Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rupert Lowe this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 781–800 of 2,378 · this parliament
Whether (a) ministers and (b) special advisers from her Department have received briefings on analyses of (a) tax contributions and (b) benefits of people by (i) ethnicity, (ii) nationality and (iii) country of birth since 2020.
HM Treasury does not routinely publish information which is released in response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The FOI was answered in accordance with the Freedom of Information principles.
Pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to question 82834 on Social Security Benefits: English Language, how many claimants have been required to attend English language courses as a work preparation activity in each of the last five years.
The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 83161 on Prisoners’ Release: Reoffenders, when this data will be included in statistical releases
The next proven reoffending statistics publication where SDS40 releases will fall within the overall cohort is currently scheduled for 30 July 2026. The content of this release, as with all future statistical releases, remains under review.
What information her Department holds on the average (a) waiting time for people calling and (b) time spent on hold to the HMRC self-assessment line in each of the last five years.
The below table provides the average call answer time (minutes: seconds) for HMRC’s employers helpline in each of the last five years: YearTotal average over the year2020-2109:072021-2212:032022-2316:032023-2422:202024-2526:32 Overall, HMRC’s telephony performance was better in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24. However, HMRC’s employer helpline was affected by industrial action from December 2024, and this impacted wait times. The industrial action concluded in June 2025 and calls to the employer helpline are now being answered more quickly compared to 2024-25. The average time spent on hold measures when a call has been answered by an adviser and the individual has subsequently been put on hold. The below table provides the average time spent on hold (minutes: seconds) for HMRC’s employers helpline in each of the last five years: YearAverage time spent on hold2020-21This data is not available2021-2202:002022-2301:242023-2401:352024-2501:19 The below table provides the average call answer time (minutes: seconds) for HMRC’s Self Assessment helpline in each of the last five years: YearTotal average over the year2020-2115:122021-2217:072022-2325:142023-2437:152024-2523:40 Call volumes to HMRC vary widely throughout the year and wait times can increase during busy periods. Calls to the Self Assessment helpline were generally answered more quickly in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24. The below table provides the average time spent on hold (minutes: seconds) for HMRC’s Self Assessment helpline in each of the last five years: YearAverage time spent on hold (minutes: seconds)2020-21This data is not available2021-2201:282022-2301:392023-2402:022024-2502:04 Improving day-to-day performance is a key priority for HMRC. In 2024-25, HMRC handled 71.5% of adviser attempts across their helplines and had an average call answer time of 18 minutes 38 seconds. So far this year (April – August 2025), they have handled 83.5% of adviser attempts and call wait times have decreased to 13 minutes 38 seconds.
What information her Department holds on (a) the average call answer time and (b) time spent on hold for people calling the HMRC employers general enquiries line in each of the last five years.
The below table provides the average call answer time (minutes: seconds) for HMRC’s employers helpline in each of the last five years: YearTotal average over the year2020-2109:072021-2212:032022-2316:032023-2422:202024-2526:32 Overall, HMRC’s telephony performance was better in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24. However, HMRC’s employer helpline was affected by industrial action from December 2024, and this impacted wait times. The industrial action concluded in June 2025 and calls to the employer helpline are now being answered more quickly compared to 2024-25. The average time spent on hold measures when a call has been answered by an adviser and the individual has subsequently been put on hold. The below table provides the average time spent on hold (minutes: seconds) for HMRC’s employers helpline in each of the last five years: YearAverage time spent on hold2020-21This data is not available2021-2202:002022-2301:242023-2401:352024-2501:19 The below table provides the average call answer time (minutes: seconds) for HMRC’s Self Assessment helpline in each of the last five years: YearTotal average over the year2020-2115:122021-2217:072022-2325:142023-2437:152024-2523:40 Call volumes to HMRC vary widely throughout the year and wait times can increase during busy periods. Calls to the Self Assessment helpline were generally answered more quickly in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24. The below table provides the average time spent on hold (minutes: seconds) for HMRC’s Self Assessment helpline in each of the last five years: YearAverage time spent on hold (minutes: seconds)2020-21This data is not available2021-2201:282022-2301:392023-2402:022024-2502:04 Improving day-to-day performance is a key priority for HMRC. In 2024-25, HMRC handled 71.5% of adviser attempts across their helplines and had an average call answer time of 18 minutes 38 seconds. So far this year (April – August 2025), they have handled 83.5% of adviser attempts and call wait times have decreased to 13 minutes 38 seconds.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83627 on Refugees: Social Rented Housing, how many lead tenants there are in (a) social and (b) rented housing by the nationality of those tenants.
The English Housing Survey (EHS) collects information about the characteristics of households, including the nationality of the household reference person (equivalent to lead tenant). Breakdowns by housing tenure can be found in Annex Table 1.1 of the EHS 2023-24: rented sectors on gov.uk here.
Whether the Office for National Statistics has provided (a) data, (b) technical support and (c) modelling assistance her Department in connection with analyses of (i) tax contributions and (ii) benefit claims by (A) ethnicity, (B) nationality, and (C) country of birth.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces the Living Costs and Food survey which is one of the household microdata sets used regularly for analysis of tax and welfare measures by protected characteristics to fulfil the requirements under the Public Sector Equality Duty in the Equality Act 2010. The ONS has not provided any technical support or modelling assistance.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department undertakes (a) risk and (b) equality impact assessments on aid projects whose stated objectives include (i) influencing norms and (ii) gender ideology.
Since 2021, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has used the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) to guide decisions on how UK foreign aid is spent effectively. The PrOF sets out mandatory rules and principles to ensure programmes align with strategic priorities, deliver measurable impact, and represent value for money. The latest edition of the PrOF is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-programme-operating-framework/fcdo-programme-operating-framework-overview.
How many recorded (a) hate crimes and (b) religiously motivated offences have involved (i) Christian places of worship and (ii) other religious premises since 2010.
The Home Office collects and publishes data on hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales, including information on religious hate crimes by the targeted religion of the victim. Information is not collected on whether or not the offence took place at a place of worship or other religious premises.The latest official statistics can be found here: Hate crime, England and Wales, year ending March 2025 - GOV.UK
On what date (a) Ministers in his Department were informed of the data breach affecting Afghan nationals who worked with UK forces and (b) that breach was escalated to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Officials were alerted to the data incident on 14 August 2023, and it was reported the next day to Ministry of Defence (MOD) Head Office and Ministers in the previous Government. Immediate action was taken to ensure that the compromised dataset, which had appeared online, was removed and an internal investigation was conducted. The incident was reported to the Metropolitan Police and the Information Commissioner’s Office on 17 August 2025, within 72 hours of first learning about the data incident. The Information Commissioner’s Office has continued to work with the Department on this matter and on improvements to MOD data handling and protection.
If she will publish the (a) figures, (b) charts and (c) underlying data tables on (i) income tax and (ii) indirect tax contributions by ethnicity referenced in her Department's Freedom of Information response FOI2025/18562.
HM Treasury does not routinely publish information which is released in response to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The FOI was answered in accordance with the Freedom of Information principles.
How many convictions there have been for crimes committed against (a) churches and (b) other Christian places of worship in England and Wales since 2010; and what proportion of all religious-premises offences this represents.
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including violence against the person by defendant’s age, sex and ethnicity, in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.It is not possible to disaggregate the data to identify individuals who were convicted of offences committed against a person from specific religious backgrounds including Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian churches/other places of worship nor the nationality of the offender. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would incur disproportionate costs.We are committed to creating a more stable and sustainable criminal justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence. In December 2024, Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose reform to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims.
How many personal data breaches were reported by his Department to the Information Commissioner’s Office in each year since 2020; and how of those resulted in enforcement action.
22 personal data incidents have been reported by the Ministry of Defence to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) since 2020. Three of those resulted in enforcement action. The personal data incidents reported to the ICO are listed in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts: Financial YearNumber of personal data incidents reported to the ICOIncidents resulting in enforcement action2020-2021702021-20221232022-2023202023-202410 The Annual Report and Accounts for 2024-2025 has not yet been published. This report will include an additional incident identified in 2023 which happened in February 2022 but was not reported previously due to an injunction being in place.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what strategic reasons aid is used to fund projects described as aiming to (a) influence social norms and (b) achieve social transformation overseas.
Since 2021, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has used the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) to guide decisions on how UK foreign aid is spent effectively. The PrOF sets out mandatory rules and principles to ensure programmes align with strategic priorities, deliver measurable impact, and represent value for money. The latest edition of the PrOF is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-programme-operating-framework/fcdo-programme-operating-framework-overview.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that overseas aid funding is not used to promote (a) social transformation, (b) gender ideology, (c) climate justice and (d) other ideological or political objectives.
Since 2021, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has used the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) to guide decisions on how UK foreign aid is spent effectively. The PrOF sets out mandatory rules and principles to ensure programmes align with strategic priorities, deliver measurable impact, and represent value for money. The latest edition of the PrOF is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-programme-operating-framework/fcdo-programme-operating-framework-overview.
Whether (a) his Department and (b) other Government departments distinguish between offences committed against (i) Christian, (ii) Muslim, (iii) Jewish and (iv) other places of worship in its (A) crime and (B) conviction data collections.
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including violence against the person by defendant’s age, sex and ethnicity, in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.It is not possible to disaggregate the data to identify individuals who were convicted of offences committed against a person from specific religious backgrounds including Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian churches/other places of worship nor the nationality of the offender. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would incur disproportionate costs.We are committed to creating a more stable and sustainable criminal justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence. In December 2024, Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose reform to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which UK-registered (a) non-Governmental organisations, (b) charities and (c) UN agencies have received more than £10 million in funding for projects involving (i) norm change, (ii) gender ideology and (iii) climate justice since 2021.
Since 2021, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has used the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) to guide decisions on how UK foreign aid is spent effectively. The PrOF sets out mandatory rules and principles to ensure programmes align with strategic priorities, deliver measurable impact, and represent value for money. The latest edition of the PrOF is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-programme-operating-framework/fcdo-programme-operating-framework-overview.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much overseas aid funding has been allocated to projects or programmes aimed at promoting (a) climate justice, (b) social transformation and (c) norm change since 2021.
Since 2021, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has used the Programme Operating Framework (PrOF) to guide decisions on how UK foreign aid is spent effectively. The PrOF sets out mandatory rules and principles to ensure programmes align with strategic priorities, deliver measurable impact, and represent value for money. The latest edition of the PrOF is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fcdo-programme-operating-framework/fcdo-programme-operating-framework-overview.
What steps his Department is taking to improve the (a) recording and (b) categorisation of crimes against (i) Christian churches and (ii) other religious sites.
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including violence against the person by defendant’s age, sex and ethnicity, in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.It is not possible to disaggregate the data to identify individuals who were convicted of offences committed against a person from specific religious backgrounds including Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian churches/other places of worship nor the nationality of the offender. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would incur disproportionate costs.We are committed to creating a more stable and sustainable criminal justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence. In December 2024, Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose reform to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims.
Whether his Department holds data on the (a) age, (b) sex, (c) ethnicity and (d) nationality of offenders convicted of criminal offences against Christian places of worship since 2010.
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on convictions for a wide range of offences, including violence against the person by defendant’s age, sex and ethnicity, in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal justice statistics - GOV.UK.It is not possible to disaggregate the data to identify individuals who were convicted of offences committed against a person from specific religious backgrounds including Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian churches/other places of worship nor the nationality of the offender. This information may be held in court records but to examine individual court records would incur disproportionate costs.We are committed to creating a more stable and sustainable criminal justice system, in which victims and the public can have confidence. In December 2024, Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose reform to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims.