Neil O'Brien MP: written questions 2026
266 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Social Security BenefitsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104849More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Question 100498, how many households on Housing Benefit and Universal Credit who have flowed off the benefit cap are in the Other outcome category by reason of receiving an exempting b
Answer: The Department publishes Official Statistics on the number of households in Great Britain on Housing Benefit (HB) or Universal Credit (UC) that have flowed off the benefit cap, including outcome at off-flow, in the HB Cumulative Caseload dataset and the U...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming IncentiveDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as of 1st October 2025 how many SFI agreements included actions SAM1, NUM1, HRW1 and IPM1 broken down by individual action.
Answer: As of 1st October 2025, there were 32,405, Sustainable Farming Incentive agreements which included actions (C)SAM1, (C) NUM1, (C)HRW1 or (C)IPM1. The number of agreements containing these actions and the value of these actions broken down by individual ac...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming IncentiveDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104792More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total annual payments made to businesses under the SFI for actions SAM1, NUM1, IPM1 and HRW1 (broken down by individual action) were at 1 October 2025.
Answer: As of 1st October 2025, there were 32,405, Sustainable Farming Incentive agreements which included actions (C)SAM1, (C) NUM1, (C)HRW1 or (C)IPM1. The number of agreements containing these actions and the value of these actions broken down by individual ac...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming IncentiveDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104791More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the mean size in hectares was of businesses ranked in the top 4% of SFI annual revenue payments by October 2025.
Answer: The mean size of a businesses ranked in the top 4% of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) annual revenue payments as of October 2025 is 803 hectares.
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordSustainable Farming IncentiveDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 12 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104790More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the mean and median total income per business for the Sustainable Farming Incentive was in the year to October 2025.
Answer: Farm businesses can hold multiple Sustainable Farming Incentive agreements under the SFI scheme. As of October 2025, there were 44,474 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreements including SFI 23 and SFI 24. Over the full term of the agreement the mean...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordInheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 8 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 104190More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many estates were liable to inheritance tax passing on death in each parliamentary constituency, over the last five year period taken as a whole.
Answer: The estimated number of estates liable to Inheritance Tax, broken down by UK (Westminster) Parliamentary Constituency, is published annually as part of HMRC’s Inheritance Tax Liabilities statistics, and is available in Table 12.9 at: https://www.gov.uk/go...
Answered 13 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordIntellectual Property Office: PayDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103401More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, for what reason employment and wage costs have increased at the Intellectual Property Office since April 2017.
Answer: The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is an executive agency of the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), with delegated responsibility for operational matters including salaries. Salary costs have increased since 2017 due to two main ...
Answered 15 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordGambling Commission: CostsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103400More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason employment and wage costs have increased at the Gambling Commission since April 2017.
Answer: Since April 2017, the Gambling Commission’s headcount has increased to maintain its capacity and capability to regulate a growing sector, which is subject to heightened public scrutiny. The Commission has also, like other public bodies, awarded its staff ...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordArts Council England: PayDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103399More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the drivers of and reasons for the almost trebling of the wage and salary costs of Arts Council England since April 2017.
Answer: Arts Council England (ACE) is an arms-length body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). As such, ACE is responsible for its own operational matters, including wage and salary costs. Nevertheless, they are in scope of the Cabinet Office an...
Answered 12 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordHM Land Registry: PayMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103398More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the drivers of and reasons for the doubling of the wage and salary costs of the Land Registry since April 2017.
Answer: HM Land Registry’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2016-17 and 2024-25 respectively show that staff costs for permanent HMLR employees have increased from £168 million to £326 million. The drivers of this increase are a combination of the compound interest...
Answered 16 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordPlanning Inspectorate: PayMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103397More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the drivers of and reasons for the doubling of the wage and salary costs of the Planning Inspectorate since April 2017.
Answer: The Planning Inspectorate deals with a range of planning and environmental casework from across government including: planning and environmental appeals, including against refusals of planning related applications by Local Planning Authorities and refusal...
Answered 16 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMining Remediation Authority: PayDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103396More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the drivers of and reasons for the more than doubling of the wage and salary costs of the Mining Remediation Authority since April 2017.
Answer: Forecast headcount at the Mining Remediation Authority for the end of March 2026 is c460 full time equivalent posts which has increased since April 2017 in line with the growth in the complexity and number of 24/7 incidents. Pay cases submitted by the Min...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordOfgem: PayDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103395More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what reason wage and salary costs have increased at Ofgem since April 2017.
Answer: Ofgem is governed by its Board (the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority - GEMA) and is directly accountable to Parliament for the performance of its functions and duties. Operational decisions regarding wage and salary costs are a matter for Ofgem.
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordClimate Change Committee: PayDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103394More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what reason wage and salary costs have increased at the Committee on Climate Change since April 2017.
Answer: Pay arrangements for the CCC’s permanent staff are governed by the Cabinet Office pay remit guidance and process. The CCC has a vital role providing independent, expert advice on reducing emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change, and staff ...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordNuclear Decommissioning Authority: PayDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 6 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 103393More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what reason employment and wage costs have increased at the Nuclear Decommisioning Authority since April 2017.
Answer: The NDAs mission involves complex and hazardous nuclear decommissioning, requiring advanced technical engineering and project management skills. These roles command higher than average salaries due to scarcity and competition for nuclear expertise. Since ...
Answered 14 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordForestry Commission: StaffDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 5 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 102836More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Forestry Commission's annual reports for 2017-18 and 2024-25, which teams and roles within the Forestry Commission have expanded since April 2017; and for what re
Answer: 2017/20182024/2025Forestry Commission Staff310560Directors & Senior Civil Servants54Forest Research Staff230417Directors & Senior Civil Servants13Total Staff540977Directors & Senior Civil Servants67Total546984 The information on headcount ...
Answered 21 Jan 2026
Original Parliament record
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