Written questions by Shastri-Hurst.

Innovation and Technology, whether the 2009 Drayson partitions remain Government and UK Research and Innovation policy.

The “Drayson partitions” policy established in 2010, prior to the formation of UKRI, was to avoid tensioning parts of the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) portfolio in an inappropriate way, whilst acknowledging that tensioning different portfolio elements is a very necessary part of managing research and innovation investment.These are not and have never been used as a ringfencing mechanism and crucially do not provide recourse to additional funds when cost pressures arise. Funding lines have been, and continue to be, independent and distinct, but cost pressures have always been dealt with across the portfolio.

Pursuant to the response of 16 March 2026 to question reference 118609, how much of the revenue raised from VAT on independent school fees was directly spent on teaching staff in the state sector.

Together, reforms to VAT and business rates will raise around £1.8 billion a year by 2029/30. This measure will raise essential revenue that will be invested in our public services, such as our £1.7 billion increase to school funding in 2026/27, meaning that core school budgets will total £67 billion compared to £65.3 billion in 2025/26.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of diplomatic officers posted to Russia who are proficient in Russian to C1 CEFR level or higher.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 November 2025 in response to Question 86285.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of diplomatic officers posted to China who are proficient in Chinese to C1 CEFR level or higher.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 November 2025 in response to Question 86285.

What data his Department holds on complications arising out of non-therapeutic circumcision between 2020 and 2025.

Information on complications arising out of non-therapeutic circumcision between 2020 and 2025 is not held in the format requested.

Whether her Department holds data on instances in which police forces have declined to investigate alleged serious criminal offences, including fraud, money laundering or organised crime, on the grounds of resource limitations or internal case-triage decisions; and whether any national guidance exists governing how such decisions should be made.

Operational decisions on case investigations are matters for operationally independent police forces. The Home Office does not issue guidance directing police forces on whether individual cases should or should not be investigated.

How much revenue the Exchequer raised from the introduction of VAT to private school fees between 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025.

At Autumn Budget 2024, the revenue from applying the standard rate of VAT to education and boarding services provided by private schools from 1 January 2025 was estimated at £460 million in 2024-25 and £1,505 million in 2025-26, rising to £1,725 million in 2029-30. In their November 2025 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the Office for Budget Responsibility revised the yield from this measure up by an average of £40 million per year, with outturn data providing initial support for the original assumption on pupil movements.

What steps he is taking to help prevent deaths related to non-therapeutic male circumcision.

The Department is currently considering its response to a prevention of future deaths report regarding non-therapeutic male circumcision. The response will set out any steps being taken to help prevent deaths related to non-therapeutic male circumcision. It will be published in due course.

What (a) performance standards and (b) key performance indicators on the timeliness of prisoner arrivals at court are set out within the contract for Prisoner Escort and Custody Services.

The Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) contracts specify that the contractor shall deliver prisoners to court by the required times to ensure the efficient and effective running of courts without delay. The key performance indicator relating to the timeliness of prisoner arrivals in court is Contract Delivery Indicator 15, at Annex 1 to Schedule 5 of the contract.The PECS contracts can be found in the Contracts Finder on the GOV.UK website:Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (Generation 4) - Lot North - Contracts Finder.Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (Generation 4) - Lot South - Contracts Finder.

What guidance is available to local authorities under the licensing regime to restrict the operating hours of retail premises where there is evidence of persistent antisocial behaviour linked to those premises.

The Secretary of State issues statutory guidance under section 182 of the Act to support licensing authorities in the discharge of their functions - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/explanatory-memorandum-revised-guidance-issued-under-s-182-of-licensing-act-2003.This includes guidance on the process to follow if evidence becomes available that a licensed premises is failing to uphold one of four licensing objectives, two of which relate to the prevention of crime and disorder and the prevention of public nuisance.If concerns are raised about a particular premises, the licensing authority may conduct a review of the premises’ licence and take appropriate action up to and including revoking the licence.

Communities and Local Government, if he will publish a definition of a significant adverse impact in the context of the National Planning Policy Framework.

The government is currently consulting on a new National Planning Policy Framework that includes clearer, more rules-based policies for decision-making and plan-making. We will consider any and all suggestions made in response to the consultation, including those relating to definitions, before making final decisions. The consultation will remain open for responses until 10 March 2026 and can be found on gov.uk here.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January to Question 103029, on Crown Prosecution Service: Vacancies, how the vacancy rate for Crown Prosecutors as of the end of December 2025 compares the preceding five years, broken down by region.

The overall vacancy rate for ‘Crown Prosecutors’ across the 14 regional, geographic areas that make up the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is 4.5% (at the end of December 2025). The table below includes the regional breakdown for CPS vacancy rates applicable to these legal roles for December 2025 against the three preceding years only*. AreaDec-22Dec-23Dec-24Dec-25Cymru Wales10.3%6.0%2.4%7.0%East of England10.7%6.0%6.1%3.9%East Midlands14.9%8.8%4.0%8.6%London North1.5%0.4%0.9%9.0%London South6.1%4.7%0.4%-3.9%Mersey Cheshire5.4%9.5%-0.9%2.6%North East12.1%5.2%6.1%15.4%North West10.2%1.7%5.7%-3.4%South East4.5%1.8%-1.2%3.8%South West7.7%14.1%0.7%-0.1%Thames and Chiltern7.5%8.8%7.4%11.5%Wessex10.0%5.5%4.8%1.3%West Midlands17.2%7.3%1.4%6.9%Yorkshire and Humberside12.8%5.0%4.7%4.0%14 Geographic Areas9.5%5.6%3.0%4.5% *The CPS does not hold information on vacancy rates dating back five years and has therefore provided the three years preceding December 2025 only.

How many state-funded schools in England have a knife arch installed, broken down by region.

The department does not hold data on how many schools in England have installed a knife arch.

What advice his Department has received from the UK Health Security Agency on the health impacts and emerging evidence concerning electromagnetic fields associated with public exclusion zone requirements for telecommunications masts.

Advice provided by the UK Health Security Agency to the Government, which includes the Department, on the health impacts of electromagnetic fields associated with telecommunications masts is publicly available on the GOV.UK website, at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mobile-phone-base-stations-radio-waves-and-health/mobile-phone-base-stations-radio-waves-and-health

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of potential reductions in dredging activity on levels of flood risk, in the context of (a) the removal of the Landfill Tax exemption for Air Pollution Control residues and (b) the Government’s flood prevention programme.

The Government recognises the important role that the energy from waste, dredging and biomass sectors play in supporting the Government’s circular economy objectives. The Government announced at Budget last year that it would remove the Landfill Tax exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 because it is inconsistent with the government’s circular economy ambitions. The decision followed on from a consultation on reform to the tax, during which the Government engaged with stakeholders in a range of sectors. This will not prevent the use of stabilisers, but it will encourage businesses to limit their use to what is necessary. The Government do not expect the change to have a significant impact on flood risk management as most material removed during routine waterway maintenance is reused locally and deposited adjacent to the channel, avoiding the need for disposal at landfill sites.

If she will make an estimate of the average annual cost to the energy from waste and biomass sectors of the removal of the Landfill Tax exemption for Air Pollution Control residues.

The Government recognises the important role that the energy from waste, dredging and biomass sectors play in supporting the Government’s circular economy objectives. The Government announced at Budget last year that it would remove the Landfill Tax exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 because it is inconsistent with the government’s circular economy ambitions. The decision followed on from a consultation on reform to the tax, during which the Government engaged with stakeholders in a range of sectors. This will not prevent the use of stabilisers, but it will encourage businesses to limit their use to what is necessary. The Government do not expect the change to have a significant impact on flood risk management as most material removed during routine waterway maintenance is reused locally and deposited adjacent to the channel, avoiding the need for disposal at landfill sites.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increases in dredging disposal costs arising from the removal of the Landfill Tax exemption for Air Pollution Control residues on trends in levels of frequency and scale of dredging of rivers, canals and ports.

The Government recognises the important role that the energy from waste, dredging and biomass sectors play in supporting the Government’s circular economy objectives. The Government announced at Budget last year that it would remove the Landfill Tax exemption for stabilisers used in dredged material from April 2027 because it is inconsistent with the government’s circular economy ambitions. The decision followed on from a consultation on reform to the tax, during which the Government engaged with stakeholders in a range of sectors. This will not prevent the use of stabilisers, but it will encourage businesses to limit their use to what is necessary. The Government do not expect the change to have a significant impact on flood risk management as most material removed during routine waterway maintenance is reused locally and deposited adjacent to the channel, avoiding the need for disposal at landfill sites.

What discussions her Department has had with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons on the interaction between specialist veterinary training pathways and the Skilled Worker visa salary requirements.

The Home Office regularly engages across Whitehall departments on the immigration system, including Department for Food and Rural Affairs and the Food Standards Agency, on areas such as salary and broader route requirements.Those working towards professional registration and qualification can qualify for a reduced salary requirement under the new entrant provision in the Skilled Worker immigration route.

What the average time taken by the Crown Prosecution Service to make a charging decision was in each of the last five years.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) holds management information which shows the mean average in calendar days from referral for a charging decision or early advice to the decision to authorise a charge against suspects.This was 46 days in 2024-25, 44 days in 2023-24, 45 days in 2022-23 and 42 days in 2021-22.The timeliness data includes cases where the police have submitted a file for early advice as well as those for charging decision. The data includes cases where the police were required to submit further evidence prior to a decision to charge. This generally includes more than one submission and more investigation.The timeliness of a charging decision is determined by three key factors: whether the case has been sent to the CPS for early advice during the investigative process, how quickly the police can complete the necessary enquiries; and how quickly the CPS can then review the evidence provided by the police and finalise the charging decision.

What the current vacancy rate is for Crown Prosecutors, broken down by region.

The overall vacancy rate for ‘Crown Prosecutors’* across the 14 regional, geographic areas that make up the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is 4.5% (at the end of December 2025). The table below includes the regional breakdown for CPS vacancy rates applicable to these legal roles.For context, the vacancy rates are shown alongside the number of vacancies within each geographic area, against the current area Full Time Equivalent (FTE).*These figures include all legal staff designated as ‘Crown Prosecutors’ only. Actual FTEBudget FTE (T2)Vacancies (over) / underVacancy RateCymru Wales Area151.85163.2811.437.0%East of England Area145.80151.665.863.9%East Midlands Area176.25192.8316.588.6%London North253.48278.4825.009.0%London South248.80239.43(9.37)-3.9%Mersey Cheshire Area133.79137.323.532.6%North East Area110.03130.0720.0415.4%North West Area251.40243.14(8.26)-3.4%South East Area145.64151.465.823.8%South West Area128.69128.50(0.19)-0.1%Thames and Chiltern Area127.48144.0116.5311.5%Wessex Area121.19122.751.561.3%West Midlands Area230.80247.8217.016.9%Yorkshire and Humberside Area237.70247.539.824.0%14 Geographic Areas2,462.912,578.27115.364.5%