Written questions by Lowe.

How many employees in his Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.

As at 31 March 2025, of the 57,501 Civil Servants in the Ministry of Defence (MOD), a total of 401 individuals, representing 0.7 per cent, earn over £100,000. The below table shows the number of MOD Civil Servants earning above £100,000 and £160,000 as at 31 March 2025. Total number of MOD Civil Servants on full/reduced payGross Earnings > £100K and <= £166kGross Earnings over £166k (not included in over £100K figure)57,50138417Source: Analysis Civilian - Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (ACSES) data Gross salary is adjusted for Full Time Equivalent (FTE). Gross salary is calculated as per Cabinet Office ACSES guidance. This excludes allowances associated with short-term circumstances or duties (e.g. deputising allowances, reimbursements and overtime), salary sacrifices and non-consolidated performance related pay during the year. The population for these figures includes all MOD civil servants on full or reduced pay as at 31-Mar-2025. Civil Servants on other pay arrangements and people that left during the year are excluded. Statistics on the composition of the Civil Service workforce, including regional, diversity and earnings data is published by the Cabinet Office on gov.uk at the following link:www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics

How many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.

Organograms for Senior Civil Servant roles provides information on the number of civil servants earning over £100,000 and in other bandings. This data is published by departments on a quarterly basis, the latest information for the Department for Transport can be found here: Organogram of Staff Roles & Salaries - data.gov.uk

How many employees in her Department earn (a) £100,000 and (b) £166,000 or more per year.

The information requested is available in our published transparency data, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disclosure-of-scs-posts-and-salary-information.

For what reason new claimants from (a) Israel and (b) the Occupied Palestinian Territories will be exempt from the Habitual Residence Test for Universal Credit.

Given the circumstances in which British nationals and their eligible families have urgently travelled to the UK following the Government’s evacuations, DWP want to ensure that those arriving can access benefits as soon as possible (where they meet all other eligibility requirements). This does not enable DWP to pay benefits to anyone who does not already have an underlying entitlement to benefits. For those who are not British or Irish citizens, they must have a valid immigration status that provides recourse to public funds to access benefits, on top of meeting other benefit-specific eligibility criteria. More detail can be found in the explanatory memorandum for this amendment: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/884/memorandum/contents.

What guidance she has issued to (a) work coaches and (b) case managers on processing claims for new claimants from (i) Israel and (ii) the Palestinian Occupied Territories.

Guidance for DWP staff making benefit decisions is available on gov.uk. Specific guidance on new customers arriving in the UK from Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories will be published in the usual way.

How many businesses have had a turnover below the VAT threshold in each of the past five years.

The total number of businesses in 2024 is estimated at 5.6 million (see Business population estimates 2024 - GOV.UK, detailed table 2). According to HMRC statistics, there were around 1.3 million business registered for VAT with turnover above the threshold in 2023-34 (see Value Added Tax (VAT) annual statistics - GOV.UK, Table T5). Thus the number of businesses with turnover below the threshold would be approximately the remainder of the 5.6 million, or 4.3 million. It should be noted that some businesses with turnover below the threshold are voluntarily registered for VAT; there were around 0.9 million such businesses in 2023-24.

How much of the funds raised through the apprenticeship levy was allocated directly to apprenticeships; and how much was redirected to general government revenue in each of the last ten financial years.

The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in 2017, and is paid by large employers with a total annual pay bill of over £3 million. Their contribution is 0.5% of their total annual pay bill. HMT sets the Department for Education’s budget at each Spending Review. The apprenticeship budget funds all apprenticeship training in England – both existing and new apprenticeships – across all employers. Underspends are returned to HMT as per the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance. While the Apprenticeship Levy is raised UK wide, apprenticeship policy and spending is devolved. This means that the devolved governments receive funding through the Barnett formula in relation to apprenticeship spending in England, with the formula applying in the normal way, as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, when the Department for Education’s budgets change. As set out in the Policy, the Barnett formula applies to overall changes in DfE’s settlement at Spending Reviews. This means it is not possible to identify the Barnett consequentials for individual programmes. It is the devolved governments’ responsibility to allocate their funding in devolved areas as they see fit, including investing in their skills programmes, and they are accountable to the devolved legislatures for those decisions. The table below sets out the apprenticeship budget in relation to Levy receipts once Barnett consequentials are accounted for. This is an indicative profile based on a population-based share, rounded to the nearest £5 million. (£ million)FY 17-18FY 18-19FY 19-20FY 20-21FY 21-22FY 22-23FY 23-24FY 24-25Levy Receipts2,2712,7132,7982,9103,2133,5803,8414,100England Apprenticeship Budget2,0102,2312,4692,4672,4662,5542,5252,771Devolved Governments Funding (notional Barnett allocation beyond 2019-20)425440460460460480500550Difference-16442-131-17287546816779

Whether it is her policy to allow people with pending deportation orders to change their name.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him to Question 58408.

What information her Department holds on the proportion of local authorities that conduct (a) in-person interviews and (b) English language testing before issuing (i) taxi and (ii) private hire vehicle licences.

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 enables the Secretary of State for Transport to issue statutory guidance to licensing authorities on exercising their taxi and private hire vehicle licensing functions to protect children and vulnerable adults. Statutory guidance was published in 2020 under these powers. This statutory guidance includes a recommendation that a licensing authority’s test of a driver’s English language proficiency should cover both oral and written English language skills to ensure that drivers have the ability to understand written documents, such as policies and guidance, relating to the protection of children and vulnerable adults and can identify and act on the signs of potential exploitation. As of 1 April 2024, 81% of licensing authorities in England reported that they require the taxi drivers that they license to meet a minimum standard of proficiency for either written, oral or both written and oral English language. As of 1 April 2024, 82% of licensing authorities in England reported that they require the private hire vehicle drivers that they license to meet a minimum standard of proficiency for either written, oral or both written and oral English language. We are currently reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and will hold those who do not follow it to account. The Department does not hold any information about whether licensing authorities conduct in-person interviews for applicants for taxi or private hire vehicle driver licences.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of his Department's procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.

Based on available data, in the financial year 2024-25, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) centrally awarded a total of 558 commercial contracts. Of these, 277 contracts-representing approximately 49.6 per cent of awarded contracts-were awarded to companies with their head office registered in the United Kingdom.The FCDO ensures that its contracts are tendered in accordance with UK procurement legislation, promoting open and fair competition, following a set of standard processes designed to ensure transparency, value for money, and equal opportunity for suppliers.

What proportion of her Department's procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the last financial year.

Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder).Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc. VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes a note of the winning supplier (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search).

How many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the 2024-2025 financial year.

Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (Contracts Finder - GOV.UK). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search).No procurement contracts were awarded by the AGO below £12,000 during the 2024-2025 financial year.

What proportion of her Department's procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.

The information requested is not held centrally and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs. Information on government contracts can be found here: DWP Contracts Finder.

How many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year.

Across DfT (DfTc and EAs), in FY 24/25, 901 out of 909 contracts were awarded to British Companies (based in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland). Companies were determined as British Companies by reviewing suppliers addresses and operations for the contracts (to determine if they were based in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland).

What proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.

In the 2024-25 financial year, the Northern Ireland Office has awarded all procurement contracts to UK companies.Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder).Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc. VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes a note of the winning supplier (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search).

How many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the 2024-25 financial year.

Central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes a note of the winning supplier. (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search).

Communities and Local Government, what proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.

Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes a note of the winning supplier. (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search).

What proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the 2024-2025 financial year.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero awarded 98.5% of its contracts to British Companies.

What proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.

The Scotland Office did not award any procurement contracts in 2024-25.The Scotland Office is a small Ministerial Department which, other than for minor or bespoke purchases, does not normally undertake direct procurement.

What proportion of procurement contracts were awarded to UK companies in the 2024-25 financial year.

Within financial year 2024-2025, the Ministry of Justice awarded 601 contracts to suppliers for provision of goods and services across the justice sector. 591 (98.3%) of these contracts were awarded to UK companies.Details of central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes a note of the winning supplier.