Charlie Dewhirst MP: written questions
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Written questions
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Working HoursDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 110793, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, how many and what proportion of full-time
Answer: 470 full-time employees are recorded as working compressed hours, representing 12.0% of all full-time employees. However, the department cannot determine from Oracle how many of these employees work their hours over four days rather than another compresse...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordInformation Commissioner's Office: PayDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15826More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent steps the Information Commissioner has taken to link (a) bonuses and (b) pay rises for staff who meet Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objectives.
Answer: The ICO is responsible for its own staffing, pay and operational decisions. It is an independent regulator accountable to Parliament.The ICO does not pay bonuses and there have not been any recent changes to pay arrangements linked to the ICO's Equality, ...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Business and Trade: ChinaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15825More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the answer of 16 April 2026, to Question 126612, on China: Clean Energy, whether (a) Memorandums of Understanding and (b) non-legally binding agreements have been agreed between the (
Answer: We do not normally publish the details of non-legally binding agreements with other countries, including MoUs.
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGambling Commission: Legal OpinionDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15824More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the answer of 21 April 2026, to Question 126621, on Gambling Commission: Legal Opinion, how many prior approvals have been awarded in the last 12 months.
Answer: All employees of the Gambling Commission are required to declare any intention to work in the regulated gambling sector, including consultancy. This is dealt with under a conflict of interest procedure, requiring sign off from a member of the executive te...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGambling Commission: Legal OpinionDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15823More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the answer of 21 April 2026 to Question 126621 on Gambling Commission: Legal Opinion, in what circumstances may joining a consultancy that advises the gambling industry require
Answer: All employees of the Gambling Commission are required to declare any intention to work in the regulated gambling sector, including consultancy. This is dealt with under a conflict of interest procedure, requiring sign off from a member of the executive te...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport: EqualityDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15822More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many departmental staff work on equality, diversity and inclusion roles.
Answer: There are less than five staff members within DCMS who hold equality, diversity, and inclusion roles.
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport: Working HoursDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15821More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the answer of 11 March 2026, to Question 110793, on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Flexible Working, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on f
Answer: As of 1 July 2026, 46 full-time civil servants at the Department work compressed hours over a four-day week. This represents 4.0% of the Department’s 1,158 civil servants. Figures do not include staff currently on a career break. DCMS remains committed to...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordJam: LabellingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15820More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of proposed revisions to jam on the (a) taste and (b) cost of jam.
Answer: The Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement is still being negotiated and the final list of legislation in scope remains subject to negotiations. The Government has begun publishing sector specific information to help businesses get ready. Changes to j...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15819More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Regulatory Policy Committee document, "Post-implementation reviews outstanding across government 2015 to 2026", updated 12 May 2026, what steps is the department
Answer: The Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) identified one outstanding Post Implementation Review for Defra: The Reduction and Prevention of Agricultural Diffuse Pollution (England) Regulations 2018, commonly known as Farming Rules for Water. The Department has...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Government Communication ServiceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15818More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the answer of 5 June 2026, to Question 3763, on Government Communications Service: Staff, and of 19 January 2026, to Question 104195, on Government Communication Serv
Answer: All embedded communicators are members of the Government Communication Service.
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment of Health and Social Care: Working HoursDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of full-time staff on full pay (1.0 FTE) in the department work compressed hours over a four day week.
Answer: The Department is required by law to consider flexible working requests. Compressed hours is a form of flexible working which refers to any type of working arrangement that gives some degree of flexibility around how long, where or when an individual work...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment of Health and Social Care: International CooperationDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will list each Non-Legally Binding Instruments that has been signed by the department and its Arms Length Bodies since July 2024 other than those subject to the sensitive diplomatic, security
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 17 June in response to Question 8068.
Answered 18 Aug 2026
Original Parliament recordHealth Services: GenderDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15815More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance has (a) his Department, (b) NHS England and (c) MHPRA provides to NHS bodies and his Department’s arm’s length bodies on (a) the expression of gender critical views and (b) recognitio
Answer: No specific guidance has been issued. The Department expects its arm’s-length bodies and the National Health Service to adhere to the Equality Act 2010, which protects everyone against discrimination on the basis of the protected characteristics set out i...
Answered 13 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordInsolvency: Data ProtectionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15574More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what are the powers of (a) the Secretary of State, (b) Insolvency Service and (c) Insolvency Practitioners to request that corporate electronic communications held by a company in administration are re
Answer: Insolvency office-holders, including administrators, are responsible for securing a company's records upon their appointment. The Insolvency Service, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, may request relevant records are retained where it is conduct...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGovernment Departments: MarketingDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15573More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 4161 on Government departments: marketing, how much has been spent on branded goods and merchandise by the Department since the Government Chief Commer
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) can confirm that it has incurred no expenditure on branded goods and events.
Answered 22 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Business and Trade: Government Communication ServiceDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15572More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Answer of 5 June 2026 to Question 3763 on Government Communications Service: Staff, and of 19 January 2026 to Question 104195 on Government Communication Service: Staff, how many
Answer: All embedded communicators are members of the Government Communication Service.
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport: MarketingDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15571More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the cost it has spent on branded goods and merchandise.
Answer: DCMS spent £2,970 on 1,500 VE Day 80 branded lanyards in 2025 to support the safe delivery of the commemorative events. Lanyards help identify authorised personnel and manage access within a secure event footprint.
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordOfwat: EqualityDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15570More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2026 to Question 9341 on Ofwat: Equality, for what reason Ofwat was not requested to report EDI spending details prior to that reporting period.
Answer: Defra and its arm’s-length bodies did not begin reporting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) expenditure until 2025/26, after internal processes for collecting and reporting this information had been established. As a result, Defra did not ask Ofwat ...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordWater Companies: RegulationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15569More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to page 17 of the Water White Paper of January 2026, whether the integrated water regulator will have the same budget as the Environment Agency, Natural England, Ofwat a
Answer: We are considering the detail of the funding arrangements that will be needed. In doing so, we will ensure that the new regulator will have the funds to deliver its responsibilities in full, balancing the interests of customers, investors and the environm...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordWater: MetersDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15568More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether householders not on social tariffs can require that the smart element of their smart water meter is deinstalled if they decline to participate in a (a) progressive water meteri
Answer: Currently, individual water companies decide the best way to manage water demand issues, including their approach to metering. However, to inform their decisions, Defra issues guiding principles that set out our priorities, including our expectations on w...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: MarketingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15567More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much her Department has spent on branded goods and merchandise since 24 April 2025; on what items; and at what cost.
Answer: The information could only be provided by incurring disproportionate costs.
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero: MarketingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15566More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much his Department has spent on branded goods and merchandise since 24 April 2025; on what items; and at what cost.
Answer: The information can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArtificial Intelligence: InvestmentDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15565More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy regulation policies on the decision of OpenAI to terminate the Stargate UK investment programme.
Answer: The UK continues to be an attractive destination for AI investment as reflected in OpenAI’s ongoing and expanding presence here through its recent announcement for a large permanent office in London, doubling the current OpenAI headcount here. The UK Gove...
Answered 15 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero: Government Communication ServiceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many headcount staff in his Department are (a) members of the Government Communication Network and (b) embedded communicators but not members of the Government Communication Network.
Answer: All embedded communicators are members of the Government Communication Service.
Answered 10 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment of Health and Social Care: Annual ReportsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15563More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2026 to Question 1816 on Government Departments: Bureaucracy, how his Department has changed how it produces its Annual Report.
Answer: The Department has not changed how it produces its own annual report and accounts. The consultation referred to in the answer of 20 May 2026 was the Department’s annual consultation on the draft Group Accounting Manual. This manual provides technical guid...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament record
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