Written questions by Reynolds.

How many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across their department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

As the number of individuals is five or fewer, across the AGO and the Law Officer Departments, I am unable to disclose the figure. This is to protect against the risk that individuals could be identified, in line with our obligations under the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.

How many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across their department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

Number of Directors with responsibility for HR across DWP and its Executive AgenciesNumber of these who have a CIPD qualification or equivalent55

Media and Sport, how many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across their department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

We cannot provide the number of HR Directors or details of their professional qualifications. Disclosing this information would breach the Data Protection Act and risk identifying individual staff members because the data concerns five or fewer employees and relates to individuals other than the data subjects. We do not hold data on the qualifications held by employees of DCMS Arms Length Bodies.

How many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across their department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero employs one Director with responsibility for human resources across DESNZ. In addition, Ofgem, a Non‑Ministerial Department, employs one Director with responsibility for human resources. Of these two Directors, both hold professional Human Resources qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or an equivalent professional body.

How many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed in his Department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

It is not appropriate to publish individual-level personal data in a Parliamentary Question response.

Communities and Local Government, how many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across their department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

Organograms for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, including senior civil service posts, are published on GOV.UK (Organogram of Staff Roles & Salaries - data.gov.uk) and set out director‑level roles and responsibilities across the core Department. ALBs are expected to publish the same quarterly information. Information on the professional qualifications of individual employees is personal data, and it would not be appropriate to release this at an individual level. However, all directors appointed with responsibility for human resources would be expected to have the appropriate skills, experience and, where relevant, professional qualifications necessary to undertake the role effectively, including experience aligned with Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development standards or equivalent professional bodies. Number of Directors with responsibility for human resources (HR)Number of Directors delivering non-HR technical activity e.g. Shared ServicesNumber of Directors with CIPD membershipMHCLG Core – 2 Directors (job share)MHCLG core- 0MHCLG core - N/D Headcount less than 5

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the Environment Agency implements corrective works following the construction error in the Maidenhead Bund; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of operational water level management at Cookham Lock on flood risk to residents of South Cookham Rise.

The Environment Agency (EA) designed and constructed the North Maidenhead Bund, as part of the Maidenhead Windsor and Eton Flood Alleviation Scheme, to reduce the risk of flooding to communities in Cookham, Maidenhead, Windsor and Eton. No construction errors have been identified by the EA. Weir gate movements at the Cookham Lock & Weir complex are carried out to optimise the River Thames flow, and level, as the catchment conditions change. Weir gates are gradually opened to manage the increased flow, up to a position where all gates are fully open. At this point, the River Thames behaves as a natural river. The EA is not aware of any evidence that demonstrates its current weir operating regime increases flood risk and is therefore not considering changing how weir gates are operated. The EA has committed to further meetings with local community representatives to discuss their concerns.

Innovation and Technology, how many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across his Department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

There are a total of 4 Directors at SCS Pay band 2 with responsibility for human resources in DSIT and the department’s Executive Agencies.The majority hold CIPD accreditation or equivalent HR qualifications.Number of Directors with responsibility for human resources (HR)Number of Directors delivering non-HR technical activity e.g. Shared ServicesNumber of Directors with CIPD membership>5>5>5

Food and Rural Affairs, how many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across their department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

All directors with responsibility for human resources hold MCIPD and FCIPD qualifications. The number of directors is not releasable due to privacy protections.

How many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across their department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

The Home Office has two Directors with responsibility for human resources, both of which hold qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

How many directors with responsibility for human resources are employed across their department and its executive agencies; and how many of those directors hold professional HR qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or equivalent professional bodies.

Organograms for the department, including senior civil service posts, are published on GOV.UK here: https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/5a1f3831-86d6-4979-9164-99e982361ca4/organogram-department-for-education. The data sets out director-level roles and responsibilities across the core department, including for our Executive Agencies.Information on the professional qualifications of individual employees is personal data, and it would not be appropriate to release this at an individual level. However, all directors appointed with responsibility for human resources would be expected to have the appropriate skills, experience and, where relevant, professional qualifications necessary to undertake the role effectively, including experience aligned with Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CPID) standards or equivalent professional bodies in line with requirements set out by the Government People Group.Number of Directors with responsibility for human resources (HR)Number of Directors delivering non-HR technical activity e.g. Shared ServicesNumber of Directors with CIPD membershipDepartment for Education (including Executive Agencies) - 1Department for Education (including Executive Agencies) - 0Department for Education (including Executive Agencies) - N/D Headcount less than 5

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on British Steel's export competitiveness during the period of special measures.

HMG regularly engages British Steel and wider industry to understand the impact of the EU CBAM. UK businesses may face administrative costs providing emissions data to EU importers to support their compliance with the EU CBAM. The cost of certificates for the carbon price liability of embedded emissions is borne by EU importers.To support business readiness, the Department for Business and Trade has compiled a comprehensive package, including webinars and an explainer on business.gov.uk. The Government is also engaging with the European Commission on emissions trading scheme linking, which is expected to facilitate a mutual UK-EU CBAM exemption in due course.

How much and what proportion of the working capital funding provided to British Steel has been allocated to (a) raw materials, (b) salaries and (c) other operational costs.

From 12 April 2025, the date HMG passed the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act, to 24 February 2026, DBT has provided approximately £370 million to BSL, to ensure sufficient working capital is maintained for the safe and effective operation of the Scunthorpe site. Of the £370 million working capital allocated to BSL, £57 million (15%) was used for payroll costs, £104 million (28%) for other operational expenses, and £209 million (57%) for raw material purchases.

What consultation his Department has undertaken with steel industry stakeholders on the development of a UK steel sector strategy.

This government reconvened the Steel Council in January 2025 to assist us in the development of the steel strategy. The Council has met five times and members include senior leaders from our main steel producers, trade associations, trade unions, academia and representatives from Devolved Governments.Wider steel stakeholders, including downstream processors and stockholders, have been able to contribute to the steel strategy through a series of three Ministerial Roundtables that took place in March and April 2025, and through our public consultation, which was open from February - March 2025. My officials continue to engage extensively with individual stakeholders on specific policy areas under the strategy.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that endometriosis is adequately covered in the education and training of healthcare practitioners.

The Government acknowledges the challenges faced by women with endometriosis and the impact it has on their lives, their relationships, and their participation in education and the workforce.The Government also acknowledges the importance of ensuring healthcare professionals are adequately trained and educated on women’s health conditions, including endometriosis, and we have taken action to address this.The General Medical Council (GMC) has introduced the Medical Licensing Assessment to encourage a better understanding of common women’s health problems among all doctors as they start their careers in the United Kingdom. The content for this assessment includes several topics relating to women’s health including endometriosis.Women's health is included the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) curriculum for trainee general practitioners (GPs), including gynaecology, sexual health, and breast health. The curriculum also covers the healthcare needs of women across all diseases seen in primary care as it is important women are treated holistically. This ensures that all future GPs receive education on women’s health.The RCGP has also published a Women’s Health Library which brings together educational resources and guidelines on women’s health from the RCGP, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare. This resource is continually updated to ensure GPs and other primary healthcare professionals have the most up-to-date advice to provide the best care for their patients.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has developed a women’s and reproductive health topic suite, and updated guidelines on endometriosis in 2024 to make firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with suspected diagnosis. These clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals to provide care for women with endometriosis.Generally, employers in the health system are responsible for ensuring that their staff are trained to the required standards to deliver appropriate treatment for patients.

What assessment has been made of the potential impact of applying retrospective changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain qualifying periods on individuals currently in the UK on UK Ancestry visas who made long-term decisions based on the existing five-year settlement pathway.

The earned settlement public consultation ran for 12 weeks and closed on 12 February 2026.  We are now reviewing and analysing all responses received.  This analysis will help inform the development of the final earned settlement model, including consideration of any potential exemptions or transitional measures for those already on a pathway to settlement.Once the final model has been decided, the Government will communicate the outcome publicly.  As with all significant policy changes, the proposals will be subject to both an economic impact assessment and equality impact assessment which we will publish as well as the Government’s response in due course.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to SEND funding on mainstream school budgets in Maidenhead.

Nationally, mainstream school funding allocated through the dedicated schools grant (DSG) is increasing by 2.6% per pupil, from £6,608 in 2025/26 to £6,778 in 2026/27. This brings total funding for mainstream schools through the DSG schools block to £50.5 billion in 2026/27. This will support mainstream schools with ongoing costs and deliver an excellent education for all, including pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).From 2026/27 onwards, we will provide £1.6 billion for a new Inclusive Mainstream Fund over three years.We will provide more details on how this funding will be distributed in the coming weeks.

Whether he plans to issue guidance on the use of renewable liquid gases in the context of the transition to net zero.

The government launched a consultation on 18 November to explore alternative clean heating solutions that may play a role in some homes, including off gas grid households. The solutions explored included renewable liquid fuels (RLFs) such as renewable liquefied petroleum gas. The consultation closed on 10 February, and we will issue a government response in due course. The government will review evidence from this consultation to help inform any future decision on whether or not to support the use of RLFs in heating.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of renewable liquid gases on rural, off grid households, particularly those in park home communities.

The government launched a consultation on 18 November to explore alternative clean heating solutions that may play a role in some homes, including off gas grid households. The solutions explored included renewable liquid fuels (RLFs) such as renewable liquefied petroleum gas. The consultation closed on 10 February, and we will issue a government response in due course. The government will review evidence from this consultation to help inform any future decision on whether or not to support the use of RLFs in heating.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure consumer rights legislation provides adequate protection for purchasers of cloud-dependent products when manufacturers end service provision.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, goods or digital content must be of satisfactory quality, fit for a particular purpose and as described by the seller.A trader can upgrade, fix, enhance and improve the features of, or add new features to, digital content so long as it continues to match any description given by the trader. It must also continue to conform with any pre-contract information as to main characteristics, functionality, and compatibility provided by the trader.Consumers in England and Wales are encouraged to report any concerns to the Citizens Advice consumer service, who will pass intelligence to Trading Standards, allowing them to act upon areas where consumers are experiencing the most harm.