations on private parking companies.

The Government will be raising standards in the private parking industry by introducing a new Code of Practice as soon as possible, in accordance with the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.