4 bits of unhealthy information slipped out earlier than recess – from Andrew recordsdata to pay replace
But as is custom on the last day before MPs break up for recess, the Government also slipped out some bad news – and The Mirror has made sure none of it gets missed
After a tough few weeks, Keir Starmer will welcome the May half-term recess(Image: Getty Images)
After a tough few weeks, Keir Starmer will welcome the May half-term recess.
The Prime Minister has had a troubling month, with catastrophic local election results sparking calls for him to leave No10. More than 80 of his MPs have demanded he resign, while leadership hopefuls Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham are on manoeuvres to replace him.
So Mr Starmer clearly thought it wise to ramp up the release of positive announcements over the course of this week. The Treasury announced a 5p cut to fuel duty has been extended, tariffs on popular shopping products have been slashed until 2028 and a summing savings scheme will see VAT cut on tickets to attractions like theme parks or museum.
But as is custom on the last day before MPs break up for recess, the Government also slipped out some bad news. And The Mirror has made sure none of it gets missed.
Here’s four less pleasant bits of news ministers published on Thursday.
READ MORE: Rachel Reeves slashes VAT rate for summer attractions – from theme parks to zoos
1. The Andrew files
Shock files relating to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s time as trade envoy showed the late Queen was “very keen” for her son to take on a “prominent role in the promotion of national interests”.
The explosive documents show-chief executive of British Trade International Sir David Wright said Queen Elizabeth II’s “wish” had been for the now-disgraced royal to take on the job.
Ministers agreed in February to publish documents related to his appointment to the post, which gave him access to senior government and business contacts around the world.
Sir David said: “The Queen’s wish is that the Duke of Kent should be succeeded in this role by the Duke of York. The Queen is very keen that the Duke of York should take on a prominent role in the promotion of national interests. No other member of The Royal Family would be available to succeed the Duke of Kent. The Duke of York’s adoption of his role would seem a natural fit.”
The documents also reveal the disgraced royal preferred “more sophisticated countries”, and there were concerns raised to prevent him golfing while on functions abroad.
2. Civil servants pay
Senior civil servants were in for a nasty shock on the last day of term before MPs left for recess.
The government said it would only be increasing their base pay by 2.5% – not the 3.5% recommended by the independent Senior Salaries Review Body.
And ministers said performance-based pay will be introduced. Ministers said the overall senior civil service bill for 2026/27 will be increased by 3.5% overall but 1% of this will be reserved for performance-based pay awards.
Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said: “The Prime Minister has called for a complete rewiring of the state. In January this year, I set out the need to reward the doers, not the talkers in the Civil Service. It’s pretty simple. Those who perform well should be rewarded. Those who fall short should be held to account.”
Equalities guidance slipped out
Long-awaited updated guidance on single-sex spaces was slipped out on the last day before recess kicked off.
The new code, written by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), confirmed that a service must be used on the basis of biological sex in order for it to be classed as single-sex under the Equality Act 2010.
The new guidance says hospitals can lawfully provide single-sex wards which exclude trans patients of the opposite biological sex. And it confirms that trans people will not be allowed to compete in single-sex or separate-sex competitive sport based on their gender identity.
The guidance also finds it is “unlikely to be proportionate” to stop trans people from using toilets if there is no service they are allowed to use – and warns it could amount to discrimination of trans people.
The guidance reads: “In the case of services which are necessary for everybody, such as toilets, it is very unlikely to be proportionate to put a trans person in a position where there is no service that they are allowed to use. If the service provider does not act proportionately, this is very likely to amount to direct or indirect discrimination because of gender reassignment.”
The guidance also states that it “may be legitimate” to ask someone to provide confirmation that they are of the “eligible sex”, but advises this “should be done as sensitively as possible, and must respect their privacy”.
NHS pensions
Ministers slipped out an update on removing age discrimination from NHS pensions – but failed to provide a specific deadline on resolving the issue.
A statement was published by the Department of Health and Social Care on the McCloud remedy, which removes the age discrimination that was judged to have arisen in public service pension schemes, including the NHS Pension Scheme.
In summer 2025, Health minister Karin Smyth admitted a number of deadlines for remediable service statements to members would be missed.
In a statement released on Thursday, Health minister Karin Smyth said there had been “progress” but could not give specific details on new deadlines for remedying the issues. She said: “I remain committed to setting deadlines that prioritise the delivery of the remedy to members who are likely to be facing financial detriment as a consequence of the discrimination identified by the McCloud judgment. The deadlines must be realistic and achievable.”
She said she hopes to be able to “issue new statutory deadlines with confidence before Summer Recess”.
