Written questions by O'Brien.

For what reason wage and salary costs have increased at Ofgem since April 2017.

Ofgem is governed by its Board (the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority - GEMA) and is directly accountable to Parliament for the performance of its functions and duties. Operational decisions regarding wage and salary costs are a matter for Ofgem.

For what reason wage and salary costs have increased at the Committee on Climate Change since April 2017.

Pay arrangements for the CCC’s permanent staff are governed by the Cabinet Office pay remit guidance and process. The CCC has a vital role providing independent, expert advice on reducing emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change, and staff numbers have risen to manage the increased demands from the CCC's work programme.

For what reason employment and wage costs have increased at the Nuclear Decommisioning Authority since April 2017.

The NDAs mission involves complex and hazardous nuclear decommissioning, requiring advanced technical engineering and project management skills. These roles command higher than average salaries due to scarcity and competition for nuclear expertise. Since 2017 the NDA receive funding from HMG each year which reflects the NDAs mission. This funding has led to operations to accelerate hazard reduction at sites like Sellafield and Dounreay. This acceleration has meant an increase in employment and wages at the NDA who continually review how they operate to ensure value for money to the taxpayer whilst keeping the UK safe and secure.

Media and Sport, for what reason employment and wage costs have increased at the Gambling Commission since April 2017.

Since April 2017, the Gambling Commission’s headcount has increased to maintain its capacity and capability to regulate a growing sector, which is subject to heightened public scrutiny. The Commission has also, like other public bodies, awarded its staff inflationary pay increases which are consistent with the Civil Service Pay Remit. Costs have also increased due to higher statutory pension and National Insurance contributions. Other factors which have created an increase in employment costs include the Fourth National Lottery Licence competition and transition, and the Commission's delivery of commitments from the 2023 Gambling White Paper In recent years the Commission has also increased its investment in enforcement and intelligence to tackle illegal gambling, and strengthened its anti-money laundering and sports betting integrity functions.

Innovation and Technology, for what reason employment and wage costs have increased at the Intellectual Property Office since April 2017.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is an executive agency of the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), with delegated responsibility for operational matters including salaries. Salary costs have increased since 2017 due to two main factors. Headcount has increased over this period, driven both by a sustained increase in demand for IP Services plus investment in a Transformation programme aimed at delivering better digital services to our customers and internal frontline staff. The second reason is the application of the annual pay awards. IPO complies fully with the Cabinet Office annual pay remit guidance and annual pay cases are approved by HMT through a rigorous business case process.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the drivers of and reasons for the doubling of the wage and salary costs of the Planning Inspectorate since April 2017.

The Planning Inspectorate deals with a range of planning and environmental casework from across government including: planning and environmental appeals, including against refusals of planning related applications by Local Planning Authorities and refusals of applications by other bodies including the Environment Agency.advising on and examining applications for nationally significant infrastructure and other infrastructure orders including large scale energy infrastructure and power generation, large road and other transport schemes like airports, and reservoirs.examining local plans for compliance with legal tests and national policy.deciding or making recommendations on a range of casework on behalf of Secretaries of State including 'called in' planning applications, Crown Development applications, Compulsory Purchase Orders, planning applications in Local Planning Authorities designated for poor performance, Drought Orders and Permits and Necessary Wayleaves.deciding a range of casework for Defra relating to access to the countryside, including new rights of ways, changes to existing rights of way, village and town greens and the regime to protect and manage Common Land. Since 2017 the Planning Inspectorate has increased its employees by approximately 60%, including an increase in full time equivalent Inspectors providing advice, decisions, and recommendations from 261 to 421 (61%). This reflects the significant increase and complexity in the Planning Inspectorate's casework over that period as well as a significant investment in digital services which has been necessary for the organisation to fulfil its critical role in delivering the agendas of successive governments. Inflation accounts for about a third of the increase in costs over the period.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the drivers of and reasons for the doubling of the wage and salary costs of the Land Registry since April 2017.

HM Land Registry’s Annual Report and Accounts for 2016-17 and 2024-25 respectively show that staff costs for permanent HMLR employees have increased from £168 million to £326 million. The drivers of this increase are a combination of the compound interest of annual pay increases, plus the increase in permanent employees from 4,148 at the end of March 2017, to 6,907 at the end of March 2025. The principal reason for the staff increase at the Agency has been the need to invest in its people and systems to improve the services it provides following a period of historic underinvestment following the property market crash in 2007-08, prior to which HMLR had over 8,000 permanent employees.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Forestry Commission's annual reports for 2017-18 and 2024-25, which teams and roles within the Forestry Commission have expanded since April 2017; and for what reason the body's (a) overall headcount and (b) headcount of senior civil servants has increased in that time.

2017/20182024/2025Forestry Commission Staff310560Directors & Senior Civil Servants54Forest Research Staff230417Directors & Senior Civil Servants13Total Staff540977Directors & Senior Civil Servants67Total546984 The information on headcount for individual teams and roles is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs. Headcount changes within the Forestry Commission are a direct result of responding to the Government’s increased ambition for woodland creation alongside ensuring England’s woodlands remain resilient to the challenges associated with climate change and the impacts of pests and diseases. Forest Research has increased its headcount in a range of scientific disciplines from silviculture to wind modelling and tree breeding. The focus on improving UK biosecurity has also led to an increase in the number of pathologists and entomologists. The Senior Civil Service headcount in Forest Research has increased by two following independent regrading of two existing posts.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to Table 2 in the UKRI Budget Allocation, published on 17 December 2025, if she will itemise the wider priorities category of targeted investment in industrial strategy growth sectors, including spending allocated to i) climate adaption, environment and resilience, ii) space and iii) food, animal and plant health for each of the remaining years of the Spending Review period.

In addition to funding for the Industrial Strategy sectors, UKRI’s allocations towards strategic governmental and societal priorities and innovative company support include dedicated funding for wider priorities. This category is intended to be open to targeted investment in climate adaptation, environment and resilience, space, and food, animal and plant health, while retaining flexibility to respond to emerging priorities. Decisions on the detailed breakdown of funding across the specific areas will be taken in due course, informed by engagement with DSIT, other government departments, and external stakeholders including universities, researchers, industry and innovators. Further details of investments will follow in due course.Other UKRI areas of investment may also have cross-cutting benefits for these areas, for example through investments in critical technologies and research infrastructure. UKRI will continue to manage its budgets dynamically to capture emerging opportunities and ensure maximum impact.

How many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) the Department and (b) its agencies broken down by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegation related to (A) performance and (B) conduct in the past twelve months.

The Cabinet Office does not centrally hold detailed data on all discipline cases required to answer this question.Minor misconduct cases are managed within the line management chain and details are held at that level.Serious and gross misconduct cases are reported via a third party, Civil Service Casework, supplied by the MOJ Casework Team. This data relies on MOJ HR Case Manager manual entries which may be inaccurate and or incomplete.

What the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal performance warnings were issued to staff whose absence exceeded departmental triggers.

Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns is published annually, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence The next update will be for the year ending 31st March 2025. Data on performance warnings related to sickness absence is not held centrally.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of staff were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office employs approximately 17,500 staff across hundreds of locations worldwide, many of which operate with locally managed HR arrangements and procedures. While we are able to say that around 15 per cent of these individuals worldwide were marked in the top performance box last year, the other information the Hon Member has requested is not centrally held, and could only be collated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of staff in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office employs approximately 17,500 staff across hundreds of locations worldwide, many of which operate with locally managed HR arrangements and procedures. While we are able to say that around 15 per cent of these individuals worldwide were marked in the top performance box last year, the other information the Hon Member has requested is not centrally held, and could only be collated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total cost was of (a) settlement agreements and (b) special severance payments made to departing staff in the last year.

For the last financial year, the total cost to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of payments associated with settlement agreements is set out in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts. Where relevant, this includes special severance payments that have associated settlement agreements.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) the Department and (b) its agencies broken down by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegation related to (A) performance and (B) conduct in the past twelve months.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office employs approximately 17,500 staff across hundreds of locations worldwide, many of which operate with locally managed HR arrangements and procedures. While we are able to say that around 15 per cent of these individuals worldwide were marked in the top performance box last year, the other information the Hon Member has requested is not centrally held, and could only be collated and verified at disproportionate cost.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal performance warnings were issued to staff whose absence exceeded departmental triggers.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 3 December to Question 94436.

What estimate he has made of the number of UK students who will access the Erasmus scheme in 2027-28, 2028-29 and 2029-30.

We have now concluded negotiations with the European Commission on association to Erasmus+ in 2027. Our commitment covers the 2027/28 academic year. We will now work closely with institutions and our young people to maximise take-up, particularly among disadvantaged groups. We expect that over 100,000 people could benefit from mobility and partnership opportunities from Erasmus+ participation in 2027-28. Any participation in Erasmus+ into the next Multiannual Financial Framework will need to be agreed in the future, and be based on a fair and balanced contribution.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funding has been allocated to programmes relating to the UKs relationship with Europe in the (a) 2026-7, (b) 2028-9 and (c) 2029-30 financial years.

The European Union is the UK's largest trading partner, and cooperation with our European partners is - among other issues - central to the Government's work on trade, security, illegal migration, development and climate change, not to mention our support for Ukraine. Future budgetary and resource allocations will be set out in the usual way across the range of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office responsibilities and priorities.

What funding has been allocated to programmes relating to the UKs relationship with Europe in the (a) 2026-7, (b) 2028-9 and (c) 2029-30 financial years.

The European Union is the UK’s largest trading partner, and cooperation with our European partners is, among other issues, central to the government’s work on trade, security, illegal migration, development and climate change, not to mention our support for Ukraine. In order to obtain an answer, the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston may therefore wish to be more specific about the aspects of the UK’s relationship with Europe that he has in mind.

What funding has been allocated to programmes relating to the UKs relationship with Europe in the (a) 2026-7, (b) 2028-9 and (c) 2029-30 financial years.

The European Union is the UK’s largest trading partner, and cooperation with our European partners is – among other issues – central to the Government’s work on trade, security, illegal migration, development and climate change, not to mention our support for Ukraine. In order to obtain an answer, the Hon Member may therefore wish to be more specific about the aspects of the UK’s relationship with Europe that he has in mind.