Written questions by Leadbitter.

If it is government policy to withhold the names of potential head of mission appointees from the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What communication did the Prime Minister have with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office regarding potentially appointing Matthew Doyle to a head of mission role.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Did the Prime Minister consider appointing Matthew Doyle to a head of mission role.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Whether she plans to review the draft Code of Practice issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission following the recent High Court judgment which stated that it can be lawful for service providers to provide women’s single-sex facilities used by both cisgender and transgender women and not by men.

We have received the updated draft Code of Practice from the EHRC. We cannot comment on the contents of the Code during the pre-election period, but we intend to lay it as soon as practicable after the elections in May.We have always been clear that associations should set their policies in line with the law.If associations are uncertain as to how to apply the Equality Act 2010, they should obtain specialist legal advice.

What steps he is taking regulate the advertisement of nicotine pouch products.

We are committed to protecting children from the risks of nicotine addiction. Evidence suggests that awareness and use of nicotine pouches is growing amongst young people.There are currently no advertising restrictions on nicotine pouches. To address this, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop the advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of all nicotine products, including nicotine pouches, mirroring the effective restrictions on tobacco. This will include a ban on television, radio, and online adverts, as well as printed advertisements such as traditional billboards. The advertising ban will be commenced by commencement order once the bill has received Royal Assent, and we have committed to giving industry 12 months’ notice of when the ban will come into force.Additionally, the bill will also provide the Government with new powers to restrict the packaging and display of nicotine products, including nicotine pouches. These powers will further limit the marketing and promotion of these products to young people.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the volume of data centre projects in the electricity transmission connections queue on network capacity and system costs.

The Department is aware of the volume of data centre projects in the connections queue, and on 12 March, published a consultation on measures to manage oversubscription and secure capacity for viable data centre projects, while meeting the needs of the energy system. These include increasing financial requirements on data centres to obtain or retain a connection agreement and moving to a strategically aligned process for data centre connections in future.The consultation also asks about the impact of flexible connection agreements on data centres to further secure system operability and protect consumers from unnecessary costs while supporting timely connections.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that large electricity users such as data centres contribute to system investment and operation through flexibility and demand management when connecting to the electricity network.

The Government, NESO and Ofgem have worked together with industry to identify specific actions to support an increase in large non-domestic consumer-led flexibility, setting those actions out in the Clean Flexibility Roadmap, published in 2025. Data centres, like other non-domestic users, can play a role in being flexible with their usage, generating system benefits that will help all energy users. Government is currently consulting on whether some categories of large demand users should be required to provide a minimum level of demand flexibility as a condition of connection.

When he plans to publish the data centre strategy; and whether that strategy will include measures on managing electricity network capacity, energy system and environmental impacts.

The Department is working closely with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology to understand the strategic need for data centres in Great Britain, including their energy system and environmental impacts. Government will say more on this in due course.

What consideration his Department has given to requiring new data centres seeking electricity network connections to assess opportunities to utilise waste heat.

The Department is looking at how waste heat from data centres can be used to support the development of large scale, strategic heat networks. Through heat network zoning, certain buildings and heat sources, including data centres, can be required to connect to a network within set timeframes. Additionally, the Green Heat Network Fund provides £195m p.a. in capital grants up to 2029–30 for low‑carbon heat networks in England. One supported project is a major new network in North-West London that will utilise data centre heat, powering 10,000 new homes and 250,000m2 of commercial space.

With reference to Ofgem's call for input entitled Demand Connections Reform, published on 13 February 2026, how many of the 140 data centres are located in Scotland.

Ofgem's Call for Input draws on data collected by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) in which 140 prospective data centres self-reported their presence in the pipeline for connections. 19 of these were located in Scotland. However, these responses were voluntary and represent developer intent rather than confirmed deliverability. NESO is undertaking further work to validate the results including issuing a mandatory Information Request Notice to demand connection customers on 11 March.

Whether he will make an assessment of the potential merits of legislation to prevent individuals who are unsuccessful in general elections from being appointed as peers.

It is for party leaders to consider who is best placed to represent their party in the House of Lords when nominating individuals to the upper House. The Government has introduced a requirement that all nominating parties need to provide a citation when nominating individuals for appointment to the House of Lords. This is a straightforward but important change that provides greater clarity about why individuals are being nominated for appointment to the House of Lords.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of operating a free telephone helpline for those contacting the Civil Service Pensions Scheme.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.As of the 2 March 2026 recovery update, performance at the contact centre has improved significantly following the deployment of additional helpline advisers. During the final week of February, more than 90% of calls were answered within 30 seconds. The overall call answer rate has now reached 99%. The Cabinet Office utilises 0300 numbers for the CSPS in line with government-wide standards for public bodies. This model ensures that calls are treated as standard geographic numbers, making them free to the vast majority of the public who use inclusive minute plans. Transitioning to a free-to-caller 0800 number would incur significant additional administrative costs for the taxpayer; the department is instead focused on maintaining swift answer rates to ensure costs for all callers remain minimal. The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update (2 March 2026) is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-update-2-march-2026

What the average waiting time is for members of the public to have their telephone call answered when contacting the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.As of the 2 March 2026 recovery update, performance at the contact centre has improved significantly following the deployment of additional helpline advisers. During the final week of February, more than 90% of calls were answered within 30 seconds. The overall call answer rate has now reached 99%. The Cabinet Office utilises 0300 numbers for the CSPS in line with government-wide standards for public bodies. This model ensures that calls are treated as standard geographic numbers, making them free to the vast majority of the public who use inclusive minute plans. Transitioning to a free-to-caller 0800 number would incur significant additional administrative costs for the taxpayer; the department is instead focused on maintaining swift answer rates to ensure costs for all callers remain minimal. The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update (2 March 2026) is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-update-2-march-2026

What the estimated cost per minute is for members of the public to contact the Civil Service Pension Scheme telephone helpline.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.As of the 2 March 2026 recovery update, performance at the contact centre has improved significantly following the deployment of additional helpline advisers. During the final week of February, more than 90% of calls were answered within 30 seconds. The overall call answer rate has now reached 99%. The Cabinet Office utilises 0300 numbers for the CSPS in line with government-wide standards for public bodies. This model ensures that calls are treated as standard geographic numbers, making them free to the vast majority of the public who use inclusive minute plans. Transitioning to a free-to-caller 0800 number would incur significant additional administrative costs for the taxpayer; the department is instead focused on maintaining swift answer rates to ensure costs for all callers remain minimal. The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update (2 March 2026) is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-update-2-march-2026

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of launching an independent review of the adequacy of the work of (a) MyCSP and (b) Capita Pensions Solutions in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme (CSPS) to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve. Current efforts are, rightly, focused on supporting service recovery, as the service moves into normal service levels, which we expect to occur by the end of June 2025. Once that is achieved, a review will be undertaken to look at what lessons can be learned for the future.

What consideration he has made of the potential merits of blending up to 20% of hydrogen by volume into existing GB gas networks.

We are building the evidence base to determine if blending into the transmission network meets the required safety standards, is technically feasible, economic, and supports government’s broader strategic and net zero ambitions. This consultation will help inform the case for and volume of transmission-level blending.

Whether Ministers receive guidance on referring to devolved issues in the Chamber.

Ministers are supported by officials to participate in proceedings in accordance with the established practices of the House of Commons.

Whether an equality impact assessment has been undertaken for the potential impact of the Industry Safe Weight Limit Policy introduced by Offshore Energies UK on offshore workers.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is aware of Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) guidance documentation and policy on introducing a Safe Weight Limit for Offshore Workers on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). HSE was not involved in the development of the document but was provided with a copy of the final draft for comment. HSE reviewed the guidance relating to occupational health legislation and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) standards. As HSE is not the relevant regulatory body regarding the safe operation and use of helicopter winching systems it did not comment on the implementation of a winching weight limit. HSE is not in a position to approve OEUK guidance documents nor will it be involved in any discussion or decision making on the applicability of equality statutes that may be relevant. That is the responsibility of individual dutyholders and employers to ensure they maintain safe operations offshore under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and all relevant regulations applicable to the sector. HSE understands that the policy and associated guidance, developed by OEUK, is being introduced in a phased manner, over time, to enable the sector to maintain safe operations. As part of HSE’s regulatory role it carries our frequent inspections of offshore installations, which include consideration of employee roles and core competencies. HSE has the ability to take proportionate enforcement activity if it identifies failings relevant to these areas.

Whether the Health and Safety Executive has formally (a) reviewed and (b) approved the Industry Safe Weight Limit Policy introduced by Offshore Energies UK.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is aware of Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) guidance documentation and policy on introducing a Safe Weight Limit for Offshore Workers on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). HSE was not involved in the development of the document but was provided with a copy of the final draft for comment. HSE reviewed the guidance relating to occupational health legislation and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) standards. As HSE is not the relevant regulatory body regarding the safe operation and use of helicopter winching systems it did not comment on the implementation of a winching weight limit. HSE is not in a position to approve OEUK guidance documents nor will it be involved in any discussion or decision making on the applicability of equality statutes that may be relevant. That is the responsibility of individual dutyholders and employers to ensure they maintain safe operations offshore under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and all relevant regulations applicable to the sector. HSE understands that the policy and associated guidance, developed by OEUK, is being introduced in a phased manner, over time, to enable the sector to maintain safe operations. As part of HSE’s regulatory role it carries our frequent inspections of offshore installations, which include consideration of employee roles and core competencies. HSE has the ability to take proportionate enforcement activity if it identifies failings relevant to these areas.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Industry Safe Weight Limit Policy introduced by Offshore Energies UK on workplace safety.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is aware of Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) guidance documentation and policy on introducing a Safe Weight Limit for Offshore Workers on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). HSE was not involved in the development of the document but was provided with a copy of the final draft for comment. HSE reviewed the guidance relating to occupational health legislation and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) standards. As HSE is not the relevant regulatory body regarding the safe operation and use of helicopter winching systems it did not comment on the implementation of a winching weight limit. HSE is not in a position to approve OEUK guidance documents nor will it be involved in any discussion or decision making on the applicability of equality statutes that may be relevant. That is the responsibility of individual dutyholders and employers to ensure they maintain safe operations offshore under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and all relevant regulations applicable to the sector. HSE understands that the policy and associated guidance, developed by OEUK, is being introduced in a phased manner, over time, to enable the sector to maintain safe operations. As part of HSE’s regulatory role it carries our frequent inspections of offshore installations, which include consideration of employee roles and core competencies. HSE has the ability to take proportionate enforcement activity if it identifies failings relevant to these areas.