Written questions by Lowe.

If she will commission an investigation into officials who had knowledge of rape gangs and failed to act.

The Government is committed to using every lever to ensure all children are protected from sexual exploitation and abuse across our communities and online, regardless of who is perpetrating that horrific abuse. We are committed to continuing to learn from past failings, providing support to victims and survivors, and ensuring across all sectors we all step up and take further responsibility for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse.As part of this work, we continue to invest in the Child Sexual Exploitation Police Taskforce, which is giving practical, expert, on the ground support for local forces investigating child sexual abuse, with a focus on complex and organised child sexual exploitation. This is also supported by the Tackling Organised Exploitation programme, which is helping forces to uncover more of this offending. We are also driving targeted action to respond to exploitation through the Home-Office funded Prevention Programme, delivered by The Children's Society to tackle and prevent child sexual abuse and exploitation.And we are committed to taking swift action against the recommendations of the final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).The Home Secretary announced we will be bringing in mandatory reporting, making grooming an aggravating factor in child sexual abuse cases, and taking further action to crack down on child sexual abuse and exploitation online.The Home Secretary also announced that we will set up a new panel to ensure victims' and survivors' voices are prioritised in future policy making, alongside a dedicated inter-ministerial group on child sexual abuse. IICSA made several recommendations on how to improve routes to support and compensation for victims and survivors, which the Government will be considering as part of this broader approach.The Government will continue to support further inquiries where they may be needed, and which can expose failings and wrongdoings in local areas and institutions. But we are clear that it is right that these take place at a localised level so that those are responsible for delivering services work to ensure lessons are learnt and that local partners are doing all they can to improve their response, and that these inquiries inform regional and national responses.Furthermore, the Government's election manifesto included a commitment to introduce a 'Hillsborough Law', which the Prime Minister has committed to introduce by the next anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster (15 April 2025). This legislation will place a legal duty of candour on public servants and authorities.

If she will publish all documents relating to plans to evacuate Great Yarmouth constituency due to the docking of the MV Ruby.

Decisions regarding evacuation of local populations are taken based on the local assessment of risk and impacts by local authorities and local emergency services cooperating as a Strategic Coordination Group (SCG) to ensure an effective local response.

Whether the MV Ruby's cargo of ammonia nitrate was tested for contamination.

The port provided the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with the information required to verify the potential contamination and therefore no certification was required.

What discussions she had with relevant local authorities on decisions relating to the MV Ruby in Great Yarmouth port.

Ministers and senior officials worked with their counterparts from the relevant local authorities throughout the time MV Ruby was docked at Great Yarmouth.

If she will clarify the decision making process behind the decision to transfer MV Ruby's cargo of ammonia nitrate into the North Sea; and who was responsible for that decision.

The East of England Environment Group comprising a range of scientific experts and regulators, considered the options, including socio-economic impacts, and a recommended site was agreed for disposal. This site is a live aggregate dredging area, over 20 metres deep with no anticipated impacts on sensitive habitats or ecosystem features. The ship's master made the ultimate decision to discharge the ammonium nitrate due to force majeure and the risks posed to the crew and ship by an incoming weather front.

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 officials in her Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve.The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity, and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative, and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups.As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop, and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

How many and what proportion of officials in her Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

The Ministry of Justice works within the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit. The Department will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.The Ministry of Justice does not currently utilise any positive action schemes, as defined by the Equality Act, to support the hiring of those with protected characteristics.The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve.The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups.As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

How many and what proportion of officials in her Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

There have been no job opportunities restricted to certain groups through positive action schemes based around race, sex or other characteristics in the last financial year. HM Treasury works within the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.

How many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated bythe Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive actionas a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 ofthe Equality Act 2010. The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness andinclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes tothe citizens we serve. The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance,published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a ModernCivil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity andimpartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Serviceequipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, toinclude geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups. As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed toensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range ofbackgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

How many and what proportion of officials in her Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit. ● Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010. ● The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve. ● The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups. ● As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

How many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve.The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups.As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

How many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit. Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010. The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve. The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups. As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

How many and what proportion of officials in her Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity, not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve.The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022 to 2025 promoting fairness and performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups. This strategy can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-diversity-and-inclusion-strategy-2022-to-2025.As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 to 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future. This plan can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-plan-2024-2027/civil-service-people-plan-2024-2027-html#recruitment-retention--talent.

Innovation and Technology, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve.The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups.As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

How many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit. Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim, as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and a culture of openness and inclusivity, not as ends in themselves, but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve.The Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy: 2022 to 2025, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity, and impartiality, driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative, and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social, and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups. This strategy is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-diversity-and-inclusion-strategy-2022-to-2025As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024-2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop, and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future. Further information on this plan is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-plan-2024-2027/civil-service-people-plan-2024-2027-html#recruitment-retention--talentThe Department has made hires from wider Civil Service schemes. The schemes supported by the Department for external hires in the last financial year 2023/2024 were the Civil Service Care Leaver Internship Scheme and Going Forward into Employment. Details on these schemes are available at the following link:https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/gfie-schemes/Six such appointments were made from these schemes, representing 2% of the total new hires to the Department made in that financial year.

Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

The core department complies with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit. The Government and Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity as a way of reflecting the experiences of the citizens we serve and delivering better outcomes for them in turn.

How many and what proportion of officials in his Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

The Northern Ireland Office works within the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.The Department will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.The Northern Ireland Office has not used any positive action schemes, as defined by the Equality Act, to support the hiring of those with protected characteristics in the last financial year.The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve.The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups.As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.

Media and Sport, how many and what proportion of officials in her Department were hired via positive action schemes in the last financial year.

All Civil Service departments work within the Recruitment Principles, as regulated by the Civil Service Commission, to recruit using a fair and open process and appoint on merit.Departments will only limit a campaign to a specific group as a form of positive action as a proportionate response to achieve a legitimate aim as defined in section 159 of the Equality Act 2010.The Civil Service is committed to a diverse workforce and culture of openness and inclusivity - not as ends in themselves but as means of delivering better outcomes to the citizens we serve.The Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-25 Promoting Fairness and Performance, published in February 2022, is positioned as an essential lever to deliver a Modern Civil Service, where our values are to serve with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality; driving our vision to be a skilled, innovative and ambitious Civil Service equipped for the future. This strategy sets out a broader definition of diversity, to include geographical, social and career backgrounds alongside the protected groups.As set out in the Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, we are committed to ensuring we attract, develop and retain talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds, to create a modern Civil Service, now and for the future.