Written questions by Hinds.

Innovation and Technology, what the differences are in the (a) remit and (b) functions of the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit and its predecessor body the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation.

As set out to Parliament in the AI White Paper consultation response published by the previous government, the remit of the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) did not change as a result of its rebrand into the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit (RTA).However, the functions of CDEI did evolve over time in response to changes in the data and AI landscape between its establishment in 2018 and its role being split across different parts of DSIT in January 2025.The RTA's key areas are now embedded across DSIT, including in the newly expanded Government Digital Service, the AI Opportunities Unit and the Digital Inclusion team.

What estimate he has made of the number and proportion of claimants who receive payments (a) monthly, (b) weekly, (c) fortnightly and (d) at any other frequency for each benefit administered by his Department.

The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of varying the reference period for the guaranteed-hours provisions in the Employment Rights Bill for sectors with particularly high degrees of seasonality.

We expect the initial reference period to be 12 weeks long. The frequency and length of subsequent reference periods will be subject to consultation and set out in regulations.We are conscious of the importance of seasonal workers and industries. There will be several ways for employers to maintain seasonal flexibility in line with the Bill. One is that the Bill allows employers to use fixed-term contracts to manage their workforce around the demand they expect.We will consult publicly on the detail of the guaranteed hours measures.

Innovation and Technology, how many full time equivalent staff there were at each grade (a) in the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation at the end of the 2022-23 financial year, (b) in the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit at the end of the 2023-24 financial year, (c) in the Government Digital Service in functions equivalent to those of the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit, at the most recent date for which data is available and (d) elsewhere in her Department in functions equivalent to those of the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit, at the most recent date for which data is available.

Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (CDEI) At the end of the 2022–23 financial year, the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation was still part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). As such, staffing data for this period falls outside the remit of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).Responsible Technology Adoption Unit (RTAU) At the end of the 2023–24 financial year, the Responsible Technology Adoption Unit had approximately 32.9 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff.Government Digital Service (GDS) The Responsible Technology Adoption Unit does not sit within the Government Digital Service. There is no direct equivalence between RTAU functions and those currently delivered by GDS.Elsewhere in DSIT – Equivalent Functions Following a departmental restructure, the RTAU was disbanded as a distinct directorate. Its functions were integrated into other DSIT policy teams.

What estimate he has made of the average cost per night of care (a) in an acute hospital, (b) in a community hospital and (c) at home with visiting nursing support (i) for NHS England, (ii) in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB area and (iii) in the Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust area.

NHS England don’t routinely collect expenditure data against the categories requested but we do for the following categories in the table below.For (a) and (b) rather than share data by acute or community ‘hospital’, we have broken this down by acute or community ‘trust’ for the national and integrated care board (ICB) level requests, except for Portsmouth Hospital University NHS Trust which is acute only. We are not able to provide the costs of (c), at home with visiting nurse support as we don’t collect this level of cost information. The costs we have provided are fully absorbed, i.e. they include not only the medical care of the patients but also all other costs incurred in the trusts. The costs are taken from the National Cost Collection for 2023/24, the latest year for which data is currently available. This is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/2023-24-national-cost-collection-data-publication/ To derive the average cost per bed day we have divided the total cost by the total length of stay for all Admitted Patient Care delivered in: a. (i) – All acute NHS trusts and NHS foundation trustsTotal CostsTotal length of stay for all Admitted Patient Care (days)Average cost per day£45,409,702,98452,414,320£866.36 a. (ii) – All acute trusts in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB areaTotal CostTotal length of stay for all Admitted Patient Care (days)Average cost per day£1,426,531,3921,815,334£785.82 a. (iii) - Portsmouth Hospital University NHS Trust (to note - this is specifically this trust, not the Portsmouth 'area')Total CostTotal length of stay for all Admitted Patient Care (days)Average cost per day£451,003,686675,437£667.72 b. (i) – All community NHS trusts and NHS foundation trustsTotal CostTotal length of stay for all Admitted Patient Care (days)Average cost per day£481,873,973842,354£572.06 b. (ii) – All community NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts in the Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB area (to note - Solent NHS Trust are the only community trust in this ICB)Total CostTotal length of stay for all Admitted Patient Care (days)Average cost per day£21,140,77336,855£573.62

What assessment he has made of trends in the seasonality of demand patterns for community hospital beds for elderly people in the last three years.

Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a neighbourhood health service that will embody our new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can: digitally by default, in a patient’s home, if possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, and only in a hospital if necessary.We have not analysed trends in the seasonality of demand patterns for community hospital beds for elderly people in the last three years because we do not have sufficient data to enable us to make an accurate assessment.

What assessment he has made of seasonality patterns in the numbers of people leaving hospital on (a) discharge pathway 0 (b) discharge pathway 1 (c) discharge pathway 2 and (d) discharge pathway 3 in each of the last three years.

Hospital discharge and the numbers of people discharged on pathways 0-3 are monitored on a regular basis and figures are published monthly by NHS England via the Acute Discharge Situation Report. The reports are available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/discharge-delays/acute-discharge-situation-report/ Data from 2022/23 and 2023/24 shows a general increase in discharges over the two years, but the proportion of people being discharged to each pathway remain relatively stable between the summer period, from April to September, and winter periods, from October to March. Definitions for data collected on discharge pathways changed from 27 May 2024 onwards, and figures from before and after this date are therefore not directly comparable. To support areas to achieve timely hospital discharge, this Government published a new policy framework in January 2025 for the £9 billion Better Care Fund, which provides the National Health Service and local authorities accountability for setting and achieving joint goals for reducing discharge delays, preventing avoidable emergency admissions and care home admission. Some challenged systems in need of additional support are also receiving a programme of improvement support.

Whether his Department holds data on the average number of patients typically cared for per nurse for stepdown care for patients in (a) Pathway 1 - home care and (b) Pathway 2 - community hospital care, (i) in England and (ii) by any geographical segmentation in the last three years.

We do not hold this information centrally.

What estimate he has made of the total staff remuneration through bank staff arrangements paid otherwise than through NHS Professionals Bank staff contracts in the last 12 months.

Bank staffing allows the National Health Service to meet workforce demand fluctuations without the need to increase capacity above that which is required on a sustained basis. NHS England publishes the total bank and agency spend for providers on a quarterly basis. This includes NHS Professionals as NHS England does not hold a split of spend by companies. The information is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/publications/financial-performance-reports/ NHS Professionals’ annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 shows that remuneration paid through NHS Professionals Bank staff contracts for 2024/25 was approximately £1.1 billion. This information is available at the following link:https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06704614/filing-historyHowever, definitions used in the two publications may vary so the data is not necessarily comparable.

What assessment he has made of the level of incidence of hospital-acquired deconditioning among elderly patients in (a) acute hospitals and (b) community hospitals.

No assessment has been made of the level of incidence of hospital acquired deconditioning among elderly patients in acute hospitals or community hospitals, as the National Health Service does not routinely measure this.However, we remain committed to reducing deconditioning in in-patient settings through a strong focus on supporting health and care needs in the community wherever possible, reducing delays to discharge, and strengthening rehabilitation and reablement services.

What recent discussions he has had with NHS Pensions on the increase in the length of processing time when pensioners are able to start receiving their award.

The Department regularly meets with the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), which administers the NHS Pension Scheme, to discuss performance levels in the scheme. These talks include the current increase in processing times for first pension payments.To address the delays, the NHSBSA is re-allocating resources, recruiting and training new staff, and updating communications to members and employers to allow them to plan accordingly. The Department is supporting the NHSBSA to take all steps necessary to recover performance so that applications can be processed within the 30-day target.The NHSBSA is committed to providing the best service possible to retiring and retired National Health Service staff, and will keep members updated.

What estimate he has made of the total staff remuneration paid through NHS Professionals Bank staff contracts in the last 12 months.

Bank staffing allows the National Health Service to meet workforce demand fluctuations without the need to increase capacity above that which is required on a sustained basis. NHS Professionals pay bank members in accordance with rates set by its NHS clients. The total staff remuneration paid through NHS Professionals’ bank staff contracts for 2024/25, the year ending March 2025, was approximately £1.1 billion.This information is publicly available as part of NHS Professionals’ Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025, at the following link:https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/06704614/filing-history

What estimate he has made of the potential impact of the guaranteed-hours provisions in the Employment Rights Bill on (a) levels of self-employment (b) the ratio of fixed-term contracts to permanent contracts.

The Government has published its Impact Assessment and Economic Analysis for the Employment Rights Bill.As stated, the guaranteed hours provisions aim to reduce the risk of workers being pushed into casual employment, increase predictability for workers with variable hours, and still allow those who prefer zero-hours contracts to keep them.The Bill contains provisions to tackle avoidance mechanisms that might be used by employers to avoid the new rights, for example use of fixed-term contracts where work is ongoing. Whether an individual is self-employed or a worker is not a choice but depends on the reality of the relationship.

Innovation and Technology, which postcodes are in scope in the Hampshire CityFibre contract in East Hampshire constituency.

As part of Project Gigabit, CityFibre is delivering a contract to bring gigabit-capable broadband to thousands of rural and hard-to-reach premises across Hampshire. In the East Hampshire constituency, approximately 5,100 premises are currently included in this contract.Information on premises in the Hon. Member’s constituency included in the contract's initial scope can be found in the attached spreadsheet. This data is based on the January 2025 Open Market Review (OMR) process.

For what reason the indicative total contract value for the Future High Potential Initial Teacher Training Programme contract has reduced from £150 million in April 2025 to £89 million in September 2025.

The High Potential Initial Teacher Training Programme has played a vital part in boosting teaching quality across the country. The current contract is coming to an end and, as with any government contract of this scale, it will be retendered in line with the usual fair, open and transparent process.The programme is being adapted to return it to its original purpose - attracting a limited number of the very best trainee teachers to work in disadvantaged areas of the country.The department is also growing other popular routes into teaching, building on the progress we have already made towards recruiting an additional 6,500 teachers across secondary and special schools, and our colleges over the course of this parliament.

Innovation and Technology, when CityFibre will install fibre to in-scope postcodes in East Hampshire constituency; and whether this has been delayed.

As part of Project Gigabit, CityFibre is delivering a contract to bring gigabit-capable broadband to thousands of premises across Hampshire. The contract is designed to be delivered in stages and premises in the East Hampshire constituency were initially scheduled to be reached in its latter stages, which is currently due to run until 2030.Building Digital UK (BDUK) continues to work closely with CityFibre to review the scope of the contract in consideration of suppliers’ latest commercial rollout plans and may agree changes to CityFibre’s delivery should this be required. BDUK and CityFibre will keep local communities informed of the rollout plans during each stage of contract.

For what reason the number of cohorts has been reduced in the Future High Potential Initial Teacher Training Programme contract.

The High Potential Initial Teacher Training Programme has played a vital part in boosting teaching quality across the country. The current contract is coming to an end and, as with any government contract of this scale, it will be retendered in line with the usual fair, open and transparent process.The programme is being adapted to return it to its original purpose - attracting a limited number of the very best trainee teachers to work in disadvantaged areas of the country.The department is also growing other popular routes into teaching, building on the progress we have already made towards recruiting an additional 6,500 teachers across secondary and special schools, and our colleges over the course of this parliament.

What information his Department holds on the average waiting times were for discharge pathways (a) 0, (b) 1, (c) 2 and (d) 3 in (i) England, (ii) Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB area and (iii) Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust in the most recent year for which data is available.

Information on the average wait times for individual discharge pathways is not held centrally.Data on the number of adult patients in acute hospital beds who are medically ready for discharge but not discharged, is published monthly by NHS England. For patients with a length of stay of at least 14 days, the average number of patients experiencing delayed discharge is broken down by reason for delay, some of which relate to specific discharge pathways. The publication also reports the number of people discharged onto each discharge pathway each month. This data is available at an England, integrated care board, and National Health Service trust level, and is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/discharge-delays/acute-discharge-situation-report/

Whether his Department issues guidance on a target ratio of step-down beds to acute beds in an acute hospital’s catchment area.

Neither the Department nor NHS England have issued specific guidance on a national fixed target ratio for step-down beds to acute beds. The number of step-down beds should be determined by local population needs and patient flow assessments.Since 2024, NHS England supports this local determination by making available data on the use and occupancy of community beds, which may provide step-down or step-up care, available to systems and service providers.

In each Integrated Care Board area, (a) what the resident population is and (b) how many full-time equivalent clinical staff are employed in (i) community hospital in-patient care and (ii) home-based care.

The Office for National Statistics publishes population estimates for health geographies, including integrated care board. The data is available at the following link:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/datasets/clinicalcommissioninggroupmidyearpopulationestimatesThe Department does not hold information on the number of clinical staff in community hospital in-patient care and home-based care. Staff are employed by National Health Service trusts and may be employed across a more than one type of setting over the course of their work.