Written questions by Shastri-Hurst.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many civil servants in her Department held a language qualification in each of the last three years; and in what languages.

In responding to the Hon Member's eleven detailed questions about the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's relative focus on its public sector equality duty obligations compared to certain key foreign policy priorities, I refer him to the answer of 13 November 2025 to Question 88798, and inform him that - by comparison - the Department currently has more than 400 staff in the UK and overseas working on various aspects of the Iran crisis, the conflict in Ukraine, and our policies in respect of Russia and China.

How many Air Cadet squadrons there were in (a) July 2024 and (b) March 2026.

In July 2024 there were 877 Royal Air Force Air Cadet Squadrons, and as of March 2026 there was 871.

How many Sea Cadet units there were in (a) July 2024 and (b) March 2026.

The latest available data for cadet forces is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-sponsored-cadet-forces-statistics-2025/mod-sponsored-cadet-forces-1-april-2025

How many Army Cadet detachments there were in (a) July 2024 and (b) March 2026.

In July 2024 there were 1,586 Army Cadet Force detachments. In March 2026 there were 1,568.

What the expected cost is to his Department of meeting net zero and environmental targets over the next five years.

The Ministry of Defence will contribute to the UK’s Net Zero and environmental targets primarily through the Greening Government Commitments. These commitments provide the central framework for Departments and their agencies to reduce their impact on the environment over a five-year period. The Greening Government Commitments for the period 2025-2030 are currently under review to ensure that they remain aligned with this government’s priorities.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of freezing Army personnel postings in the context of the geopolitical situation.

The Department has no plans to freeze Army personnel movements in the context of the geopolitical situation and personnel management continues under existing arrangements to meet the needs of the Army, and to ensure the right people capability is provided to fulfil our national Defence commitments.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of people employed in the defence industry in (a) July 2024 and (b) March 2026.

The ‘MOD Supported Employment Estimates Report’ presents the number of direct and indirect jobs supported by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in 2023-24 by UK region and industry group. The report can be found on the gov.uk website at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-supported-employment-estimates-202324/mod-supported-employment-estimates-202324 For financial year 2023-24 (the most recent time period available), 272,000 direct and indirect jobs were supported through MOD expenditure with UK industry. The Statistics covering 2024-25 will be published later this summer.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of freezing Royal Air Force personnel postings in the context of the geopolitical situation.

The Department has no plans to freeze Royal Air Force personnel movements. Personnel management continues under existing arrangements.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of freezing Royal Navy personnel postings in the context of the geopolitical situation.

The Department has no plans to freeze Royal Navy personnel movements. Personnel management continues under existing arrangements.

How many military personnel are working on the Defence Investment Plan.

The Defence Investment Plan has been supported by a flexible cross‑Defence team, with personnel allocated at the right level to reflect the complexity of the work and ensure progress to publication.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) small, (b) medium and (c) large businesses in the defence industry in (i) July 2024 and (ii) March 2026.

This information is not held in the format requested.

Whether the number of civil servants working on the Defence Investment Plan has changed since June 2025.

The Defence Investment Plan has been supported by a flexible cross‑Defence team, with personnel allocated at the right level to reflect the complexity of the work and ensure progress to publication.

How many civil servants are working on the Defence Investment Plan.

The Defence Investment Plan has been supported by a flexible cross‑Defence team, with personnel allocated at the right level to reflect the complexity of the work and ensure progress to publication.

What data her Department holds on the number of Remediable Service Statements issued to retired teachers; and whether her Department will publish these statistics on a regular basis.

Recalculating benefits for retired members is a complex process. For those members retiring, these cases are relatively straightforward, as no benefits are already in payment. For retired members, additional complications around tax, interest rules and system functionality required extensive consultation.As of 18 March 2026, 73,913 Remediable Service Statements (RSSs) have been issued to retired members, and there are 68,126 remaining to be issued. There are currently no plans to publish RSS statistics on the website. However, the scheme administrator keeps affected members informed of general progress through established channels, including My Pension Online and its website. The latest update is available here: https://www.teacherspensions.co.uk/news/public-news/2025/11/timeline-for-sending-out-remediable-service-statements-rss.aspx.

How many trainee solicitors who undertook a training contract with the Government Legal Department left upon completion in each of the past five years.

The Government Legal Department’s (GLD) Legal Trainee Scheme is a two‑year programme. Accordingly, the year of completion reflects cohorts who began their training contracts two years earlier.The number of trainee solicitors who undertook a training contract with the GLD and left upon completion of the two‑year scheme in each of the past five years is as follows:Out of the 37 trainee solicitors that completed the scheme, 2 trainee solicitors left upon completion in 2021.Out of the 36 trainee solicitors that completed the scheme, 3 trainee solicitors left upon completion in 2022.Out of the 37 trainee solicitors that completed the scheme, 2 trainee solicitors left upon completion in 2023.Out of the 33 trainee solicitors that completed the scheme, 2 trainee solicitors left upon completion in 2024.Out of the 36 trainee solicitors that completed the scheme, 1 trainee solicitor left upon completion in 2025.

How many pupil barristers who undertook pupillage with the Government Legal Department left upon completion in each of the past five years.

The Government Legal Department’s (GLD) Legal Trainee Scheme lasts for two years in total. Those who join the GLD as pupil barristers qualify as barristers at the end of Year 1 of the Training Scheme (the pupillage period). They then remain on the Training Scheme for a further 12 months, during which they gain wider experience of GLD’s legal work.The number of pupil barristers who left upon completion of the two‑year Training Scheme in each of the past five years is as follows:Out of the 5 pupil barristers that completed the scheme, 3 pupil barristers left upon completion in 2021.Out of the 5 pupil barristers that completed the scheme, no pupil barristers left upon completion in 2022.Out of the 5 pupil barristers that completed the scheme, 1 pupil barrister left upon completion in 2023.Out of the 3 pupil barristers that completed the scheme, 2 pupil barristers left upon completion in 2024.Out of the 3 pupil barristers that completed the scheme, 1 pupil barrister left upon completion in 2025.

How many applications to the High Court the Attorney General's Office has made in each of the past five years to designate an individual as a vexatious litigant.

The Law Officers have made applications to the High Court under s.42 Senior Courts Act 1981 in each of the last five years as follows:2021 – 12022 - none2023 - none2024 – 22025 – 2 (3 further applications lodged with directions/hearing dates pending)These dates relate to when the applications were made at a court hearing.A list of individuals subject to an order under s.42 and the date the order was made is available online: Vexatious litigants - GOV.UK

What steps she is taking to monitor the proposed involvement of UK listed firms in a takeover of Eurasian Resources Group to ensure no benefit to sanctioned Russian entities.

The Russia regulations prohibit the making available of funds or economic resources to a designated person without a licence. They also prohibit the provision of certain services to designated persons and persons connected with Russia. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. OFSI assesses every instance of reported non-compliance and takes action in all cases where we conclude a breach has occurred. For serious breaches, OFSI may impose a civil monetary penalty. OFSI may also refer suspected criminal activities to law enforcement partners for investigation.

When his Department plans to publish the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman's independent review into the use of restraints on pregnant women during hospital escorts between 2021 and 2025.

The Prisons & Probation Ombudsman will publish the report of his investigation once it has concluded. We understand that no publication date has been set at this stage.

Pursuant to the answer to written question 118611, what the policy rationale is for defining a delay under the Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) contracts, for the purposes of the relevant Contract Delivery Indicator, as arising only "where a Court is prevented from commencing its planned business at the intended start time, and/or it has no other business that can reasonably be rescheduled to undertake instead"; and what assessment his Department has made as to whether that definition adequately captures delays in the transfer of prisoners to court in circumstances where the court is able to proceed with alternative business.

The Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS) contracts require Suppliers to deliver prisoners to court in time for their hearing to avoid loss of court time. Contract Delivery Indicator (CDI)15 therefore measures “Courtroom delay due to Supplier actions resulting in a Prisoner who is the responsibility of the Supplier not being available in the Courtroom at the required Courtroom appearance time and delay to court proceedings”.CDI 15 is structured to take account of the fact that not all prisoners are scheduled to appear at the standard 10:00 commencement time used by the courts. Within the Magistrates’ courts, several prisoners may be listed for hearings at the same time, and courts then determine the running order of cases as required. PECS Suppliers are, therefore, required to transport prisoners in accordance with their individual hearing times and to ensure that they are available when their hearings are due to begin. Where a courtroom is unable to begin proceedings because a prisoner is not available at the required time, this is recorded as a delay. Where the court is able to progress other work in the interim, a contractual delay is not recorded; however, the incident will be logged to support assurance activity.CDI 15 aligns with H M Court and Tribunal Service’s Court Exception Reporting process. Through this process, any delays to court proceedings as a result of late prisoner delivery, regardless of fault, are formally recorded and shared with the PECS Contract Management Team in H M Prison and Probation Service. In addition, suppliers are required to self-report any delays resulting from their actions, to ensure consistency and accuracy in reporting.These contractual mechanisms ensure that performance issues are rigorously captured, transparently monitored, and proportionately addressed. They take account of situations where delays arise owing to factors outside the supplier’s reasonable control, supporting fair and accurate performance assessment, and promoting continuous improvement across the criminal justice system.