Written questions by O'Brien.

For what reason (a) the number of staff and (b) staff costs have increased at the Financial Reporting Council since April 2017.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has taken on several new responsibilities following its (2016) designation as competent authority for audit, and additional work resulting from the UK's exit from the European Union. These include the registration of additional third country auditors, a new programme of assessing third country audit regulatory equivalence and adequacy, and supporting agreements on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications. The FRC has also put extra resource into the supervision of audits and expediting enforcement proceedings.Staff costs have increased in direct proportion to the increase in headcount.

Innovation and Technology, for what reason (a) the number of staff and (b) staff costs have increased at the National Physical Laboratory since April 2017.

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a Public Corporation owned by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. NPL manages its staffing levels in response to demand for its services from UK Government, industry and academia, and in line with forecasted revenue.Staffing numbers and costs at NPL have increased since 2017 because of increased demand from Government and industry to build national capability in measurement and standards, aligned with industry needs and emerging tech.Staffing costs have also increased through annual pay awards, which is managed by NPL and takes account of Managing Public Money and public sector pay policy.

Innovation and Technology, for what reason (a) the number of staff and (b) staff costs have increased at the Information Commissioner's Office since April 2017.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is independent of government and sets its own staffing levels to meet its statutory duties. The ICO is funded primarily through the data protection fee and manages its resources in accordance with its regulatory obligations.The volume and complexity of data protection work have increased significantly in recent years, including implementation of the UK GDPR and an expanded regulatory remit. To fulfil these responsibilities and respond to rising public and business demand, the ICO has required additional specialist capacity. Staffing costs have therefore increased in line with workforce growth and market rates for technical expertise, following the civil service pay guidance.You can find more information about ICO’s staff number and costs in their annual reports, which can be viewed at: https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/our-information/annual-reports/.

With reference to table SOPS 1.1 from the Department's 2024/5 Annual Report and Accounts, what categories of spending are covered by the total of £1,497,088,000 covering administration and programme expenditure in Section A - Department for Business and Trade (Departmental Expenditure Limits).

The breakdown of Estimate line ‘A DBT – Department for Business and Trade (DEL)’ for RDEL outturn of £1,497,088,000 for 2024-25 is: DBT Core (£000)Insolvency Service (£000)Companies House (£000)Total (£000)Current grants to persons and non-profit (net)113,123--113,123Depreciation26,6646,4217,97441,059Income from sales of goods and services(989)(2,300)(432)(3,721)Other resource(60,019)(43,993)(203,517)(307,529)Purchase of goods and services418,40442,35648,403509,163Rentals315277-592Staff costs535,964100,99188,783725,738Subsidies to private sector companies150,680--150,680Subsidies to public corporations240,951--240,951Change in pension scheme liabilities228--228Current grants abroad (net)8,622--8,622Current grants to local government (net)18,181--18,181 1,452,124103,752(58,789)1,497,08711Difference between this figure and figure in SOPS due to rounding.

For what reason (a) the number of staff and (b) staff costs have increased at the Competition and Markets Authority since April 2017.

Changes in staff numbers at the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) since 1 April 2017 have been affected by the expansion of its responsibilities in respect of competition enforcement and merger control following the UK’s departure from the EU; the introduction of new statutory functions and responsibilities, including under the UK Internal Market Act 2020, leading to the creation of the Office for the Internal Market and the Subsidy Advice Unit; and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which established the digital markets competition regime. These factors, together with the implementation of civil service pay awards, have also affected staff costs over this period.

For what reason (a) the number of staff and (b) and staff costs have increased at the Civil Aviation Authority since April 2017.

Since 2016, the CAA’s regulatory perimeter has expanded significantly. Following EU Exit, the CAA developed new rulemaking and regulatory oversight functions to replace those delivered by the European Aviation Safety Agency until 2020, including the creation of a UK state of design function. As a result of the Space Industry Act 2018, the CAA became the UK Space Regulator in 2021. At the same time, the CAA has grown to respond to the development of novel aviation technology (including drones, air taxis and future propulsion such as hydrogen), setting regulatory frameworks and standards to enable tomorrow’s aerospace to innovate and grow. The Future of Flight technologies have the potential to contribute up to £103 billion to the UK economy over the next 25 years. Reflecting its strategic objectives and the government’s priorities, the CAA has created additional capacity in five areas; in economic regulation and consumer enforcement to manage increased ambition and expectations; to fulfil CAA’s expanded remit in relation to airspace modernisation; to deliver new cyber security oversight responsibilities for the aviation sector; and to deliver the CAA’s sustainability roles, including those it took on from the Independent Commission for Civil Aviation Noise; together with increases in back-office areas supporting these teams. All of this has been delivered with a focus on efficiency and efficacy, enabling increased investment in CAA services to its customers.

How many people were convicted or cautioned for an indictable offence did not receive an immediate custodial sentence and had a) one, b) two, c) three, d) four and e) five or more prior convictions for violence against the person in each of the past 5 years.

The information requested is provided in the attached excel table. This table includes data covering the period 2020 – 2024 on:The number of offenders who were a) convicted and b) cautioned for an indictable offence who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous indictable convictions for specified offences, andThe number of offenders who were convicted or cautioned for an indictable offence who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous indictable convictions for specified offences.This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a bespoke retrieval from the Police National Computer database.Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent judiciary. When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors, in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines, developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.Previous convictions are already a statutory aggravating factor, with Sentencing Guidelines being clear that sentencers must consider the nature and relevance of previous convictions, and the time elapsed since the previous convictions.

How many people who were (a) convicted and (b) cautioned for an indictable offence did not receive an immediate custodial sentence and had (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (iv) five or more prior convictions for a violent offence in each of the last five years.

The information requested is provided in the attached excel table. This table includes data covering the period 2020 – 2024 on:The number of offenders who were a) convicted and b) cautioned for an indictable offence who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous indictable convictions for specified offences, andThe number of offenders who were convicted or cautioned for an indictable offence who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous indictable convictions for specified offences.This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a bespoke retrieval from the Police National Computer database.Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent judiciary. When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors, in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines, developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.Previous convictions are already a statutory aggravating factor, with Sentencing Guidelines being clear that sentencers must consider the nature and relevance of previous convictions, and the time elapsed since the previous convictions.

How many people were convicted or cautioned for an indictable offence did not receive an immediate custodial sentence and had a) one, b) two, c) three, d) four and e) five or more prior convictions for burglary in each of the past 5 years.

The information requested is provided in the attached excel table. This table includes data covering the period 2020 – 2024 on:The number of offenders who were a) convicted and b) cautioned for an indictable offence who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous indictable convictions for specified offences, andThe number of offenders who were convicted or cautioned for an indictable offence who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous indictable convictions for specified offences.This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a bespoke retrieval from the Police National Computer database.Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent judiciary. When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors, in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines, developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.Previous convictions are already a statutory aggravating factor, with Sentencing Guidelines being clear that sentencers must consider the nature and relevance of previous convictions, and the time elapsed since the previous convictions.

How many people were convicted or cautioned for an indictable offence did not receive an immediate custodial sentence and had a) one, b) two, c) three, d) four and e) five or more prior convictions for theft or robbery in each of the past 5 years.

The information requested is provided in the attached excel table. This table includes data covering the period 2020 – 2024 on:The number of offenders who were a) convicted and b) cautioned for an indictable offence who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous indictable convictions for specified offences, andThe number of offenders who were convicted or cautioned for an indictable offence who did not receive an immediate custodial sentence by number of previous indictable convictions for specified offences.This data is not regularly published or held in an easily accessible format. The information supplied has been sourced from a bespoke retrieval from the Police National Computer database.Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent judiciary. When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors, in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines, developed by the Sentencing Council for England and Wales.Previous convictions are already a statutory aggravating factor, with Sentencing Guidelines being clear that sentencers must consider the nature and relevance of previous convictions, and the time elapsed since the previous convictions.

With reference to table SOPS 1.2 from his Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2024/5, if he will publish a breakdown of CDEL in Section A - Department for Business and Trade, covering both gross spending and income.

The breakdown of Estimate line ‘A DBT – Department for Business and Trade (DEL)’ for CDEL outturn of £492,483,000 for 2024-25 is: DBT Core (£000)Insolvency Service (£000)Companies House (£000)Total (£000)Current grants to persons and non-profit (net)313,198--313,198Income from sales of assets(265)--(265)Income from sales of goods and services(2,075)--(2,075)Net lending to the private sector and abroad(72,606)--(72,606)Other capital(13)--(13)Purchase of assets15,2714,68719,43239,390Purchase of goods and services12,327--12,327Staff costs1,556--1,556Capital grants abroad (net)150--150Capital grants to persons & non-profit (net)1,270--1,270Capital grants to private sector companies (net)126,391--126,391Capital support for local government (net)10--10Capital support for public corporations73,151--73,151 468,3654,68719,432492,484¹1Difference between this figure and figure in Estimate due to rounding.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish a lookup table matching census Output Areas to Broad Rental Market Areas.

The government has no plans to publish a lookup table matching census Output Areas to Broad Rental Market Areas. The Broad Rental Market Areas for a specific postcode or local authority area can be found using the Valuation Office Agency’s LHA Direct search. This can be found here.

How many people are claiming (a) housing benefit and (b) the housing element of universal credit in each broad rental market area (BRMA) and what was the average amount claimed in each BRMA in 2025.

Information on the number of households receiving the UC Housing Element in the Private Rented Sector by Broad Rental Market Area is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/). Providing the rest of the information requested would incur disproportionate cost. Information on HB caseload and average award is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/) disaggregated by Local Authority, but not BRMA. Breakdowns of the UC Housing Element and Housing Benefit are available at national level in the Benefit Caseload and Expenditure Tables (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2025).

Media and Sport, if she will review the Answer her Department provided to Question 99845 on 18 December 2025, with reference to the Answer provided to Question 99844 on 8 January 2026.

We have corrected the answer to PQ 99845 and apologise for the error.

With reference to table 1 of Annex A of the Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, if he will publish a breakdown of the spending of both (a) Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and (b) Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit on Delivering Affordable energy for households and businesses in that financial year.

A detailed breakdown of the Resource and Capital Departmental Expenditure limit spending in 2024-25 under Delivering Affordable energy for households and businesses and Ensuring that our energy system is reliable and secure is held on the HM Treasury database OSCAR and published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oscar-annual-release-november-2025.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to table 1 of Annex A of the Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, if he will publish a breakdown of the spending of Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit (CDEL) spending on Science and Research, excluding CDEL on Science and Research (ALB), net in that financial year.

Please find below a breakdown of the Science and Research line outturn for FY 2024-25 per table 1 in Annex A of the DSIT Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25:British Academy£60.228mResearch Base£113.700mRoyal Academy of Engineering£41.971mRoyal Society£111.429mSpace Directorate£30.841mUK Space Agency£607.077mResearch Capital Investment Fund£37.949mHorizon and Copernicus Association£1,043.123mOffice for Quantum£1.197mTotal£2,047.515m

With reference to table 1 of Annex A of the Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, if he will publish a breakdown of the spending of both (a) Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit and (b) Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit on Ensuring that our energy system is reliable and secure in that financial year, including the value of the Bulb loan which was repaid in that financial year.

A detailed breakdown of the Resource and Capital Departmental Expenditure limit spending in 2024-25 under Delivering Affordable energy for households and businesses and Ensuring that our energy system is reliable and secure is held on the HM Treasury database OSCAR and published at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oscar-annual-release-november-2025.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review the incomplete Answer her Department provided to Question 97203 on 6 January 2026.

The incomplete answer to Question 97203 on 6 January 2026 was due to a processing and formatting error on the Written Parliamentary Questions website. This error has been corrected and the complete answer to Question 97203 is below: In core Defra, high performance substantive senior civil servants are those with an end-year performance rating of “Exceeded”. The headcount and proportion of each grade for those employed during the period November 2024 – October 2025 were: Grade*Number of employeesProportion of Grade who achieved ‘Exceeded’ as their end-year performance decisionSenior Civil Servant Pay Band 116 c.Senior Civil Servant Pay Band 2c.c. * Where individuals changed substantive grade during the period, they are reported against their earliest substantive grade.c. These numbers are suppressed in accordance with the Defra data protection policy. End-year performance decisions were removed from the performance management framework for delegated staff grades in April 2023. Delegated staff grades are recognised through continuous recognition awards.

How many households are claiming housing benefits, either housing benefit or the housing element of Universal credit, in each Broad Market Rental Area (a) in total, (b) in the private rented sector and (c) in the social rented sector.

Information on the number of households receiving the Universal Credit (UC) Housing Element in the Private Rented Sector by Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA) is available on Stat-Xplore (https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/). Information on Housing Benefit (HB) caseload is available on Stat-Xplore disaggregated by Local Authority, but not by BRMA. Housing support for social rented sector households claiming either Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit is not determined within BRMAs. BRMAs only apply to housing support in the private rented sector.

Pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2026 to WPQ 104190, how many estates were liable to inheritance tax by constituency over the last five years aggregated.

As stated in my previous answer, these statistics are publicly available. The estimated number of estates liable to Inheritance Tax, broken down by UK (Westminster) Parliamentary Constituency, is published annually as part of HMRC’s Inheritance Tax Liabilities statistics, and is available in Table 12.9 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/inheritance-tax-liabilities-statistics.