Written questions by Hayes.

How many (a) single sex and (b) gender neutral bathroom facilities his Department provides in its Whitehall premises.

The Northern Ireland Office is a tenant within Erskine House in Belfast, and 1 Horse Guards Road London. This building is managed by the Government Property Agency and as a tenant, the Northern Ireland Office does not hold information regarding bathroom facilities in respect of these offices.

If she will list the titles of all the events organised by Civil Service networks in her Department since 2017.

The Department for Transport is unable to answer on the grounds of disproportionate cost. This is due to the resource required to conduct searches across the time period requested.

Innovation and Technology, if she will list the titles of all the events organised by Civil Service networks in her Department since 2023.

We do not manage Civil Service Staff Networks and do not hold any records or information about their events.

How much the Competition and Markets Authority has spent on translation and interpretation services in each of the last five years.

The total spend by the CMA on translation and interpretation services for the past five financial years is as follows:Financial Year Net Total Spend by Invoice Payment Date per Financial Year (£s)2020/2110,860.582021/228,677.072022/2310,085.182023/2419,012.282024/2513,218.41Total61,853.52

Communities and Local Government, if he will list the titles of all the events organised by Civil Service networks in his Department since 2017.

The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at a disproportionate cost to the Department.

If he will list the titles of all the events organised by Civil Service networks in his Department since 2023.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold a list of all the titles of events organised by Defence Networks and there is no centrally held record of MOD’s internal network events.

If she will take steps to expand new special schools in Lincolnshire.

The department has published allocations for £740 million high needs capital in 2025/26 to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or who require alternative provision (AP). Of this funding, Lincolnshire has been allocated just over £10.2 million.This funding is intended to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools that can deliver more intensive support adapted to suit the pupils’ needs. It can also be used to adapt mainstream schools to be more accessible and to create special school places for pupils with the most complex needs.The statutory duty to provide sufficient school places, including for pupils with SEND, sits with local authorities. It is ultimately up to local authorities to determine how to best prioritise their high needs capital funding to address local priorities. They can make use of this increased capital investment to improve the suitability and sufficiency of high needs provision in their areas and to ensure the sustainability of the system for the longer term.

What recent steps he has taken to train more GPs in Lincolnshire.

As of 30 September 2025, there were 115 full-time equivalent general practitioners (GPs) in training grade in practices in Lincolnshire county. The Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) reports that it has a very good track record of training GPs. This includes:supporting the First5 group. The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) supports and encourages its First5 members to shape their membership experience through the running of its First5 Community Group, which exists to ensure that newly qualified GPs, or First5s, have the opportunity to shape their experience as a First5 member of the RCGP, discuss matters relevant to the early stages of their career, and make suggestions and propose changes to improve the college's offer for newly qualified GPs;encouraging portfolio careers;delivering support with international visa applications; andan increase in training practices to support the expansion of training practices in Lincoln and Boston vocational training schemes.The Lincolnshire Training Hub, working alongside the ICB’s primary care team, has developed a comprehensive recruitment and retention programme, which has delivered projects including the Future Doctor Programme, an entry level pipeline schools’ initiative across Lincolnshire.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many (a) single sex and (b) gender neutral bathroom facilities her Department provides in its Whitehall premises.

The Department’s main Whitehall building, 2 Marsham Street, has (a) four single sex bathroom facilities on its five floors, consisting of three cubicles that contain a toilet, and a shared station of three washbasins and hand-drying facilities. 2 Marsham Street has (b) ten gender neutral/accessible bathroom facilities that are individual self-contained lockable toilet rooms with a toilet, washbasin and hand-drying facilities. These are also wheelchair accessible.

How many (a) single sex and (b) gender neutral bathroom facilities his Department provides in its Whitehall premises.

The DWP’s main Whitehall building, Caxton House has 84 single sex cubicles, 34 urinals and 0 non-gendered universal toilets (individual self-contained lockable toilet rooms which contain a toilet, washbasin and hand-drying facilities). This is in addition to 26 wheelchair accessible toilets.Caxton House does not have any gender neutral toilets (i.e. toilets where users, of any gender, share a single space containing toilet cubicles, urinal facilities and shared hand washing facilities).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many (a) single sex and (b) gender neutral bathroom facilities her Department provides in its Whitehall premises.

I will be glad to schedule an opportunity for the Rt Hon Member to come into the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's King Charles Street offices and count the number of toilets if he considers that a sensible and appropriate use of his time. He will find that there has been no change to the provision of facilities to that in place under the previous government.

If he will list the titles of all the events organised by Civil Service networks in his Department since 2017.

Staff networks are collaborative volunteer networks, organised by staff themselves rather than the department. The Civil Service Network Policy was launched in September 2025 to ensure that networks can continue to support staff in a number of areas as well as ensuring that they support a productive working environment and their activities remain within the Civil Service Code. This will be adopted in full by the Cabinet Office. Events are organised by staff themselves, not the department. We are aware of the following events networks listed below, organised in 2024 & 2025. LGBT+ NetworkCO LGBT Network - Network Listening Circle, 13 May 2025CO LGBT+ Network - Network Committee Meeting, 20 May 2025CO LGBT+ Network - Network Listening Circle, 28 May 2025 Carers NetworkParent Carer drop in session, 04 December 2024CO Carers Network: Virtual Coffee December, 17 December 2024Parent Carer drop in session, January 2025 (no specific date provided)CO Carers Network: Virtual Coffee, 21 January 2025CO Carers Network: Virtual Coffee, February 2025 (no specific date provided)Carer drop-in session, March 2025 (no specific date provided)Parent Carer drop in session International Women's Day, March 2025 (no specific date provided)Parent Carer drop in (caring for children with complex needs), 9 April 2025,Carer Drop in session, 15 April 2025CO Carers Network - Virtual Coffee, 20 May 2025Parent Carer drop in (caring for children with complex needs), May, June. July, August, September, October and November 2025 (no specific date provided)Carer Drop in session, 17 June 2025Carer Drop in session, 15 July 2025Carer Drop in session, 19 August 2025Carer Drop in session, 16 September 2025Carer Drop in session, 21 Oct 2025 Menopause NetworkMenopause support group run monthly since 29 July 2024 Cabinet Office RACE networkVirtual Coffee breaks, 7th & 14th April 2025Weekly Coffee breaks - Weekly on Mondays Social Mobility networkOvercoming Barriers Social Mobility Workshop in Glasgow - An interactive workshop specifically addressing real barriers faced by real people, 1st June 2025 CO Disability network (ABLE)ABLE drop in session, 21st May 2025 Faith and Belief Network (FAB)Building bridges over troubled waters: the work of the Jewish Muslim Women’s Network Nisa-Nashim, Tuesday 17 December 2024 Age NetworkCivil Service pensions - an understanding, 16 Oct 2025

If he will list the titles of all the events organised by Civil Service networks in his Department since 2023.

DESNZ values the work our Staff Networks do to support and include colleagues. All DESNZ Staff Network events are in line with cross-Government guidance and signed-off by relevant officials. Civil Service Networks operate across the whole of Government. We do not keep a record of Civil Service Network events.

If he will list the titles of all the events organised by Civil Service networks in his Department since 2017.

The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will list the titles of all the events organised by Civil Service networks in her Department since 2017.

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer of 25 June 2025 to question 59393.

How many (a) single sex and (b) gender neutral bathroom facilities his Department provides in its premises.

This information can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Representing the House of Commons Commission, for what purposes Parliamentary officials have used AI in the last 12 months.

Artificial intelligence represents a range of opportunities to support the work of Parliamentary officials. Every official has access to Microsoft’s Copilot Chat tool, as do all Parliamentary account holders. No records are kept of how that tool is used. Officials are encouraged to use the tool to support their work, with frequent uses being for taking minutes of meetings, summarising information and analysing data within a secure data environment. A pilot of M365 Copilot, the more advanced version of Microsoft’s AI offering, has just concluded. The lessons from that pilot are now being identified and analysed.Automatic speech recognition is used to support the transcription of proceedings by Hansard, and testing of the use of AI capabilities is taking place in that context. Specific trials have taken place to test whether AI could be used to support the work of the Table Office in processing written questions and a range of teams in retrieving information efficiently in response to queries. These are not yet in “live” use. Active work continues to identify opportunities to safely use AI by PDS and staff across the Houses.Mr Speaker has established the Speaker’s Group on AI in Parliaments, chaired by Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Ways and Means, Nusrat Ghani MP. The Steering Group has been established to consider issues relating to AI and parliamentary scrutiny, AI and parliamentary services, and AI and parliamentary public engagement. Work is also underway to refresh guidance and advice for officials on the use of AI, which is expected to be made available early in the new year.

If she will take steps to help tackle (a) violence and (b) verbal abuse towards public transport workers in (i) Lincolnshire and (ii) other rural areas.

The Department for Transport works with the transport industry to ensure that public transport is a safe environment for staff and passengers. Ensuring that staff feel safe at work is a priority. Following the horrific attack on the 18:25 LNER Doncaster to London service at Huntingdon on the 1st November, my Department are working with British Transport Police (BTP) and the rail industry to understand if any immediate interventions are required. The heroic efforts of rail staff meant that further harm was avoided and undoubtedly saved lives. Prior to the incident, this government introduced the Bus Services (no.2) Act which mandates training for staff working in the bus industry, including drivers and those who deal directly with the travelling public, on how to recognise and respond to incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour on public transport. This training will require a person to take steps to prevent crime or anti-social behaviour only where it is safe to do so. This will apply to all bus operators including those operating in Lincolnshire and servicing rural areas. BTP are responsible for policing the railway, and they deploy their officers across the network, including in Lincolnshire and rural areas, based on intelligence led briefings with daily taskings to provide reassurance to the public. They work closely with rail operators that serve those areas to conduct joint operations and have regular engagement with staff and safeguarding and security managers. In Lincoln, BTP maintains a local presence supported by officers from Nottingham to provide 24-hour response cover. BTP’s approach to rail staff assaults is intelligence led, focusing resources on areas and individuals identified through crime data and repeat offending patterns. Where repeat offenders are identified, BTP actively manages them through targeted patrol plans and, where appropriate, applications for Criminal Behaviour Orders to prevent further offences. BTP also work closely with Train Operating Companies to improve incident reporting, ensuring that all forms of abuse or threatening behaviour are recorded, strengthening intelligence and enabling more effective operational planning. In addition to this, BTP promotes the use of body worn video and engage directly with staff and safeguarding managers to encourage reporting and supporting prosecutions.

How many (a) single sex and (b) gender neutral bathroom facilities his Department provides in its premises.

Within the Department’s head office, the Old Admiralty Building, London, the Government Property Agency provides 32 male toilets, 39 female toilets and 7 non-gendered universal toilets (individual self-contained lockable toilet rooms which contain a toilet, washbasin and hand-drying facilities). This is in addition to 21 wheelchair accessible toilets.

How many (a) single sex and (b) gender neutral bathroom facilities his Department provides in its premises.

The Department is a customer of the Government Property Agency in its office locations, and does not hold a record of the number of single-sex or gender-neutral bathroom facilities provided there.