Written questions by Lowe.

How many civil servants across all departments were awarded performance bonuses in the financial year 2024-2025.

Departments are responsible for administering any in year and end of year performance bonuses to their staff. The majority of departments are in the process of finalising performance markings for the 2024/25 performance year, which will determine who will be eligible for an end of year performance bonus. Departments should therefore hold the information requested by Autumn 2025.

How many civil servants were subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last three years.

Individual departments are responsible for their own discipline policies and guidance in place, which include details of formal processes and procedures. These will be aligned to the Civil Service Code and the Civil Service Management Code which set out the standards and behaviour expected from all employees. Departments will collect information as required in their own department in accordance with GDPR.

How many and what proportion of civil servants have received formal performance ratings of underperforming or equivalent in each department in each of the last five years.

Departments have delegated responsibility for monitoring and reporting on civil servants performance ratings via their internal governance arrangements. Information on how many civil servants in departments have received formal performance ratings of underperforming is therefore not held centrally.

If the Prime Minister will meet victims of rape gangs at Number 10 Downing Street.

Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk as part of the government’s transparency agenda. For actions this Government is taking to help victims, I refer the Hon. Member to the oral statement made by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department [my Hon. Friend, the Member for Birmingham Yardley] on the 8 April 2025.

Whether his Department has issued guidance on the (a) use of evidence and (b) status of the findings of (i) non-statutory and (ii) statutory inquiries into failures by public institutions.

The Cabinet Office provides advice and guidance to Ministers and officials on statutory and non statutory public inquiries.

If he will take steps to review the adequacy of each Department's policies in relation to gender, in the context of the Supreme Court's ruling on For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.

The Supreme Court’s ruling has brought clarity and confidence for women and single-sex services providers. The Government will work closely with the EHRC as they develop definitive guidance. All government departments should follow the clarity the ruling provides.

What plans he has to review Civil Service human resources policies, in the context of the UK Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.

The Cabinet Office review and update policy where necessary to ensure it complies with the latest legal requirements, including the UK Supreme Court Judgment in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers.

Whether his Department plans to issue guidance to civil servants on the use of sex-based language, in the context of the Supreme Court ruling on For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.

The Supreme Court’s ruling makes clear that for the purposes of the Equality Act, the term ‘woman’ refers to a biological woman. The ruling has provided clarity for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges and sports clubs. This Government will continue to protect single-sex spaces based on biological sex.The Equality and Human Rights Commission has already committed to supporting service providers with updated guidance; they will consult widely as they develop this. All government departments should follow the clarity the ruling provides.

With reference to the UK Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025, if he will take steps to apply the biological definition of a woman to all (a) policies and (b) communications.

The Supreme Court’s ruling makes clear that for the purposes of the Equality Act, the term ‘woman’ refers to a biological woman. The ruling has provided clarity for women and service providers such as hospitals, refuges and sports clubs. This Government will continue to protect single-sex spaces based on biological sex.The Equality and Human Rights Commission has already committed to supporting service providers with updated guidance; they will consult widely as they develop this. All government departments should follow the clarity the ruling provides.

What plans he has to review the Government's provision of sex-specific (a) facilities and (b) services in government buildings, in the context of the UK Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025.

We will review and update policy wherever necessary to ensure it complies with the latest legal requirements.We will consult with our Government Legal Department and Kings Counsel Lawyers who specialise in employment law.

If he will make it his policy to require Departments to publish disaggregated statistics on public service usage by immigration status.

The Office for National Statistics collects and publishes just under 50% of our national statistics. The rest of our national statistics are collected and published by each relevant department. There are no plans to change the current requirements for departments.

What (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department.

As a UK Civil Service department, the Cabinet Office only formally observes the government-set bank holidays.

Whether his Department provides guidance to (a) Ministers and (b) officials on engagement with non-statutory inquiries.

The Cabinet Office provides advice and guidance to Ministers and officials on statutory and non statutory public inquiries. In response to the House of Lords Statutory Inquiries Committee’s Report on “Public Inquiries: Enhancing Public Trust”, the Government has committed to publishing the Cabinet Office Public Inquiries Practitioners Handbook. We will publish this in due course.

How many (a) air miles and (b) flights the Prime Minister has completed since 5 July 2024.

Data on ministers’ travel is published on a quarterly basis. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings-july-to-september-2024.

If he will make an estimate of how many people in the UK do not speak English as a first language.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 13th February is attached.

If he will publish the total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in her Department in 2024.

The total cost to the public purse for the provision of diversity, equality and inclusion courses for staff in Cabinet Office in 2024 was £0.

What estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the proposed increase in employer National Insurance contributions for financial year 2025-26.

The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional Employer National Insurance Contributions costs only. This funding will be allocated to departments in the usual way, in line with the approach taken under the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.

If he will make an estimate of the cost to the public purse for supporting the a:gender network in each of the last five years.

Data from the Equality, Diversity and Expenditure Review will be published in due course.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a work experience scheme for Ministers relating to their Department's areas of responsibility.

All ministers receive tailored inductions upon appointment to support them in their ministerial duties.The Government does not have plans to introduce a work experience scheme for ministers in addition to the inductions already provided.

How many and what proportion of civil service job opportunities restricted applications through positive action schemes based on (a) race and (b) sex or gender in the last financial year.

Cabinet Office recruitment policy and practice is conducted in accordance with UK law, including the Equality Act 2010, as well as the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles and the Civil Service Nationality rules (available on GOV.UK). Non-Ministerial departments and Executive Agencies are responsible for managing their own recruitment processes and ensuring they are also compliant with UK law.