Written questions by Jermy.

How many people with disabilities were employed in his Department on 2 September 2025.

Information on the number of people declaring a disability by each government department are published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. Latest published data are as at 31 March 2025 and can be found at Table 29 of the statistical tables at the following web address: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025Information for 31 March 2026 is due for publication in July 2026.

What steps their Department is taking to implement the guidance entitled The government’s approach to rural proofing 2025, published on 15 May 2025.

The Government has made a commitment that all policy decision-making should be rural proofed. Rural proofing ensures that rural areas are not overlooked and that the intended outcomes are deliverable in rural areas. Defra leads on rural proofing, but individual departments are responsible for ensuring that their policy decision-making is rural proofed. Rural proofing is important because rural communities are an important part of the economy. Rural areas are home to around one-fifth of England’s population and half a million registered businesses. Policy outcomes in rural areas can be affected by economies of scale, distance, sparsity and demography. That is why it is important that government policies consider how they can be delivered in rural areas. Rural proofing ensures that these areas receive fair and equitable policy outcomes. Our department takes its obligation to rural proofing seriously and has published its Small Business Plan (Backing your Business) in July of this year, delivering the most comprehensive package of support for small and medium sized businesses in a generation. The plan outlines five ambitious actions on how we will make thriving small and medium sized businesses, including in rural areas, a reality across the UK.

Whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to increase the amount of bereavement leave.

The Employment Rights Bill establishes a new day one statutory right to bereavement leave for employees who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The measures in the bill set a framework for the entitlement, including providing for a minimum of one week leave, with details to be set out in secondary legislation.Due to the sensitive and personal nature of bereavement, we will be consulting stakeholders on the specifics of the entitlement to ensure that Bereavement Leave properly reflects the needs of employees and employers.

Whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to increase access to bereavement leave.

The Employment Rights Bill establishes a new day one statutory right to bereavement leave for employees who have experienced the loss of a loved one. The measures in the bill set a framework for the entitlement, including providing for a minimum of one week leave, with details to be set out in secondary legislation.Due to the sensitive and personal nature of bereavement, we will be consulting stakeholders on the specifics of the entitlement to ensure that Bereavement Leave properly reflects the needs of employees and employers.