Written questions by Cooper.

How many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent pool and (e) skills match hub in the most recent period for which data is available.

At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact number changes on a day-to-day basis.

How many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent pool and (e) skills match hub in the most recent period for which data is available.

The Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero currently has 34 individuals in the redeployment register.

How many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent pool and (e) skills match hub in the most recent period for which data is available.

There are no permanent civil servants within DfTc and the Agencies without assigned posts.The Department for Transport (DfTc and the Agencies) has a priority movers list/redeployment register. Within a payroll workforce of over 16000*, the number of people currently on the register for DfTc and the Agencies as of 6th June 2025 is 61.*Payroll staff total headcount DfT: workforce management information, April 2025 - GOV.UK

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many permanent civil servants in his Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent pool and (e) skills match hub in the most recent period for which data is available.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) operate a Directorate Flexible Resource (DFR) pool. The DFR is the FCDO's resourcing model for when staff are between substantive roles in our rotational model of home and overseas roles. The DFR offers important agility for the Department, and to support staff in between roles/when returning from overseas. Those in between roles are working within their Directorates whilst looking for a substantive position.Each Department is responsible for setting their redundancy procedures in line with the Cabinet Office issued 2016 Civil Service Redundancy Protocol. This document is publicly available guidance, published on gov.uk. The Civil Service does not formally use the terms, 'redeployment registers', 'people action teams', or 'priority movers lists', but the Redundancy Protocol does set out the expectations placed on departments when it comes to managing their employees who are without posts due to restructuring or job reduction plans.There is no central policy relating to 'Talent pools' in the Civil Service. Departmental approaches to managing talent vary and are not governed by any central guidance or policy.

How many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent pool and (e) skills match hub in the most recent period for which data is available.

We do not currently operate any of the systems listed in the question. At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact number changes on a day-to-day basis, and these people are still actively working on temporary and priority projects.

How many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent pool and (e) skills match hub in the most recent period for which data is available.

The exact number changes on a day-to-day basis. At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have been on loan to another department during which time their role has been phased out.

Media and Sport, how many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent pool and (e) skills match hub in the most recent period for which data is available.

At any point in time, there is likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or who, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact number changes on a regular basis. In DCMS, there are currently no permanent civil servants in DCMS without assigned posts, and five members of staff on the department’s redeployment register.

How many permanent civil servants in her Department are staff without assigned posts; and how many are placed in an equivalent (a) people action team, (b) priority movers list, (c) redeployment register, (d) talent pool and (e) skills match hub in the most recent period for which data is available.

At any point in time, there are likely to be a small number of individuals who have been displaced due to restructures within their business units or, for example, have returned from a loan from another department and their role no longer exists. The exact number changes on a day-to-day basis.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the visit by Richard Lochhead MSP to to Beijing.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has made no assessment of the effectiveness of the visit. The delivery of Scottish Government ministers is properly to be assessed by Scottish parliamentary scrutiny mechanisms. The FCDO engaged with Scottish Government officials in support of the visit, as overseas missions routinely do for all overseas visits made by Devolved Government officials.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department has taken to implement the Northern Ireland Enhanced Investment Zone.

Since confirmation at Autumn Budget of the continuation of the Enhanced Investment Zone, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has worked in partnership with the Northern Ireland Executive to drive forward the co-development of the design and delivery of the Enhanced Investment Zone. Further detail on the focus of the Enhanced Investment Zone will be confirmed later this year.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of publishing (a) direct and (b) indirect spend on SME by (i) department and (ii) contract type on the Central Digital Platform.

In February, the Government announced new rules requiring all government departments and their executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to set three-year targets for direct spend with SMEs from 1 April 2025, and from 1 April 2026 for Voluntary Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs), and publish progress annually. Our intention is for all targets for spend with SMEs and the annual publication of spend with SMEs to be published on the Central Digital Platform for ease of comparison. This will drive greater transparency and accountability for increasing numbers of SMEs and VCSEs delivering public contracts.

What steps he plans to take to (a) reform procurement, (b) make efficiency savings, (c) increase levels of access to defence procurement for SMEs and (d) encourage economic growth through the Strategic Defence Review.

The Strategic Defence Review has been considering the state of the defence industrial base, the approach to be taken to acquisition and support, and the contribution of Defence to the Government's Growth Mission. The Review will make Defence central both to the security, and to the economic growth and prosperity, of the United Kingdom.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 41460 on Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Equality, what payments (a) her Department and (b) each of its arm’s-length bodies have made to the training company Inclusive Employers Ltd since July 2024; and for what purposes.

MHCLG’s Inclusion Allies network is comprised of 73 (a) staff members and zero (b) ministers. All expenditure by core MHCLG with this supplier since July 2024, and the purpose of that expenditure, is set out in the answer to Question UIN 45669 on 29 April 2025. No ALB sponsored by the MHCLG has made any payments to this supplier since July 2024, except for Homes England who made one payment for a 12-month corporate membership to support their EDI ambitions.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which development programmes he plans to maintain funding for after the planned reduction of the Official Development Assistance budget is implemented.

ODA allocations and the impact on programmes are being worked through following the decision to reduce UK ODA from 0.5% of GNI to 0.3% in 2027.We will be taking a rigorous approach to ensure all ODA delivers value for money.We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes.

How much (a) her Department and (b) each of its arm’s length bodies has spent on external communications through (i) Crown Commercial Service agreement RM6125 and (ii) other agreements since 5 July 2024; and which firms have received funding.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold any active contracts awarded under Crown Commercial Service (CCS) agreement RM6125, nor have any contracts been awarded under this agreement in the time period specified.

How much (a) his Department and (b) each of its arm’s length bodies has spent on external communications through (i) Crown Commercial Service agreement RM6125 and (ii) other agreements since 5 July 2024; and which firms have received funding.

The total MOD, including DE&S, spends since 5 July 2024 against RM6125 Framework via call off contracts is: £3,550,081.59. The suppliers are Identity events Management Limited and Occam Group LTD. The MOD, including DE&S, total spends since 5 July 2024 for external communications, not against RM6125 Framework via call off contract is: £32,702,226.04. The suppliers are listed in the table below. 23RED LIMITEDALL ENGLAND NETBALL ASSOCIATION LIMITEDBE THE BRAND EXPERIENCE LIMITEDBFBSCABINET OFFICECALDER CONFERENCES LIMITEDCAPITA BUSINESS SERVICES LTDCISION GROUP LIMITEDCOGENT SKILLS LIMITEDDEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS AND TRADEDRUMGRANGE LTDE3 MEDIA LIMITEDENGINE PARTNERS UK LLPFOREIGN COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICEFORELAND SHIPPING LTDGATENBYSANDERSON LIMITEDGOVERNMENT PROPERTY AGENCYIDENTITY EVENTS MANAGEMENT LIMITEDKORN FERRY (UK) LIMITEDLEONARDO UK LTDLES CONTAMINES TOURISMELINKEDIN IRELAND UNLIMITED COMPANYMACE CONSULT LIMITEDMALVERN OPTICAL LIMITEDMINISTRY OF JUSTICENEXT 15 GROUP PLCOFFICE DE TOURISME DE PRALOGNAN LA VANOISEOFFICE DE TOURISME DE SERRE CHEVALIEROMD GROUP LIMITEDOPINION RESEARCH SERVICES LIMITEDOPTICALMEDIA LTDPA CONSULTING SERVICES LTDPEOPLESCOUT LIMITEDPRESS DATA LIMITEDPRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLPREPUTATION (RI) UK LTDRUHPOLDING TOURISMUS KURUNTIME COLLECTIVE LIMITEDSHUTTLEBERG GMBH & CO KGSTANDING WITH GIANTSTALKWALKER SARLTELEPERFORMANCE LTDTHE PCC OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS, LONDONTOWERS WATSON LIMITEDTURNER & TOWNSEND PROJECT MANAGEMENT LTDWAVEMAKER LIMITEDWILLIS LIMITED The MOD ALB contractual data is not captured centrally on the Contracting Purchasing & Finance (CP&F) system.

How much (a) his Department and (b) each of its arm’s length bodies has spent on external communications through (i) Crown Commercial Service agreement RM6125 and (ii) other agreements since 5 July 2024; and which firms have received funding.

The following table shows the Department's spend through CCS agreements RM6125 (lots 1 and 2) and RM6123 since 5 July 2024: AgreementContractorSpendRM6125 (Lot 1: end to end campaign solutions)Mullen Lowe£3,929,499.92RM6123 (Media services)Manning Gottlieb OMD£15,232,110.00RM6125 (Lot 2: Media strategy and planning)Wavemaker£212,763.00Source: Department of Health and Social CareInformation on spend by arm’s length bodies is not held centrally. The spend outlined above includes advertising, creative development and production, and media planning. Investment is set as part of the campaign planning process based on the audiences and objectives. This spend includes campaigns such as adult social care recruitment, childhood immunisations, smoking and mental health.

How much (a) her Department and (b) each of its arm’s length bodies has spent on external communications through (i) Crown Commercial Service agreement RM6125 and (ii) other agreements since 5 July 2024; and which firms have received funding.

Total spend on external communications from 5 July 2024 to 6 March 2025 is £35,478,270.30.This includes the following spending:Core department: £35,342,797.68.The Education and Skills Funding Agency: £3,853.24.Standards and Testing Agency: £3,153.39.Total departmental spend: £35,349,804.30.We only have data for arms length body spending through Oak National Academy, which spent £128,465.98.Total spend through the framework is £34,553,792.52.The vast majority of the spend constitutes the department’s key campaigns which are Get in to Teaching, Childcare Choices, Skills for life and Further Education. We are unable to detail the spend by campaign.Top ten supplier spend through the framework is shown here:SupplierSpend (£)% participationWAVEMAKER LIMITED163,975.790.47%KINDRED AGENCY LIMITED180,430.410.52%Verian Group UK Limited308,302.500.89%FOUR COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED536,585.421.55%BLACKBERRY PRODUCTIONS LTD610,447.581.77%SCROLL PROJECTS LTD939,406.872.72%M&C SAATCHI (UK) LIMITED969,646.822.81%BAM AGENCY LTD1,017,463.712.94%HAVAS WORLDWIDE LONDON LTD1,231,164.173.56%OMD GROUP TA MANNING GOTTLIEB OMD LTD28,028,649.2381.12%

Communities and Local Government, what progress her Department has made on implementing the Long-Term Plan for Towns funding for Dumfries.

The Chancellor confirmed at the Budget on 30 October that the Long-Term Plan for Towns will be retained and reformed as part of a new regeneration programme.A revised prospectus for the programme will be published in due course, confirming the associated timelines and a new set of strategic objectives aligned to this government’s missions.All 75 towns have now received an initial £250,000 of capacity funding. A further £200,000 of capacity funding will be issued in the 2025/26 financial year, to support the development of plans in line with our new objectives.

How much (a) his Department and (b) each of its arm’s length bodies has spent on external communications through (i) Crown Commercial Service agreement RM6125 and (ii) other agreements since 5 July 2024; and which firms have received funding.

To identify the information requested would require a manual review of all transactions made in communications related account categories in the Home Office’s financial system since 5 July 2024, to confirm if they related to Crown Commercial Service agreement RM6125 and other agreements, and then to collate and verify relevant data.This could only be done for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.