Neil Shastri-Hurst MP: written questions
346 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Ministry of Defence: Carbon EmissionsMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125805More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the expected cost is to his Department of meeting net zero and environmental targets over the next five years.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence will contribute to the UK’s Net Zero and environmental targets primarily through the Greening Government Commitments. These commitments provide the central framework for Departments and their agencies to reduce their impact on the ...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: TrainingForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125804More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many civil servants in her Department attended at least one session on (a) equality, diversity and inclusion, (b) culture and (c) wellness in each of the last three years
Answer: In responding to the Hon Member's eleven detailed questions about the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's relative focus on its public sector equality duty obligations compared to certain key foreign policy priorities, I refer him to the answer...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: LanguagesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125803More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many civil servants in her Department took part in a language course in each of the last three years; and in what languages.
Answer: In responding to the Hon Member's eleven detailed questions about the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's relative focus on its public sector equality duty obligations compared to certain key foreign policy priorities, I refer him to the answer...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: LanguagesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125802More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many language sessions were offered to civil servants in her Department in each of the last three years; and in what languages.
Answer: In responding to the Hon Member's eleven detailed questions about the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's relative focus on its public sector equality duty obligations compared to certain key foreign policy priorities, I refer him to the answer...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: EqualityForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125801More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many equality, diversity and inclusion related events the Permanent Secretary in her Department has attended since 5 July 2024.
Answer: In responding to the Hon Member's eleven detailed questions about the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's relative focus on its public sector equality duty obligations compared to certain key foreign policy priorities, I refer him to the answer...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: LanguagesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125800More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many civil servants in her Department held a language qualification in each of the last three years; and in what languages.
Answer: In responding to the Hon Member's eleven detailed questions about the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's relative focus on its public sector equality duty obligations compared to certain key foreign policy priorities, I refer him to the answer...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordIranForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125799More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many FTE civil servants were allocated to the Iran desk in each of the last three years for which data is available; and what their grades were.
Answer: In responding to the Hon Member's eleven detailed questions about the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's relative focus on its public sector equality duty obligations compared to certain key foreign policy priorities, I refer him to the answer...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordRussiaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125798More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many FTE civil servants were allocated to the Russia desk in each of the last three years for which data is available; and what their grades were.
Answer: In responding to the Hon Member's eleven detailed questions about the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's relative focus on its public sector equality duty obligations compared to certain key foreign policy priorities, I refer him to the answer...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordChinaForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125797More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many full-time equivalent civil servants were allocated to the China desk in each of the last three years for which data is available; and what were their grades.
Answer: In responding to the Hon Member's eleven detailed questions about the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's relative focus on its public sector equality duty obligations compared to certain key foreign policy priorities, I refer him to the answer...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125796More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the number of civil servants working on the Defence Investment Plan has changed since June 2025.
Answer: The Defence Investment Plan has been supported by a flexible cross‑Defence team, with personnel allocated at the right level to reflect the complexity of the work and ensure progress to publication.
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125795More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many military personnel are working on the Defence Investment Plan.
Answer: The Defence Investment Plan has been supported by a flexible cross‑Defence team, with personnel allocated at the right level to reflect the complexity of the work and ensure progress to publication.
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125794More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many civil servants are working on the Defence Investment Plan.
Answer: The Defence Investment Plan has been supported by a flexible cross‑Defence team, with personnel allocated at the right level to reflect the complexity of the work and ensure progress to publication.
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordBusiness: DefenceMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125793More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the number of (a) small, (b) medium and (c) large businesses in the defence industry in (i) July 2024 and (ii) March 2026.
Answer: This information is not held in the format requested.
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: EmploymentMinistry of DefenceTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125792More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people employed in the defence industry in (a) July 2024 and (b) March 2026.
Answer: The ‘MOD Supported Employment Estimates Report’ presents the number of direct and indirect jobs supported by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in 2023-24 by UK region and industry group. The report can be found on the gov.uk website at the following link: htt...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordTeachers: Workplace PensionsDepartment for EducationTabled 24 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123518More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the number of Remediable Service Statements issued to retired teachers; and whether her Department will publish these statistics on a regular basis.
Answer: Recalculating benefits for retired members is a complex process. For those members retiring, these cases are relatively straightforward, as no benefits are already in payment. For retired members, additional complications around tax, interest rules and sy...
Answered 1 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordGovernment Legal Department: SolicitorsAttorney GeneralTabled 23 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123079More
Question: To ask the Solicitor General, how many trainee solicitors who undertook a training contract with the Government Legal Department left upon completion in each of the past five years.
Answer: The Government Legal Department’s (GLD) Legal Trainee Scheme is a two‑year programme. Accordingly, the year of completion reflects cohorts who began their training contracts two years earlier.The number of trainee solicitors who undertook a training contr...
Answered 26 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordGovernment Legal Department: BarristersAttorney GeneralTabled 23 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123078More
Question: To ask the Solicitor General, how many pupil barristers who undertook pupillage with the Government Legal Department left upon completion in each of the past five years.
Answer: The Government Legal Department’s (GLD) Legal Trainee Scheme lasts for two years in total. Those who join the GLD as pupil barristers qualify as barristers at the end of Year 1 of the Training Scheme (the pupillage period). They then remain on the Trainin...
Answered 26 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCivil ProceedingsAttorney GeneralTabled 23 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123077More
Question: To ask the Solicitor General, how many applications to the High Court the Attorney General's Office has made in each of the past five years to designate an individual as a vexatious litigant.
Answer: The Law Officers have made applications to the High Court under s.42 Senior Courts Act 1981 in each of the last five years as follows:2021 – 12022 - none2023 - none2024 – 22025 – 2 (3 further applications lodged with directions/hearing dates pending)These...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordEurasian Resources GroupTreasuryTabled 19 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122339More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to monitor the proposed involvement of UK listed firms in a takeover of Eurasian Resources Group to ensure no benefit to sanctioned Russian entities.
Answer: The Russia regulations prohibit the making available of funds or economic resources to a designated person without a licence. They also prohibit the provision of certain services to designated persons and persons connected with Russia. UK financial sancti...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPrisoner Escorts: Restraint TechniquesMinistry of JusticeTabled 18 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121951More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department plans to publish the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman's independent review into the use of restraints on pregnant women during hospital escorts between 2021 and 2025.
Answer: The Prisons & Probation Ombudsman will publish the report of his investigation once it has concluded. We understand that no publication date has been set at this stage.
Answered 25 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPrisoner Escorts: ContractsMinistry of JusticeTabled 17 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121529More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the answer to written question 118611, what the policy rationale is for defining a delay under the Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS) contracts, for the purposes of the relevant Contract Deli
Answer: The Prisoner Escort and Custody Service (PECS) contracts require Suppliers to deliver prisoners to court in time for their hearing to avoid loss of court time. Contract Delivery Indicator (CDI)15 therefore measures “Courtroom delay due to Supplier actions...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordScience: ResearchDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121254More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the 2009 Drayson partitions remain Government and UK Research and Innovation policy.
Answer: The “Drayson partitions” policy established in 2010, prior to the formation of UKRI, was to avoid tensioning parts of the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) portfolio in an inappropriate way, whilst acknowledging that tensioning different ...
Answered 23 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPrivate Education: VATDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121076More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the response of 16 March 2026 to question reference 118609, how much of the revenue raised from VAT on independent school fees was directly spent on teaching staff in the state sector.
Answer: Together, reforms to VAT and business rates will raise around £1.8 billion a year by 2029/30. This measure will raise essential revenue that will be invested in our public services, such as our £1.7 billion increase to school funding in 2026/27, meaning t...
Answered 8 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordChina: Diplomatic ServiceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 119657More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of diplomatic officers posted to China who are proficient in Chinese to C1 CEFR level or higher.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 November 2025 in response to Question 86285.
Answered 16 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRussia: Diplomatic ServiceForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 119656More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of diplomatic officers posted to Russia who are proficient in Russian to C1 CEFR level or higher.
Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 November 2025 in response to Question 86285.
Answered 16 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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