qnadailyreport.blob.core.windows.net · daily report monday, 20 july 2020 this report shows written...
TRANSCRIPT
Daily Report Monday, 20 July 2020
This report shows written answers and statements provided on 20 July 2020 and the
information is correct at the time of publication (06:47 P.M., 20 July 2020). For the latest
information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements,
please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/
CONTENTS
ANSWERS 8
BUSINESS, ENERGY AND
INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 8
Business: Coronavirus 8
Companies: Coronavirus 8
Construction Talent Retention
Scheme 9
Construction: North Wales 9
Department for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Apprentices 10
Digital Markets Taskforce 10
Economic Situation:
Coronavirus 11
Energy: Meters 11
Flexible Working: Coronavirus 12
Fuel Poverty: Kent 12
Future Fund 13
Hospitality Industry:
Coronavirus 13
Housing: Insulation 14
Labelling 14
Manufacturing Industries:
Government Assistance 14
Nottingham University:
Coronavirus 15
Nuclear Fusion: Research 15
Package Holidays 16
Parental Leave and Parental
Pay: Coronavirus 16
Personal Care Services:
Coronavirus 17
Personal Care Services:
Government Assistance 17
Small Businesses: EU Grants
and Loans 18
Social Rented Housing:
Canterbury 18
Social Rented Housing:
Energy 18
Tide: Bounce Back Loan
Scheme 19
Vaccination: Research 19
CABINET OFFICE 19
Agriculture: North Wales 19
Animal Housing: Cats and
Dogs 20
Cabinet Office: Cybercrime
and Digital Technology 20
Economic Situation: United
Kingdom 20
UK Relations with EU: Clinical
Trails and Drugs 21
UK Trade with EU: Northern
Ireland 21
Waheed Saleem 22
DEFENCE 22
Armed Forces: Civil
Proceedings 22
Ministry of Defence:
Apprentices 22
DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND
SPORT 23
Broadband: Costs 23
Dance: Coronavirus 24
Data Protection 25
Huawei: Equipment 25
ICT: Huawei 26
Internet: Education 26
Internet: Pornography 27
Leisure and Tourism: Bus
Services 29
Music: Coronavirus 29
Outdoor Recreation:
Coronavirus 30
Telecommunications: Russia 31
EDUCATION 31
After School Clubs:
Coronavirus 31
Department for Education:
Energy 32
Disability and Special
Educational Needs: Young
People 32
Disabled Students'
Allowances: Wirral 33
Erasmus+ Programme 33
Free School Meals: Voucher
Schemes 34
GCE A-Level: Ethnic Groups 34
GCSE 36
Higher Education: Coronavirus 36
Members: Correspondence 38
Parents: Advisory Services 38
Schools: Coronavirus 38
Schools: Discrimination 39
Special Educational Needs:
Young People 40
Sports: Coronavirus 40
Students: Coronavirus 41
Teachers: Coronavirus 42
Teachers: Ethnic Groups 42
Universities: Coronavirus 43
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND
RURAL AFFAIRS 44
Agriculture: Seasonal Workers 44
Air Pollution: Pollution Control 45
Air Pollution: Schools 45
Animal Products and
Livestock: UK Trade with EU 46
Animal Products: Imports 46
Animal Welfare: Coronavirus 47
Coastal Erosion and Flood
Control: Finance 47
Dangerous Dogs 47
Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs: Air
Pollution 48
Flood Control: Oxfordshire 48
Giant Hogweed 49
Nature Conservation 49
Recycling 50
Sewage: Standards 51
UN Convention on Biological
Diversity 51
Water Companies: Pay 52
Water: Standards 52
FOREIGN AND
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 53
Anoosheh Ashoori 53
Bahrain: Capital Punishment 53
British Nationals Abroad:
Coronavirus 55
British Nationals Abroad: EU
Countries 55
Colombia: Coronavirus 56
Colombia: Politics and
Government 56
Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office:
Departmental Responsibilities 57
India: British Nationals Abroad 58
India: Human Rights 58
Integrated Security, Defence,
Development and Foreign
Policy Review 58
Middle East 59
Middle East: Peace
Negotiations 59
Nepal: Diplomatic Relations 59
Nigeria: Armed Conflict 60
Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade 60
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 61
Cardiovascular System:
Diseases 61
Clinical Trials: Standards 61
Contact Tracing: Hospitality
Industry 62
Coronavirus: Screening 63
Disability: Coronavirus 63
Eating Disorders: Children and
Young People 64
Exercise Cygnus 64
Gender Recognition: West
Midlands 64
Health Professions: Vetting 65
Hospices: Coronavirus 65
Hospitals: Coronavirus 66
Hyperactivity: Mental Health
Services 66
Ipswich Hospital: Surgery 67
LGBT People: Coronavirus 68
Mental Health Services:
Children and Young People 68
Mental Health Services:
Coronavirus 68
Mental Health Services: LGBT
People 69
Mental Health Services: Young
People 69
NHS: Hearing Impaired 70
Protective Clothing: Hearing
Impaired 70
Public Health: Finance 70
Serco 71
Serco: Contact Tracing 71
Social Services: Disability 72
Stem Cells: Transplant
Surgery 72
Surgical Mesh Implants 73
HOME OFFICE 73
Coronavirus: Quarantine 73
Domestic Abuse: Immigrants 73
Factories: Leicester 75
Home Office: Apprentices 76
Home Office: Overseas Aid 76
Immigration 77
Immigration: EEA Nationals 77
Immigration: EU Nationals 78
Immigration: Social Services 78
Law and Order: Protective
Clothing 79
Migrant Workers: Self-
employed 79
Migrant Workers: Shipping 80
Modern Slavery Act 2015
Independent Review 81
Offences against Children:
Coronavirus 81
Prevent Independent Review 82
Proscribed Organisations 83
Public Spaces Protection
Orders 83
Slavery 84
Slavery: Manufacturing
Industries 85
Slavery: Victim Support
Schemes 86
Stalking: Registration 86
Stop and Search: Ethnic
Groups 87
Visas: Coronavirus 88
Visas: Travel Restrictions 88
Visas: Turkey 88
HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENT 89
[Subject Heading to be
Assigned] 89
Affordable Housing:
Construction 91
Council Tax: Coronavirus 92
First Time Buyers:
Government Assistance 92
Firstport and A2dominion 93
Help to Buy Scheme:
Coronavirus 93
Homelessness: LGBT People 94
Housing: Construction 95
Landlords: Licensing 95
Local Government Finance:
Coronavirus 95
Local Government:
Coronavirus 96
Materials Handling Equipment:
Industrial Accidents 97
Planning Permission 98
Private Rented Housing:
Coronavirus 99
Property Development 100
Rough Sleeping: Coronavirus 101
Sleeping Rough 101
Sleeping Rough: Coronavirus 101
Temporary accommodation:
Coronavirus 102
Vulnerable Adults:
Coronavirus 103
INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT 104
Agriculture: Antibiotics 104
British Indian Ocean Territory:
English Language 105
Department for International
Development: Public
Expenditure 105
Department for International
Trade: Annual Reports 105
Department for International
Trade: Public Expenditure 106
Developing Countries:
International Assistance 106
Developing Countries:
Sustainable Development 106
Equality: Females 107
Females: Equality 107
Israel: Palestinians 108
Non-governmental
Organisations: Overseas Aid 108
Overseas Aid 108
Overseas Aid: Cost
Effectiveness 109
UNRWA: Finance 109
Yemen: Humanitarian Aid 110
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 110
Comprehensive and
Progressive Agreement for
Trans-pacific Partnership 110
Department for International
Trade: Apprentices 111
Developing Countries: Dispute
Resolution 111
Foreign Investment in UK:
North East 112
Iron and Steel: Imports 112
Liquefied Natural Gas:
Mozambique 113
Saudi Arabia: Human Rights 114
Trade Agreements 114
Trade Agreements: Dispute
Resolution 115
Trade and Agriculture
Commission: Public
Appointments 115
JUSTICE 116
Court of Protection 116
Courts 116
Courts: Costs 116
Courts: Working Hours 117
Crime: Young People 117
Female Genital Mutilation
Protection Orders 118
ICT 119
Magistrates' Courts: Costs 119
Prison Visitors: Coronavirus 120
Wills: Registration 120
LEADER OF THE HOUSE 121
Coronavirus: Disease Control 121
PRIME MINISTER 146
Care Homes 146
TRANSPORT 147
Aircraft 147
Airports: Coronavirus 147
Aviation: Exhaust Emissions 148
Bus Service Operators Grant:
Hydrogen 148
Buses: Hydrogen 148
Department for Transport:
Apprentices 148
High Speed Two: Directors 149
Jet Skis: Wales 150
Large Goods Vehicles:
Coronavirus 150
Public Transport: Coronavirus 150
Public Transport: Information
Services 151
Railway Stations: Visual
Impairment 152
Railways: Coronavirus 152
Railways: Exhaust Emissions 154
Railways: Season Tickets 154
Railways: Technology 154
Roads: Capital Investment 155
Rolling Stock: Procurement 155
Taxis: Coronavirus 156
Transport: Coronavirus 156
Travel: Coronavirus 157
TREASURY 157
Animal Housing: VAT 157
Blood Cancer: Coronavirus 157
Catering: VAT 158
Charities: Tax Allowances 158
Coronavirus Job Retention
Scheme 158
Coronavirus Job Retention
Scheme: Travel 160
Coronavirus: Protective
Clothing 161
Customs: Contracts 161
Customs: Kent 161
Cycling and Walking 161
Economic Growth: Carbon
Emissions 162
Employment 162
Employment: Coronavirus 163
Food: VAT 163
Fuels: Excise Duties 164
Income Tax 164
Kickstart Scheme 165
Killing Kittens: Finance 165
Local Government Finance:
Coronavirus 166
Offshore Industry: Income 166
Personal Care Services: VAT 166
Retail Trade: Government
Assistance 167
Revenue and Customs:
Cleaning Services 168
Self-employed: Coronavirus 168
Self-employment Income
Support Scheme 168
Soft Drinks: Taxation 169
Treasury: Correspondence 170
WALES 170
Agriculture: Coronavirus 170
Manufacturing Industries:
Coronavirus 171
Mass Media: Employment 171
Tourism: Coronavirus 172
Welsh Water 172
WORK AND PENSIONS 173
Habitual Residence Test 173
Jobcentres: Staff 174
Kickstart Scheme 175
Materials Handling Equipment:
Industrial Accidents 176
Personal Independence
Payment 177
Social Security Benefits:
Medical Assessments 178
Universal Credit 179
Universal Credit: Disability 180
Universal Credit: Terminal
Illnesses 180
WRITTEN STATEMENTS 181
BUSINESS, ENERGY AND
INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 181
Business update 181
Contingencies Fund Advance 181
Unified Patent Court 182
DEFENCE 183
Service Complaints
Ombudsman's Annual Report
2019 183
DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND
SPORT 183
Community Match Challenge 183
EDUCATION 184
School Funding Update 184
FOREIGN AND
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 186
Report on Regulations Made
under Section 32 of the
Sanctions and Anti-Money
Laundering Act 2018 186
The UK’s future relationship
with the EEA EFTA states
(Iceland, Liechtenstein and
Norway) and Switzerland 187
HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENT 188
Building Safety update 188
TRANSPORT 191
Crossrail Annual Update 191
Transport for London
Extraordinary funding and
financing update 194
Transport Update 195
TREASURY 196
Public service pensions,
survivor benefits for opposite–
sex widowers and surviving
male civil partners. 196
Notes:
Questions marked thus [R] indicate that a relevant interest has been declared.
Questions with identification numbers of 900000 or greater indicate that the question was originally tabled as an
oral question and has since been unstarred.
ANSWERS
BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY
Business: Coronavirus
Scott Benton: [73123]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will
provide further business support grants to businesses in (a) Blackpool and (b) the UK that
do not know when they can reopen as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Paul Scully:
The Government has announced an unprecedented package of support for
businesses to help with their ongoing business costs in recognition of the disruption
caused by Covid-19. This package of support includes the Small Business Grant
Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF). In
addition, on 1 May, the Government announced that up to £617 million is being made
available to Local Authorities in England to allow them to provide discretionary grants.
These funds have supported many thousands of small businesses with their ongoing
business costs in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19. As of 13 July,
local authorities have made grant payments to over 872,520 business premises,
totalling £10.7 billion, under the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and the Retail,
Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF). As of 13 July, Blackpool Council have
made payments to 3,860 business premises, totalling £43,835,000, under the SBGF
and the RHLGF.
Officials are keeping in close contact with Local Authorities to understand how the
schemes are rolling out and advising ministers on any additional support which could
be offered to help businesses and support local economies.
Companies: Coronavirus
Stella Creasy: [74551]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to
the Answer of 13 July 2020 to Question 70388 on Companies: Coronavirus, what steps
the Government plans to take to monitor whether companies borrowing through the
Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Scheme are (a) engaged in trading activity in
the UK at the Initial Drawdown Date and (b) using that finance facility to support their
trading activity in the UK.
Paul Scully:
The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Scheme (CLBILS) guidance makes it
clear that the British Business Bank is not responsible for monitoring or verifying the
use of any money advanced by accredited lenders to borrowers.
It is the lenders responsibility to ensure that CLBILS facilities comply with the CLBILS
eligibility criteria, which include (amongst others):
• That the relevant Applicant or Applicant’s Group is or will be engaged in Trading
Activity in the United Kingdom at the Initial Drawdown Date
• That the Proposed Scheme Facility will be used for an Eligible Purpose (which may
include the refinancing of an existing Borrowing Facility used for an Eligible
Purpose) and to support trading in the United Kingdom.
If the facility was not eligible at the offer date then the lender would not be able to
claim against the guarantee. The British Business Bank retains the rights to request
information from accredited lenders in order to verify whether a facility was eligible on
the offer date.
Lenders undergo a review to test a sample of CLBILS facilities to ensure that
processes are being followed in accordance with the agreement.
Construction Talent Retention Scheme
Wes Streeting: [74677]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference
to paragraph 2.47 of the Plan for Jobs, published July 2020, how much funding he has
allocated to the Construction Talent Retention Scheme.
Nadhim Zahawi:
The Construction Talent Retention Scheme will support the redeployment of staff that
are at risk of redundancy across the construction sector, while also enabling
temporary employee loans between businesses. The Scheme will give displaced
workers from other sectors a route to find new employment in construction.
This not-for-profit Scheme will be funded by the Department until the end of the
current financial year, with £1.164 million having been secured. The construction
industry will provide funding to support the Scheme post-March 2021.
Construction: North Wales
Simon Baynes: [71918]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support
he is providing to small builders in North Wales.
Nadhim Zahawi:
Whilst policy relating to construction is a devolved matter, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr
Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a £330 billion support package of
Government-backed and guaranteed loans so as to help businesses to access
finance, including those in Wales.
Measures include the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS),
which enables small and medium-sized enterprises, with a turnover of up to £45
million, to access vital financial support. This is available to businesses in Wales via
high street banks and the Development Bank of Wales. The Chancellor has extended
the CBILS so that all viable businesses affected by COVID-19, and not just those
unable to secure regular commercial financing, will now be eligible should they need
finance to keep operating during this difficult time. In addition, we announced the
Bounce Back Loans Scheme, which provides loans of up to £50,000 to benefit small
businesses with a 100% Government-backed guarantee for lenders.
The Welsh Government has announced a new £500 million Welsh fund which will
support firms of all sizes, including social enterprises.
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Apprentices
Robert Halfon: [74507]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his
Department is taking to reach the public sector apprenticeship target.
Nadhim Zahawi:
The Department gives full regard to the public sector apprenticeship target. The
Department, and each of the Executive Agencies that contributes to the Department’s
target, have apprenticeship plans that focus on their specific capability needs and
skills.
Together, we are promoting apprenticeships as a means of recruiting new and
diverse talent. This includes exploring which roles are suitable for apprentices, and
broadening our reach by advertising apprentice vacancies on the Government’s
‘Recruit an Apprentice’ service. The Department also promotes and encourages
apprenticeships as a route for existing staff to build capability and develop new skills.
The Department, our Executive Agencies, and our wider public sector Partner
Organisations, share our ideas and experience of delivering against the
apprenticeship agenda, to build our apprentice numbers.
The Department offers a wide range of apprenticeships from Level 3 to Level 7. This
week, our Permanent Secretary held a virtual “Meet and Greet” with apprentices,
celebrating the great work that they do for the Department. We also celebrate the
work of our apprentices and promote further use of apprenticeships through an
annual Apprenticeship Awards ceremony.
Digital Markets Taskforce
Chi Onwurah: [72903]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the
membership of the Digital Markets Taskforce is; how often the taskforce meets; and
whether the minutes of those meetings are published.
Paul Scully:
The Digital Markets Taskforce (the taskforce) was set up alongside the Budget in
2020. It will provide advice to the Government on the potential design and
implementation of pro-competitive measures for digital platform markets.
The taskforce is a team based in the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and is
led by a senior CMA official. It is independent of the Government and is made up of
officials from:
• the CMA
• the Office of Communications (Ofcom)
• the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
The work of the taskforce is ongoing and therefore there are no substantive meetings
from which minutes should be published. The taskforce will provide written advice to
the Government before the end of the year.
Economic Situation: Coronavirus
Tracy Brabin: [74705]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his
Department conducts equality impact assessments when making decisions on reopening
sections of the economy as covid-19 restrictions are eased.
Paul Scully:
Our work continues to be led by the science, so we do not put lives at risk.
The Department has considered how decisions on reopening sections of the
economy may affect people who are protected under the Equality Act, in fulfilment of
its duty under the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Our guidance emphasises that employers have a duty under UK law to protect the
health and safety of their employees and other people who might be affected by their
business. This includes considering the risks that COVID-19 represents. Nothing in
this guidance affects employers’ existing responsibilities under employment and
equalities legislation.
Energy: Meters
Olivia Blake: [73999]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
assessment he has made of the effect of Ofgem’s consultation entitled, Review of smart
metering costs in the default tariff cap: May 2020 statutory consultation on the number of
smart meters energy suppliers that can be installed; and how many Engineers would be
required to undertake that work.
Kwasi Kwarteng:
It is Ofgem’s legal duty to determine the methodology for calculating the price cap. In
setting the cap, Ofgem’s duty is, among other things, to have regard to the need to
ensure that suppliers who operate efficiently are able to finance activities authorised
by their supply licence, such as smart meter installations.
Olivia Blake: [74781]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he
is taking to ensure that energy suppliers have adequate funding to support his
Department’s ambition to install a smart meter in every (a) home and (b) small business.
Olivia Blake: [74782]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of any reduction by Ofgem
in the smart metering programme allowances under the default tariff cap on the (a) pace
of the roll-out and (b) number of workers undertaking that work.
Kwasi Kwarteng:
Since 2013, energy suppliers have been required to take all reasonable steps to
install smart meters in homes and small businesses. How they plan for, manage and
fund the activity needed to meet this obligation is a matter for individual energy
suppliers.
It is Ofgem’s legal duty to determine the methodology for calculating the price cap. In
setting the cap Ofgem’s duty is, among other things, to have regard to the need to
ensure that suppliers who operate efficiently are able to finance activities authorised
by their supply licence, such as smart meter installations.
Flexible Working: Coronavirus
Stuart Anderson: [72263]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his
Department is taking to encourage businesses to allow flexible working during the covid-
19 outbreak.
Paul Scully:
Since Covid-19 measures were introduced many more people have been working
from home with many businesses rapidly adapting to remote working, using new
technology and finding new ways of working. The Government is keen to do more to
promote flexible working in all its forms.
All employees with 26 weeks’ continuous service with their employer have the right to
request Flexible Working. In our manifesto we said that, subject to consultation, we
would introduce measures to make flexible working the default.
Fuel Poverty: Kent
Rosie Duffield: [74708]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many
households in (a) Kent and Medway and (b) Canterbury district council area are affected
by fuel poverty.
Kwasi Kwarteng:
The latest sub-national fuel poverty statistics for 2018 show a) 68,000 households in
Kent and Medway estimated as fuel poor, and b) 6,600 households in Canterbury.
These figures are derived from Fuel Poverty Sub-regional tables at
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sub-regional-fuel-poverty-data-2020.
Future Fund
Sarah Champion: [74606]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will
publish the criteria for allocating funding from the Future Fund.
Paul Scully:
The eligibility criteria for the allocating of the Future Fund loans, and indeed all
coronavirus loan schemes is freely available on the British Business Bank website:
https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/coronavirus-business-
interruption-loan-schemes/future-fund/.
Hospitality Industry: Coronavirus
Julian Sturdy: [72892]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
discussions his Department is having with the events and weddings sector on the effect
on that industry of covid-19 lockdown restrictions on gathering size.
Paul Scully:
Ministers and officials from this Department are currently discussing COVID-19
secure guidance, and the effect of the COVID-19 restrictions, with representatives
from the weddings industry.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport continues to engage with
business events stakeholders to monitor the ongoing impact on exhibitions and
events businesses.
Naz Shah: [74643]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he
has made to ensure that (a) banqueting halls and (b) wedding venues can reopen to
serve food and entertainment whilst adhering to covid-19 guidelines; and whether the
Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of allocating additional
funding from the public purse to businesses in those sectors where adherence to those
guidelines is not possible.
Paul Scully:
The Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support to help
businesses across the country during the COVID-19 outbreak, including those in the
weddings industry.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister has announced that from 1 August celebratory
meals or receptions of up to 30 people for weddings and civil partnerships will be
allowed to take place. Over time, we will assess whether gatherings of this type for
other purposes can be made possible and when larger wedding receptions can take
place.
We continue to advise against live entertainment performances at weddings, due to
the risks of people singing or shouting over loud music, which create risks of
transmission.
Housing: Insulation
Duncan Baker: [74753]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether (a)
wood fibre and (b) other sustainable insulation materials are permitted to be used for
home insulation purposes under the terms of the Government's Green Deal scheme.
Kwasi Kwarteng:
Under the Green Deal Framework (Disclosure, Acknowledgment, Redress etc.)
Regulations 2012, installers are required to comply with the Green Deal Code of
Practice. This does not proscribe any materials but requires that products and
systems installed must comply with all legislation relevant to the testing, performance,
certification and quality of the product or system. Installers must be certified by a
UKAS-accredited Certification Body as meeting the Publicly Available Specification
(PAS) 2030 for the measures they install.
Labelling
Dr Julian Lewis: [74415]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he
is taking with Cabinet colleagues to bring forward (a) regulations and (b) legislative
proposals to ensure that products offered for sale (i) online and (ii) in other markets are
adequately labelled with their principal country of origin to enable shoppers to (A) buy
British and (B) avoid purchasing from countries of which they disapprove.
Paul Scully:
Aside from certain specified products (e.g. food), there is no requirement for goods to
be labelled with their country of origin. We have no plans to introduce such a
requirement. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 bans
traders from using misleading statements about the geographical or commercial
origin of products.
Manufacturing Industries: Government Assistance
Lucy Powell: [73840]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on launching the Brunel
challenge to support UK manufacturers in the (a) aerospace sector and (b) other high
value manufacturing sectors.
Nadhim Zahawi:
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave my Hon. Friend the Member for Filton
and Bradley Stoke on 13 July 2020 to Question 71029.
The Government recognises the value of British engineering capability and
innovation. That is why we have already invested nearly £2 billion in the Aerospace
Technology Institute Programme, providing advice on market opportunities and
technology. We have also committed with industry around £1 billion through the
Advanced Propulsion Centre, to research, develop, and commercialise the next
generation of low carbon technologies to keep the UK at the cutting edge of low
carbon automotive innovations. We are also supporting the innovation of digital
design through the £147 million Manufacturing Made Smarter Challenge.
At the last Budget, we set out plans for public investment in research and
development to reach £22 billion each year by 2024/25, which is a record increase in
spending.
As part of the upcoming Spending Review we will consider proposals for this
investment, of which the Brunel Challenge and slingshot is one of many.
Nottingham University: Coronavirus
Chi Onwurah: [72904]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
assessment he has made of the length of time it has taken Nottingham University's
Scancell COVID-19 Vaccine group to receive Government funding in comparison to
similar groups in (a) Oxford and (b) Imperial universities.
Amanda Solloway:
No such assessment has been made on the length of time taken. The government
understands the urgency of the response to COVID-19 and set up a rapid response
R&D fund, to accelerate research proposals into the disease. All applications to the
UKRI-DHSC rapid response call are assessed on their own merits and awards made
so far can be found at:
https://mrc.ukri.org/funding/browse/ukri-nihr-covid-19/ukri-nihr-covid-19-rolling-
call/?_ga=2.186583657.1164498350.1594986614-294529872.1594986614.
The funding calls and processes for Scancell, Oxford and Imperial have different
requirements and are of different scales, therefore the timings required to make a
proper and fair assessment should not be compared.
Nuclear Fusion: Research
Charlotte Nichols: [73124]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support
his Department is providing to research on the use of dense plasma focus technology for
nuclear fusion; and if he will make a statement.
Amanda Solloway:
UK Research and Innovation supports research into fusion across the UK through its
grants, with over £2.5 million going into dense plasma focus related research in the
period 2017-21. The Government is interested in and is supporting research into all
approaches to fusion.
The Government champions and supports the role of the private sector in developing
innovative technologies for clean energy generation, including fusion energy. We
have recently announced £184 million for development of fusion related technology
facilities, managed by the UK Atomic Energy Authority. We encourage private sector
companies working in fusion and related fields to explore potential opportunities for
collaboration with the UK Atomic Energy Authority and how they can benefit from
these national assets.
Package Holidays
Christine Jardine: [73944]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is
taking steps to ensure that online travel operators will meet ABTA's 31 July 2020 deadline
to issue cash refunds to customers for cancelled holidays; and what steps he plans to
take to ensure compliance with the package holiday travel regulations by operators that
do not issue cash refunds.
Paul Scully:
Consumers are entitled to a full refund if a package holiday is cancelled due to
unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, which should be issued within 14
days. The Government is clear that these refunds must be paid when asked for by
the consumer.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has issued guidance to explain to
consumers and business the circumstances when refunds are due as a consequence
of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 outbreak. The CMA has a programme of
work to ensure refunds arising from the Covid-19 outbreak are paid. If the CMA finds
evidence that companies are failing to comply with the law, the CMA will take
appropriate enforcement action, which could include taking a firm to court if it does
not address its concerns. The CMA has also set up a Covid-19 taskforce for
consumers to register complaints, available through: https://www.coronavirus-
business-complaint.service.gov.uk/.
Parental Leave and Parental Pay: Coronavirus
Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [72851]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take
steps to introduce neonatal (a) leave and (b) pay for families affected by covid-19.
Paul Scully:
We recognise that parents of sick and premature babies are in an extremely difficult
and distressing position and that Covid-19 has made it difficult for some parents to
spend time with their children. The social distancing measures that we put in place
have, however, been necessary to save lives – including those of new parents and
their babies – and protect the NHS.
As announced in the Queen’s Speech, we intend to bring forward an Employment Bill
which will include measures to allow parents of children who have spent time in
neonatal care to take additional paid leave (subject to qualifying criteria). We intend
to legislate as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Personal Care Services: Coronavirus
Dan Jarvis: [73836]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans his
Department has to review the date for resuming facial treatments in beauty salons as the
covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Paul Scully:
In my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement on 17 July, close contact
services including treatments to the face are allowed to resume as of 1 August, as
long as they operate in a COVID-secure way.
Tracy Brabin: [74702]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when covid-
19 restrictions will be lifted to allow beauty salons to carry out facial procedures.
Paul Scully:
In my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement on 17 July, close contact
services including treatments to the face are allowed to resume as of 1 August, as
long as they operate in a COVID-secure way.
Personal Care Services: Government Assistance
Tracy Brabin: [74703]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he
has to provide support to the aesthetic industry.
Paul Scully:
Our approach to allowing businesses to resume activity is guided by the scientific and
medical advice, and every step is weighed against the evidence, remembering that
the more we open-up the more vigilant we will need to be. Making any changes
depends on us continuing to meet the five tests, and the fifth test is informed by the
Chief Scientific Adviser and Chief Medical Officer’s opinion.
Where a business such as those in the aesthetic industries provides a mix of
services, only those services that do not involve work in the highest risk zone –
around the face – should be made available to clients. There is a much higher risk of
transmission of the virus face-to-face and in very close proximity, such as facial
treatments and make up services.
The Government has introduced an unprecedented package of support for
businesses which are facing difficulty as a result of the pandemic, including loan
schemes, grant funding and wage packages. Businesses from most sectors including
the aesthetic industry are able to access this support, provided they meet the
eligibility criteria for the schemes for which they are applying.
Small Businesses: EU Grants and Loans
Kevin Hollinrake: [74670]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he
plans to bring forward changes to the Undertaking in Difficulty rules.
Paul Scully:
Although the UK has left the EU, under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement the
EU State aid rules continue to apply in the UK until the end of the Transition Period.
The rules are an exclusive competence of the European Commission and it is not
within the power of the United Kingdom or any EU Member State to unilaterally vary
or suspend them.
The Government has announced that following the end of the Transition Period, a
new domestic subsidy control regime will replace the EU State aid rules. The
treatment of firms in difficulty will be considered as part of the work to develop the
new regime, which will also take into account, amongst other factors, the
arrangements agreed under the Northern Ireland Protocol. Announcements on the
new regime will be made in due course.
Social Rented Housing: Canterbury
Rosie Duffield: [74710]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many
social housing properties in Canterbury district council area have an EPC energy
efficiency rating of (a) F and (b) G.
Kwasi Kwarteng:
Estimates for the total number of homes by tenure and EPC energy efficiency rating
for England are made using the English Housing Survey. Due to small sample sizes,
these estimates cannot be made for local authorities.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2018-energy-report
Social Rented Housing: Energy
Wes Streeting: [73915]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference
to paragraph 2.54 of the July 2020 Plan for Jobs CP 261, what estimate he has made of
the number of homes that will benefit from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.
Kwasi Kwarteng:
The Summer Economic Update announced £50m to demonstrate innovative
approaches to retrofitting social housing at scale, accelerating the delivery of the
Social Housing Decarbonisation. This will mean warmer and more energy efficient
homes and could reduce annual energy bills by hundreds of pounds for some of the
poorest households, as well as lowering carbon emissions. The Programme will be
UK wide and will upgrade thousands of poor energy performing social homes, with
high levels of energy efficiency (e.g. floor / wall insulation) and low carbon heating
(where appropriate).
Tide: Bounce Back Loan Scheme
Margaret Ferrier: [74631]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
discussions he has had with Tide on its decision to suspend lending under the Bounce
Back Loan scheme.
Paul Scully:
The British Business Bank is in regular discussions with Tide and all parties are
working to resolve the current situation.
Vaccination: Research
Chi Onwurah: [72905]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to
the Answer of 22 June 2020 to Question 59764 on Vaccination: Research, what progress
the Vaccine Taskforce has made in accelerating vaccine development outside of Oxford
and London.
Amanda Solloway:
The Government is taking a portfolio-based approach that monitors the landscape of
coronavirus vaccine development, both here in the UK and internationally. Our
approach is to develop vaccine candidates across the main potential technologies,
including adenoviral vaccines, mRNA and nucleic acid vaccines, adjuvanted protein
vaccines and other approaches, including whole inactivated viral vaccines. We
cannot comment on negotiations with industry at present because of commercial
confidentiality, but will be announcing developments in due course.
CABINET OFFICE
Agriculture: North Wales
Simon Baynes: [71178]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure
business readiness in the agricultural sector in northern Wales at the end of the transition
period.
Penny Mordaunt:
The Government is working to support agricultural businesses right across the
country in getting ready for the end of the UK transition period. Further details of our
actions and the steps which businesses in northern Wales and across the UK need to
take can be found on gov.uk/transition.
Animal Housing: Cats and Dogs
Sir Mike Penning: [72182]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to include kennels and
catteries in the Standard Industrial Classification codes within the Accommodation and
Food Service Activities sector.
Chloe Smith:
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have
therefore asked the Authority to respond.
Attachments:
1. UKSA response [PQ72182 (1).pdf]
Cabinet Office: Cybercrime and Digital Technology
Chi Onwurah: [72908]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much funding his Department has
allocated to (a) digital skills and (b) cyber skills; and to whom that funding has been
allocated.
Penny Mordaunt:
Government Digital Service (GDS) leads the Government’s Digital, Data and
Technology (DDaT) function. The GDS Academy provides training.
Regarding cyber skills, I refer the Hon. member to the answer given to PQs 53531
and 52225 on 09 June 2020. Details of funding are published in the Cabinet Office
annual reports.
Economic Situation: United Kingdom
Paul Girvan: [73050]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will meet the hon. Member for South
Antrim and investors to discuss (a) strengthening the Union and (b) working together to
ensure that the economy recovers in all four nations of the UK.
Chloe Smith:
As set out in our Manifesto, this Government is fully committed to strengthening the
bonds between our four great nations. This includes providing unprecedented
economic support, £160 billion to protect people’s jobs, incomes and businesses
across every part of the UK, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ministers are always willing to meet with fellow Members to discuss how we can work
in the most effective way possible, to realise fully all the associated benefits of being
a United Kingdom. Our officials will be in touch with your office to arrange details.
UK Relations with EU: Clinical Trails and Drugs
Paul Blomfield: [69524]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK-
EU future relationship enables UK participation in EU-funded multinational (a) clinical
trials and (b) research collaborations on (i) covid-19 treatments and (ii) other medicines
after the end of the transition period.
Paul Blomfield: [69525]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK-
EU future relationship does not introduce delays to the movement of goods and people in
relation to the (a) supply of medicines and (b) maintenance of vital machinery and
equipment in the event of a future pandemic after the end of the transition period.
Paul Blomfield: [69526]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK
maintains access the EU’s RescEU stockpile of (a) ventilators (b) protective masks and
(c) other related equipment after the end of the transition period.
Penny Mordaunt:
The Government is committed to ensuring the UK remains a global leader in life
sciences and continues to collaborate with European and other countries on scientific
research. At the end of the UK transition period, clinical trials will continue to be
approved at a national level, working to international standards as they are now. The
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) along with partners
in the UK healthcare system, has taken steps to ensure that all trials, including
multinational trials, can continue. The UK is collaborating extensively with
international partners in the research effort against COVID-19 and we will continue to
do so after the end of the UK transition period.
The UK’s approach to the future relationship negotiations sets out our ambition to
reach an agreement that would facilitate trade in medicinal products. However, any
responsible Government has a duty to prepare for all scenarios and have robust
contingency plans in place. We continue to hold stockpiles to cope with a range of
scenarios.
We are doing everything we can to ensure our health and social care staff have the
equipment they need to tackle Covid-19 virus. Sourcing sufficient PPE is an
international challenge and we are working with many international partners,
including the EU. In terms of ventilators, as a result of the Ventilator Challenge the
NHS has significantly increased supply.
UK Trade with EU: Northern Ireland
Louise Haigh: [74667]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the document entitled, The
UK's Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol, CP226, what estimate he has made of
the potential cost to the public purse of the reimbursement of tariffs for goods imported
into Northern Ireland that remain in the UK customs territory.
Penny Mordaunt:
Zero cost to the public purse.
Waheed Saleem
Gary Sambrook: [48637]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the
suitability of Waheed Saleem for the post of deputy Police and Crime Commissioner; and
whether Waheed Saleem is a member of the Community and Voluntary Service Honours
Committee.
Chloe Smith:
The appointment of deputy Police and Crime Commissioners is a matter for
democratically elected Police and Crime Commissioners. All public office holders are
subject to the Nolan Principles of Public Office.
Details of the Honours Committee are available on GOV.UK.
DEFENCE
Armed Forces: Civil Proceedings
Jamie Stone: [73939]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) personal injury claims and (b)
claims under the Human Rights Act 1998 were brought against his Department in each of
the last five years; what proportion of those claims related to overseas operations; and
how many of those claims were brought (i) less than three years, (ii) between three or six
years or (iii) six or more years after the date of loss.
Johnny Mercer:
The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate
cost. To locate, retrieve and extract the information requested would involve wide-
ranging searches of a number of databases and liaison with the Government Legal
Department.
Ministry of Defence: Apprentices
Robert Halfon: [74509]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to reach
the public sector apprenticeship target.
Johnny Mercer:
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is proud to be one of the largest deliverers of
apprenticeships in the UK, with over 20,000 personnel engaged on a nationally
recognised apprenticeship programme at any one time and over 90 per cent of our
non-commissioned military recruits offered an apprenticeship relating to their trade.
Public sector bodies with 250 or more staff have a target to employ an average of at
least 2.3 % of their staff as new apprentice starts over the period 1 April 2017 to 31
March 2021. The Armed Forces are exceeding this target with an average of 8.3% of
employees starting an apprenticeship in 2017-2019.
The MOD's Civil Service (CS) is contributing towards the CS public sector target. The
MOD CS has achieved a total of 2.1% of its total workforce as apprentices against
the legislative target for the public sector of 2.3% by March 2021, to date. This has
increased from 1.6% in 2019/20. We committed to enrolling 50,000 apprenticeships
between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2020 and we exceeded that target in November
2018, over a year ahead of schedule.
DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Broadband: Costs
Chi Onwurah: [69557]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the
Government is taking to support people who have been told by BT OpenReach that the
costs for broadband for their properties under the Universal Service Obligation will be
£10,00 or more.
Matt Warman:
As the independent regulator, Ofcom is responsible for ensuring that both of the
designated Universal Service Providers, BT and KCOM, comply with the conditions
that the regulator has placed upon them. Ofcom expects that quotes should explain
the nature of the costs involved and include a clear explanation of the work required
to deliver the specific connection. Ofcom has previously estimated that the
combination of commercially available services and the USO will reach 99.8% of
premises in the UK.
If a customer believes that the cost of installing their broadband connection has been
calculated incorrectly they can refer their complaint to the Ombudsman Service, free
of charge.
The government is committed to delivering gigabit capable connectivity across the
UK as soon as possible. As part of the 2020 Budget, the government committed to
invest a further £5 billion to help support the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband in
the hardest to reach parts of the country, including to premises without a broadband
service that meets the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) specification.
PCT Checked PS Checked Spad Checked Ministerial Approval The government is
working to have the new £5bn delivery programme up and running as soon as
possible, and intends to start procuring the first contracts next year. We will publish
more information in due course.
In the meantime, households with poor broadband connections in rural areas may be
able to benefit from the government’s existing Gigabit Voucher Scheme, which
provides vouchers worth £1,500 per home and up to £3,500 for each small to
medium-sized business (SME) to support the cost of installing faster and more
reliable gigabit connections. Communities can also combine vouchers to further
reduce the costs of installation.
Dance: Coronavirus
Scott Benton: [71169]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent
discussions he has had with representatives from dance industry organisations to enable
(a) competitive dancing and (b) commercial dance lessons to restart in (i) Blackpool and
(ii) the rest of the UK.
Caroline Dinenage:
The Secretary of State and DCMS are committed to supporting the cultural sector to
reopen as soon as it is safe to do so, and ensure appropriate support and guidance is
provided.
To that end, DCMS has established the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and the
Entertainment and Events working group which will be focusing on ensuring that
COVID-19 secure guidelines are developed in line with the phasing ambitions and
public health directions, building on the existing guidance and providing intelligence
and sector-specific expert input.
These groups specifically include representatives for the dance sector, such as One
Dance UK. Full details of the Taskforce can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/culture-secretary-announces-cultural-renewal-
taskforce, and the Entertainment and Events Working Group can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/cultural-renewal-taskforce-and-supporting-
working-groups#entertainment-and-events-members.
Furthermore, on 2 July, the Secretary of State met with Shirley Ballas to discuss the
specific challenges faced by those within the ballroom dance sector with respect to
safe reopening.
As the Prime Minister confirmed in his announcement on 23 June, providers who run
community activities, holiday clubs, after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school
provision for children – such as commercial dance lessons for children – can operate
over the summer holiday, with safety measures in place. Providers of these settings
have been able to open since 4 July, provided that they follow the protective
measures set out by government.
Protective measures guidance can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-
school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-
covid-19-outbreak
Providers who offer indoor sports activities (including dance lessons) for children
should also refer to the guidance for Keeping workers / volunteers and customers
safe during COVID-19 for providers of grassroots sports and gym / leisure facilities.
As announced on the 9 July, indoor gyms, sports courts and fitness and dance
studios will be able to open from 25 July and cannot be used for holiday clubs and
activities for children until that point.
Dame Diana Johnson: [71698]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his
Department has made of the different roles and facilities of (a) dance studios and (b)
dance schools accredited by OFQAL in guidance issued on the covid-19 outbreak.
Caroline Dinenage:
Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and
children to be active. As announced on 9 July, from 11 July, outdoor swimming pools
will be able to open and from 25 July indoor gyms, dance studios, leisure centres
(including sports halls) and swimming pools in England should be able to reopen.
These facilities will be able to offer on-site services to customers, provided they are
COVID-secure and follow Government guidance.
The updated guidance can be found at the GOV.UK website and includes advice for
providers of pool, gym and leisure facilities on cleaning, social distancing, and
protection for staff to help venues get back up and running safely.
Data Protection
Ian Murray: [73791]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to
publish the National Data Strategy for the UK in 2020.
Mr John Whittingdale:
This government is committed to delivering an ambitious, pro-growth National Data
Strategy. In the global recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, data will be more vital than
ever, underpinning our future resilience and future economy. We aim to publish the
strategy in 2020.
Huawei: Equipment
Stephen Kinnock: [73856]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is
taking to update the House on the purchase of Huawei equipment between July 2020 and
the implementation of the ban on buying new Huawei equipment in January 2021.
Matt Warman:
The Secretary of State set out in his statement to the House on ‘UK
Telecommunications’ on 14 July that the Government will bring forward the Telecoms
Security Bill in the Autumn. During the passage of the Bill, the Government will
update Parliament on progress made with respect to telecoms security and high risk
vendors.
The Secretary of State also confirmed that he would report regularly to Parliament to
update Members on the progress of the measures outlined in his statement. This
includes monthly appearances in the House for DCMS questions.
ICT: Huawei
Chi Onwurah: [74572]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the
Government has made an assessment of the potential risks to national security of use of
Huawei’s (a) smart phone, (b) tablet and (c) other consumer devices operations in the
UK.
Matt Warman:
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) conducts world-leading security analysis
into the risks and threats faced by the UK telecoms sector, including consumer
devices.
In light of US sanctions against Huawei, the NCSC published explanatory guidance
regarding their advice to the government on the ongoing security of Huawei’s
telecoms equipment: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/huawei-advice-what-you-
need-to-know.
This included information for Huawei customers detailing the potential impacts on
customers in the UK.
The NCSC’s security analysis is subject to constant review as the risks and threats
change.
Internet: Education
Robert Halfon: [71732]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he
has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Education and (b) representatives from
telecommunication companies on whitelisting educational websites for children from
lower income households.
Robert Halfon: [71733]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he
has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Education and (b) telecommunication
companies on improving digital access to online education resources, such as the Oak
Academy, for children from low income households.
Robert Halfon: [71734]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he
has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Education and (b) telecommunication
companies on reducing the cost of mobile data for families and children accessing online
education resources, such as the Oak Academy.
Matt Warman:
It is essential that all children, regardless of their family circumstances, have the
opportunity to continue to access high quality education throughout the COVID19
pandemic. Let me reassure you that the Government recognises the importance of
both ensuring broadband connectivity and supporting children’s access to online
learning during this time. My Department is working closely with the Department for
Education to ensure vulnerable children have access to online educational resources.
Furthermore my Department has previously agreed measures with telecoms
providers to support vulnerable consumers more generally. These measures will also
indirectly benefit children’s education. For example, as part of the voluntary
commitments, the major telecoms providers committed to remove all data allowance
caps on all current fixed broadband services.
The Department for Education has worked with major telecoms companies to zero
rate (otherwise known as whitelisting) the Hungry Little Minds and EdenRed school
meal voucher website. Zero-rating is a helpful way to provide families with support to
access critical resources where the majority of content is held on one website. Most
educational resources including Oak Academy, however, use content that is hosted
elsewhere (such as on Youtube or Vimeo) meaning that they will still incur data
charges.
The Department for Education is therefore working with the major
telecommunications companies to improve internet connectivity for disadvantaged
and vulnerable families more widely than selected websites. For families who rely on
a mobile internet connection, mobile network operators are working to provide access
to free additional data offering them more flexibility to access the resources that they
need the most. The Department for Education has also delivered or dispatched over
200,000 laptops and tablets and over 47,000 4G wireless routers to local authorities
and academy trusts who are best placed to prioritise children and young people who
need devices.
The Department for Education has also launched a service to provide children and
young people free access to BT wifi hotspots. 10,000 families will initially be able to
access the scheme. This offer is currently being piloted and will be rolled out across
England in the coming months. The Department for Education is currently working
with BT to expand this offer to allow more children to access the internet through their
network of BT wifi hotspots.
Internet: Pornography
Fiona Bruce: [74496]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the
Government has made of the effect on child safety in respect of exposure to
pornographic websites of its decision to delay the introduction of statutory age verification
for such websites by bringing forward further legislation rather than implementing Part 3
of the Digital Economy Act 2017.
Fiona Bruce: [74497]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the
Government made of the (a) potential number of additional viewing incidences by
children in of online pornography and (b) effect on child wellbeing of such viewing in its
decision to delay the requirement for statutory age verification checks by bringing forward
new legislative proposals rather than implementing Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act
2017.
Fiona Bruce: [74498]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the
Government make of the child safety implications of delaying the provision of statutory
age verification by bringing forward new legislative proposals rather than implementing
Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017.
Fiona Bruce: [74499]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his
Department has made of the length of time it will take to introduce age verification for
pornographic websites through an alternative option instead of implementing Part 3 of the
Digital Economy Act 2017.
Fiona Bruce: [74500]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he
had with children's charities ahead of the decision to delay the introduction of statutory
age verification for pornographic websites by bringing forward new legislative proposals
rather than implementing Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017.
Caroline Dinenage:
The government is committed to ensuring children are protected from accessing
inappropriate content online. As we announced on 16 October last year, the
government has decided that the policy objective of protecting children online from
age inappropriate content can be best delivered through our wider online harms
proposals. Our Online Harms proposals will deliver a higher level of protection for
children and we expect companies to use a proportionate range of tools, including
age assurance and age verification technologies, to prevent children accessing age-
inappropriate content such as online pornography. This approach will achieve a more
consistent and comprehensive approach to harmful content across different sites and
go further than the Digital Economy Act’s focus on online pornography on commercial
adult sites.
We will publish a Full Government Response to the Online Harms White Paper
consultation later this year. We will follow the full Government Response with
legislation, which we are working on at pace, and will be introduced when
parliamentary time allows.
The British Board of Film Classification, while designated as the age verification
regulator under the Digital Economy Act, commissioned research on children’s
access to pornographic content online. The research, published in early 2020,
explored young people’s interactions with, and attitudes towards, online pornography
and age verification. We will continue to develop our evidence base on online harms
ahead of the implementation of the new online harms regulatory framework.
As a result of Covid-19 lockdown measures we expect more people, including
children, to be spending more time online. Although it is too early to confidently
analyse patterns from this period, there is universal concern about child online safety.
We are working closely with technology companies, law enforcement and civil society
to monitor trends, and to support users to understand and manage the risks and
benefits of being online during this period.
Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with a wide range of
stakeholders, including children’s charities, on a variety of issues. We engaged with a
number of children’s charities on our proposals to protect children through the new
online harms regulatory framework, as part of our wider public consultation on the
Online Harms White Paper last year. Details of Ministerial meetings are published
quarterly on the Gov.uk website.
Leisure and Tourism: Bus Services
Grahame Morris: [71730]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will have
discussions with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) Secretary of State for
Transport on the importance of coach operators in supporting the UK leisure and tourism
sector.
Nigel Huddleston:
Coach tour operators play a vital role in the UK tourism sector, connecting
holidaymakers with our country’s vibrant seaside resorts and areas of natural beauty.
We recognise that these remain extremely difficult conditions for tourism businesses,
and we are alert to the specific pressures that coach tour operators face.
My officials and I regularly speak with the Association of British Travel Agents
through the Visitor Economy Working Group, as well as the Coach Tourism
Association through the Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group.
I will continue to engage with my colleagues in the Treasury and the Department for
Transport on the importance of all aspects of the tourism sector, including coach
operators.
Music: Coronavirus
Alberto Costa: [66903]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support his
Department will provide to independent music venues during the covid-19 outbreak.
Caroline Dinenage:
On Sunday 5 July 2020, the Secretary of State announced a major £1.57 billion
support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus
pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range
of cultural and creative sectors.
We continue to speak with HM Treasury colleagues to ensure that the full spectrum
of government support reaches the UK's world-leading music industry. Our recovery
work for this sector is being delivered via the ministerially-chaired Events and
Entertainment Working Group, which was established to support the Secretary of
State’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce. The Music Venue Trust is an active and valued
member of the Working Group, the focus of which is to produce sector-led guidance
for the safe reopening of a range of creative industries sectors, including live music
venues.
Outdoor Recreation: Coronavirus
Tim Loughton: [74416]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions
officials in his Department have had with organisers of commercial metal-detecting rallies
in relation to (a) public safety and (b) protection of archaeology as the covid-19 lockdown
restrictions are eased.
Tim Loughton: [74417]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance his
Department has issued to organisers of commercial metal-detecting rallies in relation to
the protection of in-situ archaeology as social distancing rules are relaxed as the covid-19
lockdown restrictions are eased.
Tim Loughton: [74418]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what in-situ (a) hoards
and (b) other archaeological finds found on metal-detecting rallies and club events have
been excavated without archaeological support in 2020; what assessment his
Department has made of the level of loss to knowledge of those excavations.
Tim Loughton: [74419]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what requirements are
placed on organisers of commercial rallies to (a) report Treasure, (b) follow best practice,
(c) ensure that in-situ archaeology is protected and (d) ensure that archaeological finds
made on their events are lawfully exported.
Caroline Dinenage:
Guidance for both individual metal detectorists and organisers of events operating
during the covid-19 lockdown was published on the gov.uk page Guidance on
searching for archaeological finds in England during COVID-19 on 9 July 2020. The
guidance points organisers to directions on operating inside and outside events and
also advises organisers and finders what to do if they discover a new archaeological
site. The page also directs finders and organisers to the National Council for Metal
Detecting guidance on best practice when detecting.
Rallies and club events are legally permitted and take place on private property with
the landowner’s consent, The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport does
not currently monitor or record activities at these events.
Responsibility for reporting possible treasure finds and arranging for an export licence
lies with the finder and owner of the cultural object. Guidance on reporting treasure
and applying for an export licence during the present situation is included on the
gov.uk pages Guidance on searching for archaeological finds in England during
COVID-19 and Export art, antiques and cultural goods: special rules. Anyone not
reporting a potential treasure find or not obtaining an export licence where necessary
can be subject to legal sanctions.
Telecommunications: Russia
Chi Onwurah: [73828]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment has
he made of the level of threat posed by Russia to the integrity and security of the UK's
communications networks.
Matt Warman:
The government’s approach to securing the UK’s telecommunications networks is
underpinned by world-leading security analysis from the National Cyber Security
Centre (NCSC). This analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the risks
and threats faced by the UK telecoms sector, and is informed by, inter alia, details of
previous attacks on the UK telecoms networks, and the NCSC’s knowledge of global
attacks on telecoms systems, regardless of the attacker. The NCSC’s security
analysis is subject to constant review as the risks and threats change, and their
advice to the government is updated accordingly.
The Telecoms Security Bill will ensure we have the powers we need to drive up
security standards and control the presence of High Risk Vendors. The new security
framework will be one of the strongest regimes for telecoms security in the world,
which will look to address the vulnerabilities exploited by cyber attackers, including
those from Russia.
EDUCATION
After School Clubs: Coronavirus
Tulip Siddiq: [73922]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak,
whether out-of-school clubs not based on school premises will be permitted to (a) operate
and (b) look after children from different schools from September 2020.
Nick Gibb:
As of 4 July, those offering out-of-school activities to children, including those not
based on school premises, have been able to open for both indoor and outdoor
provision with safety measures in place. The Department has published guidance for
providers of these activities on the measures they should put in place to ensure they
are operating as safely as possible, which can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-
protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-
implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings.
Out-of-school provision will continue to be permitted to operate during the autumn,
and we will provide further guidance on the protective measures they should put in
place in the autumn as soon as possible.
Department for Education: Energy
Sir Edward Davey: [59350]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much energy his departmental buildings
have used in (a) each of the last five years and (b) 2020 to date.
Nick Gibb:
The information on energy used by the Department for Education for the years 2015-
16 to 2018-19 is available in the attached table. Information for 2019-20 is not
available.
Attachments:
1. 59350_PDF [59350_table.pdf]
Disability and Special Educational Needs: Young People
Munira Wilson: [73973]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Children’s Services
Development Group’s report entitled Destination Unknown: Improving transitions for care
leavers and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, published
February 2020, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the
recommendations of that report on supporting vulnerable young people to successfully
move into adulthood.
Munira Wilson: [73974]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the
adequacy of the support available to young people with special educational needs and
disabilities to ensure they make a successful transition into adulthood; and whether he
will include an assessment of that support in his Department's review of support for
children with special educational needs.
Vicky Ford:
It is a priority for the department to improve the outcomes of care leavers and young
people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The SEND Code of
Practice explicitly states that all children and young people with SEND should be
prepared for adulthood and that this preparation should start early. For those with an
education, health and care plan, there must be a focus from year 9 onwards on this
preparation as part of their plan’s annual review. Planning for the transition to
adulthood should result in clear outcomes being agreed that are ambitious and
stretching.
The SEND Review is considering how the support system operates to prepare
children and young people for adulthood, including employment.
Since launching the cross-government Care Leaver Strategy, we have implemented
a wide range of measures to improve care leavers’ outcomes, including ones which
address the concerns highlighted by the Children’s Services Development Group’s
report.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has established a
ministerial board, co-chaired by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster. The board met for the first time on 13 July and brought together ministers
from across the government to consider what more their departments can do to
support care leavers. The next meeting of the board will be in the early autumn.
Disabled Students' Allowances: Wirral
Ms Angela Eagle: [73718]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students are in receipt of assistive
(a) hardware and (b) software technology through the Disabled Students' Allowance in (i)
Wirral and (ii) Wallasey.
Michelle Donelan:
The Student Loans Company does not distinguish between hardware and software
within Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA). These would both be grouped under the
DSA equipment allowance. Therefore, it is not possible to separately identify the
number of students who are in receipt of assistive hardware and assistive software
technology through the DSA.
The number of students who were in receipt of assistive technology through the DSA
equipment allowance in the 2018-19 academic year are:
i. 92 students whose home address is registered as Wirral; and
ii. 35 students whose home address is registered as Wallasey.
Figures are not yet available for the 2019-20 academic year.
Erasmus+ Programme
Emma Hardy: [73947]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answers of 12 June 2020 to
Questions 56134 and 56135 on Erasmus+ programme, what progress her Department
has made on the development of a domestic alternative to Erasmus+.
Emma Hardy: [73948]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answers of 12 June 2020 to
Questions 56134 and 56135 on the Erasmus+ Programme, what steps he has taken to
consult on the development of a domestic alternative to Erasmus+ scheme; and with
whom he has held those consultations with.
Vicky Ford:
In the event that the UK does not participate in the next Erasmus+ programme (2021-
27), departmental officials have been preparing a UK-wide domestic alternative
scheme should we need to have a contingency measure. As this scheme is still being
developed and negotiations with the EU on UK participation in the Erasmus+
programme are ongoing, it is too early to set out the exact details of the scheme.
However, I have discussed the development of the domestic alternative with my
ministerial counterparts in the devolved administrations and hosted a roundtable in
March with a range of higher education and further education stakeholders including
representative and mission groups and Vice-Chancellors.
Departmental officials have also been engaging with officials in the devolved
administrations as well as sector bodies and institutions through a series of
roundtables and interviews so far, speaking to representatives from across the
education sector in all 4 nations to understand their views and ensure that this
scheme can deliver a world-leading exchange programme.
Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes
Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [74468]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of
the amount of profit made by Edenred through its delivery of the free school meals
voucher scheme since the start of that scheme.
Vicky Ford:
The department made an award of a contract to Edenred pursuant to Regulation
32(2)(c) Public Contracts Regulations 2015 to provide extremely urgent deliverables
as part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The contract was let as a direct
award using the terms of an existing Crown Commercial Service framework. The
department do not comment on the commercial arrangements of third parties but can
confirm that we are only paying for the face value of goods delivered, which in this
case is vouchers.
GCE A-Level: Ethnic Groups
Helen Hayes: [74685]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made
of the difference between (a) predicted and (b) achieved A-level grades by ethnicity in
each year since 2015.
Helen Hayes: [74686]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made
of the adequacy of published data collection on achieved grades against predicted
grades for (a) GCSEs and (b) A-Levels by demographic group; and what steps his
Department is taking to improve such data collection increase transparency to combat
unconscious bias.
Helen Hayes: [74687]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions his Department has had
with UCAS on the publication of historic data tables of achieved grades against predicted
grades by demographic group.
Helen Hayes: [74688]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions his Department has
had with UCAS on the (a) role of unconscious bias in predicted A-Level grades and (b)
potential effect of unconscious bias in those grades on trends in admissions statistics in
relation to (i) socio-economic background, (ii) race, (iii) gender and (iv) disability.
Michelle Donelan:
The data that has been collected by UCAS on the relationship between predicted and
achieved grades relates only to those who apply to higher education using UCAS.
There is no published data on predictions for GCSEs.
UCAS published a report on the factors that are associated with the differences in
predicted and achieved A level attainment in 2016 examining the predictions and
results for 600,000 English 18 year old applicants between 2010 and 2015 with three
or more A levels.
The report is available here: www.ucas.com/file/71796/download?token=D4uuSzur.
Black applicants were proportionally 19% more likely to be overpredicted compared
with White applicants. Disadvantaged applicants (measured using POLAR) were 5%
more likely to be overpredicted compared with the most advantaged applicants.
We have not had discussions with UCAS about historic data tables of achieved
grades against predicted grades by demographic group. UCAS have published data
on the differences in predicted and achieved A level points for 18 year old UK
applicants with at least three predicted A level grades. The data is available from
2010 and by gender, domicile, disadvantage and ethnicity.
In the 2019 application cycle, of UK 18 year old applicants with at least three
predicted A levels who were accepted onto a place, 79% of predicted grades were
overpredicted and 8% underpredicted.
The data is available here: www.ucas.com/data-and-analysis/undergraduate-
statistics-and-reports/ucas-undergraduate-sector-level-end-cycle-data-resources-
2019
We have had no recent discussions with UCAS about the potential role of
unconscious bias in predicted A level grades, as this would not be a matter they
could control. We have had extensive discussions with Ofqual about this matter and
Ofqual publications set out how it has been taken into account in the development of
the calculated grades being awarded this summer.
GCSE
Stephen Morgan: [74718]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has he made of the effect
on the mental well-being of home-schooled children of those children being unable to
receive predicted grades for GCSE’s.
Vicky Ford:
We appreciate that many private candidates will be concerned about their GCSE
results. We know that the COVID-19 outbreak is likely to affect the mental health and
wellbeing of children and young people, including in the longer term.
We have been working with health partners such as Public Health England and
Health Education England to provide resources and guidance to support and promote
the mental health of children and young people during the COVID-19 outbreak. We
have signposted resources on supporting and promoting mental wellbeing in the list
of resources to help children who are learning at home. The government has also
provided additional funding to mental health charities to adapt, expand and reach out
to those children who are most vulnerable. The list of resources is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-
resources#mental-wellbeing.
The Ofqual guidance for teachers, students, parents and carers explains the options
available for private candidates to be awarded grades this year. Ofqual has asked
organisations that represent further education providers to consider steps that they
could take when making admissions decisions this summer for any private
candidates who do not receive a grade. We understand that institutions will consider
a range of other evidence and information for these students to allow them to
progress wherever possible. The Ofqual guidance is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2020.
There will be an opportunity for students to sit exams in the autumn term, if they feel
their calculated grade does not reflect their ability.
Higher Education: Coronavirus
Dave Doogan: [74728]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to
support the higher education sector in England during the covid-19 outbreak; and what
consequential effect that support has on the Scottish higher education sector.
Michelle Donelan:
On 4 May 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education,
announced a package of measures to protect students and higher education
providers in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. This package was designed to
stabilise university finances, including tuition fee income resulting from admissions,
and to support our world-class higher education system to continue to deliver for all
students and the wider economy. Details of the package can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-support-package-for-universities-
and-students.
Furthermore, building on the stabilisation package and access to business support
schemes, the government has also announced a further package of support to
research within universities, including universities across Scotland. This includes
£280 million of government funding as well as a package of low-interest loans with
long pay-back periods, supplemented by a small amount of government grants. In
sharing responsibility for the future of science and research with our world-leading
university system, the government will cover up to 80% of a university’s income
losses from international students for the academic year 2020/21, up to the value of
their non-publicly funded research activity.
On 16 July, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced the
higher education restructuring regime, of which details can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-restructuring-regime.
This will be deployed as a last resort, if a decision has been made to support a
provider in England facing severe financial difficulties related to the COVID-19
outbreak, when other steps to preserve a provider’s viability and mitigate the risks of
provider failure have not proved sufficient.
The UK government has invited ministers in the the Scottish government, the Welsh
government and the Northern Ireland Executive to opt into the regime on behalf of
higher education providers in their respective territories. Throughout the development
of the higher education stabilisation package, we have shared our approach and
thinking with the devolved administrations through regular engagement at a
ministerial and official level.
There are several elements to the higher education stabilisation package which are
applicable in Scotland, including temporary student number controls which apply to
English-domiciled students studying at higher education providers in all devolved
administrations; Clearing Plus, which applies to all UK higher education providers
using UCAS; the International Education Strategy, including communications to
prospective international students; and the Ministerial Taskforce on university
research sustainability, which includes representation from the Scottish government.
This is in addition to the UK-wide government support schemes such as the
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CIBLS) and the Coronavirus Job
Retention Scheme (CJRS).
Education in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter, so England, Wales, Scotland,
and Northern Ireland each have their own education system. The UK government is
responsible for England, whilst the Scottish government, the Welsh government and
the Northern Ireland Executive are responsible for Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland, respectively.
Members: Correspondence
Mr John Baron: [72169]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to respond to the
correspondence of 2 April, 1 May, 28 May and 25 June 2020 from the hon. Member for
Basildon and Billericay on Sunnymede Pre-school.
Nick Gibb:
A response has been sent to the letters dated 2 April, 1 May, 28 May and 25 June
2020, from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay. A response was sent via
email to the hon. Member on 16 July 2020.
Parents: Advisory Services
Layla Moran: [74720]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department taken to ensure
greater accessibility to support and guidance for parents with children under five years
old.
Vicky Ford:
It is vitally important that we do all we can to help parents to support their children’s
learning at home during the COVID-19 outbreak.
We know that the Home Learning Environment is crucial for child development. There
are a wealth of resources available for parents which can be accessed through the
government’s Hungry Little Minds website which can be found at:
https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/.
We are working with our partners to ensure that we give parents the best support we
can to help their children’s learning at home. We have also published guidance for
parents about how to support their child’s development at home during the COVID-19
outbreak which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-children-aged-2-
to-4-to-learn-at-home-during-coronavirus-covid-19.
Guidance for parents and carers on the opening of early years settings is available
here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-
know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-
covid-19-outbreak.
Schools: Coronavirus
Fleur Anderson: [73983]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2020 to
Question 70510 on Schools: Coronavirus, if he will make emergency funding available to
schools that have been affected financially by the covid-19 outbreak.
Nick Gibb:
We are providing additional funding to schools, on top of existing budgets, to cover
unavoidable costs incurred between March and July due to the COVID-19 outbreak
that cannot be met from their existing resources.
Schools are eligible to claim for: increased premises related costs associated with
keeping schools open over the Easter and summer half term holidays; support for
free school meals for eligible children who are not in school, where schools are not
using the national voucher scheme; and additional cleaning costs required due to
confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases, over and above the cost of existing
cleaning arrangements. Schools are able to claim online until 21 July, and a second
claims window will run in the autumn.
Where schools have members of staff delivering services funded from self-generated
income, we have advised that they should first look to redeploy these staff or use
existing budgets to absorb the cost. After having looked at all other options, schools
have been able to consider using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Schools will continue to receive their budgets for the coming year, as usual,
regardless of any periods of partial or complete closure. That will ensure that they are
able to continue to pay their staff, and meet their other regular financial commitments.
Schools: Discrimination
Abena Oppong-Asare: [74777]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will issue guidance to schools (a)
recommending that the six thinking hats technique is not used in schools and (b) noting
the potential effect of identifying a black hat on unconscious negative bias relating to the
use of the word black.
Nick Gibb:
All state-funded schools in England have a duty to teach a broad and balanced
curriculum that prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences
of later life. Under the Equality Act 2010, schools must also not discriminate against a
pupil in a number of respects because of a characteristic protected by the Act.
The Department trusts teachers to choose curriculum resources that are appropriate
for their pupils and to ensure that how they deliver the curriculum does not
discriminate. The Department has already published guidance to help schools fulfil
their duties under the Act, which can be found at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-2010-advice-for-schools. This
includes advice on the Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires public bodies,
including state-funded schools, to have due regard to the need to: foster good
relations across all protected characteristics; advance equality of opportunity for
people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it; and
eliminate discrimination and other conduct prohibited by the Act. Additionally, the
Independent Schools Standards requires independent schools to encourage respect
for others, paying particular regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Act.
Special Educational Needs: Young People
Munira Wilson: [73975]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of 19 to 25 year-old students
with an education, health and care plan were provided with a further education place in
the academic years (a) 2016-17, (b) 2017-18, (c) 2018-19 and (d) 2019-20.
Vicky Ford:
The number of 19 to 25 year olds with an education, health and care (EHC) plan
participating in further education at any point in the given academic year is presented
in the table attached. This is collected in the individualised learner record. The
proportion of all 19 to 25 year olds with EHC plans is not available as comparable
age bands are not available.
The number of young people aged 16-19 and 20-25 with an EHC plan is available in
the ‘Education, health and care plans’ publication at: https://explore-education-
statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans.
Figures presented are as at January in the academic year.
Attachments:
1. 73975_table [73975_FE_EHCP.pdf]
Sports: Coronavirus
Dan Jarvis: [74588]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that
schools and venues with shared sports facilities are able to reopen safely as covid-19
lockdown restrictions are eased.
Nick Gibb:
As announced on the 9 July, indoor gyms, tennis courts and fitness and dance
studios will be able to reopen from 25 July. This includes facilities shared with
schools.
Out-of-school settings which run community activities, holiday clubs, after-school
clubs, tuition and other out-of-school provision for children can operate over the
summer holiday, with safety measures in place. Providers of these settings have
been able to open from 4 July, provided that they follow the protective measures set
out by Government.
Out-of-school settings should check the latest government guidelines (
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-
close/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close-guidance ) on which businesses and
venues can open and for which purposes as some premises may only be able to
open for certain limited purposes. Out-of-school provision cannot use indoor gyms,
tennis courts and fitness and dance studios until they reopen on 25 July.
Protective measures guidance for out-of-school settings, to enable them to operate
as safely as possible, can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-
school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-
covid-19-outbreak.
Providers who offer indoor sports activities for children should also refer to the
guidance on Keeping workers / volunteers and customers safe during COVID-19 for
providers of grassroots sports and gym / leisure facilities.
Guidance to support schools to deliver safe physical education lessons, sport and
physical activity is included within the guidance for full opening (
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-
coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools ). Schools have the flexibility
to decide how physical education, sport and physical activity will be provided whilst
following the measures in their system of controls. The Association for Physical
Education has published guidance ( https://www.afpe.org.uk/physical-education/wp-
content/uploads/COVID-19-Interpreting-the-Government-Guidance-in-a-PESSPA-
Context-FINAL.pdf ) for the education-based workforce and Youth Sport Trust has
published resources ( https://www.youthsporttrust.org/coronavirus-support-schools )
on the principles of teaching PE in response to COVID-19.
Students: Coronavirus
Mr Virendra Sharma: [74481]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to help protect older and
more vulnerable students at greater risk from covid-19 infection when attending reopened
further education colleges in September 2020.
Gillian Keegan:
The guidance published on the 2 July and updated on 15 July sets how Further
Education colleges can reopen safely for all learners, including those that are older or
vulnerable, in September 2020. It has been developed in close consultation with the
sector and medical experts from Public Health England. It sets out in detail the steps
colleges should take to protect their staff and learners with a requirement to
undertake full health and safety COVID-19 risk assessments and implement the
September reopening protective measures. These risk assessments must consider
groups that are most at risk, including learners with protected characteristics. The
guidance also provides advice on supporting young vulnerable learners and
recognises that young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
may need careful preparation for a return to full time attendance.
We have also produced guidance for specialist education settings including special
post-16 institutions. This sets out the actions special education setting leaders should
take to minimise the risk of transmission in their setting, highlighting additional or
different considerations for special education settings.
We are doing everything we can to make sure colleges and other providers are as
safe as possible for learners and staff, and will continue to work closely with the
country’s best scientific and medical experts to ensure that is the case. We will keep
guidance under review as we continue to monitor the situation over the summer and
we will adjust and adapt our approach as necessary if more evidence becomes
available to us.
The guidance is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-
further-education-provision/what-fe-colleges-and-providers-will-need-to-do-from-the-
start-of-the-2020-autumn-term.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-
schools-and-other-specialist-settings/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-
other-specialist-settings.
Teachers: Coronavirus
Rachael Maskell: [73897]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether teachers will be given access to
weekly covid-19 diagnostic testing from September 2020.
Rachael Maskell: [73898]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether teachers will be given access to
covid-19 antibody tests from September 2020.
Daisy Cooper: [73969]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made
of the potential merits of providing anti-body tests to all staff working in schools.
Nick Gibb:
Testing for COVID-19 is most effective for those who are experiencing symptoms.
The test is less likely to pick up a positive case in someone who is not displaying
symptoms, meaning that there is a risk of providing false reassurance. Routine
asymptomatic testing is in place in environments where the risk of transmission is
higher, such as hospitals and adult care homes. There are no plans to extend this to
schools. As essential workers, teachers and all staff working in education or childcare
have priority access to a test if they display symptoms of COVID-19.
In order to determine the role that antibody tests could play in the response to the
outbreak, we need a greater understanding of how the immune system responds to
the virus. For example, it is not currently known how long an antibody response to the
virus lasts, nor whether having antibodies means a person cannot be re-infected or
transmit the virus to others. The Government will make decisions about any
expansion of antibody testing based on the science as it becomes clear.
Teachers: Ethnic Groups
Ms Harriet Harman: [74421]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to recruit
more teachers from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds.
Nick Gibb:
In October 2018, the Department set out its commitment to increasing the diversity of
the teaching workforce across all protected characteristics when it launched the
Statement of Intent.
This commitment to increasing teacher diversity was made alongside 10 co-
signatories from the sector (including unions and grassroots organisations) who set
out their own individual commitments.
The Department has been making progress against its commitments, including:
• Providing £2m of funding to nationwide Equality and Diversity regional ‘hubs’ to
support aspiring leaders into headship. The hubs focus on providing coaching and
mentoring to increase representation across all protected characteristics in senior
leadership roles.
• Reflecting the importance of diversity in the Department’s Recruitment and
Retention Strategy published in January 2019 to ensure people from all
backgrounds are supported and that barriers to their progression are removed.
• Ensuring that recruitment for National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) is
representative through key performance indicators
• Continuing to engage with signatories of the statement, including through holding a
roundtable to gather progress updates and showcase best practice in July 2019.
We have made significant progress in improving the diversity of postgraduate initial
teacher training participants. Those belonging to a BAME group (i.e. any non-White
ethnicity) made up 19% of all postgraduate entrants in 2019/20, up from 18% last
year and 14% in 2015/16.
Universities: Coronavirus
Sir Edward Davey: [72152]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the
implications for his policies of the Institute for Fiscal Studies report entitled, Will
universities need a bailout to survive the COVID-19 crisis, published 6 July 2020; and if
he will make a statement.
Vicky Ford:
The government recognises that the COVID-19 outbreak has brought significant
financial challenges to the higher education (HE) sector, with losses of income across
teaching, research, commercial and other activities, as published in the Institute for
Fiscal Studies report on 6 July 2020. The government has already provided
significant support to help providers through the financial challenges that COVID-19
has brought upon the sector. The HE package that we announced on 4 May, with its
reprofiling of public funding and measures on admissions, has acted to stabilise the
situation in England.
In June, we announced further UK-wide support in the form of the Department for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s research stabilisation package. Alongside
this, eligible HE providers can apply for the range of business support measures that
the government has put in place to support our whole economy.
We recognise, however, that a high level of uncertainty remains around the scale of
problems that HE providers, as a whole and individually, may face in the coming
academic year. We need to be able to intervene, where there is a case to do so, to
support providers whose future is at risk because of the financial impacts of COVID-
19.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced further
information about the higher education restructuring regime on 16 July. This will be
deployed as a last resort, if a decision has been made to support a provider in
England, when other steps to preserve a provider’s viability and to mitigate the risks
of market exit have not proved sufficient. The overarching objectives that will guide
the department’s assessment of cases will be protecting the welfare of current
students, preserving the sector’s internationally outstanding science base and
supporting the role that higher education providers play in regional and local
economies through the provision of high quality courses aligned with economic and
societal needs.
Financial support in the form of repayable loans will only be offered as a last resort
measure, and with specific conditions, such as tackling low quality courses and
reducing excessive Vice-Chancellor pay.
Details on the higher education restructuring regime can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-restructuring-regime.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Agriculture: Seasonal Workers
Bell Ribeiro-Addy: [73095]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment
his Department has made of the effects of a potential shortfall in seasonal workers on the
agricultural workforce.
Victoria Prentis:
We are aware of the impact that restrictions on travel from other countries, as a result
of Covid-19, is having on the number of seasonal workers coming to work in the UK.
We are working closely with industry to help our world-leading farmers and growers
access the labour they need over the busy harvest months.
We are monitoring labour needs over the remainder of the 2020 harvest season. We
understand from industry feedback that labour needs are currently being met and that
the majority of businesses have sourced sufficient workers for the remainder of the
season.
The expanded Seasonal Worker Pilot in 2020 will enable us to carry out a more
extensive evaluation of the systems and processes in place to access labour from
non-EEA countries, ahead of any decisions being taken on how future needs of the
sector might be addressed.
Air Pollution: Pollution Control
Olivia Blake: [73998]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring
forward legislative proposals to establish a statutory target to meet World Health
Organisation standards for fine particle air pollution by 2030.
Rebecca Pow:
The Environment Bill establishes a legally binding duty to set a target for PM2.5, in
addition to a long-term air quality target. As part of that work we have explored
progress that will be made towards WHO PM2.5 guidelines on a national level under a
range of scenarios, and a report on this was published in July 2019. We are
committed to setting challenging targets and following an evidence-based process,
seeking advice from a range of experts, in addition to giving consideration to the
World Health Organization’s air quality guidelines.
The targets will be set in secondary legislation at the end of this process. It would not
be an effective approach to policy making to commit in primary legislation to
achieving a target, without giving due consideration to its achievability and the
measures required to meet that target. Stakeholders, Parliament and the public will
have the opportunity to comment on, and input into, the process of developing this
target.
Air Pollution: Schools
Geraint Davies: [72762]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has
to plant protective hedges around schools to reduce air pollution in schools.
Rebecca Pow:
To support local authorities in their work to tackle air pollution hotspots, this
Government has given a great deal of thought to the role that vegetation might play in
improving air quality. The Air Quality Expert Group published a report named Impacts
of Vegetation on Urban Air Pollution which is available to read here:
https://uk-
air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat09/1807251306_180509_Effects_of_ve
getation_on_urban_air_pollution_v12_final.pdf
The key conclusion is that while vegetation might bring some highly localised benefits
to air quality, it will not be a solution at a city scale. In the context of a school
perimeter, there is little evidence to support vegetation reducing nitrogen oxides from
exhausts and while significant amounts of foliage might provide a localised barrier
effect to reduce particulate levels from the roadside, the effectiveness of these
measures is unclear.
This is why the emphasis of our Clean Air Strategy is to tackle the sources of
pollution levels as the most effective way to improve air quality for all.
Animal Products and Livestock: UK Trade with EU
Louise Haigh: [72990]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the
Government is seeking an agreement with the EU on sanitary measures applicable to
trade in live animals and animal products.
Victoria Prentis:
The Government is seeking agreement with the EU on a Sanitary and Phytosanitary
(SPS) chapter as part of the Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement that would cover
sanitary measures applicable to trade in live animals and animal products. The
chapter should build on the WTO SPS Agreement, in line with recent EU agreements
such as CETA and the EU-NZ Veterinary Agreement. It should protect human, animal
and plant life and health, and the environment while facilitating access to each party’s
market. It should ensure parties’ SPS measures do not create unjustified barriers to
trade in agri-food goods between the UK and EU. Finally, it should reflect SPS
chapters in other EU preferential trade agreements, including preserving each party’s
autonomy over their own SPS regimes.
Animal Products: Imports
Mr Andrew Mitchell: [72165]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has
to ban the import of trophy-hunted animals and if he will list which animals will be banned.
Mr Andrew Mitchell: [72166]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the
proposed ban on the import of animal parts as trophies will include lions.
Victoria Prentis:
The Government is committed to doing all we can to support wildlife and the
environment, both in the UK and internationally, including by delivering on our
manifesto commitment to ban the import of hunting trophies from endangered
species.
Our consultation on controls on the import and export of hunting trophies, which
closed in February 2020, provided an opportunity for respondents to provide views on
which species they considered needed further restrictions. No decisions have been
made yet as the pace of this work was impacted by the Government’s need to focus
on addressing the urgent issue of COVID 19. We will publish the summary of
responses to the consultation and call for evidence in due course. The outcome will
inform our next steps.
Animal Welfare: Coronavirus
Rosie Cooper: [74478]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he take steps
with representatives of the animal welfare sector to help prevent increases in demand for
animal rescue services as covid-19 restrictions are eased.
Victoria Prentis:
Defra is in regular contact with the companion animal rescue and rehoming sector.
The Minister for Animal Welfare, Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park, has met the
CEOs of the main companion animal welfare charities to discuss the effects of Covid-
19 on the sector.
Defra has worked closely with stakeholders to ensure that there has been helpful and
effective guidance available to enable animal rescue and rehoming and charitable
activities to continue operating as far as possible, during the various phases of
Coronavirus restrictions. As we ease the restrictions, we are conscious that this may
have an impact on animal rescue and rehoming. We will continue to work closely with
the sector to understand their needs.
Coastal Erosion and Flood Control: Finance
Dan Jarvis: [R] [73837]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish
the criteria his Department used to allocate the flooding and coastal erosion funding
announced on 14 July 2020.
Rebecca Pow:
On 14 July 2020 the Government announced it will invest up to £170 million to bring
forward work on flood defence schemes which will drive economic growth and better
protect thousands of homes, businesses and jobs from the devastating effects of
flooding.
The additional economic recovery funding will enable work to start on 22 new flood
defence projects in 2020 or 2021, in addition to those schemes which were already
planned to commence in the final year of the current six-year programme to better
protect 300,000 homes from flooding.
The schemes identified were shortlisted and approved based on their economic
growth/recovery potential, specifically including numbers of businesses and jobs
protected. They are also all projects that were “shovel-ready” to begin construction in
the financial years 20/21 or 21/22.
Dangerous Dogs
Andrew Rosindell: [71681]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many
animals were seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 by each police force in each of
the last five years.
Victoria Prentis:
Details of the number of animals seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 are not
collated centrally by Defra. This information may be held by each separate police
force.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Air Pollution
Geraint Davies: [72768]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has
made an assessment of the implications for his policies of the report of the all-party
Parliamentary group on air pollution entitled, Air Quality Strategy to Reduce Coronavirus
Infection, published on 29 May 2020.
Rebecca Pow:
The Secretary of State welcomes the all-party group’s report and has noted its
recommendations with interest. Improving air quality is a top priority for this
Government and, especially during these unprecedented times, we will continue to
take robust and comprehensive action to improve air quality in the UK and minimise
public health impacts.
Defra’s commitment and the need for cross-Whitehall work on this was recognised in
the meeting between the hon Member and myself on 6 July. We recently published
the findings from a rapid Call for Evidence to understand more fully the impact that
coronavirus is having on changes in air pollution emissions, concentrations and
exposure and Defra’s Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG).
Flood Control: Oxfordshire
Layla Moran: [74721]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the
additional budget for flooding will be spent on flood alleviation in (a) Abingdon, (b) Oxford
City and (c) Oxfordshire.
Rebecca Pow:
The Government is currently investing £2.6 billion across the country to deliver more
than 1,000 flood defence projects to better protect 300,000 homes by 2021. Since
2015, £24 million has been spent in Oxfordshire to reduce the risk of flooding. The
Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme is fully funded, and construction is due to begin
after the replacement of the A423 Kennington Railway Bridge.
We are spending £5.62 million in Oxfordshire this year of which £2.3 million is on the
Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme which, when completed, will protect 1,200 homes.
The rest of the money spent this year is towards other schemes, including looking at
the early feasibility for schemes that could provide protection in the future if viable
In Abingdon, the previously proposed flood storage area to reduce flood risk is not
being progressed due to the low number of properties that will have their flood risk
reduced. Other options are currently being considered for the town.
Government funding is governed by the rules of the Partnership Funding Policy and
the formula for allocating the Government’s contribution is weighted towards
protecting people’s lives and homes.
The Environment Agency will continue to work with Oxfordshire County Council on
solutions for flooding across the county.
Giant Hogweed
Sir Greg Knight: [73723]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the (a) value
and (b) range of support his Department has allocated to each local authority to tackle
giant hogweed; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the EU co-
funded project to (a) develop a regional approach to tackling invasive non-native species
and (b) facilitate the co-ordination of support to local action groups; and if he will make a
statement.
Rebecca Pow:
Defra does not provide any direct support to local authorities specifically in regard to
giant hogweed. Local authorities have a suite of powers at their disposal to deal with
landowners that allow giant hogweed to become a problem and spread outside of
their land. Defra is happy to provide advice to local authorities as and when it is
needed.
The Reducing and Preventing Invasive Alien Species Dispersal (RAPID) LIFE
Project, co-funded by the EU, has received a six-month extension due to the Covid-
19 pandemic. We anticipate the end of project report to be completed in the coming
months. This report will include an assessment of the efficacy of the project. In
addition to this an assessment of the socio-economic impact of the project and
contribution to ecosystem function will be produced.
The project is on track to meet four of its five goals, which include helping the
invasive non-native species management of local action groups (LAGs) become
more coordinated both regionally and nationally. Uptake and engagement has had
varying success, often depending on geography and density of LAGs. This will be
covered in both reports.
Nature Conservation
Bim Afolami: [74715]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is
taking to help ensure that the UK is a global leader in policy advocacy for the
conservation of nature.
Rebecca Pow:
We are committed to ensuring that the UK leads the world to promote a green, fair
and resilient global recovery from the impacts of Covid-19 and central to that is the
importance of resetting the global relationship with nature.
We will support the adoption of ambitious and practical targets on nature at the UN
Convention on Biological Diversity Summit (COP15) in China next May, strengthened
by coherent implementation mechanisms that will deliver a new global biodiversity
framework that is commensurate with the scale of the challenge. Nature is also a top
priority for our upcoming Presidency of UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change Conference (COP26) next year and we are pushing for tangible and
ambitious commitments from partner governments to champion nature and nature-
based solutions. Given this, and the multi-faceted benefits of nature-based solutions,
we are working with the Chinese Government, who are hosting COP15, to press for
mutually reinforcing outcomes at the two Conferences. In addition, we will continue
leading global ambition on conserving endangered species, following our hosting of
the international Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in 2018.
On marine biodiversity, we are driving forward efforts to protect and enhance the
ocean and eliminate harmful fisheries practice as we have done domestically and in
2018 we launched the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance with Vanuatu, which
now convenes 34 Commonwealth countries to tackle plastic pollution. We have also
committed to a new, £500 million Blue Planet Fund, and are building on the ‘30by30’
campaign which the UK launched at the UN General Assembly in 2018, leading the
Global Ocean Alliance calling to protect 30% of the world’s global ocean by 2030.
This ambitious target is underpinned by domestic commitments through the Blue Belt
Programme, which is on course to deliver over 4 million square kilometres of
protected ocean around the British Overseas Territories by the end of 2020.
Our international leadership on nature must be underpinned by credible action at
home. In England, our 25 Year Environment Plan marked a step change in ambition
for nature and the natural environment. We are taking action to fulfil this ambition by
introducing bold new legislation and new funding to support nature’s recovery.
Recycling
Olivia Blake: [73995]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment
he has made of the level of additional resources required to ensure that local authorities
are able to make arrangements for recycling additional materials from 2023.
Rebecca Pow:
In 2019, the Government published its consultation ‘Consistency in Household and
Business Recycling Collection in England’ and associated impact assessment. These
included assessments of the additional costs arising from measures for greater
consistency in recycling collections including the collection of a core set of materials
of plastic, glass, paper and card, metal, food and garden waste from households.
The Government will be publishing a second consultation in 2021 which will seek
views on further details of consistency in recycling. A further impact assessment will
be published alongside it and will include updated assessments of costs for these
measures.
In line with guidance on new burdens, the Government has committed to covering the
costs of any additional burdens that local authorities face as a result of new statutory
duties that require them to implement consistency and will apply that guidance in
assessing these costs.
Sewage: Standards
Olivia Blake: [73997]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is
taking to ensure that the UK complies with its obligations on urban waste water
standards; and what funding he has allocated to ensure urban waste water standards are
maintained.
Rebecca Pow:
Water quality is a devolved matter. In England, urban waste water standards are set
by the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994. These
regulations set standards for the collection, treatment and discharge of waste water
and impose duties on water and sewerage companies to meet these standards.
Compliance with the standards is regulated by the Environment Agency and any non-
compliance is subject to enforcement action. The environmental programme that the
water companies will be implementing over the next five years includes around £800
million of investment specifically in relation to urban waste water, as part of a wider
package of £4 billion of investment to reduce pollution from waste water.
UN Convention on Biological Diversity
Bim Afolami: [74714]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the
Government has to help ensure that the (a) Convention on Biological Diversity framework
and (b) COP 26 are coordinated in (i) work on and (ii) approach to tackling biodiversity
loss and climate change.
Rebecca Pow:
Biodiversity loss and climate change are interlinked crises and cannot be tackled in
isolation. This is why nature will be one of the key areas of focus at UNFCCC COP26
in Glasgow and why we will be pushing for the agreement of ambitious global targets
for biodiversity at CBD COP15 in China.
To amplify the linkages between the two agendas, at COP26 we will be encouraging
countries to use nature based solutions as a way to tackle biodiversity loss and
climate change including mobilising more finance for nature, investing in sustainable
and resilient agriculture and protecting important ecosystems such as forests. We will
work with China to ensure that the outcomes of both COPs are mutually supportive.
Water Companies: Pay
Bill Wiggin: [73735]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will hold
discussions with representatives from Ofwat on the level of executive pay for water
companies.
Rebecca Pow:
The Government fully supports the expectations on transparency on executive pay as
set out by the independent regulator, Ofwat, in its Board Leadership, Transparency
and Governance principles published last year.
Water companies are responsible for determining pay for executives, and are now
required by their licence conditions to meet the objectives of the principles, and to
demonstrate the link between performance for customers and performance-pay for
executive teams. They must report to Ofwat annually. The department fully supports
the regulator’s work to continue to push companies to perform better and improve
public trust in the industry.
Water: Standards
Olivia Blake: [73996]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is
taking to increase the quality of the 21 bathing waters in the UK that have been classified
to be of poor quality.
Rebecca Pow:
In 2019, the Environment Agency sampled 420 bathing waters in England and seven
were classified as “Poor”. 98.3% of bathing waters met the minimum standard of
“Sufficient” set by the Bathing Water Regulations 2013 (“the Regulations”) and 71.4%
met the highest “Excellent” standard.
Hundreds of projects have been completed to address poor bathing water quality and
successfully drive up standards. Water companies have invested £2.5 billion to
reduce pollution, councils and charities have run campaigns to keep beaches clean
and advice has been provided to farmers on how to reduce pollution into rivers.
The remaining “Poor” bathing waters all have complex problems that require
partnership working with stakeholders to rectify issues. Sources of pollution identified
include sewer misconnections, sea birds, dogs, run-off from urban and agricultural
land, as well as sewage from combined sewer overflows and septic tanks. The
Environment Agency is working with partners to look for solutions to these problems.
Pollution risk forecasting provides advice against bathing when conditions such as
rain or tide or wind increase the risk of reduced water quality.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Anoosheh Ashoori
Lisa Nandy: [74548]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the
Answer of 19 June 2020 to Question 59445, what additional recent discussions he has
had with his Iranian counterpart on the return of the detained British national Anoosheh
Ashoori to the UK.
James Cleverly:
The Government remains concerned about the welfare of British-Iranian dual
nationals detained in Iran, including Anoosheh Ashoori. Iran does not recognise dual
nationality and therefore does not permit access to British-Iranian detainees.
We continue to urge the Iranian Government to immediately release all UK dual
nationals arbitrarily detained in Iran - to enable them to return to their families in the
UK.
We continue to raise their cases at the most senior levels, and discuss them at every
opportunity with our Iranian counterparts. Our Ambassador in Tehran consistently
raises all of our dual national detainees cases with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. Our Embassy in Tehran continues to request consular access to Mr Ashoori
and we have been supporting his family since being made aware of his detention.
Bahrain: Capital Punishment
Andy Slaughter: [73748]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to
the decision by Bahrain’s Court of Cassation to uphold death sentences against
Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa on 13 July 2020, if he will suspend
Government support for (a) the Bahraini Special Investigations Unit, (b) the Ministry of
Interior Ombudsman and (c) other Bahraini institutions accused of complicity in the
torture of both men.
James Cleverly:
We are deeply concerned that the death penalty verdicts imposed on Mohammed
Ramadhan and Husain Moosa by Bahrain's Court of Cassation have been upheld.
Lord Ahmad, who is the Minister of State responsible for human rights, reinforced this
position in his tweet of 14 July. We have raised both cases at senior levels with the
Government of Bahrain. The Bahraini Government is fully aware that the UK opposes
the death penalty, in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.
The UK welcomed the investigation by the Ombudsman and Special Investigation
Unit into the cases of Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa, ultimately leading
to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice ordering a retrial - a first in Bahrain.
The UK is committed to supporting Bahrain's oversight bodies, including the Ministry
of Interior Ombudsman and the independent Special Investigations Unit. We continue
to believe that Bahrain is taking steps in the right direction to improve its record on
justice and security issues. The support we provide to these bodies, including in
partnership with the UN Development Programme contributing to their work to
achieve Sustainable Development Goal 16 (strengthening institutions and increasing
access to justice), contributes to the ongoing development of both their capacity and
capabilities.
Andy Slaughter: [73749]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to
the decision by Bahrain’s Court of Cassation to uphold death sentences against
Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa on 13 July 2020, if the Government will take
steps to increase transparency on the use of UK funding allocated to Bahrain under the
Integrated Activity Fund.
James Cleverly:
We are deeply concerned that the death penalty verdicts imposed on Mohammed
Ramadhan and Husain Moosa by Bahrain's Court of Cassation have been upheld.
Lord Ahmad, who is the Minister of State responsible for human rights, reinforced this
position in his tweet of 14 July. We have raised both cases at senior levels with the
Government of Bahrain. The Bahraini Government is fully aware that the UK opposes
the death penalty, in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.
Our assistance is designed to support Bahrain-led reform in areas including human
rights. It is provided in line with international standards and fully complies with our
human rights obligations and the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance process.
Programmes are routinely monitored by officials and evaluated, by officials, on a
regular basis to ensure that they are on track for delivery.
Zarah Sultana: [73982]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether British
Embassy officials attended the trial of Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa in
Bahrain on 13 July 2020; and what their assessment was of the decision to uphold their
death sentences amid allegations of torture and due process violations.
James Cleverly:
Due to public health precautions in place for COVID-19, British Embassy officials
were unable to attend the Court of Cassation. We are deeply concerned that the
death penalty verdicts imposed on Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa by
Bahrain's Court of Cassation have been upheld. Lord Ahmad, who is the Minister of
State responsible for human rights, reinforced this position in his tweet of 14 July. We
have raised both cases at senior levels with the Government of Bahrain. The Bahraini
Government is fully aware that the UK opposes the death penalty, in all
circumstances, as a matter of principle.
Patricia Gibson: [74647]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what
representations he has made to the Bahrain Government on the death sentences of
Mohammed Ramadhan and Husian Moos; and if the Government will cease to provide
financial support to Bahrain in response to that country's breaches of human rights.
James Cleverly:
We are deeply concerned that the death penalty verdicts imposed on Mohammed
Ramadhan and Husain Moosa by Bahrain's Court of Cassation have been upheld.
Lord Ahmad, who is the Minister of State responsible for human rights, reinforced this
position in his tweet of 14 July. We have raised both cases at senior levels with the
Government of Bahrain. The Bahraini Government is fully aware that the UK opposes
the death penalty, in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.
Our assistance is designed to support Bahrain-led reform in areas including human
rights. It is provided in line with international standards and fully complies with our
human rights obligations and the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance process.
British Nationals Abroad: Coronavirus
Hilary Benn: [73709]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has
received representations on the Australian Border Agency and the ability of UK citizens
with residency to leave that country; and if he will make a statement.
James Duddridge:
The Foreign Secretary spoke to Australian Foreign Minister Payne on 21 May and 15
July to discuss our COVID-19 response, travel advice and other international issues.
They agreed to work together to keep international routes open, as part of our wider
efforts to help our respective nationals return home. The Government of Australia has
set out guidance for residents wishing to leave including where exemptions are
available. The British High Commission in Canberra and our network of consulates
across Australia continue to support British nationals, seeking to come to the UK,
including those with residency in Australia.
British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries
Andrew Rosindell: [72827]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is
taking to ensure that UK citizens visiting the EU will be able to (a) stay in the EU for 180
consecutive days a year and (b) receive equal treatment to EU nationals visiting the UK
for the same period of time.
Wendy Morton:
The Government has discussed mobility arrangements across a number of areas as
part of negotiations on our future relationship with the EU, and these discussions are
ongoing.
The EU has already legislated such that UK nationals will not need a visa when
travelling to the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day
period. This will apply from the end of the transition period to all UK nationals
travelling to and within the Schengen area for purposes such as tourism.
This is the standard length of stay that the EU provides to the nationals of eligible
third countries that offer visa-free travel access for EU citizens, in line with existing
EU legislation.
As things stand, stays beyond the EU's 90/180 day visa-free allocation from 1
January 2021 onwards will be for individual Member States to decide and implement
through domestic entry rules and visa arrangements for non-EU citizens. UK
nationals will need to discuss the specifics of their situation with the relevant Member
State authorities and should be prepared to provide any extra documentation that
may be required.
Colombia: Coronavirus
Dame Diana Johnson: [72853]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment
he has made of the effect of the covid-19 quarantine in Colombia on the safety and
security of human rights defenders in that country; and if he will make a statement.
Wendy Morton:
The UK remains concerned about the persistent level of violence towards human
rights defenders in Colombia and we have noted indications that this may have
worsened during the COVID-19 lockdown. We regularly raise this issue, as well as
specific cases of concern, with the Colombian Government and in multilateral fora.
We have also called on the Colombian Government to prioritise tackling and
preventing this violence. Most recently, our Permanent Representative to the UN
expressed our deep concern at the UN Security Council on 14 July. I also raised the
issue during a phone call with Colombian Foreign Minister Claudia Blum on 2 June.
Colombia is a UK Government "Human Rights Priority Country" and as such our
Embassy in Bogota has provided significant programming to help at-risk human rights
defenders. We will continue to raise our concerns with the relevant state actors in
Colombia.
Colombia: Politics and Government
Dame Diana Johnson: [72854]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what
representations he has made to his Colombian counterpart on potential undermining of
the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in Colombia.
Wendy Morton:
President Duque's government has publicly committed to implementing the Peace
Accords of 2016 in their entirety. In meetings with the President in London last year,
the then-Foreign Secretary made it clear that the UK sees the transitional justice
system, including the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, and the involvement of victims
as vital elements of the 2016 accords. President Duque's signing of the transitional
justice law last June was welcome, and we are pleased that the institutions
established under that law have since begun their work.
We continue to emphasise our support for transitional justice both with the Colombian
government and in multilateral fora, including most recently at the UN Security
Council on 14 July, where our Permanent Representative commended the
institutions' quick adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic by moving their work online.
We are aware that the parties to the Peace Accord would like the UN Verification
Mission to take on a role verifying compliance with the sanctions handed down by the
Special Jurisdiction for Peace. The UK has been publicly supportive of this.
The UK Government has contributed over £26 million towards transitional justice
mechanisms and victims of the conflict in Colombia since 2016.
Dame Diana Johnson: [72855]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the he will make
representations to the UN Security Council Mission of Verification to Colombia on the
need for further support, resourcing and reporting to monitor the progress of Colombia’s
National Commission of Security Guarantees.
Wendy Morton:
President Duque's Government has publicly committed to implementing the Peace
Accords of 2016 in their entirety. The UK will continue to support the Colombian
peace process and to emphasise the importance of pressing ahead with work to
consolidate peace and build stability. The UK remains concerned about the persistent
level of violence towards human rights defenders, social leaders and former
combatants in Colombia, and regularly presses the Colombian government to take
further action to tackle this violence.
We have consistently highlighted the need for an overarching public policy in
Colombia to prevent this violence from taking place. This has included regularly
highlighting the work of the National Commission on Security Guarantees, including
most recently at the UN Security Council on 14 July, and calling on the government
and civil society to make fuller use of it for this purpose. We will continue to work
closely with the Colombian Government and civil society on the peace process and
related matters.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Departmental Responsibilities
Dr Lisa Cameron: [71811]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps plans to
take to ensure that (a) development and (b) humanitarian issues are represented at
Cabinet level.
James Duddridge:
Once the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is formally
established in early September, the Foreign Secretary will represent the FCDO at
Cabinet. Foreign and development policy will be fully integrated in all Ministers'
portfolios in the new Department.
India: British Nationals Abroad
Lisa Nandy: [74547]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the
Answer of 23 June 2020 to Question 63329 on India: British Nationals Abroad, what
further recent consular support has been provided to UK nationals detained in India
following their attendance at an event held in the Nizamuddin area of Delhi in March
2020.
Nigel Adams:
[Holding answer 20 July 2020]: We have maintained regular contact with the
individuals, their families and lawyers, and with the Indian authorities on these cases.
Some have now been released on bail and some have been authorised to return to
the UK. As their legal cases progress we are tailoring our assistance to their needs,
including liaising with the local authorities to arrange their repatriation to the UK.
India: Human Rights
Afzal Khan: [73953]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the
answer of 29 October 2019 to Question 7221 on Kashmir: telecommunications, what
assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of his Department sponsoring
the India Global 2020 Week conference as a result of recent human rights violations.
Nigel Adams:
[Holding answer 20 July 2020]: The UK and India have a deep, mature and wide-
ranging relationship. Our trade and investment partnership is thriving; we collaborate
on defence and security and we have a shared commitment to tackling climate
change. The Foreign Secretary was pleased to participate in India Global Week with
many Ministerial colleagues to discuss a wide range of issues. We regard human
rights as an important part of our broad relationship with India, and raise our
concerns with the Government of India where we have them.
Integrated Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy Review
Wendy Chamberlain: [73967]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans the
Government has to undertake a consultation with (a) civil society and (b) development
partners on the development of the Integrated Review.
James Cleverly:
The Government paused its Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development
and Foreign Policy in April due to the pressing need to focus on COVID-19. We have
formally recommenced the Review, building on the work done since February.
Our aim continues to be for an ambitious and bold Integrated Review that is guided
by the UK's foreign policy and national security objectives.
We will be engaging with Parliament, the Devolved Administrations, external experts
and wider stakeholders with an interest in our nation's security and prosperity. This
includes our allies and partners, building on our ongoing dialogue on COVID-19
response and recovery.
The Government will conduct targeted engagement that will bring crucial external
voices and expertise to bear in defining our ambition for the UK's role in the world
and setting the country on the best possible trajectory to recovery from COVID-19.
Middle East
Theresa Villiers: [74464]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the
Answer of 14 July 2020 to Question 69487, if he will make it his policy to refer to the 1949
Armistice Line as the pre-1967 lines and not the 1967 borders.
James Cleverly:
The UK's longstanding position on the Middle East Peace Process is clear: we
support a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a
viable and sovereign Palestinian state. We are clear that the borders should be
based on the lines as they stood on June 4 1967 - the eve of the Six Day War - with
equal land swaps reflecting the national, security, and religious interests of the Israeli
and Palestinian peoples. The UK supports UN Security Council Resolution 2334
which paved the way for agreed changes to the 1967 lines as part of a final status
deal and as agreed by the parties.
Middle East: Peace Negotiations
Steve McCabe: [73705]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment
his Department has made of the potential effect of the passing of The Middle East
Partnership for Peace Act 2020 by the US House Committee on Appropriations on peace
in the Middle East.
James Cleverly:
Peace will only come through negotiations between the parties, but international
action has a role in facilitating progress. We welcome all efforts towards peace. The
UK remains committed to the objective of to making progress towards a two-state
solution. We support a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel
living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state; based on 1967 borders with
agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a just, fair,
agreed and realistic settlement for refugees.
Nepal: Diplomatic Relations
Dan Jarvis: [74585]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps
he has taken to maintain the UK’s diplomatic relationship with Nepal.
Nigel Adams:
[Holding answer 20 July 2020]: The UK and Nepal enjoy a warm and historic
relationship that has been in place for over 200 years, underpinned by deep people-
to-people connections through the important role of Gurkhas in the British Army and
the contribution of the Nepalese diaspora in the UK. Building on the 2019 visit of PM
Oli to the UK, recent months have seen significant levels of senior bilateral
engagement on some of the most pressing international issues, including several
Ministerial calls throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling the return of over 525
British Nationals stranded in Nepal by lockdown. In 2018/19 the UK invested over
£80m in Nepal's development, including support to the healthcare sector, post-
earthquake reconstruction, and security and justice reform. We were also honoured
by the participation of Her Excellency President Bandhari in the Global Vaccine
Summit last month. Finally, Nepal continues to be an important regional partner on
climate issues as we prepare to host COP26.
Nigeria: Armed Conflict
Dr Lisa Cameron: [72962]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the
Government has plans to make representations to the UN Security Council on the
deployment of peacekeeping forces to north-east Nigeria to protect vulnerable local
communities in that country.
James Duddridge:
The UK has no plans to make representations to the UN Security Council on the
deployment of peacekeeping forces to North-East Nigeria as we do not assess their
deployment to be the most effective way to tackle the conflict and create long term
stability. We continue to support the affected nation states of Nigeria, Niger, Chad
and Cameroon to tackle the terrorist threat in North-East Nigeria and the wider Lake
Chad Basin. We work closely with the UN to support the nations states' response and
to support local communities. This includes support to the UN Development
Programme stabilisation facility in North-East Nigeria and support to the work of the
UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel. On 5 June 2020, we led a statement in the
Security Council which reiterated our commitment to West Africa and the Sahel,
including Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin. On 16 June 2020, we led a statement at
the Security Council condemning the recent terror attacks in North-East Nigeria.
Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade
Paula Barker: [71927]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what mechanisms
are being put in place to ensure that British Arms exports are not being deployed by the
Saudi Government in Yemen.
James Cleverly:
To address the Court of Appeal's judgement, we have developed a revised
methodology against which all existing and new applications for Saudi Arabia for
possible use in the conflict in Yemen will be assessed to consider whether there is a
clear risk the equipment might be used in the commission of a serious violation of
International Humanitarian Law. If there is such a risk, we will not issue the export
licence.
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Cardiovascular System: Diseases
Lee Anderson: [64347]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his
Department has made of whether there is a backlog of appointments for people
diagnosed with cardiovascular disease due to the covid-19 outbreak.
Lee Anderson: [64348]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to
ensure the return of specialist lipid clinics after the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make
extra resources available to manage the backlog of patient appointments as outlined in
the HEART UK response to the Health and Social Care Committee Inquiry into Delivering
Core NHS and Care Services during the Pandemic and Beyond.
Edward Argar:
As we moved into the second phase of the National Health Service response to
COVID-19, NHS England wrote to the service on 29 April to ask NHS local systems
and organisations to step up non-COVID-19 urgent services as soon as possible. The
reset of these services will be gradual, with full attention to infection prevention and
control as the guiding principle. NHSE/I are working with regional systems, and have
provided national advice on restoration of cardiac services. They will also monitor
their capacity going forward through this next stage of restoration and recovery.
The full letter to the system can be found at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-
content/uploads/sites/52/2020/04/second-phase-of-nhs-response-to-covid-19-letter-
to-chief-execs-29-april-2020.pdf
Clinical Trials: Standards
Paul Blomfield: [69522]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to
ensure that (a) clinical trials and (b) market authorisations from the UK’s Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency comply with European Medicines Agency
standards in order to obtain approval for use in the EU market.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
[Holding answer 9 July 2020]: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory
Agency (MHRA) has taken pragmatic steps to ensure that the United Kingdom
continues to have innovative and cost-effective treatments that benefit patients and
boost growth in the life sciences sector. This includes limiting any additional cost or
burden on industry by considering applications for marketing authorisations in the UK
on the basis of information consistent with that being submitted to the European
Medicines Agency (EMA).
As for clinical trials, the MHRA will continue to approve applications at a national
level, working to international standards as they are now, using a UK data package
whose requirements are consistent with those in the European Union. The UK will still
have the ability to participate in multinational trials, as, data generated in a UK clinical
trial will continue to be admissible to support regulatory activity in the EU, and indeed
globally. This ensures the UK remains an attractive location for trials to take place,
with a view to getting medicinal products licensed in the UK and elsewhere.
Contact Tracing: Hospitality Industry
Alex Sobel: [65198]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what training hospitality staff
will be given on (a) GDPR procedures and (b) data collection when collecting names and
addresses for covid-19 track and trace purposes.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
NHS Test and Trace is a key part of the country’s ongoing COVID-19 response. If we
can rapidly detect people who have recently come into close contact with a person
who is confirmed to have COVID-19, we can take swift action to minimise
transmission of the virus. This is important as lockdown measures are eased and will
help us return to a more normal way of life and reduce the risk of needing further
lockdowns in the future.
The Government has published data that needs to be collected for Test and Trace
purposes, and how organisations should do this in a way that is compliant with the
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Businesses should collect this
information in a way that is manageable for them, and any training that is provided
should reflect this – including maintaining compliance with GDPR.
The guidance is available at the following link:
www.gov.uk/guidance/maintaining-records-of-staff-customers-and-visitors-to-support-
nhs-test-and-trace
Daisy Cooper: [65202]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made
of the Data Protection implications of requiring hospitality venues to collect customer
information; and when the details of the design of such a data collection system will be
set out to enable hospitality businesses to effectively plan their re-opening on 4 July
2020.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
[Holding answer 1 July 2020]: NHS Test and Trace is a key part of the country’s
ongoing COVID-19 response. If we can rapidly detect people who have recently
come into close contact with a person who is confirmed to have COVID-19, we can
take swift action to minimise transmission of the virus. This is important as lockdown
measures are eased and will help us return to a more normal way of life and reduce
the risk of needing further lockdowns in the future. Hospitality businesses should
assist this service by keeping a temporary record of their staff, customers and visitors
for 21 days and assist NHS Test and Trace with requests for that data if needed.
The Government has published guidance setting out the data that needs to be
collected for Test and Trace purposes, and how organisations should do this in a way
that respects people’s privacy and personal data, in line with the General Data
Protection Regulation. The guidance is available at the following link:
www.gov.uk/guidance/maintaining-records-of-staff-customers-and-visitors-to-support-
nhs-test-and-trace
Coronavirus: Screening
Ruth Cadbury: [69573]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Public Health England
records the number of covid-19 test results that are lost; and if he will make a statement.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
Public Health England (PHE) does not record data on the number of COVID-19 test
results that have been lost under either pillar 1 or the Government’s wider testing
programme. PHE laboratories have processes in place to ensure that any results
entered onto PHE systems with incorrect details for either the requestor (such as a
clinician in a hospital) or the patient are identified and dealt with.
Disability: Coronavirus
Daniel Kawczynski: [71707]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when day centres and respite
centres will be allowed to reopen to provide support to disabled individuals and their
parents as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Helen Whately:
We recognise the crucial role unpaid carers play, especially during the COVID-19
outbreak and the important role that day services play to provide care, and respite for
carers.
Decisions on the running and re-opening of day services are made on a local basis.
The Social Care Institute of Excellence has worked with the Department, local
government and other key sector partners, to produce guidance which will support
local authorities and providers to restart day services. This was published on 10 July.
In addition, Public Health England is developing guidance on the use of personal
protective equipment in community settings, which will be applicable to day services.
Eating Disorders: Children and Young People
Scott Benton: [63524]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 18
June 2020 to Question 58102 on Eating Disorders: Children and Young People, if he will
provide further explanatory information on the statistical formulae used to determine the
geographic distribution of that funding in (a) 2018-19 and (b) 2019-20 to 2023-24.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
The additional funding for children and young people’s eating disorder services was
added to the overall clinical commissioning group (CCG) funding and distributed
using the main CCG allocation formula.
The CCG allocation formula as a whole is based on a number of different
components which, together, are intended to take account of the different aspects of
healthcare need in a population, including mental health needs.
The technical guide to CCG allocations explains how these formulae are developed
and used. This can be found at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/technical-guide-to-allocation-formulae-and-
pace-of-change-for-2019-20-to-2023-24-revenue-allocations/
Exercise Cygnus
Rachel Reeves: [68335]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether a Pandemic Concept
of Operations was produced following Exercise Cygnus.
Jo Churchill:
[Holding answer 7 July 2020]: The United Kingdom Government’s Concept of
Operations describes how the Government response to civil emergencies will be
organised, and the relationship between central, regional and local tiers in England.
Following Exercise Cygnus, a cross-Government work programme was established
to improve plans for the use of information in a flu pandemic. This work builds upon
the current UK Government Concept of Operations, specifically for pandemic
influenza.
The lessons learned from Exercise Cygnus continue to be considered by
Government, and have been shared with a range of stakeholders, to ensure that the
UK remains well-prepared for infectious disease outbreaks.
Gender Recognition: West Midlands
Mr Andrew Mitchell: [64081]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made
of the adequacy of mental health care provision for transgender people in the West
Midands.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
Advancing mental health equalities, is a priority outlined in the Mental Health
Implementation Plan 2019/20 to 2023/24. All local health systems are expected to set
out how they will specifically reduce health inequalities by 2023/24.
Local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning
health services which meet the needs of their communities. The majority of CCGs in
the West Midlands are part of the Rainbow Badge initiative and actively encourage
partners to engage as non-judgemental and inclusive places for people that identify
as LGBTQ+. The CCGs are working with general practitioner practices and other
partners, to ensure that people who identify as LGBTQ+ feel safe and supported
when seeking out general medical care, including mental health support.
All providers and commissioners in the West Midlands are committed to undertaking
Equality Impact Assessments as part of the service redesign and planning process.
CCGs make decisions within a formal commissioning cycle that includes population
needs analysis and public engagement.
Health Professions: Vetting
Rachael Maskell: [63417]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason staff returning
to medical practice and recruited to the track and trace service have to undergo two DBS
checks.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
[Holding answer 29 June 2020]: Staff returning to medical practice through NHS
England and NHS Improvement’s returner programme would have the relevant
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and onboarding checks undertaken, through
NHS England’s third-party supplier (Capita).
Recruitment of clinical staff to the NHS Test and Trace service is managed by NHS
Professionals. NHS Professionals does make use of the DBS Update Service and for
some staff joining NHS Test and Trace, the Update Service was used. Upon receipt
of a DBS Disclosure, NHS Professionals’ compliance team would have assessed the
disclosure and where appropriate, a check with the DBS Update service would have
been completed, therefore avoiding the need to complete a repeat check.
As NHS England and NHS Improvement is a separate entity from NHS Professionals,
there may have been occasions where two DBS checks may have been required, as
a DBS check cannot be transferred between organisations.
Hospices: Coronavirus
Paul Bristow: [59632]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether hospice (a) staff and
(b) patients are eligible for antibody testing for covid-19.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
We are rolling out millions of antibody tests to help us better understand how COVID-
19 is spreading across the country which will be vital for future decisions about how
to best control the virus.
We are now testing National Health Service and care staff as well as patients where
there is an identified clinical need. We expect that roll out will be expanded to other
essential workers in due course.
Hospitals: Coronavirus
Andrea Jenkyns: [70453]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment
of the potential merits of using Nightingale hospitals in the winter in the event that further
hospital capacity is needed.
Edward Argar:
Nightingale hospitals have helped the National Health Service to rise to an
unprecedented challenge by providing extra capacity to manage surges in demand
due to COVID-19.
We continue to work closely with the NHS and partners, and guidance has already
been issued on restoring urgent non-COVID-19 services safely, whilst ensuring surge
capacity can be stood up again if needed, including through the use of Nightingale
hospitals.
Hyperactivity: Mental Health Services
Nadia Whittome: [68456]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made
of the adequacy of provision of adult ADHD services.
Helen Whately:
[Holding answer 7 July 2020]: The Department has been working with the National
Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and their Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Implementation Working Group to look at how the
current NICE guidance and quality standard on ADHD are being implemented and to
identify and disseminate examples of best practice in respect of care and support for
people with ADHD.
NHS Digital continue to work with the Department and NHS England on how the
collection of ADHD data, including data on diagnosis waiting times can be improved.
Consideration is being given as to how collection of data on ADHD can be improved
on a national level, including improving consistency and comparability of any data
currently collected.
Nadia Whittome: [68457]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to increase
access to adult ADHD services.
Helen Whately:
[Holding answer 7 July 2020]: The Department has been working with the National
Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and their Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Implementation Working Group to look at how the
current NICE guidance and quality standard on ADHD are being implemented and to
identify and disseminate examples of best practice in respect of care and support for
people with ADHD.
NHS Digital continue to work with the Department and NHS England on how the
collection of ADHD data, including data on diagnosis waiting times can be improved.
Consideration is being given as to how collection of data on ADHD can be improved
on a national level, including improving consistency and comparability of any data
currently collected.
Ipswich Hospital: Surgery
Tom Hunt: [67785]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his
Department has made of effect of the proposals to remove elective orthopaedic surgery
from Ipswich Hospital on (a) Ipswich patients' ability to get to and from surgery at a new
centre in Colchester and (b) the delivery of trauma services remaining at Ipswich
Hospital.
Edward Argar:
It is for local commissioners to determine how to best deliver services to meet local
needs. It is right that decisions on local services and service models are made by
local commissioners, who can best assess how to meet the needs of people in their
area. For any significant system reconfiguration, we expect all local parts of the
system to be talking to the public and stakeholders regularly — it is vital that people
can shape the future of their local services.
Tom Hunt: [67787]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his
Department has made of the potential merits of a two-site improvement option which
would allow Ipswich Hospital to continue to provide orthopaedic surgery in proposals to
remove elective orthopaedic surgery from Ipswich Hospital to a new centre in Colchester.
Edward Argar:
It is for local commissioners to determine how to best deliver services to meet local
needs. It is right that decisions on local services and service models are made by
local commissioners, who can best assess how to meet the needs of people in their
area. For any significant system reconfiguration, we expect all local parts of the
system to be talking to the public and stakeholders regularly — it is vital that people
can shape the future of their local services.
LGBT People: Coronavirus
Florence Eshalomi: [70536]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has undertaken an
equalities impact assessment of funding for mental health charities to expand support
services during the covid-19 outbreak to ensure it meets the needs of LGBT people,
Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, disabled people and people with other
protected characteristics.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
[Holding answer 13 July 2020]: The Department has provided £5 million of grant
funding to Mind and the Mental Health Consortia to distribute to mental health
charities to support adults and children as part of a Coronavirus Mental Health
Response Fund. We provided a further £4.2 million of grant funding directly to mental
health charities. These investments are supporting a wide range of groups that
include LGBTQ+, black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and people with
disabilities.
In providing grant funding, the Department ensures the Government’s duties under
the Equalities Act 2010 are met to ensure we are taking into account the needs of a
diverse range of groups. The Coronavirus Mental Health Response Fund also has an
independently chaired governance group, including officials from the Department,
which monitors the allocations from the Fund to ensure fairness and diversity.
Mental Health Services: Children and Young People
Andrew Gwynne: [68680]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has
made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the size of waiting lists for CAMHS
services in (a) England and (b) Greater Manchester, and if he will make a statement.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
Data on waiting list sizes is not available.
Mental Health Services: Coronavirus
Layla Moran: [71871]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to
provide mental health support for (a) parents, (b) children aged 0-5, (c) children aged 6-
12 and (d) children aged 13-17 who have spent additional time at home as a result of the
covid-19 lockdown.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
[Holding answer 14 July 2020]: Mental health services have remained open for
business throughout lockdown, and NHS England and NHS Improvement have asked
mental health trusts to ensure they have 24 hours a day, seven days a week open
access telephone lines in place for urgent National Health Service mental health
support, advice and triage for all ages, including all children and young people.
We have also taken steps to ensure that children and young people, and their
parents and carers, have the tools and knowledge to protect their mental health. We
have published guidance to parents and carers on children and young people’s
mental health and wellbeing, and we are promoting this through trusted channels like
GOV.UK ad Every Mind Matters.
Mental Health Services: LGBT People
Mr Andrew Mitchell: [64079]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is
taking to ensure equality in (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of mental health problems
among the LGBT+ community.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
Advancing mental health equalities is a priority outlined in the Mental Health
Implementation Plan 2019/20 to 2023/24. All local health systems are expected to set
out how they will specifically reduce health inequalities by 2023/24.
To support local Sustainability and Transformation Partnership and Integrated Care
System areas in addressing inequalities in access and outcomes for groups with
protected characteristics, including LGBTQ+ communities, within their plans, NHS
England and NHS Improvement commissioned the Advancing Mental Health
Equalities Resource. The resource is a guide for local commissioners and providers
to identify and address inequalities in mental health care and is available at the
following link:
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs/default-source/improving-care/nccmh/amhe/amhe-
resource.pdf
The NHS Long Term Plan also set out a commitment that local Mental Health
Support Teams which will be working with children and young people in schools and
colleges will be trained to support the mental health needs of LGBTQ+ people.
Mental Health Services: Young People
Catherine West: [68395]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to page 20 of the
NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019/20 – 2023/24, whether baselines on
access to mental health services for 18 to 25 year olds have been validated and
published.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
[Holding answer 7 July 2020]: Under the NHS Long Term Plan, we are committed to
increasing access and improving experience of care for 18-25 year olds. All
sustainability and transformation partnerships have been asked to cross-validate data
on baseline access for 18-25 year olds from the mental health services and
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies datasets, against locally held data
sources.
The validation and analysis is ongoing and a baseline access rate has not yet been
published.
NHS: Hearing Impaired
Preet Kaur Gill: [61558]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department
has made available for NHS staff who are D/deaf and rely on lip-reading, for whom
guidance on face masks may be challenging.
Helen Whately:
It is recognised that the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the
pandemic can cause particular communication difficulties for d/Deaf staff and others
who rely on lipreading and/or facial expressions for communication. Teams who work
directly work with d/Deaf colleagues should be prioritised locally for the use of PPE
which facilitates effective communication (including clear-fronted masks or hoods).
NHS England and NHS Improvement are also working to source clear face masks for
those members of staff and clinicians who need them.
Protective Clothing: Hearing Impaired
Preet Kaur Gill: [61557]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether Government guidance
will be issued to clinicians in healthcare settings to ensure that guidance on face masks
does not make services inaccessible to D/deaf people who rely on lipreading.
Helen Whately:
NHS England and NHS Improvement are aware of the issue and are working to
provide solutions to address the needs of D/deaf people and people with complex
needs including possible procurement of clear fronted masks.
Public Health: Finance
Helen Hayes: [66941]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the covid-19
outbreak, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the level of
public health funding.
Jo Churchill:
[Holding answer 6 July 2020]: The public health grant to local authorities is £3.279
billion in 2020-21. This is in addition to what the National Health Service spends on
public health, which included over £1.3 billion in 2019-20 on national public health
programmes such as immunisations and screening.
The Government has also provided £3.7 billion of additional funding for local
government to help them respond to COVID-19 pressures across the services they
deliver. Local authorities will take spending decisions based on local priorities, and
the Government is keeping the position under review.
Funding beyond 2020-21 will be set out at the next spending review.
Serco
Jon Trickett: [69447]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Serco's
sharing of 296 email addresses belonging to covid-19 contract tracers, for what reasons
Serco was not required to refer itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office for that
matter.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
We understand Serco did report the data breach to the Information Commissioner’s
Office.
Serco also alerted the NHS Test and Trace service immediately. The breach was
caused by including email addresses of new contact tracing recruits in the carbon
copy (cc) rather than blind carbon copy (bcc) field. Serco apologised to staff affected
and reminded colleagues of the need to always use the ‘bcc’ feature rather than ‘cc’
feature in future.
Ensuring the privacy of users and security of their personal data is a priority for the
National Health Service and the Government. We follow cyber security best practice
to help protect this data and comply with the law around the use of data, including the
Data Protection Act 2018.
Serco: Contact Tracing
Afzal Khan: [59602]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department
undertook a delivery model assessment to determine whether the private sector was best
placed to operate test, track and trace services for covid-19.
Afzal Khan: [59603]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions officials in his
Department have had with (a) NHS officials and (b) local authorities leaders prior to
deciding to outsource the operation of covid-19 contact tracing to Serco.
Afzal Khan: [59604]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what procurement process his
Department undertook prior to awarding the contract for operating covid-19 contact
tracing services to Serco.
Afzal Khan: [59605]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons the contract
for operating covid-19 contact tracing services was awarded to Serco.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
A proportionate delivery model assessment was undertaken in the decision to
outsource the services to the private sector. This assessment was influenced by the
speed to recruit, volume of staff required and timescales in moving back to delivery
business as usual public services. Discussions were held with various officials before
the decision to outsource was made. It quickly became evident that the public sector
could not stand 18,000 contact tracers within the required timescales. There was also
a risk that as the country exited lockdown, public servants would need to return to
business as usual which would not have been possible with 18,000 people released
as contact tracers.
The contract to Serco was a direct award under Lot 2 of Crown Commercial Service’s
Contact Centre Services framework. All suppliers on Lot 2 were engaged with, in
order to ascertain capabilities to meet the contract output specifications.
Social Services: Disability
Sarah Olney: [68402]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to
ensure that disabled people have access to safe social care during the covid-19
outbreak.
Helen Whately:
The Government’s number one priority for adult social care is that everyone who
relies on care gets the safe care they need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have set out a comprehensive action plan to support the adult social care sector
in England throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, including ramping up testing,
overhauling the way personal protective equipment is being delivered to care homes
and helping to minimise the spread of the virus to keep people safe.
Stem Cells: Transplant Surgery
Mark Tami: [64855]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of
the number of stem cell transplant patients on the Shielded Patients List.
Jo Churchill:
No estimate has been made. People who have had stem cell transplants are not
separately identifiable on the Shielded Patients List.
Surgical Mesh Implants
Emma Hardy: [69654]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has taken steps as
a result of the disclosure that a 2012 study published in European Urology which
concluded that no patients were suffering thigh pain three years after their transobturator
mesh procedures had received undeclared funding of £100,000 from one of the
manufacturers of the mesh being analysed; and if he will make a statement.
Ms Nadine Dorries:
We cannot comment on individual cases and neither can the General Medical
Council.
HOME OFFICE
Coronavirus: Quarantine
Justin Madders: [74645]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July
to Question 69589 on Coronavirus: Quarantine, whether the ad hoc statistical release on
Health Measures at the Border has now been published.
Kevin Foster:
We don’t currently publish statistical data relating to the Health Measures at the
Border. However, this is being reviewed and we will be seeking ministerial approval
to publish some selected data on compliance with the measures.
Domestic Abuse: Immigrants
Jess Phillips: [73862]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is
taking to work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to
ensure that the Everyone In initiative provides temporary accommodation to (a) women
survivors of domestic abuse and (b) women survivors with no recourse to public funds.
Victoria Atkins:
On 24 June the Housing Secretary announced that the Government is providing local
authorities with a further £105 million to enable them to best support the c15,000
people placed into emergency accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The
Government has been clear that the offer for each person supported under this
approach would need to be made on an individual basis, considering that person’s
specific circumstances, support needs and the law. This could include women who
have experienced rough sleeping due to domestic abuse.
The rules as to eligibility relating to immigration status, including for those with no
recourse to public funds, have not changed. Local authorities must use their
judgement in assessing what support they may lawfully give to each person on an
individual basis, considering that person’s specific circumstances and support
needs. Local authorities already regularly make such judgements on accommodating
individuals who might otherwise be ineligible, during extreme weather for example,
where there is a risk to life.
The Government recognises that some migrant victims of domestic abuse are not
eligible for existing sources of support, such as the Destitution Domestic Violence
Concession (DDVC). That is why we have committed £1.5 million to the Support for
Migrant Victims scheme to support migrant victims of domestic abuse who do not
qualify for the DDVC and gather the evidence that is needed to make sustainable
decisions for this group over the long-term. This is in addition to over £1.5 million
provided so far in Tampon Tax funding, since 2017 and up to 31 March 2021, to fund
organisations supporting migrant victims of domestic abuse who do not qualify for the
DDVC. We continue to work with our partners across Government to develop the
particulars of the scheme, which is due to be launched in the autumn.
Jess Phillips: [73864]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the
Government’s draft Statutory Guidance in relation to the Domestic Abuse Bill published 1
July 2020, what steps her Department is taking to help migrant survivors of domestic
abuse to regularise their status and provide support in the event that those survivors are
not eligible to apply under the Domestic Violence Rule.
Victoria Atkins:
The Government’s position is clear that all victims of domestic abuse should be
treated as victims first and foremost. The Destitution Domestic Violence Concession
(DDVC) is available to those who have come to the UK on specified partner visas
with the reasonable expectation of obtaining Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the
UK. The DDVC is not available to individuals who enter the UK on other visas, such
as visit, student or work visas, or who are here illegally. This is because in order to
obtain such visas they have confirmed they are financially independent, and therefore
require no recourse to public funds, and their stay will be for a defined time. They do
not have a legitimate expectation of securing ILR.
As we made clear in parliamentary debates on the Domestic Abuse Bill, this
Government is committed to ensuring all victims have adequate support which meets
their immediate needs. That is why we have allocated £1.5m towards the Support for
Migrant Victims (SMV) scheme, due to be launched later this year, to support migrant
victims of domestic abuse who do not have access to public funds to access safe
accommodation. This is in addition to over £1.5 million in Tampon Tax funding
provided so far, since 2017 and up to 31 March 2021, to support organisations
specialising in providing specialist support to migrant victims of domestic abuse who
do not qualify for the DDVC.
The pilot project will not only support more individuals to find safe accommodation but
will help gather the data that is needed to develop sustainable solutions for all
migrant victims of domestic abuse over the long-term.
Jess Phillips: [73865]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many occasions her
department has (a) taken steps to (i) regularise the status and (ii) provide support to
migrant survivors of domestic abuse who are not eligible to apply under the Domestic
Violence Rule; and (b) required a migrant survivor of domestic abuse to leave the UK in
each of the last five years.
Victoria Atkins:
The data requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would require a manual
check of individual records which would significantly exceed the disproportionate cost
threshold.
Factories: Leicester
Claudia Webbe: [71200]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has
to investigate Leicester’s garment factories for alleged instances of (a) wage theft, (b)
denial of benefits and (c) modern slavery conditions.
Claudia Webbe: [71211]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has
to work with (a) local authorities and (b) other stakeholders in Leicester to establish a
helpline for workers reporting instances of exploitation.
Victoria Atkins:
We are deeply concerned by the appalling reports of illegal and unsafe working
conditions for garment workers in Leicester. The Government will not tolerate the
exploitation of vulnerable workers for commercial gain and is committed to taking
action against those who seek to do so.
Investigations of criminal offences are the responsibility of operational law
enforcement partners, who have the appropriate powers to do so. Following these
allegations, the National Crime Agency have launched an investigation into these
serious concerns. This has been taken forward using a partnership approach, using
the expertise of several bodies, including the Health and Safety Executive, the
Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), Her Majesty’s Revenue and
Customs and Leicestershire Police.
Workers can report information or concerns about suspected labour exploitation in
confidence through the telephone to the GLAA or to the Modern Slavery and
Exploitation Helpline. For advice on the legal minimum wage, working hours and
employment agencies, workers can call the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration
Service helpline for free.
We have also committed to going further on state enforcement and establishing a
single enforcement body for employment rights to better protect vulnerable workers
and create a level playing field for the majority of employers that comply with the law.
Home Office: Apprentices
Robert Halfon: [74508]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is
taking to reach the public sector apprenticeship target.
James Brokenshire:
The Home Office is six months into the implementation of the Apprenticeships
Operating Model (AOM) designed to centralise all HR end-to-end processes
(including streamlining recruitment activities through to programme onboarding). The
growth of a dedicated team has been stood up to increase the quality and quality of
apprenticeships for the future. This industry tested model has the capacity and
capability to meet the minimum 2.3% statutory target (England workforce) annually.
To enable delivery, there are strong governance frameworks in place which are
closely connected to the Home Office People Strategy 2018 – 2023.
The refreshed AOM and strengthened workforce planning enables the dept. to
address the target shortfall and annual ministerial commitments within a two-year
period. Key to assessing performance is through the delivery of a robust Assurance
Framework to ensure demand and delivery are aligned and reviewed quarterly and
RAG status at Director General level.
In the coming six months, the Home Office is committed to prioritising
apprenticeships recruitment across operational delivery (largest population in the
department), policy and digital professions. This demonstrates the Home Office’s
pledge to future skills development: attracting the best talent from the external labour
market whilst creating opportunities for internal professional capability building.
Home Office: Overseas Aid
Yasmin Qureshi: [73770]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29
June 2020 to Question 63287 on Home Office: Overseas Aid, how much her Department
spent on the (a) End Violence against Children Programme, (b) modern slavery Victim
Care Contract and (c) Modern Slavery Fund in each of the last three years; and what her
Department's planned spending is for those projects in the next year.
Victoria Atkins:
The Home Office Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend in each of the last
three years for the End Violence against Children Programme and Modern Slavery
Fund are published to https://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/department/HO.
The Department spend on the ODA element of the Victim Care Contract (VCC) in
2018/19 was £5.8m and £9.24m in 2019/20 – We began reporting the ODA eligible
proportion of VCC expenditure in 2018/19.
Home Office planned ODA spend in the next year is dependent on the outcome of
the Spending Review.
Immigration
Neil Coyle: [74615]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has
taken to consult with employers on the cost of applications under the proposed new
points-based immigration system.
Kevin Foster:
We recognise the new system will mean changes in the way businesses operate and
recruit. That is why we are providing certainty on the new system now, giving us time
to work together to understand employer’s needs.
Fees for border, immigration and citizenship products and services play a vital role in
our country’s ability to run a sustainable system. We believe it is right that those who
use the systems should contribute to its cost, thereby reducing the burden on the UK
taxpayer.
A new programme of engagement is underway to raise awareness of the new system,
ensuring those affected by the changes are fully aware of what it means for them and
understand how the system will operate. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and
since the Policy Statement was published in February 2020, we have facilitated over
50 engagement events and continue to hold regular events across the UK and a wide
range of sectors. We have published an introduction to the points-based immigration
system for employers and launched a direct email campaign to enable businesses to
sign-up to receive updates on the system’s implementation.
Immigration: EEA Nationals
Stuart C McDonald: [74642]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made
of the effect of (a) visa fees and (b) the immigration health surcharge on the number of
EEA nationals migrating to the UK from 1 January 2021.
Kevin Foster:
An Impact Assessment on the wider impacts of the ending of free movement for EEA
and Swiss citizens was laid alongside the Immigration and Social Security Co-
ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill. It can be found at
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm
ent_data/file/885682/2020-05-18_IA_ImmSSC_Billl_v21_with_Signature.pdf
On 19 March 2020 the Home Office published a literature review of the evidence
relating to the elasticity of demand for visas in the UK. This evidence is available
here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-review-of-evidence-relating-to-
the-elasticity-of-demand-for-visas-in-the-uk
The impact of the imposition of both visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge
on EEA and Swiss citizens will be published alongside the Immigration Rules and
Fee Regulations in the Autumn.
Immigration: EU Nationals
Neil Coyle: [74617]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the main reasons were for
UK Visas and Immigration to refuse 1,400 applications to the EU Settlement Scheme in
June 2020.
Neil Coyle: [74618]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for Pre-
Settled Status did UK Visas and Immigration refuse in June 2020; and what the main
reasons were for those refusals.
Neil Coyle: [74619]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether all 1,400 refused
applications to the EU Settlement Scheme in June 2020 were approved by Ministers.
Kevin Foster:
The majority of applications to the EU Settlement Scheme which have resulted in a
refusal were due to there being insufficient evidence of the applicant’s eligibility, as
detailed in the Home Office EU Settlement Scheme Statistics User Guide. Eligibility
refusals comprise 99 per cent of the total refusals up to 31 May 2020, with the
remaining refusals being made on suitability grounds. A breakdown of the refusal
decisions made in June 2020 will be published in the next quarterly statistics release,
due to be published in August 2020.
The published statistics include all refusals of status under the scheme.
Ministers agreed a high level of assurance that is applied prior to any application to
the EU Settlement Scheme being refused. Cases identified as potential refusals are
subject to stringent scrutiny and review and the number of applications refused
remains proportionately low in comparison to applications which have been granted.
Before refusing an application under the scheme, UK Visas and Immigration will seek
to work with the applicant to help them provide the evidence required to demonstrate
that they qualify for settled status and, if not, for pre-settled status and, where
appropriate, will exercise discretion in their favour in order to minimise administrative
burdens on the applicant
Immigration: Social Services
Neil Coyle: [74616]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has
taken to consult with local authorities on the potential effect of the proposed new points-
based immigration system on the social care sector.
Kevin Foster:
The social care sector is invaluable to our country. Social care workers have shown
incredible dedication during this extraordinary time.
The Government is working with the sector in a number of ways to help support it
during this difficult time and going forward, including extra funding and a national
recruitment campaign.
However, the independent Migration Advisory Committee has been very clear that
immigration is not the answer to the challenges in this sector. As we implement the
new immigration system, we want employers to focus on investing in our domestic
work force.
A programme of engagement is underway to raise awareness of the new points-
based system, ensuring those affected by the changes are fully aware of what it
means for them and understand how the system will operate.
Law and Order: Protective Clothing
Sir Graham Brady: [73715]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has
made of the implications of the widespread wearing of face coverings for the (a)
incidence of crime and (b) efficacy of law enforcement.
Kit Malthouse:
The Home Office has not made a recent assessment of the impact of face coverings
on the (a) incidence of crime and (b) efficacy of law enforcement. We will continue to
engage with our policing partners on the implications of face coverings for crime and
investigation.
Migrant Workers: Self-employed
Stuart C McDonald: [74640]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what protections are in place for
self-employed people whose income continues to be affected by the covid-19 outbreak
after 31 July 2020, and who are unable to meet the Minimum Income Requirement when
sponsoring a non-EEA partner’s UK visa.
Kevin Foster:
The Home Office has established a range of measures to support those affected by
Covid-19. For the purpose of the minimum income requirement, in addition to the
range of ways the requirement can already be met through sources of non-
employment income:
• a temporary loss of annual income due to Covid-19 between 1 March 2020 and 31
July 2020 will generally be disregarded for self-employment income, along with the
impact on employment income from the same period for future applications beyond
31 July. Income received via the Coronavirus Self-Employment Income Support
Scheme will also be taken into account;
• a temporary loss of employment income between 1 March and 31 July 2020 due to
Covid-19 will be disregarded, provided the requirement was met for at least six
months up to March 2020;
• an applicant or sponsor furloughed under the Government’s Coronavirus Job
Retention Scheme will be deemed as earning 100% of their salary;
• evidential flexibility may be applied where an applicant or sponsor experiences
difficulty accessing specified evidence due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Guidance for our customers is available on GOV.UK here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-8-appendix-fm-family-members.
These are unprecedented times and as the UK returns to work, we continue to
monitor the situation closely and take these exceptional circumstances into account.
We may make further adjustments to requirements where necessary and appropriate
to ensure people are not unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control.
Migrant Workers: Shipping
Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: [73852]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the document
The UK’s Points-Based Immigration System - Further Details, published 13 July 2020, if
she will list the seafarer (a) officer and (b) ratings occupations (i) included and (ii) not
included in the skills test accompanying the proposals on the points-based immigration
system.
Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: [73854]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had
with the Secretary of State for Transport on demand in the shipping industry for seafarers
in occupations that require skills below level 3 of the Regulated Qualifications
Framework; and if she will make a statement.
Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: [73855]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to include
all seafarer ratings' occupations in the skills test requirements of the proposed points-
based immigration system.
Kevin Foster:
Under our new Skilled Worker route, we will expand the range of jobs which qualify
under the current system for non-EU nationals, from graduate level roles (RQF level
6 and above) to those requiring skills equivalent to A-level (RQF level 3 and above).
The further details statement we published on 13 July lists all the occupations which
qualify, including those in seafaring. This list is based on the advice from the
independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). The details for each occupation
are taken from the widely-used SOC code system, developed by the Office for
National Statistics (ONS). The ONS publishes a variety of guidance to help
employers and individuals find the appropriate SOC code for a particular job.
As we set out in our previous policy statement of 19 February, we will not introduce a
general route for jobs below the skills threshold. Due to the shorter periods of training
required, it is reasonable to ask employers to focus their efforts on the resident
workforce, rather than relying on cheap labour from overseas.
Modern Slavery Act 2015 Independent Review
Claudia Webbe: [71197]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will adopt the
recommendations from the Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015: Final
report, CP 100, published in May 2019, to strengthen the domestic legal framework for
ensuring corporate accountability for modern slavery in supply chains.
Victoria Atkins:
Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 established the UK as the first country in
the world to require businesses to report annually on steps taken to prevent modern
slavery in their operations and supply chains. The Government is committed to
continuously strengthening our approach to increase transparency in supply chains.
In 2018, the Home Office commissioned an Independent Review of the Modern
Slavery Act to look at where the Act has worked well and where it could be more
effective, including section 54.
The Government accepted the majority (see
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-
independent-review-of-the-modern-slavery-act)of the Review’s recommendations and
on 9 July 2019 the Home Office launched a public consultation seeking views on an
ambitious package of measures to strengthen the Act’s transparency legislation.
These included requiring organisations to report on specific topics, introducing a
single reporting deadline and extending transparency to the public sector. The
Government will publish its response to the consultation this summer.
We are also developing a new gov.uk registry for statements published under the
Modern Slavery Act, to enable greater scrutiny from consumers, investors, civil
society and others and drive a “race to the top”.
Offences against Children: Coronavirus
Alex Cunningham: [73820]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to
ensure that children and young people at risk of sexual abuse and exploitation, who may
have gone unnoticed during the covid-19 lockdown, are identified and supported as soon
as possible.
Victoria Atkins:
Protecting those at risk from abuse and exploitation is a priority for this Government.
We are acutely aware that for some children and young people, the Coronavirus
pandemic may have brought with it additional risks and dangers, as well as reducing
contact with professionals and trusted adults. This Government is committed to doing
everything we can to support and protect those at risk of harm.
That is why, following the Chancellor’s announcement of £750m funding for the
voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, the Home Office and
Department for Education (DfE) launched a £7.6m joint fund to provide financial
hardship relief for national VCSE organisations that support vulnerable children
across England and Wales. Further funding will also be dispersed through direct
awards due to be finalised imminently, and recipients include organisations working
to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse.
DfE are also funding a £7 million new See, Hear, Respond service led by Barnardo’s
. This will support children who are hidden from view, not currently receiving support
from statutory agencies and at risk of harm and/or experiencing adverse impacts on
their health and wellbeing. The service will develop a dynamic sector response that
intervenes early, supports and safeguards these children, mitigating against
escalation of need and long-lasting harm to children and families.
As part of this the Government made £1.6 million available immediately for the
NSPCC to expand and promote its national helpline for adults concerned about the
safety of children, alongside disseminating safeguarding messaging to key
community partners to raise awareness of how and where they can raise concerns
and seek advice about the safety and wellbeing of children.
Existing programmes, such as our £13.2m Trusted Relationships Fund, have also
pivoted their response to sustain support to vulnerable children and young people
during the restrictions. Our 11 local authority-led projects working with 10-17 year
olds at risk of sexual exploitation and other harms, have adapted their support by:
moving this to virtual platforms; creating 24 hour support helplines; engaging in
schools where vulnerable children are still attending; planning diversionary activities
to engage young people over the summer; and resuming detached youth work where
this can be delivered safely.
Building on the Government’s intensive efforts to protect vulnerable people from
hidden crimes such as domestic abuse and child sexual abuse during this period, the
Prime Minister’s Hidden Harm Summit on 21 May was an opportunity to share
emerging best practice at the local and national level and identify areas to go further
over the coming months. The Home Office will continue champion and support
collaboration across partners, including by continuing to promote a child-centred and
trauma-informed policing approach.
Prevent Independent Review
Catherine West: [72241]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government is
consulting with local authorities on an expansion of the Prevent programme while the
independent review of Prevent is ongoing.
James Brokenshire:
The Home Office regularly engage with local partners to assess and review Prevent
delivery to see where improvements can be made. This ongoing process includes
obtaining feedback from local authorities on the current model of Prevent local
delivery. No decisions have been taken on future delivery models.
Proscribed Organisations
Dr Julian Lewis: [73683]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what restrictions are in place on
the public display of (a) flags and (b) other symbols of terrorist organisations proscribed in
the UK; what steps she is taking to (i) collate data on and (ii) report to Parliament on the
numbers of people (A) arrested and (B) prosecuted for the public display of those items;
what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of proscribing
terrorist organisations in the UK; and if she will make a statement.
Kit Malthouse:
The Government takes proscription offences seriously. It is an offence under section
13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 to carry or display articles supporting a proscribed
organisation, or to publish an image of an item of clothing or other article, such as a
flag or logo, in the same circumstances.
Data relating to these section 13 offences are grouped with other proscription
offences (sections 11 and 12 of the Act) in the publication ‘Operation of Police
Powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’. The most recent publication, up to year
ending March 2020, was published on 11 June on GOV.UK:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-
terrorism-act-2000-financial-year-ending-march-2020.
Proscription sends a strong message that terrorist organisations are not tolerated in
the UK and deters them from operating here. It is one of the key tools available to the
Government, police and Security Service to disrupt terrorist activity. Between 2001
and the end of March 2020, 83 people have been charged with proscription-related
offences as a primary offence in Great Britain, and 45 have been convicted.
Proscription can also support other disruptive activity including the use of immigration
powers such as exclusion, prosecution for other offences, encouraging removal of
on-line material, and messaging and EU asset freezes.
Public Spaces Protection Orders
Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: [71064]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (a) what estimate he has made
of the number of public spaces protection orders used by local authorities; and (b) what
purpose those protection orders were issued.
Victoria Atkins:
The Government introduced Public Spaces Protection Orders through the Anti-social
Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to enable local authorities to tackle anti-
social behaviour in public spaces.
The powers in the 2014 Act are local in nature, and it is for local agencies to
determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances as they are
best-placed to understand the needs of their community and the most appropriate
response.
The Government does not centrally collate data on the number of public spaces
protection orders issued.
Slavery
Claudia Webbe: [71204]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward
legislative proposals to introduce penalties for companies who fail to (a) publish an
annual statement and (b) comply with their obligations under the Modern Slavery Act
2015.
Claudia Webbe: [71207]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to
strengthen the provisions of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to require (a) large companies
and (b) fashion brands to undertake due diligence checks throughout their supply chains
to ensure (i) materials and (ii) products are produced without the use of exploited labour.
Claudia Webbe: [71208]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to ensure
that Government procurement is compliant with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Victoria Atkins:
This Government is committed to eliminating modern slavery from our communities
and the global economy. The landmark transparency requirement contained in
section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 made the UK the first country in the world
to require businesses to report on how they are tackling modern slavery in their
operations and supply chains. Section 54 was designed to empower consumers,
investors, civil society and others to scrutinise the action that businesses are taking to
identify and address modern slavery in their supply chains.
To further increase transparency in supply chains, the Home Office launched a public
consultation on a range of measures to strengthen section 54, including requiring
organisations to report on specific topics, including due diligence, and introducing civil
penalties for non-compliance. The Government will publish its response to the
consultation this summer. We are also developing a new gov.uk registry for
organisations in scope of the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act to publish their
modern slavery statements which will enable greater scrutiny.
In March this year, we became the first country to publish a modern slavery
statement setting out how we are preventing modern slavery in Government supply
chains. Bidders for central Government contracts, above relevant thresholds, are
required to confirm that they are compliant with the transparency requirement in the
Modern Slavery Act 2015, where the bidder is in scope of the transparency
requirement. Bidders for public contracts that have failed to meet their legal
obligations in the last three years risk being excluded from public procurements,
unless they can demonstrate that they have taken measures to remedy the failures
and prevent recurrence.
The Home Office has written twice to the CEOs of more than 16,000 businesses in
scope with clear information about how to meet their obligations.
Slavery: Manufacturing Industries
Gareth Bacon: [71914]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps are being taken to
eradicate modern slavery in the fast fashion industry.
Victoria Atkins:
The Government is committed to tackling modern slavery in all sectors, including
fashion, which is why in 2017 we expanded the remit of the Gangmasters and Labour
Abuse Authority (GLAA), giving specially trained officers stronger powers under the
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to investigate labour market offences across
all sectors of the economy in England and Wales. We have also committed to
creating a single enforcement body to crack down on employers abusing the law, to
protect vulnerable workers and create a level playing field for the majority of
employers that comply with the law.
To address risks in the fashion sector specifically, the former Prime Minister launched
'The Apparel and General Merchandise Public and Private Protocol' in 2018. The
protocol is a partnership between enforcement bodies such as the GLAA and the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and industry partners, including the British Retail
Consortium, UK Fashion and the Textile Association, and commits its signatories to
working together to eradicate slavery and exploitation in textile supply chains.
We are also committed to improving transparency in domestic and global supply
chains. Under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the UK became the first
country in the world to require large businesses in all sectors to report on how they
are tackling modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. We are committed
to continuously strengthening our approach and in July 2019 the Home Office
launched a public consultation on an ambitious package of measures designed to
enhance the impact of transparency, including mandating specific topics
organisations must report on, introducing a single reporting deadline and extending
transparency to the public sector. The Government response to the consultation will
be published this summer.
We are also developing a new gov.uk registry for statements published under the
Modern Slavery Act, to enable greater scrutiny from consumers, investors, civil
society and others and drive a “race to the top".
Slavery: Victim Support Schemes
Sarah Champion: [74597]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her
Department's News story of 29 June 2020, New contract to deliver improved support for
modern slavery victims, whether people provided with accommodation under the Victim
Care Contract since the beginning of the covid-19 outbreak will be able to remain in that
accommodation for another three months.
Victoria Atkins:
In line with Public Health England guidance in response to COVID-19, the policy
change announced on 6 April 2020 meant individuals who were accommodated in
the VCC, would have continued access to this accommodation for a three-month
period. The policy was reviewed at the end of June, with consideration of government
wide COVID-19 advice.
The review determined that the policy will remain in place for a further period of one
month from 6 July to the 6 August 2020. This is a transitional period, and from 6
August, the move on processes and periods set out in the Modern Slavery Act 2015:
statutory guidance for England and Wales will resume as normal.
The Government is committed ensuring the safety and security of those supported
through the modern slavery Victim Care Contract (VCC). Support workers and
decision makers will continue to consider government advice, as well as the impacts
of COVID-19 on the availability of services and the safety/security of individuals as
part of move-on processes.
Stalking: Registration
Sarah Olney: [73030]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to
ensure that serial stalkers are routinely tracked, managed and supervised.
Sarah Olney: [73031]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to
ensure that domestic violence perpetrators are routinely tracked, managed and
supervised.
Victoria Atkins:
People who have been convicted of one of the offences specified in Schedule 15 to
the Criminal Justice Act 2003, including stalking involving fear of violence or serious
alarm or distress, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and wounding with intent to
cause grievous bodily harm, and who have been sentenced to 12 months or more of
imprisonment or youth detention or who have been detained under the Mental Health
Act 1983, are automatically managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection
Arrangements (MAPPA). Of those people, those who pose a higher risk of harm -
where formal multi-agency meetings are held to inform the shared Risk Management
Plan - are included on the ViSOR Dangerous Persons Database.
People who do not meet those criteria, but who have been convicted or cautioned for,
or reprimanded or warned about, an offence which indicates that they pose a risk of
serious harm to the public, and who are considered by the MAPPA agencies to
require the active involvement of several agencies via regular multi-agency public
protection meetings, are also managed under MAPPA and included on ViSOR.
Additionally, a person who has not been convicted of an offence, but whose
behaviour gives reasonable grounds for believing that there is a likelihood of them
committing an offence which will cause serious harm (known as a Potentially
Dangerous Person), may also be included on ViSOR.
The College of Policing has issued guidance to police forces on the ‘Identification,
assessment and management of serial or potentially dangerous domestic abuse and
stalking perpetrators’. The key principles set out that forces should have processes in
place to identify serial or potentially dangerous domestic abuse or stalking
perpetrators and ensure that information about the perpetrator is recorded on the
Police National Computer, the Police National Database or ViSOR as appropriate.
HM Prison and Probation Service has published a Domestic Abuse Policy Framework
which sets out the arrangements for working with people whose convictions or
behaviours include domestic abuse. The framework mandates adherence to the
referral pathways for domestic abuse perpetrators and ensures that the expectations
for its work in those cases is laid out clearly and comprehensively.
In January 2020 the Government introduced Stalking Protection Orders, which allow
magistrates’ courts to impose prohibitions and positive requirements on a person if
they are necessary to protect another person from a risk associated with stalking.
The Domestic Abuse Bill will introduce Domestic Abuse Protection Orders, which will
include similar provisions, including specific provision for electronic tagging.
Stop and Search: Ethnic Groups
Ms Harriet Harman: [74424]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to
ensure that stop and search is not disproportionately affecting (a) black men and (b)
BAME communities.
Kit Malthouse:
The Government is clear no one should be stopped and searched based on race or
ethnicity and there are safeguards to ensure that this does not happen. These include
Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 which sets out the statutory
requirements for conducting a search, the use of body worn video to increase
accountability, and HMICFRS inspections where force level disparities are examined.
Last year, the Home Office asked the College of Policing to update its guidance on
stop and search to provide better practice to forces on community engagement and
scrutiny. The Home Office also publishes extensive data on police powers, including
the use of stop and search, which allows Police and Crime Commissioners and
others to hold forces to account. The latest publication is
here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-powers-and-procedures-
england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2019.
Visas: Coronavirus
Gavin Robinson: [74608]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will agree to a further visa
extension beyond 31 July 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Kevin Foster:
The latest information in respect of advice for visa holders can be found on GOV.UK
at: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-
temporary-uk-residents. This is kept under review.
The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by
the covid-19 outbreak. We recognise that further adjustments are likely to be required
to cater for all scenarios, and we are working through these, to ensure people are not
unduly affected by circumstances beyond their control.
Visas: Travel Restrictions
Bell Ribeiro-Addy: [72264]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has
to extend the 30-day travel period for the vignette application for people unable to enter
the UK due to flight cancellations as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.
Kevin Foster:
The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those affected by
the COVID-19 outbreak. It has been agreed that if an individual’s 30-day visa to travel
to the UK for work, study or to join family has expired, or is about to expire, a
replacement visa with revised validity dates valid for up to 90 days may be requested
free of charge until the end of this year (2020).
Affected customers will need to contact the UKVI Coronavirus Immigration Help
Centre. Full details of the Help Centre and how to make a request can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-
temporary-uk-residents .
Visas: Turkey
Barbara Keeley: [73764]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to enable
people with European Community Association Agreement visas to (a) renew and (b)
extend those visas whist outside the UK in the event that they cannot travel back to the
UK during the covid-19 outbreak prior to their visa expiring; and if she will make a
statement.
Kevin Foster:
The Government is committed to ensuring that people are not unfairly impacted in
terms of their immigration status as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Those who are outside the UK when their European Community Association
Agreement (ECAA) visa expires can apply, free of charge, for entry clearance as an
ECAA business person so that they can return to the UK. On their return, they can
seek to extend their leave where they are eligible for this.
Further guidance for ECAA applicants who have been unable to return to the UK or
renew their leave because of illness or travel restrictions due to Covid-19 will be
published shortly
HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
[Subject Heading to be Assigned]
Afzal Khan: [904965]
Whether his Department plans to provide financial support to (a) places of worship and
(b) faith organisations to help them to reopen safely as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are
eased.
Robert Jenrick:
I am very grateful to faith leaders across the country for the leadership they have
shown on behalf of their communities during this crisis.
I am also grateful to the Places of Worship Taskforce, which met again last week,
and which has been extremely productive. There are still issues we are working
through together, including music for services and singing.
As of the 4 th of July, places of worship were allowed to re-open with social distancing
in place. Today they are able to hold services, or lead communal worship, and
important events in the lives of their communities, such as weddings and funerals.
Faith organisations have been able to apply for a range of Government-backed
financial packages which support charities and businesses.
Bambos Charalambous: [904966]
What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of Government funding for local
authorities in England.
Mr Simon Clarke:
We have now made £4.3 billion available to local authorities to address expenditure
pressures caused by COVID-19, including £3.7 billion of unringfenced grants and the
£600 million Infection Control Fund.
We are using monthly data collections and conversations with councils and the LGA
to refine our assessment of costs and develop a good understanding of the pressures
local authorities are currently facing.
James Cartlidge: [904969]
What steps he is taking to reform the planning system in England.
Robert Jenrick:
Our seven-decade old planning system is in need of an overhaul, and we will shortly
be publishing a planning Policy Paper in the summer setting out our proposals for
comprehensive reform.
These reforms will deliver more high-quality, well-designed homes, and beautiful and
greener communities for people to live in.
Alongside this we continue to create new planning freedoms to support the high
street and create new homes – including new Permitted Development Rights and
Use Class Order reform.
Wera Hobhouse: [904970]
What steps the Government is taking to tackle the risk of local authorities becoming
insolvent as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Mr Simon Clarke:
We recognise the additional costs and pressures councils are facing as a result of the
Covid-19 outbreak. We have made £3.7 billion available to councils through an un-
ringfenced grant so they can address these pressures. We will continue to work with
local government to ensure they are managing as the pandemic progresses.
Zarah Sultana: [904972]
What plans his Department has to prevent tenants who have fallen into arrears as a
result of financial hardship caused by the covid-19 outbreak being evicted from privately
rented properties.
Christopher Pincher:
The Government has offered unprecedented support to help prevent people getting
into financial hardship or rent arrears.
We legislated to delay when landlords can evict tenants and the Master of the Rolls,
with the support of the Government, paused eviction proceedings for five months,
until 23 August. These measures are helping to ensure no-one loses their home this
summer as a result of coronavirus.
Paul Howell: [904975]
What support he is providing to help local authorities experiencing a reduction in income
during the covid-19 outbreak.
Mr Simon Clarke:
We have announced a sales, fees and charges co-payment scheme to compensate
for irrecoverable losses in 2020/21 where those are above the level they could have
been expected to plan for. We will also extend the period over which councils must
manage shortfalls in local tax income relating to 2020-21. Further details of how we
will support councils to manage tax losses will be announced at the spending review.
Jo Gideon: [904976]
What steps he is taking to support housebuilding on brownfield land.
Suzanne Webb: [904977]
What steps he is taking to support housebuilding on brownfield land.
Christopher Pincher:
I’m delighted that the Prime Minister recently announced that seven Mayoral
Combined Authorities, including the West Midlands Combined Authority, are each
receiving a share of the £400 million Brownfield Housing Fund. This will help unlock
26,000 homes by bringing under-utilised brownfield land back into use and contribute
to the levelling-up our country.
Tom Randall: [904978]
What additional support he is providing to local authorities during the covid-19 outbreak.
Mr Simon Clarke:
Government recognises the pressures councils face from Covid-19. We are providing
councils with an unprecedented package of support, allocating £4.3 billion for
spending pressures, including £3.7 billion of unringfenced grants and the £600 million
Infection Control Fund.
Overall, Government has committed nearly £28 billion to support councils, their
communities and businesses.
Michael Fabricant: [904980]
What guidance his Department issues to local authorities on their membership of local
enterprise partnerships; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Simon Clarke:
The Department has provided clear guidance on the membership of Local Enterprise
Partnerships through our National Local Growth Assurance Framework.
Each Local Enterprise Partnership is required to set out the membership
requirements of their Board and Sub-Boards in a Local Assurance Framework which
should be published on their website.
Affordable Housing: Construction
Thangam Debbonaire: [73887]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
estimate his Department has made of the potential effect on the number of affordable
homes for rent or sale which will be built as a result of removing planning requirements
for some property development applications as set out by the Prime Minister on 30 June
2020.
Christopher Pincher:
Our proposals to introduce new permitted development rights to create new homes
will mean that more homes to buy or rent will be delivered than would otherwise be
the case. We have not made any estimates of how many of these extra homes will be
affordable homes.
Council Tax: Coronavirus
Yvonne Fovargue: [73805]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
steps his Department is taking to protect households who cannot pay council tax as a
result of covid-19 related financial hardship from the re-imposition of bailiff visits on 23
August 2020.
Mr Simon Clarke:
Local authorities are responsible for the collection of council tax. Anyone who is
concerned about falling behind with their council tax payments should contact their
council as soon as possible to discuss the support available. Guidance issued by my
Department makes clear that councils should be willing to take account of individuals’
circumstances, and agree affordable and sustainable payment plans to ensure debts
are paid off in a reasonable time. Councils will also be able to advise on eligibility for
a reduced bill, for example through their local council tax support schemes and any
additional help from the £500 million council tax hardship fund. This is part of the
Government's response to COVID-19 and enables councils to provide further
reductions in bills for economically vulnerable households.
Yvonne Fovargue: [73806]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will
make it his policy to introduce a statutory pre-action protocol to protect households who
cannot pay council tax as a result of covid-19 related financial hardship from the re-
imposition of bailiff visits on 23 August 2020.
Mr Simon Clarke:
The Department’s guidance on council tax collection makes clear that local
authorities should take all reasonable steps to exhaust the options available to them
prior to beginning enforcement action. This includes taking the individual
circumstances of each billpayer into account, and agreeing an approach for dealing
with vulnerable residents. Authorities should also signpost the availability of free to
use debt advisers, and work with advisers to ensure that an affordable and
sustainable payment plan is agreed, preventing the need for enforcement action. If
enforcement action is considered appropriate after those checks, the guidance is
clear that authorities should explore options such as deductions from benefits or an
attachment of earnings order, prior to engaging enforcement agents.
First Time Buyers: Government Assistance
Andy Carter: [904982]
What plans he has to help first-time buyers to purchase their own homes.
Robert Jenrick:
This Government will reset our national homeownership offer – ensuring local people
and key workers have the opportunity to build a life in their own community.
First Homes, our new homeownership programme, will discount homes by at least 30
per cent for key workers, local people, and first-time buyers – including those who
have done so much to respond to the Covid-19 outbreak. We recently closed our
consultation on First Homes and will publish our response soon.
At the same time our new £12 billion investment in affordable homes will create
thousands of new homes for Shared Ownership.
And all of this adds to other Government-backed schemes, including Help to Buy,
which have supported over 627,000 households into homeownership since 2010.
Firstport and A2dominion
Seema Malhotra: [74593]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
discussions he has had in the last six months with (a) Firstport and (b) A2Dominion on
their level of service charges for leaseholders and the quality of service they provide to
them.
Luke Hall:
The Secretary of State has not had discussions with the organisations Firstport or
A2Dominion regarding their use of service charges within the last six months. The
Government believes very strongly that service charges should be fair, transparent
and communicated effectively wherever they are used, and that there should be a
clear route to challenge or redress if things go wrong.
Seema Malhotra: [74594]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether
representatives from (a) Firstport and (b) A2Dominion have participated in departmental
(i) committees and (ii) advisory boards on (A) policy development and (B) departmental
priorities in the last three years.
Luke Hall:
Representatives from Firstport and A2Dominion attended an official led technical
working group for reviewing leasehold major works consultations (Section 20 of the
Landlord and Tenant Act 1985) in 2017/18, last meeting in April 2018. Firstport and
A2Dominion have not participated in any further departmental committees or advisory
boards on policy development or departmental priorities in the last three years.
Help to Buy Scheme: Coronavirus
Grahame Morris: [73793]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant
to the Answer of 30 June 2020 to Question 64892 on Help to Buy Scheme: Coronavirus,
if he will extend the current Help to Buy scheme for first-time buyers with approved
mortgages who do not qualify for the new Help to Buy scheme as a result of its financial
cap.
Christopher Pincher:
Homes England allow extensions to reservations that are at risk of expiring, due to
recent site closures by Covid-19, for any Help to Buy customers with valid mortgage
offers.
Sales must still complete within the contractual deadlines for the current Help to Buy
scheme ending on 31 March 2021. Therefore as it is in the interest of all parties to
ensure sales complete on time, it is anticipated that developers will prioritise these
existing orders accordingly.
Meanwhile, we continue to work with HMT on a range of measures to support the
housing sector.
Homelessness: LGBT People
Dawn Butler: [72178]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
support his Department plans to provide to LGBTQ+ youth with no recourse to public
funds who are at risk of homelessness during the covid-19 outbreak.
Luke Hall:
The Government is aware of concerns about those with no recourse to public funds
experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis.
We are ensuring local authorities are supported, with £3.2 million in targeted funding
to help support individuals who are sleeping rough off the streets, and an additional
£3.7 billion provided to local authorities as part of the wider Government response to
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public health
and to support individuals on the basis of need. This may include people identifying
as LGBTQ+.
The legal position on those with no recourse to public funds has not been amended.
The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times, and expects local
authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise
unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.
We also recognise that LGBTQ+ homelessness is an important issue, particularly
among young people, and that LGBTQ+ people who find themselves homeless may
have a different experience of homelessness. This Department has provided funds to
both charities and local authorities which will enable to them to support their
communities, including LGBTQ+ people, whether they are at risk of, or are
experiencing, homelessness or rough sleeping.
In particular, my Department has provided £6 million of emergency funding to
frontline homelessness charitable organisations who were directly affected by the
COVID-19 outbreak. Following a successful bidding process, over 130 charities
across England are set to benefit from the fund. Successful bids included Stonewall
Housing which provides housing advice and support for LGBTQ+ people at risk of, or
experiencing, homelessness or rough sleeping.
Housing: Construction
Sir Greg Knight: [73719]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
plans he has put in place to ensure that local authorities fulfill their duties to make sure
that new buildings are compliant with building regulations as a result of Dame Judith
Hackitt’s independent review of building regulations and fire safety; and if he will make a
statement.
Christopher Pincher:
In April 2020 the Government published our response to the consultation, Building a
Safer Future, which sought views on our proposals for a radically new building safety
system, based on the recommendations of Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent
Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. We will legislate for these reforms
through the Building Safety Bill, which was published today.
Landlords: Licensing
Stephen Timms: [73699]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will
make an estimate of the change in the level of annual revenue accruing to the public
purse from a national licensing scheme for residential landlords.
Christopher Pincher:
The Government has no current plans to introduce a national licensing scheme and
as such it is unable to offer any estimate related to such a scheme.
Local Government Finance: Coronavirus
Dan Jarvis: [73835]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
assessment he has made of the financial effect of covid-19 on (a) town and (b) parish
councils; and what support he plans to make available to those authorities.
Mr Simon Clarke:
The Government is very grateful to all parish and town councils and to their members
and clerks for the vital work they are doing to support communities
The Department is working to understand the financial pressures that Covid-19 is
placing on all local authorities, including parish and town councils. The Department
will also continue to work with local government, including with representative bodies
for parishes and town councils such as the National Association of Local Councils
over the coming weeks to ensure the sector as a whole is managing as the pandemic
progresses.
The Government does not have powers to offer direct financial support to parish and
town councils, which are funded through a precept collected from within the overall
council tax paid by the residents of the parish or town. We would encouraging all
parish and town councils to speak to their principal authority (district or unitary
council) and have encouraged those authorities to facilitate those discussions where
parish and towns are performing Covid-19 related services.
Local Government: Coronavirus
Rosie Cooper: [73755]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
steps his Department has taken to ensure that (a) local resilience forums and (b) local
authorities (i) engage and (ii) collaborate with the local voluntary and community sector to
ensure coordinated and holistic support is provided to people affected by the covid-19
outbreak as part of (A) Test and Trace, (B) local lockdown policy and (C) as part of the
Government's strategy for economic recovery.
Mr Simon Clarke:
MHCLG is in regular contact with local resilience forums (LRFs) across England, with
MHCLG attending both tactical and strategic coordinating groups as necessary. Local
authorities, as part of the LRF, will consider the needs of vulnerable individuals as
they plan their response, and recovery, from the Covid-19 outbreak.
We are working with other Government departments to support local authorities to
respond to additional vulnerability created by the Covid-19 outbreak through financial
support, engaging civil society and supermarkets to provide further assistance,
including access to food and essential supplies.
The Government has also confirmed an additional £63 million for local authorities to
help those who are struggling financially due to the impact of Covid-19. This will allow
authorities to step in and provide discretionary financial help to those facing severe
hardship due to Covid-19 and help them to pay for food and other necessities.
We are working with DHSC to support local authorities to respond to Covid-19
outbreaks by ensuring capacity and accessibility is available for testing vulnerable
groups. The Test and Trace scheme ensures that anyone who develops symptoms of
coronavirus (Covid-19) can quickly be tested to find out if they have the virus, and
also includes targeted asymptomatic testing of NHS and social care staff and care
home residents
Meetings of the Economic Recovery Working Group, which brings together local
growth partners to discuss emerging themes and concerns across the country, have
been held at both official and ministerial level. Officials will also be establishing 5
locally led task and finish groups to bring together local partners on specific recovery
challenges, to foster strong collaboration between national and local partners and
understand how we can support recovery.
Rosie Cooper: [73758]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
steps he is taking to ensure local authorities have the (a) responsibility, (b) funding and
(c) guidance to provide (i) food, (ii) shelter and (iii) emotional support as part of the
Government's (A) programme of response and recovery in response to the covid-19
outbreak and (B) planning for future emergencies.
Mr Simon Clarke:
My Department has been working closely with local councils and sector representing
organisations throughout the response to this crisis to understand the challenges they
face. We have a number of established engagement channels in place to help ensure
effective communication.
We are providing local authorities with an unprecedented package of support,
allocating £4.3billion of support for expenditure pressures, including £3.7 billion of un-
ringfenced grants and the £600 million Infection Control Fund.
The Government announced up to £16 million to provide food for charities and other
organisations supporting those who are struggling financially as a result of
coronavirus.
£3.2 million in emergency funding for local authorities has also been announced to
support vulnerable rough sleepers . Nearly 15,000 vulnerable people have been
housed in emergency accommodation, including hotels, since the start of the Covid-
19 pandemic.
Building on this, we announced that Dame Louise Casey is spearheading a Taskforce
to lead the next phase of the Government’s support for rough sleepers during this
pandemic.
On 24 May, the Secretary of State announced plans for thousands of long-term, safe
homes to support many of the vulnerable rough sleepers who have been supported
during the Covid-19 pandemic. This unprecedented commitment – the biggest of its
kind since the Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative began – will be backed
by £160 million in 2020/21 to inject 3,300 new units of accommodation into the system
over the following 12 months, part of 6,000 in total.
On 24 June we announced that we are providing local authorities with a further £105
million to enable them to best support those placed into emergency accommodation
during the pandemic.
Materials Handling Equipment: Industrial Accidents
Apsana Begum: [72277]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
discussions his Department has had with (a) Gateway Housing Association, (b) Tower
Hamlets Council and (c) Swan Housing Association on re-housing people who have been
displaced as a result of the crane collapse on 9 July 2020 at the Swan Housing
Association’s Watts Grove development site in Bow.
Christopher Pincher:
Tower Hamlets Council, working with its partners, is responsible for the re-housing of
residents who have had to be evacuated from their homes following this tragic
incident. We understand that all affected residents have temporarily been re-housed.
My officials have had no direct contact with any of these organisations to date.
Planning Permission
Alex Cunningham: [72897]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will
publish the public inquiry planning decisions he has yet to make where a planning
inspector’s report has already been submitted to his office; and if he will publish the date
on which each of those planning inspectors’ reports were submitted to his office.
Christopher Pincher:
The requested information is in the table below:
CASE (LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY)
DATE INSPECTOR’S REPORT SUBMITTED TO
DEPARTMENT
Highthorn (Northumberland) 29/11/17
Whitehouse Farm Belper (Amber Valley) (2
cases)
12/9/18
Crich Lane, Belper (Amber Valley) 4/4/19
Broad Lane Essington & Holyhead Rd Wergs
(South Staffs)
13/5/19
Land north of Barleycastle Lane, Appleton
Thorn (Warrington)
11/12/19
Land Adjacent Dinnington Road, Woodsetts
(Rotherham)
6/1/20
Ellesmere Port Wellsite, Portside One
(Cheshire West and Chester)
6/1/20
South-west Sittingbourne/Wises Lane (Swale) 13/2/20
Hulton Park (Bolton) 4/5/20
Anglia Square (Norwich) 8/6/20
Citroen site, Brentford (GLA) 11/6/20
There are a variety of reasons why decisions may be delayed including policy
complexities, and changes in local or national policy which require further
correspondence with parties.
Alan Brown: [72980]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will
list (a) the public inquiry planning decisions he has still to determine where the planning
inspector’s report has been submitted to his Department and (b) the date of receipt of
each of those reports from the planning inspector.
Christopher Pincher:
The requested information is in the table below:
CASE (LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY)
DATE INSPECTOR’S REPORT SUBMITTED TO
MHCLG
Highthorn (Northumberland) 29/11/17
Whitehouse Farm Belper (Amber Valley) (2
cases)
12/9/18
Crich Lane, Belper (Amber Valley) 4/4/19
Broad Lane Essington & Holyhead Rd Wergs
(South Staffs)
13/5/19
Land north of Barleycastle Lane, Appleton
Thorn (Warrington)
11/12/19
Land Adjacent Dinnington Road, Woodsetts
(Rotherham)
6/1/20
Ellesmere Port Wellsite, Portside One
(Cheshire West and Chester)
6/1/20
South-west Sittingbourne/Wises Lane (Swale) 13/2/20
Hulton Park (Bolton) 4/5/20
Anglia Square (Norwich) 8/6/20
Citroen site, Brentford (GLA) 11/6/20
There are a variety of reasons why decisions may be delayed including policy
complexities, and changes in local or national policy which require further
correspondence with parties.
Private Rented Housing: Coronavirus
Thangam Debbonaire: [73883]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant
to the Answer of 18 May 2020 to Question 45293 on Private Rented Housing:
Coronavirus, what criteria his Department uses to determine the needs of (a) tenants and
(b) landlords in relation to the lifting of the temporary ban on evictions from residential
properties.
Christopher Pincher:
On 5 June the Government announced that the current suspension of possession
proceedings would be extended by two months until 23 August 2020. This means
that no action to evict a tenant will proceed before 24 August 2020.
The Government listens to a variety of stakeholders that represent landlords and
tenants. As the Government takes steps in the next phase of the COVID-19
response, we will consider how measures should adapt to ensure they reflect public
health guidance and the changing nature of this wider context recognising the
interests of both tenants and landlords.
Property Development
Catherine West: [73927]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use of collective enfranchisement
rights by property developers; and what steps he is taking to ensure the effective scrutiny
of that procedure.
Luke Hall:
Enfranchisement rights are used by leaseholders to acquire the freehold of their
buildings. Part I of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act
1993, as amended by the Housing Act 1996 and the Commonhold and Leasehold
Reform Act 2002 allows for collective enfranchisement, and lease renewal rights for
leaseholders of flats.
The Government is looking to standardise the enfranchisement process and asked
the Law Commission to review current arrangements to make them easier, quicker
and cheaper. The Law Commission published its first report to Government, on the
valuation aspects of enfranchisement, on 9 January 2020. The report, which follows a
consultation by the Law Commission, sets out a number of options relating to
valuation, including purchasing a freehold and extending the lease of a house or flat.
Details can be found at https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/leasehold-
enfranchisement/. The Law Commission will publish a report on the remaining
aspects of enfranchisement shortly. The Government will carefully consider the
proposals outlined in the Law Commission’s reports and set out its preferred way
forward in due course.
Tim Loughton: [74420]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
assessment he has made of the level of importance of archaeological surveys ahead of
developments in his proposals to streamline the planning system.
Christopher Pincher:
The Government is committed to the protection of the historic environment. Heritage
considerations, including the need for archaeological surveys, will continue to be
taken into account in bringing forward any planning reforms.
Rough Sleeping: Coronavirus
Thangam Debbonaire: [73886]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant
to the Answer of 22 June 2020 to Question 60812, what data his Department collects
from local authorities on the amount they have spent on providing accommodation for
rough sleepers under the Everybody In initiative.
Luke Hall:
The first two rounds of the Covid-19 financial monitoring survey have now been
published. These show that between March-May 2020, additional local authority
expenditure due to Covid-19 for housing services, including homelessness services,
was £63 million. We will publish a summary of the results from the third round in due
course.
Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-
authority-covid-19-financial-impact-monitoring-information.
Sleeping Rough
Thangam Debbonaire: [73884]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant
to the Answer of 18 May 2020 to Question 40670, how many people were recorded as
sleeping rough in the second quarter of 2020.
Luke Hall:
[Holding answer 20 July 2020]: MHCLG collect an annual official snapshot of rough
sleeping which is verified by Homeless Link and provides information about the
estimated number of people sleeping rough on a single night between 1 October and
30 November each year, along with some basic demographic details. This was last
released in February 2020 and showed a total figure of 4,266 rough sleepers on any
given night, 9% lower than the previous year. The next annual snapshot is due to
take place in autumn 2020. Regarding the numbers of people currently rough
sleeping, local authorities currently hold the most up to date information.
Sleeping Rough: Coronavirus
Andrew Rosindell: [904981]
What progress he has made on finding accommodation for rough sleepers during the
covid-19 outbreak.
Luke Hall:
On 26th March I wrote to local authority leaders, asking them to bring ‘Everybody In’.
We saw a phenomenal response; due to the hard work of councils, charities and
volunteers, 15,000 rough sleepers and vulnerable people have been housed in hotels
and other forms of emergency accommodation, since the start of the pandemic.
We are also providing £105 million for interim accommodation and £160 million for
long term accommodation, which includes funding to make 3,300 new supported
homes available in the next 12 months.
Temporary accommodation: Coronavirus
Jess Phillips: [73863]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with
reference to his Department’s press release of 23 June 2020 entitled £105 million to keep
rough sleepers safe and off the streets during coronavirus pandemic, what estimate his
Department has made of the number of homeless people provided with temporary
accommodation through the Everyone In initiative who were (a) women and (b) women
with no recourse to public funds.
Luke Hall:
On 24 June we announced that we are providing local authorities with a further £105
million to enable them to best support the almost 15,000 vulnerable people placed
into emergency accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This commitment
will help to ensure that as few of these people as possible return to the streets.
On 3 June we published the management information that supports the
announcements from Secretary of State and Dame Louise Casey regarding the
amount of people accommodated. This management information is collected from
over 300 local authorities nationally; however, we do not currently hold a breakdown
of the gender of all those who have been assisted.
We are continuing to work with local authorities to further understand the work they
are doing to help the most vulnerable in our society. Local authorities hold the most
up to date information regarding the number of people they are currently assisting.
The Government is aware of concerns about those with no recourse to public funds
experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis.
We are ensuring local authorities are supported, with £3.2 million of targeted funding
previously announced to help support individuals who are sleeping rough off the
streets, and an additional £3.7 billion provided to local authorities as part of the wider
Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public
health and to support individuals on the basis of need.
The legal position on those with no recourse to public funds has not been amended.
The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times, and expects local
authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise
unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.
Vulnerable Adults: Coronavirus
Rosie Cooper: [73754]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
steps his Department is taking to ensure (a) local resilience forums and (b) local
authorities can meet the needs of vulnerable individuals as part of (i) Test and Trace, (ii)
local lockdowns and (iii) local recovery from the covid-19 outbreak.
Mr Simon Clarke:
MHCLG is in regular contact with local resilience forums (LRFs) across England, with
MHCLG attending both tactical and strategic coordinating groups as necessary. Local
authorities, as part of the LRF, will consider the needs of vulnerable individuals as
they plan their response to, and recovery from the Covid-19 outbreak.
We are working with other Government departments to support local authorities to
respond to additional vulnerability created by the Covid-19 outbreak through financial
support, engaging civil society and supermarkets to provide further assistance,
including access to food and essential supplies.
The Government has also confirmed an additional £63 million for local authorities to
help those who are struggling financially due to the impact of Covid-19. This will allow
authorities to step in and provide discretionary financial help to those facing severe
hardship due to covid-19 and help them to pay for food and other necessities.
We are working with DHSC to support local authorities to respond to Covid-19
outbreaks by ensuring capacity and accessibility is available for testing vulnerable
groups. The Test and Trace scheme ensures that anyone who develops symptoms of
coronavirus (Covid-19) can quickly be tested to find out if they have the virus, and
also includes targeted asymptomatic testing of NHS and social care staff and care
home residents.
Rosie Cooper: [73756]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
steps his Department is taking to collaborate with Cabinet colleagues to provide (a) food
and (b) other humanitarian support for vulnerable people as part of (a) Test and Trace,
(b) Local Lockdowns and (c) the Government's programme of economic recovery after
the covid1-9 outbreak.
Mr Simon Clarke:
We are working with other Government departments and supporting local authorities
to respond to additional vulnerability created by the COVID-19 outbreak through
financial support, as well as engaging civil society and supermarkets to provide
further assistance, including access to food and essential supplies.
The Government has also confirmed an additional £63 million for local authorities to
help those who are struggling financially due to the impact of COVID-19.
We have worked with Defra to provide approximately 3.5 million free food parcels in
total, and currently around 250,000 each week, to people in England who are
shielding and have said they need support getting essential food supplies.
The Government has also announced up to £16 million to provide food for charities
and other organisations supporting those who are struggling financially as a result of
coronavirus. As part of this, Defra has also opened up the £3.5 million Food Charities
Grant Fund for front-line food aid charities, offering grants up to £100,000 to support
charities to continue to provide food to vulnerable people.
We are working with DHSC to support local authorities to respond to Covid-19
outbreaks by ensuring capacity and accessibility is available for testing vulnerable
groups. The Test and Trace scheme ensures that anyone who develops symptoms of
coronavirus can quickly be tested to find out if they have the virus, and also includes
targeted asymptomatic testing of NHS and social care staff and care home residents.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Agriculture: Antibiotics
Theresa Villiers: [72838]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will take steps to
ensure that UK Official Development Assistance programmes help developing countries
reduce the use of antibiotics in farming.
James Duddridge:
UK Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) supports developing countries to
develop sustainable farming systems which are good for livelihoods, for human and
animal health, and the environment, and which are resilient to climate change. This
includes fostering the responsible use of antibiotics for animal health and welfare,
while monitoring and preventing the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR),
a top UK government priority.
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the interlinkages between the health of
humans, animals and the environment. UK ODA promotes the importance of taking a
One Health approach that addresses all three in an integrated manner for an effective
and sustainable recovery.
The Department of Health and Social Care’s Fleming Fund has provided over £9
million of funding to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) since 2016 to
address AMR and support the appropriate use of antibiotics in farming in 12 low- and
middle-income countries (LMICs). UK ODA also funds the CGIAR AMR Hub (the
global agricultural innovation network) that aims to develop One Health solutions to
support LMICs in controlling agriculture-associated AMR risks.
British Indian Ocean Territory: English Language
Patrick Grady: [73877]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 9
July 2020 to Question 69595, on British Indian Ocean Territory: Overseas Aid, how many
Chagossians in Mauritius have participated in English Language Training to date.
Wendy Morton:
Since the commencement of English Language Training in August 2019, 65
Chagossians have enrolled on training courses offered by the British Council. There
have been 157 enrolments in total and with around 4,500 hours of language training
provided up to the end of April 2020.
Patrick Grady: [73878]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 9
July 2020 to Question 69595, on British Indian Ocean Territory: Overseas Aid, what
assessment her Department has made of the effect of English Language Training on the
livelihoods of Chagossians in Mauritius.
Wendy Morton:
The British Council is still evaluating the impact of the English Language Training
programme, a process which has been impeded by the COVID 19 outbreak.
However, initial feedback from participants has indicated strong appreciation of the
opportunity, including for some participants learning to read and write for the first
time.
Department for International Development: Public Expenditure
Wendy Chamberlain: [74747]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 7
July 2020 Question 67776 on Department for International Development: Public
Expenditure, when her Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2019 to 2020 will be
published.
Wendy Morton:
DFID’s Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20 will be laid in Parliament and published
on gov.uk on 21 July 2020.
Department for International Trade: Annual Reports
Sarah Champion: [73844]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when her annual report will
be laid before the House as required by the International Development (Reporting and
Transparency) Act 2006.
Wendy Morton:
DFID’s Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20 will be laid in Parliament and published
on gov.uk on 21 July 2020.
Department for International Trade: Public Expenditure
Wendy Chamberlain: [73965]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the value of promissory
notes her Department planned to issue in 2020-21 was for (a) each institution at the Main
Estimate stage in 2020 by date to each institution; and the planned value of promissory
note issuance is by institution for the remainder of the calendar year 2020.
Wendy Morton:
DFID uses promissory notes with organisations such as international development
banks. A promissory note allows that organisation to commit to an activity in full, in
advance of funding being transferred.
DFID’s made no adjustment at Main Estimates 2020-21 to the Net Cash Requirement
as a result of Promissory Notes.
Developing Countries: International Assistance
Sarah Champion: [73847]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she
has made of progress towards meeting Millennium Development Goal 8 and towards the
development of an open trading system and debt relief in low income countries.
Wendy Morton:
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expired in 2015 and were replaced by
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UK is committed to the SDGs and
last year published a Voluntary National Review of progress to date.
COVID-19 poses real risks to eroding progress on the SDGs and there is a need to
accelerate global action to reach the Goals by 2030. The UK, G20 and Paris Club,
will suspend up to $12 billion of debt repayments from the poorest countries due this
year under the G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative. The UK has also committed
up to £150 million to the Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust, to fund the
poorest countries’ debt repayments to the IMF.
The UK is also committed to supporting developing countries to integrate into the
rules based international system so as to benefit from free and open trade. Our Trade
Advocacy and Investment Fund supports low income countries to participate fully in
WTO negotiations. More broadly, our Aid for Trade portfolio supports developing
countries to benefit from WTO Agreements and open trade, including our major
contribution to the Enhanced Integrated Framework.
Developing Countries: Sustainable Development
Sarah Champion: [74607]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to
Recommendation 12, paragraph 45 of the 12th Report of the International Development
Committee of Session 2017-19, on the UK's progress on the Sustainable Development
Goals: The Voluntary National Review, HC 1732, if the Government will take the
opportunity of the merger of her Department with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
to review the location of responsibility for leading and reporting on the UK’s domestic
performance against the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Wendy Morton:
The UK remains committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the
SDGs will play an important role in collective approaches to post-COVID-19 recovery.
Responsibility for the oversight of the SDGs will need to be considered in the round
as part of the formation of the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Notwithstanding this, all government departments have responsibility for the aspects
of the SDGs that relate to their respective policy responsibilities.
Equality: Females
Sarah Champion: [73846]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government
has taken to (a) embed gender equality and (b) empower women through UK Official
Development Assistance in the new Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Wendy Morton:
Advancing gender equality and women’s rights are a core part of this Government’s
mission, and vital to fulfilling every girl’s right to 12 years of quality education. The
Government remains steadfast in its commitment to this agenda.
We remain committed to spending 0.7% of Gross National Income on development.
The UK International Development Act (Gender Equality) 2014 also makes a
consideration of gender equality in all UK Overseas Development Assistance a legal
requirement.
The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy is
expected to conclude later in the year. This will define the Government’s ambition for
the UK’s role in the world and its outcomes will shape the objectives of the new
Department, including on gender equality and women’s rights. Both the review and
the merger are evidence of the Prime Minister’s commitment to a unified British
foreign and development policy that will maximise our influence around the world.
Females: Equality
Yasmin Qureshi: [73774]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department
is taking to ensure that older women are included in the implementation of the Strategic
Vision for Gender Equality by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Wendy Morton:
The Strategic Vision for Gender Equality is DFID’s guiding document on gender
equality and it reflects and responds to the UK Government’s ambitions on this
agenda. This includes our commitment to Leave No Girl or Woman Behind, which
recognises that older women face multiple exclusions and experience a range of
complex barriers to accessing services. COVID-19 has thrown into sharp relief the
vulnerability of older people to shocks and brought to the forefront the important roles
they play in society.
As part of the DFID-FCO merger discussions, we will refresh and build on existing
strategies, as well as develop new approaches. Advancing gender equality and
women’s rights are a core part of this Government’s mission. The Government
remains steadfast in its commitment to this agenda.
Israel: Palestinians
Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [73751]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her
Department is providing to coexistence projects in Israel-Palestine.
James Cleverly:
Our people to people programme aimed to foster cooperation between Israelis and
Palestinians on issues that can have a positive impact on both communities and build
understanding between people on both sides of the conflict, helping build support for
a peaceful, negotiated resolution. This programme ended in March 2020.
The programme’s research component will analyse the impact of people-to-people
work, building an evidence base which will inform any future work in this area.
Non-governmental Organisations: Overseas Aid
Jim Shannon: [73830]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to
support NGOs that have experienced a significant decline in private funding as a result of
the covid-19 pandemic.
Wendy Morton:
We are working flexibly with existing civil society partners to respond to the
pandemic, maintain delivery of essential programmes and manage the impacts on
organisations and staff.
DFID is offering support to all suppliers, including civil society, in line with the
provisions of the Cabinet Office Procurement Policy Note and associated guidance
for grants. This allows for relief on services and goods provided in the UK, to DFID
aid programmes as a last resort and on a case-by-case basis for DFID contracts and
grants. UK-based Non-Government Organisations are also eligible for the
Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Overseas Aid
Wendy Chamberlain: [73964]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 7
July 2020 to Question 67777 on Overseas Aid, what the value is of the allocations that
have been made from the £200 million un-allocated component of the ODA Crisis
Reserve in 2020-21 so far; to what programmes that funding has been allocated; and
whether any of the £300 million re-deployable component of the ODA Crisis Reserve has
been redeployed.
Wendy Morton:
The UK ODA Crisis Reserve is an annual allocation of £500 million. This consists of a
£200 million un-allocated reserve and a £300 million re-deployable reserve.
We used initial the £200 million to respond to COVID-19. We have now replenished
this through using the redeployable element of the reserve. To date DFID Secretary
of State has approved a total of £5 million from the 2020/21 ODA Crisis Reserve. The
£5 million was approved by DFID SoS in February 2020 to the World Health
Organisation to provide resilience to vulnerable countries in response to the global
pandemic (£10 million approved from 19/20 crisis reserve and £5 million from 20/21
crisis reserve).
Wendy Chamberlain: [73966]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department
plans to allocate the match funding to her Department's partners in compliance with the
Aid Match agreements that have been agreed.
Wendy Morton:
All government departments are working through how their plans will need to change
in light of the risk of a significant recession this year. DFID is no exception. The
Government’s 0.7% GNI target is directly linked to the performance of the UK
economy. No decision has been taken, but we are considering the full range of our
work. In the short term, we have paused new financial arrangements while we agree
our future work in close cooperation with other aid spending Departments.
Overseas Aid: Cost Effectiveness
Sarah Champion: [73845]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government
will take to ensure that Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office expenditure on
Official Development Assistance is subject to independent review as required under the
provisions of the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act
2015.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan:
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be accountable to
parliament for how it spends UK aid. We remain committed to full transparency in our
aid spending and there will continue to be parliamentary and independent scrutiny of
the aid budget – the form this takes following the merger will be set out in due course.
UNRWA: Finance
Seema Malhotra: [74592]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department's
policy is on funding for UNRWA.
James Cleverly:
The UK is a long-term supporter of UNRWA as a vital humanitarian and stabilising
force in the region. We recognise UNRWA’s unique mandate from the UN General
Assembly, to protect and provide protection and core services to Palestinian refugees
across the Near East.
The UK provides multi-year funding to UNRWA. Our contribution to UNWRA will help
to provide basic education to more than 533,000 children a year (half of which are
girls), access to health services for 3.5 million Palestinian refugees and social safety
net assistance for around 255,000 of the most vulnerable.
Yemen: Humanitarian Aid
Anna McMorrin: [74712]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of the £160
million funding for humanitarian aid pledged by the UK at the United Nation’s Yemen
Pledging Conference in Riyadh on 2 June 2020 has been paid to the United Nations
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
James Cleverly:
The UK’s £160 million funding will be delivered through a range of UN agencies and
aims to provide support to at least 300,000 vulnerable people each month to help
them buy food and household essentials, treat 40,000 children for malnutrition and
provide 1 million people with improved water supply and basic sanitation.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is one
of the UK’s partners in Yemen. We currently support the Cash and Markets Working
Group coordinator and stand ready to consider support to the OCHA led Yemen
Humanitarian Fund when an allocation round is announced.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-pacific Partnership
Bill Esterson: [73812]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans she has to negotiate
membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership; and what
derogations from its treaties would she seek.
Mr Ranil Jayawardena:
Accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
could help Britain increase her trade and investment opportunities, diversify her
trading links and supply chains, and secure her future place in the world at the centre
of a modern network of Free Trade Agreements with dynamic economies.
HM Government continue to have discussions on CPTPP accession with member
countries at official and ministerial level, as part of our preparatory engagement. In
our engagement, we are clear that any final decision to join CPTPP will consider the
progress of bilateral negotiations with member countries and whether accession will
be in the British national interest.
Department for International Trade: Apprentices
Robert Halfon: [74514]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking
to reach the public sector apprenticeship target.
Greg Hands:
The Department for International Trade (DIT) is committed to building a diverse,
inclusive and expert department. Apprenticeships play an important role in delivering
that commitment and helping our employees to achieve their full potential.
DIT offers a range of apprenticeships across different disciplines to build both
individual and departmental professional capability. This year, we exceeded our Civil
Service target (of 51) with 57 new apprenticeship starts.
We have achieved this by:
• Putting in place good quality apprenticeships that reflect DIT priorities and with the
right level of support for participants.
• Offering (where appropriate) an apprenticeship qualification when recruiting to
some entry-level roles externally.
• Targeting key capability priorities within our current workforce, giving them
additional opportunities to retrain and up-skill.
We intend to maintain this and have every confidence that we will achieve the target
of 2.3% by March 2021 as part of the Civil Service.
Developing Countries: Dispute Resolution
Hywel Williams: [73724]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of
the risk of litigation for developing countries through the Investor-state dispute settlement
mechanism as a result of those countries' covid-19 response.
Mr Ranil Jayawardena:
The United Kingdom has investment agreements with Investor-State Dispute
Settlement (ISDS) provisions with over 90 trading partners. HM Government
recognises the importance of strengthen-ing international investment in response to
COVID-19, and the continuing important role played by both investment protection
and ISDS provisions in safeguarding British investors overseas – includ-ing
pensioners across the country through their pension funds, and small and medium-
sized enter-prises (SMEs).
We are clear that HM Government and our treaty partners retain the right to regulate
in the public interest, including for public health purposes, that is already recognised
under international law. There has never been a successful ISDS claim against the
United Kingdom, nor has the threat of potential claims affected our legislation.
Foreign Investment in UK: North East
Mr Richard Holden: [73986]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which countries have been the ten
largest foreign direct investors in the North East of England in each of the last three
years.
Graham Stuart:
Further to my Department’s publication, DIT Inward Investment Results 2019-20
[https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/department-for-international-trade-inward-
investment-results-2019-to-2020], the following is a breakdown of the top sources for
foreign direct investment projects landing in the UK’s North East of England Region in
the three financial years from 2017 to 2020:
COUNTRY OR WORLD
REGION 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20
United States 19 15 28
Non-EU 24 19 24
EU 26 25 21
Definitions of the world regions are found in the quoted publication. Please note that
the values from the United States are deducted from the Non-EU region.
Due to the commercially sensitive information and considerations relating to
disclosure of the investing organisations involved, we are unable to provide more
granular detail.
Iron and Steel: Imports
Gareth Thomas: [72146]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of
(a) the existing level of UK demand for steel and (b) the potential merits of reducing the
proposed UK tariff free quotas for steel imports from 1 January 2021; and if she will make
a statement.
Mr Ranil Jayawardena:
HM Government has been working closely with the British steel industry, including on
steel safeguards to protect industry from unforeseen surges in imports. Current data
shows that steel demand was down 24 per cent in the United Kingdom during the first
four months of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019.
Our priority is to make sure that, at the end of the transition period, our domestic
industry retains appropriate trade remedy protections. That is why we have
committed to carrying across existing measures where there is a British interest,
including steel safeguards, and are then reviewing them to make them tailored to the
needs of the United Kingdom.
Liquefied Natural Gas: Mozambique
Caroline Lucas: [73782]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether UK Export Finance is
contributing to the agreed financing contracts for the Mozambique LNG Project; what the
value is of export credits granted to that project; and if she will make a statement.
Graham Stuart:
UK Export Finance (UKEF) has agreed to provide up to US$1.15bn of export finance
support for UK exporters, as part of the design, construction and operation of a
liquified natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique. UKEF support is in the form of up
to $300m of direct loans, and up to $850m in guarantees to the commercial banks
providing lending.
The UKEF-supported element will support multiple UK businesses across the UK,
including small and medium-sized enterprises, and in excess of 2,000 UK jobs.
The Project will generate significant revenue for Mozambique and be transformational
for Mozambique’s economic and social development.
Anna McMorrin: [74713]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June
2020 to Question 63442 on Liquefied Natural Gas: Mozambique, if her Department will
(a) undertake and (b) publish an Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment
(ESHR) independent of the ESHR published by the private financiers of the Mozambique
LNG project.
Graham Stuart:
In line with its regular policy, UK Export Finance (UKEF) has undertaken an
environmental, social and human rights (ESHR) review of the Mozambique LNG
Project. This has been conducted alongside other export credit agencies and the
African Development Bank, with the support of an independent ESHR consultant.
This review considered all the relevant ESHR documentation provided by the Project
sponsors such as ESHR impact assessments, strategies, management and
monitoring plans, amongst others. UKEF published a Category A notice of its
consideration of the Project in August 2019, which includes a link to an
Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) of the Mozambique
LNG project and related information. This notice can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/category-a-project-under-consideration-
mozambique-lng-project. In undertaking its review, UKEF considered the most up-to-
date ESHIA.
Saudi Arabia: Human Rights
Sir Edward Davey: [72147]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to her Written Statement
HC WS339, whether she will publish the assessment that evaluated if Saudi Arabia had
broken International Humanitarian Law; and if she will make a statement.
Mr Ranil Jayawardena:
HM Government have no plans to publish the assessments to which the Rt Hon.
Gentleman refers. Such assessments use all available sources of information –
including some that are necessarily confidential and sensitive – so we are not able to
provide details of the assessments.
Trade Agreements
Bill Esterson: [74542]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what her objectives are in
negotiations on international trade agreements with (a) Turkey, (b) Canada and (c)
Mexico.
Bill Esterson: [74543]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when she plans to conclude
international trade agreements with (a) Turkey, (b) Canada and (c) Mexico.
Bill Esterson: [74544]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans she has to share
negotiating texts with parties who have signed non-disclosure agreements in respect of
negotiations of international trade agreements with (a)Turkey, (b) Canada and (c) Mexico.
Bill Esterson: [74545]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions her trade
negotiators have had on tariff schedules, product conformity, rules of origin and other
technical regulations with their counterparts in (a) Turkey, (b) Canada and (c) Mexico in
relation to negotiating international trade agreements with those countries.
Mr Ranil Jayawardena:
The United Kingdom’s ambition is to sign continuity trade agreements with (a)
Turkey; (b) Canada; and (c) Mexico by the end of the transition period to make sure
that existing trade flows are protected, as far as possible. To this end, our trade
negotiators have engaged in technical discussions, including on tariffs, rules of origin
and regulatory matters.
Consistent with the approach taken for all previous continuity trade agreements,
agreement texts will be shared publicly after they have been laid before Parliament.
My Department organises regular meetings with industry to keep them as informed
as possible on our progress in this important work.
Trade Agreements: Dispute Resolution
Caroline Lucas: [74487]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of
the potential effect of the Government's response to the covid-19 pandemic on the
number of investor state dispute settlement (ISDS) cases; what assessment she has
made of the potential merits of (a) co-operating with other countries, especially those in
the Global South, to jointly withdraw consent to ISDS arbitration and (b) unilaterally
withdrawing consent to ISDS arbitration before the first cases are brought arising from the
covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make it her policy to exclude ISDS from all trade and
investment negotiations involving the UK and not to sign any new agreements including
ISDS.
Mr Ranil Jayawardena:
The precise details of any future Free Trade Agreement are a matter for formal
negotiations, and we would not seek to pre-empt these discussions.
HM Government recognises the importance of strengthening international investment
in response to COVID-19, and the continuingly important role played by both
investment protection and ISDS provisions in safeguarding British investors overseas
– including pensioners across the country, through their pension funds, and small-
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
We are clear that HM Government and our treaty partners retain the right to regulate
in the public interest, including for public health purposes, which is already
recognised under international law.
Trade and Agriculture Commission: Public Appointments
Caroline Lucas: [73783]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the announcement
of the membership of the Trade and Agriculture Commission, if she will make it her policy
to add independent (a) consumer interest and (b) public health experts to that
membership; and for what reasons experts in those fields are not currently included.
Greg Hands:
The Trade and Agriculture Commission has a cross-section of representatives
covering the interests of the agriculture sector, consumers, animal health,
international development, hospitality, food small and medium sized enterprises
(SMEs) and retail.
Beyond the membership of the Commission itself, there will be ways for relevant
experts to contribute to the work of the Commission.
JUSTICE
Court of Protection
Chris Bryant: [74457]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average waiting time is for an
application for deputyship to be heard by the Court of Protection.
Chris Philp:
The average waiting time for an application for deputyship to be heard by the Court of
Protection is 39 days based on March 2020.
Courts
Karl Turner: [R] [74521]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the length of
time it will take to clear the backlog in the criminal courts of England and Wales.
Chris Philp:
COVID-19 has been an unprecedented challenge for the criminal justice system, but
we have kept courts open and cases flowing through the system throughout. The UK
has been a global leader and we are ahead of comparable systems.
HMCTS has now published a Court Recovery Plan, which sets out that court
operating hours will be extended, alternative venues will be used as courts to
increase capacity and the use of the Cloud Video Platform (CVP) will be rolled out
into all Magistrates’ and Crown Courts. Further measures to increase jury trial
capacity are also being explored. The Court Recovery Plan can be accessed via the
following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/court-and-tribunal-
recovery-update-in-response-to-coronavirus
Public confidence requires cases to be dealt with in a timely manner and the backlog
must be addressed. This goal will require ambition from the whole system. We have
recently announced a record investment in court infrastructure and maintenance.
We’re recruiting more court staff and we will shortly be making an announcement on
use of additional court centres.
Courts: Costs
Karl Turner: [R] [74523]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much it costs on average to process each
defendant in the Crown Court.
Chris Philp:
Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service currently does not calculate the average
cost to process each defendant in the crown court.
Historically costs have been calculated around such metrics as the unit cost of a
sitting day in the crown court, but we are unable to calculate the average cost of
processing a defendant in the crown court.
Criminal cases may be multi handed resulting in multiple defendants in one trial. Her
Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service has been working over the last 12 months to
establish a variety of key financial metrics around the unit costs associated with
various volumetrics.
Courts: Working Hours
Karl Turner: [R] [74522]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has consulted (a) legal practitioners
and (b) other stakeholders on plans to reintroduce Flexible Operating Hours in the courts.
Chris Philp:
The Flexible Operating Hours pilots took place at Manchester Civil Justice Centre
and the County Court at Brentford from September 2019 to March 2020. Local
Implementation Teams, which include legal representatives and local support groups,
were set up in Manchester and Brentford to plan and deliver the pilots. To support a
cross-justice system approach to the evaluation of the pilots HMCTS set up an
Evaluation Advisory Group which includes representatives from the judiciary, partner
government agencies, the Bar Council, the Bar Standards Board, the Law Society
and CILEx.
HMCTS has appointed a consortium of IFF Research and Frontier Economics to
carry out an independent evaluation of the Flexible Operating Hours pilots. The
evaluation is being conducted as set out in the evaluation plan, published July 2019:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flexible-operating-hours-evaluation-plan-
and-summary. The evaluation report will be published following completion, in the
autumn and we will consider its findings carefully.
Proposals to extend court operating hours are being considered as part of the
HMCTS recovery plan. Working groups under the leadership of judiciary have been
established to develop these proposals which include members of the legal
profession across the jurisdictions.
Crime: Young People
Mr Barry Sheerman: [72810]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to support those
convicted of minor crimes in the event that those so convicted were coerced into
committing those crimes at a young age; and what assessment he has made of the effect
such convictions have on the long-term employment prospects of those so convicted.
Lucy Frazer:
The Ministry of Justice recognises that many young perpetrators of crime will often
have a range of complex needs, some having themselves experienced victimisation.
The Government is committed to intervening early and diverting children away from
crime, recognising it is far better to prevent a child committing a crime. We also know
the importance of supporting child victims to cope and recover.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 states that children under the age of 18 when they
commit certain offences, are not guilty if they were committed as a direct act of
exploitation. When deciding whether a prosecution is needed, the Code for Crown
Prosecutors is clear that prosecutors must consider the best interests and welfare of
the child or young person, amongst other public interest factors. This factor will
always carry a special weight in the case of children and young people who are at a
very early stage of their offending, and who are suspected of being coerced or
exploited, starting from a presumption of diverting them away from the courts where
possible.
If a child does receive a conviction, then Youth Offending Teams will work with the
child to address the underlying causes of their behaviour, including through specialist
services.
The government has recently laid (in July 2020) secondary legislation to change the
rules governing criminal records disclosure for sensitive roles by removing the
multiple convictions rule and the disclosure of youth cautions, reprimands and
warnings. The orders are subject to the approval of Parliament. We are confident that
this change will improve employment opportunities for people who have previously
offended and will particularly benefit those with childhood cautions.
Female Genital Mutilation Protection Orders
Holly Lynch: [72233]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many women and girls in the UK have an
FGM protection order in place as at July 2020.
Holly Lynch: [72234]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many girls under the age of 18 in the UK
have an FGM protection order in place as at July 2020.
Alex Chalk:
The Ministry of Justice collates information on the number of applications and the
number of FGM protection orders granted. There is no mandatory requirement to
collate statistics on the duration of orders and whether they remain in place at any
point in time. The quality of available data can only, therefore, be verified at
disproportionate cost. However, following their introduction in July 2015, 584 FGM
protection orders have been granted up to 31 March 2020, the latest period for which
information is available.
Similarly, data relating to the age of the person to be protected by an FGM protection
order granted by the court is not collated and can only be obtained at
disproportionate cost. Data relating to age is collated, however, on a person or
persons named in any application for a FGM protection order. Following their
introduction in July 2015, 405 applicants, aged 17 or under, had been the subject of
an application for an FGM protection order up to 31 March 2020, the latest period for
which statistics are available.
Statistics to the end of June 2020 are scheduled for publication in late September,
and statistics for July are scheduled for publication in late December.
ICT
Chi Onwurah: [72206]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2020 to
Question 69550 on ICT, for what reason his Department determined that the wide
application means the presumption in law that computer systems are working properly is
unsuitable for review in light of the changes since 1999 in the (a) design, (b) operation
and (c) ubiquity of computer systems.
Alex Chalk:
The common law presumption of correct functioning of a computer is rebuttable if
there is evidence to the contrary. In such circumstances it is for the party seeking to
produce the computer record in evidence to satisfy the court that the computer was
working properly at the material time.
We cannot ignore the impact that the dispute over the Horizon Accounting System
has had on the postmasters affected and it is vitally important that the Government
ensures that lessons are learned from the handling of this case. That is the purpose
of the Review announced by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy. However, there is nothing to suggest at this stage that a change is
needed in the common law presumption which is relied upon to conduct banking and
other financial transactions and legal proceedings in many other cases.
Magistrates' Courts: Costs
Karl Turner: [R] [74524]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much it costs on average to process each
defendant in the magistrates court.
Chris Philp:
Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service currently does not calculate the average
cost to process each defendant in the magistrates’ court.
Historically costs have been calculated around such metrics as the unit cost of a
sitting day in the magistrates’ court. We are unable to calculate the average cost of
processing a defendant in the magistrates’ court. Magistrates operate several
sessions across a sitting day, which may be multi handed resulting in multiple
defendants in one trial.
Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service has been working over the last 12
months to establish a variety of key financial metrics around the unit cost associated
with various volumetrics.
Prison Visitors: Coronavirus
Cat Smith: [73893]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on children visiting their
mothers in prison on a socially distanced basis where it is safe for them to do so.
Lucy Frazer:
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) recognises the importance and positive impact that can
benefit children and families by visiting offenders in prison. The decision to stop visits
was based on public health advice and mirrored the restrictions faced by the whole
country, we know the difficult impact this has on mothers in prison and it was not
taken lightly.
As a result of the success of these measures, we are now formulating plans for how
these restrictions can be cautiously rolled back over the coming weeks and months.
We have now reintroduced family visits at some establishments housing female
offenders and plan to reintroduce them to the remainder of the female estate over the
coming weeks. Currently a single adult visiting can be accompanied by up to two
children, but if two adults visits only one child may accompany them. All visitors must
live together in the same household except for parents of a prisoner who live apart.
Guidance on visiting someone in prison during the pandemic is published on
GOV.UK at the following link;
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/visit-someone-in-prison-during-the-coronavirus-covid-
19-pandemic
We are conscious of the impact that these restrictions have on prisoners’ wellbeing
and rehabilitation. Taking into consideration the recommendations made in the 2017
Farmer Review and the 2019 Farmer Review for Women, we have invested in
various measures to maintain family contact and improve wellbeing. We have
provided additional pin credit for phone calls, distributed locked mobile phones for
establishments without access to in-cell telephony and deployed new video call
technology at all women’s prisons.
Wills: Registration
Mr Barry Sheerman: [72809]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of
the potential merits of making it a legal necessity to register wills similar to those
requirements adopted by other countries.
Alex Chalk:
There is no statutory requirement for will registration, but is it possible to deposit a will
with HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and commercial will registration services are
available.
The imposition of a legal requirement to register wills may have a deterrent effect in
terms of people making wills and lead to an increase in invalidated wills and
contentious probate cases. The Law Commission analysed this issue in their 2017
consultation paper on the law of wills, and concluded that ‘the disadvantages of such
a system would far outweigh its benefits’.
The Government has no plans to reform this area of law at present.
LEADER OF THE HOUSE
Coronavirus: Disease Control
Sir Graham Brady: [73716]
To ask the Leader of the House, what covid-19 related provisions the Government has
put in place since 1 March 2020; under what statutory powers each provision was put in
place; on what date each provision was (a) announced and (b) laid before Parliament;
and on what date each provision (i) came into force and (ii) was approved by Parliament.
Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg:
Since 1 March 2020, and as of Monday 20 July, the Government has laid 127
statutory instruments in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. This has enabled the
Government to swiftly put in place the legislation needed and we will continue to bring
forward further SIs for Parliament to consider, as required. The table below provides
a list of each SI, outlining the powers it was made under; the date it was laid before
Parliament; the date the SI came into force; and, where applicable, the date it was
approved by Parliament.
The Government continues to make every effort to ensure that announcements are
made in good time ahead of the legislation being brought forward, while balancing the
need for urgent action to deal with the pandemic.
Table of Statutory Instruments laid since 1 March 2020
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
DHSC The Health
Protection
(Notification)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Negative 06/03/2
0
05/03/20 N/A
DWP The Statutory Sick
Pay (General)
(Coronavirus
Amendment)
Regulations 2020
Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992
Negative 12/03/2
0
13/03/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
DWP Universal Credit and
Employment Support
Allowance
Amendment
Regulations 2020
and their
Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992
Negative 12/03/2
0
13/03/20 N/A
DWP Universal Credit and
Employment Support
Allowance
Amendment
(Northern Ireland)
Regulations 2020
Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992
Negative 12/03/2
0
13/03/20 N/A
DWP The Statutory Sick
Pay (General)
(Coronavirus
Amendment) No.2
Regulations 2020
Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992
Negative 16/03/2
0
17/03/20 N/A
HMT Financial Services
and Markets Act
2000 (Exemption)
(Amendment) Order
2020
Financial
Services
and Markets
Act 2000
Negative 20/03/2
0
23/03/20 N/A
Defra Single Use Carrier
Bags Charges
(England)
(Amendment) Order
2020
Climate
Change Act
2008
Negative 20/03/2
0
21/03/20 N/A
MHCLG Town and Country
Planning (General
Permitted
Development)
(England)
(Amendment) Order
2020
Town and
Country
Planning Act
1990
Negative 23/03/2
0
24/03/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
DHSC The Health
Protection
(Coronavirus,
Business Closure)
(England)
Regulations 2020
Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Made
affirmative
23/03/2
0
21/03/20 The
regulations
were
revoked
before they
could be
approved.
DfT Street and Road
Works (Amendments
Relating to Electronic
Communications)
(England)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The New
Roads and
Street
Works Act
1991 and
The Traffic
Managemen
t Act 2004
Negative 26/03/2
0
30/03/20 N/A
DHSC The National Health
Service
(Amendments
Relating to the
Provision of Primary
Care Services During
a Pandemic etc.)
Regulations 2020
The
National
Health
Service Act
2006
Negative 26/03/2
0
27/03/20 N/A
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus,
Restrictions)
(England)
Regulations 2020
The Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Made
affirmative
26/03/2
0
26/03/20 14/05/20
DWP Occupational and
Personal Pension
Schemes (General
Levy) (Revocation)
Regulations 2020
The
Pensions
Act 2004
Negative 27/03/2
0
31/03/20 N/A
BEIS Competition Act 1998
(Health Services for
Patients in England)
The
Competition
Act 1998
Negative 27/03/2
0
28/03/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
(Coronavirus) (Public
Policy Exclusion)
Order 2020
BEIS Competition Act 1998
(Groceries)
(Coronavirus) (Public
Policy Exclusion)
Order 2020
The
Competition
Act 1998
Negative 27/03/2
0
28/03/20 N/A
BEIS Working Time
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The
European
Communitie
s Act 1972
Negative 27/03/2
0
26/03/20 N/A
DWP Social Security
(Coronavirus)
(Further Measures)
Regulations 2020
The Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992; the
Jobseekers
Act 1995;
the Housing
Act 1996;
The Welfare
Reform Act
2012
Negative 27/03/2
0
30/03/20 N/A
DWP NI Equivalent The Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992; the
Jobseekers
Act 1995;
the Housing
Act 1996;
The Welfare
Reform Act
Negative 27/03/2
0
30/03/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
2012
DWP Statutory Sick Pay
(Coronavirus)
(Suspension of
Waiting Days and
General Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992; The
Coronavirus
Act 2020
Negative 27/03/2
0
28/03/20 N/A
DWP NI Equivalent The Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992; The
Coronavirus
Act 2020
Negative 27/03/2
0
28/03/20 N/A
DWP The Occupational
and Personal
Pension Schemes
(General Levy)
(Revocation)
Regulations 2020
The Pension
Schemes
Act 1993
Negative 27
March
31/03/20 N/A
BEIS Competition Act 1998
(Solent Maritime
Crossings)
(Coronavirus) (Public
Policy Exclusion)
Order 2020
The
Competition
Act 1998
Negative 27/03/2
0
28/03/20 N/A
HO Police Act 1997
(Criminal Records)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The Police
Act 1997
Negative 27/03/2
0
28/03/20 N/A
HO Investigatory Powers
(Temporary Judicial
The
Coronavirus
Negative 27
March
27/03/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Commissioners and
Modification of Time
Limits) Regulations
2020
Act 2020
BEIS The Feed-in Tariffs
(Amendment)
(Coronavirus) Order
2020
The Energy
Act 2008
Negative 30
March
31/03/20 N/A
DfT The Motor Vehicles
(Tests) (Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The Road
Traffic Act
1988
Negative 30/03/2
0
31/03/20. N/A
DHSC Nursing and
Midwifery Council
(Emergency
Procedures)
(Amendment) Rules
2020 Order of
Council 2020
The Nursing
and
Midwifery
Order 2001
Negative 30/03/2
0
31/03/20 N/A
HO Coronavirus
(Retention of
Fingerprints and
DNA Profiles in the
Interests of National
Security) Regulations
2020
Coronavirus
Act 2020
Negative 01/04/2
0
02/04/20 N/A
MHCLG The Local Authorities
and Police and Crime
Panels (Coronavirus)
(Flexibility of Local
Authority and Police
and Crime Panel
Meetings) (England
and Wales)
Regulations 2020
The Police
Reform and
Social
Responsibili
ty Act 2011
Negative 02/04/2
0
04/04/20 N/A
DWP The Social Security The Negative 3 April 06/04/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
(Coronavirus)
(Further Measures)
Amendment
Regulations 2020
Housing Act
1996 and
the Welfare
Reform Act
2012
DWP The Social Security
(Coronavirus)
(Further Measures)
Amendment
Regulations
(Northern Ireland)
2020
The Welfare
Reform
(Northern
Ireland)
Order 2015
Negative 3 April 06/04/20 N/A
MHCLG The Local
Government and
Police and Crime
Commissioner
(Coronavirus)
(Postponement of
Elections and
Referendums)
(England and Wales)
Regulations 2020
The
Coronavirus
Act 2020
Negative 6 April 07/04/20 N/A
MoJ The Prison and
Young Offender
Institution
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment) Rules
2020
The Prison
Act 1952
Negative 6 April 06/04/20 N/A
MoJ The Offender
Management Act
2007 (Coronavirus)
(Approved Premises)
Regulations 2020
The
Offender
Managemen
t Act 2007
Negative 6 April 06/04/20 N/A
DWP The Social Security
(Coronavirus)
(Prisoners)
The Social
Security
Contribution
Negative 7 April 08/04/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Regulations 2020 s and
Benefits Act
1992 The
Jobseekers
Act 1995
The State
Pension
Credit Act
2002 The
Welfare
Reform Act
2007 The
Welfare
Reform Act
2012
DWP The Social Security
(Coronavirus)
(Prisoners)
Regulations 2020
Northern Ireland
The Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits
(Northern
Ireland) Act
1992 The
Jobseekers
(Northern
Ireland)
Order 1995
The State
Pension
Credit Act
(Northern
Ireland)
2002 The
Welfare
Reform Act
(Northern
Ireland)
2007 The
Negative 7 April 08/04/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Welfare
Reform
(Northern
Ireland)
Order 2015
DWP Social Fund Funeral
Expenses Payment
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992
Negative 7 April 08/04/20 N/A
MHCLG Accounts and Audit
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The Local
Audit and
Accountabili
ty Act 2014
Negative 7 April 30/04/20 N/A
MHCLG Town and Country
Planning (General
Permitted
Development)
(Coronavirus)
(England)
(Amendment) Order
2020
The Town
and Country
Planning Act
1990
Negative 08/04/2
0
09/04/20 N/A
DHSC The National Health
Service (Performers
List) (England)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The
National
Health
Service Act
2006
Negative 08/04/2
0
09/04/20 N/A
MoJ The Criminal
Procedure
(Amendment No. 2)
(Coronavirus) Rules
2020
The Courts
Act 2003
Negative 09/04/2
0
14/04/20 N/A
MoJ The Electronic The Negative 09/04/2 10/04/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Monitoring
(Responsible
Persons) Order 2020
Criminal
Justice and
Court
Services Act
2000
0
MoJ Tribunal Procedure
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment) Rules
2020
The
Tribunals,
Courts and
Enforcemen
t Act 2007
Negative 09/04/2
0
10/04/20 N/A
MoJ Employment Appeals
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment) Rules
2020
The
Employment
Tribunals
Act 1996
Negative 09/04/2
0
10/04/20 N/A
DWP The Statutory Sick
Pay (General)
(Coronavirus
Amendment) (No. 3)
Regulations 2020
The Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992
Negative 15/04/2
0
16/04/20 N/A
BEIS Land Registry
Amendment 2020
The Land
Registration
Act 2002
Negative 15/04/2
0
16/04/20 N/A
MHCLG The Local
Government
(Coronavirus)
(Structural Changes)
(Consequential
Amendments)
(England)
Regulations 2020.
The
Coronavirus
Act 2020
Negative 16 April 08/04/20 N/A
DHSC The Safeguarding
Vulnerable Groups
Act 2006 (Regulated
Activities)
The
Safeguardin
g Vulnerable
Groups Act
Negative 17/04/2
0
17/04/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
(Coronavirus) Order
2020
2006
BEIS Competition Act 1998
(Health Services for
Patients in Wales)
(Coronavirus) (Public
Policy Exclusion)
Order 2020
The
Competition
Act 1998
Negative 20/04/2
0
21/04/20 N/A
BEIS Offshore Petroleum
Production and Pipe-
lines (Assessment of
Environmental
Effects)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendments) 2020
The
European
Communitie
s Act 1972
Negative 22/04/2
0
23/04/20 N/A
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus,
Restrictions)
(England)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Made
affirmative
22/04/2
0
22/04/20 14/05/20
DfE The Adoption and
children
(coronavirus)
(amendment)
Regulations 2020.
Negative Procedure
The
Children Act
1989 The
Care
Standards
Act 2000
The
Adoption
and
Children Act
2002 The
Children Act
2004 The
Education
and
Inspections
Negative 23/04/2
0
24/04/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Act 2006
MHCLG The Non-Domestic
Rating (Transitional
Protection Payments
and Rates Retention)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The Local
Government
Finance Act
1988
Negative 23/04/2
0
1(2)Subje
ct to
paragraph
(3), these
Regulatio
ns come
into force
on 15th
May 2020.
1(3)This
regulation
and
regulation
3(1) and
(3) come
into force
on 29th
April
2020.
N/A
DfE The School
Admissions (Appeals
Arrangements)
(England)
(Amendment)
(Coronavirus)
Regulations 2020.
Negative Procedure
The School
Standards
and
Framework
Act 1998
Negative 23/04/2
0
24/04/20 N/A
DfE The Early Years
Foundation Stage
(learning and
development
requirements) and
(Welfare
requirements)
Miscellaneous
provisions)
The
Childcare
Act 2006
Negative 23/04/2
0
24/04/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
(amendment)
(coronavirus)
Regulations 2020.
Negative Procedure
MoJ The Taking Control
of Goods and
Certification of
Enforcement Agents
(Amendment)
(Coronavirus)
Regulations 2020
The
Tribunals,
Courts and
Enforcemen
t Act 2007
Negative 24/04/2
0
25/04/20 N/A
DWP The Maternity
Allowance, Statutory
Maternity Pay,
Statutory Adoption
Pay, Statutory
Paternity Pay,
Statutory Shared
Parental Pay and
Statutory Parental
Bereavement Pay
(Normal Weekly
Earnings etc.)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020.
The Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992
Negative 24/04/2
0
25/04/20 N/A
DWP The State Pension
Credit (Coronavirus)
(Electronic Claims)
Regulations 2020
The Social
Security
Administrati
on Act 1992
Negative 27/04/2
0
04/05/20 N/A
DHSC National Health
Service (Quality
Accounts)
(Amendment)
(Coronavirus)
Regulations 2020
The Health
Act 2009
Negative 28/04/2
0
29/05/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
HO The Misuse of Drugs
(Amendments)
(Pandemic supply)
Regulations 2020
The Misuse
of Drugs Act
1971
Negative 29/04/2
0
29/05/20 N/A
DfE The Special
Educational Needs
and Disability
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The
Children
and
Families Act
2014 The
Education
Act 1996
Negative 30/04/2
0
01/05/20 N/A
DfE The Education
(School Teachers'
Qualifications and
Induction
Arrangements)
(England)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The
Education
Act 2002
Negative 30/04/2
0
21/05/20 N/A
MoJ Criminal Legal Aid
(Coronavirus,
Remuneration)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The Legal
Aid,
Sentencing
and
Punishment
of Offenders
Act 2012
Negative 30/04/2
0
01/05/20 N/A
Defra The Common
Agricultural Policy
(Control and
Enforcement, Cross-
Compliance, Scrutiny
of Transactions and
Appeals)
(Amendment)
(England)
Regulations 2020.
The
European
Communitie
s Act 1972
Article 78(b)
of
Regulation
(EU)
1306/2013
of the
Negative 01/05/2
0
15/05/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
European
Parliament
and of the
Council
BEIS Competition Act 1998
(Dairy Produce)
(Coronavirus) (Public
Policy Exclusion)
Order 2020
Competition
Act 1998
Negative 01/05/2
0
01/05/20 N/A
HMT Financial Services
and Markets Act
2000 (Regulated
Activities)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment) Order
2020
Financial
Services
and Markets
Act 2000
Negative 01/05/2
0
04/05/20 N/A
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus,
Restrictions)
(England)
(Amendment) (No. 2)
Regulations 2020
Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Made
affirmative
13/05/2
0
13/05/20 15/06/20
MHCLG The Town and
Country Planning
(Development
Management
Procedure) (England)
(Coronavirus)(Amend
ment) Order 2020
European
Communitie
s Act 1972
Negative 13/05/2
0
14/05/20 N/A
HMRC The Individual
Savings Account
(Amendment No 3)
Regulations 2020
Finance Act
1993;
Income Tax
(Trading
and Other
Income) Act
2005;
Negative 14/05/2
0
04/06/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Finance Act
2016
Defra The Direct Payments
(Application
Deadlines)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
(England)
Regulations 2020
Article
78(b)(1) of
Regulation
(EU)
1306/2013
of the
European
Parliament
and of the
Council
Negative 14/05/2
0
15/05/20 N/A
MoJ Prison and Young
Offender Institution
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment) (No. 2)
Rules 2020
Prison Act
1952
Negative 14/05/2
0
15/05/20 N/A
DWP Statutory Sick Pay
(Coronavirus)
(Funding of
Employers'
Liabilities)
Regulations 2020
Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992
Negative 15/05/2
0
26/05/20 N/A
DWP Statutory Sick Pay
(Coronavirus)
(Funding of
Employers'
Liabilities) Northern
Ireland Regulations
2020
Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits
(Northern
Ireland) Act
1992
Negative 15/05/2
0
26/05/20 N/A
MoJ The Civil Legal Aid
(Remuneration)
(Amendment)
(Coronavirus)
Regulations 2020
Legal Aid,
Sentencing
and
Punishment
of Offenders
Negative 18/05/2
0
08/06/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Act 2012
DWP Universal Credit
(Coronavirus) (Self-
employed Claimants
and Reclaims)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The Social
Security
Administrati
on Act 1992;
Welfare
Reform Act
2012
Negative 20/05/2
0
21/05/20 N/A
DWP Universal Credit
(Coronavirus) (Self-
employed Claimants
and Reclaims)
(Amendment)
Regulations
(Northern Ireland)
2020
Social
Security
Administrati
on (Northern
Ireland) Act
1992
Negative 20/05/2
0
21/05/20 N/A
BEIS Electricity Capacity
(Amendment etc.)
(Coronavirus)
Regulations 2020
Income Tax
(Earnings
and
Pensions)
Act 2003
Draft
affirmative
20/05/2
0
N/A 02/07/20
HMRC The Income Tax
(Exemption for
Coronavirus Related
Home Office
Expenses)
Regulations 2020
Income Tax
(Earnings
and
Pensions)
Act 2003
Negative 21/05/2
0
11/06/20 N/A
HMRC The Social Security
Contributions
(Disregarded
Payments)
(Coronavirus)
Regulations 2020
Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992
Negative 21/05/2
0
11/06/20 N/A
HMRC The Tax Credits
(Miscellaneous
Tax Credits
Act 2002
Negative 22/05/2
0
23/05/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Amendments)
Regulations 2020
DfT The Traffic Order
Procedure (England)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
Road Traffic
Regulation
Act 1984
Negative 22/05/2
0
23/05/20 N/A
DWP The Statutory Sick
Pay (General)
(Coronavirus
Amendment) (No. 4)
Regulations 2020
Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits Act
1992
Negative 27/05/2
0
28/05/20 N/A
DfE Independent Schools
(DBS Checks)
(Coronavirus) SI
Education
and Skills
Act 2008
Negative 28/05/2
0
18/06/20 N/A
DfE The Education (Pupil
Registration)
(England)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
Education
Act 1996
Negative 28/05/2
0
01/06/20 N/A
DfE The School
Discipline (England)
(Coronavirus) (Pupil
Exclusions and
Reviews)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
Education
Act 2002
Negative 28/05/2
0
01/06/20 N/A
DfE The Schools Forums
(England)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
School
Standards
and
Framework
Act 1998
Negative 28/05/2
0
18/06/20 N/A
DHSC Health Protection Public Made 01/06/2 01/06/20 25/06/20
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
(Coronavirus,
Restrictions)
(England)
(Amendment) (No. 3)
Regulations 2020
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
affirmative 0
AG Prosecution of
Offences Act 1985
(Specified
Proceedings)
(Amendment) Order
2020
Prosecution
of Offences
Act 1985
Negative 02/06/2
0
02/06/20 N/A
DHSC The Human
Fertilisation and
Embryology
(Statutory Storage
Period for Embryos
and Gametes)
(Coronavirus)
Regulations 2020
Human
Fertilisation
and
Embryology
Act 1990
Negative 03/06/2
0
01/07/20 N/A
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus, Public
Health Information
for Passengers
Travelling to
England) Regulations
2020
Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Negative 03/06/2
0
08/06/20 N/A
DfT The Health
Protection
(Coronavirus, Public
Health Advice for
Passengers)
(England)
Regulations 2020
Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Negative 03/06/2
0
08/06/20 N/A
DfE The Higher
Education (Fee
Limits and Student
Higher
Education
and
Draft
affirmative
04/06/2
0
N/A 02/07/20
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Support) (England)
(Coronavirus) SI
Research
Act 2017;
Teaching
and Higher
Education
Act 1998
BEIS Contracts for
Difference (Electricity
Supplier Obligations)
Energy Act
2013
Draft
affirmative
04/06/2
0
N/A 02/07/20
Defra Direct Payments to
Farmers
(Inspections)
(Coronavirus)
(England)
Regulations 2020
Article
62(2)(1) of
Regulation
(EU) No
1306/2013
of the
European
Parliament
and of the
Council
Negative 09/06/2
0
30/06/20 N/A
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus,
Restrictions)
(England)
(Amendment) (No. 4)
Regulations 2020
Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Made
affirmative
12/06/2
0
13/06/20 The
regulations
were
revoked
before they
could be
approved.
DfT/DHSC The Health
Protection
(Coronavirus,
Wearing of Face
Coverings on Public
Transport) (England)
Regulations 2020
(S.I., 2020, No. 592)
Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Made
affirmative
15/06/2
1
15/06/20 08/07/20
DfE The Education (Pupil
Information)
Education
Act 1996
Negative 18/06/2
0
09/07/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
(England)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
MHCLG The Business
Tenancies
(Restriction on
Forfeiture: Relevant
Period) (Coronavirus)
(England)
Regulations 2020
Coronavirus
Act 2020
Negative 19/06/2
0
29/06/20 N/A
MoJ Taking Control of
Goods and
Certification of
Enforcement Agents
(Amendment) (No.2)
(Coronavirus)
Regulations 2020
Tribunals,
Courts and
Enforcemen
t Act 2007
Negative 19/06/2
0
24/06/20 N/A
MoJ Competition Appeals
Tribunal
Crime and
Courts Act
2013
Draft
affirmative
22/06/2
0
N/A 15/07/20
BEIS Enterprise Act 2002
(Specification of
Additional Section 58
Consideration) Order
2020
Enterprise
Act 2002
Made
affirmative
22/06/2
0
23/06/20 15/07/20
HMRC The Life Assurance
Scheme (English and
Welsh Schemes)
(Excluded Benefits
for Tax Purposes)
Regulations 2020
Income Tax
(Earnings
and
Pensions)
Act 2003
Negative 22/06/2
0
13/07/20 N/A
MHCLG The Town and
Country Planning
(Permitted
Town and
Country
Planning Act
Negative 24/06/2
0
25/06/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Development and
Miscellaneous
Amendments)
(England)
(Coronavirus)
Regulations 2020
1990
BEIS The Limited Liability
Partnerships
(Amendment etc.)
Regulations 2020
Negative Procedure
Limited
Liability
Partnerships
Act 2000
Negative 26/06/2
0
26/06/20 N/A
BEIS The Companies etc.
(Filing Requirements)
(Temporary
Modifications)
Regulations 2020
Negative Procedure
Companies
Act 2006;
Corporate
Insolvency
and
Governance
Act 2020
Negative 26/06/2
0
27/06/20 N/A
BEIS Patents, Trade Marks
and Registered
Designs (Fees)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment) Rules
2020
Trade Marks
Act 1994;
Registered
Designs Act
1949
Negative 29/06/2
0
30/07/20 N/A
DfT Electric Scooter
(Trials) Regulations -
(working title)
Vehicle
Excise and
Registration
Act 1994;
Road Traffic
Act 1988;
Road Traffic
Regulation
Act 1984
Negative 30/06/2
0
04/07/20 N/A
HMRC The Childcare
Payments
(Miscellaneous
Childcare
Payments
Act 2014
Negative 30/06/2
0
21/07/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Amendments)
Regulations 2020
MHCLG Community
Infrastructure Levy
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)(Englan
d) Regulations 2020
The
Planning Act
2008
Draft
affirmative
30/06/2
020
N/A 14/07/20
MOJ The Secure Training
Centre (Amendment)
(Coronavirus) Rules
2020
Prison Act
1952
Negative 01/07/2
020
02/07/20 N/A
DWP The Statutory Sick
Pay (General)
(Coronavirus
Amendment) (No.2)
Regulations 2020
Social
Security
(Incapacity
for Work)
Act 1994;
Coronavirus
Act 2020;
Social
Security
Contribution
s (Transfer
of
Functions,
etc.) Act
1999
Negative 03/07/2
0
06/07/20 N/A
DWP The Statutory Sick
Pay (General)
(Coronavirus
Amendment) (No.2)
(Northern Ireland)
Regulations 2020
Social
Security
Contribution
s and
Benefits
(Northern
Ireland) Act
1992;
Coronavirus
Act 2020
Negative 03/07/2
0
06/07/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus,
Restrictions)
(Leicester)
Regulations 2020
06/07/20 Made
affirmative
03/07/2
0
04/07/20 Still going
through
parliamenta
ry process
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus,
Restrictions) (No. 2)
(England)
Regulations 2020
Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Made
affirmative
03/07/2
0
04/07/20 Still going
through
parliamenta
ry process
DHSC The Health
Protection
(Coronavirus,
International Travel
and Public Health
Information)
(England)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Negative 06/07/2
0
07/07/20 N/A
DWP Pension Protection
Fund (Moratorium
and Arrangements
and Reconstructions
for Companies in
Financial Difficulty)
Regulations 2020
The
Insolvency
Act 1986;
The
Companies
Act 2006;
Corporate
Insolvency
and
Governance
Act 2020
Made
affirmative
06/07/2
0
07/07/20 Still going
through
parliamenta
ry process
DCMS Charitable
Incorporated
Organisations
Moratorium
Regulations 2020
Charities
Act 2011
Made
affirmative
08/07/2
0
06/07/20 Still going
through
parliamenta
ry process
HMRC The Value Added Value Negative 09/07/2 30/07/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
Tax (Zero Rate for
Personal Protective
Equipment)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment) Order
2020
Added Tax
Act 1994
0
HMRC International Tax
Enforcement
(Disclosable
Arrangements)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
the Finance
Act 2019
Negative 09/07/2
0
30/07/20 N/A
DfE The Childcare
(Coronavirus)
(Miscellaneous)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
Negative Procedure
the
Childcare
Act 2016
Negative 10/07/2
0
31/07/20 N/A
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus,
Restrictions) (No. 2)
(England)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
the Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Made
affirmative
10/07/2
0
11/07/20 Still going
through
parliamenta
ry process
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus,
International Travel)
(England)
(Amendment) (No. 2)
Regulations 2020
the Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Negative 10/07/2
0
11/07/20 N/A
HMRC Value Added Tax
(Reduced Rate)
(Hospitality and
Tourism)
(Coronavirus) Order
the Value
Added Tax
Act 1994
Negative 14/07/2
0
15/07/20 N/A
DEPARTMENT TITLE
POWER IT IS
MADE UNDER PROCEDURE
LAYING
DATE
COMING
INTO
FORCE
DATE
APPROVED
IN
PARLIAMEN
T
2020
MHCLG Town and Country
Planning (Local
Planning) (England)
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
The
Planning
and
Compulsory
Purchase
Act 2004
Negative 15/07/2
0
16/07/20 N/A
BEIS Environmental
Assessment of Plans
and Programmes
(Coronavirus)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
European
Union
(Withdrawal)
Act 2018
Negative 15/07/2
0
16/07/20 N/A
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus,
Restrictions)
(England) (No. 3)
Regulations 2020
the Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Made
affirmative
17/07/2
0
18/07/20 Still going
through
parliamenta
ry process
DHSC Health Protection
(Coronavirus,
Restrictions)
(Leicester)
(Amendment)
Regulations 2020
the Public
Health
(Control of
Disease)
Act 1984
Made
affirmative
20/07/2
0
18/07/20 Still going
through
parliamenta
ry process
PRIME MINISTER
Care Homes
Sir Edward Davey: [72151]
To ask the Prime Minister, when he last met with care home (a) workers and (b)
providers.
Boris Johnson:
I have engaged with care workers and with NHS staff in recent weeks, where I have
been able to thank them for their tireless work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
TRANSPORT
Aircraft
Lucy Powell: [73842]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of the UK's
civil aviation fleet is (a) under 5 years old, (b) between 5 and 10 years old and (c) over 15
years old.
Kelly Tolhurst:
The Department for Transport does not routinely collect statistical data on the age of
the UK civil aviation fleet. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) maintains a database
(https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/) of all UK registered aircraft which can be
individually queried to determine the year an aircraft was built.
Airports: Coronavirus
Seema Malhotra: [74590]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had
with airports on developing an international standard for testing of passengers at UK
airports as part of the Government's covid-19 recovery plan.
Kelly Tolhurst:
The Government is working with a range of aviation sector representatives and
international partners to drive forward a shared agenda on public health and aviation
through regular meetings and correspondence, and remain committed to an open
dialogue to actively engage with the sector as we work towards our shared ambition
of getting aviation up and running again.
Seema Malhotra: [74591]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department’s policy is on the
introduction of a common international standard on testing at UK airports.
Kelly Tolhurst:
The Government recognises the importance of international standards, and the UK
has been working with a range of international partners to drive forward a shared
agenda on public health and aviation through regular meetings and correspondence,
including through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The UK is a member of the governing Council of ICAO and has played a leading role
in the ICAO Civil Aviation Recovery Taskforce (CART), which was set up specifically
to address the aviation industry’s recovery from the crisis caused by the COVID-19
pandemic. The CART published guidance, including on public health measures for
aviation, on 2 June. As a member of the governing Council of ICAO, the UK will
continue to drive the agenda on public health measures for aviation as the sector’s
recovery progresses and as the global health situation evolves, including exploring
options for testing air passengers.
Aviation: Exhaust Emissions
Lucy Powell: [73841]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Prime
Minister on the Jet zero objective announced in the Prime Minister's Economy speech of
30 June 2020; and what steps he is taking to achieve that objective.
Kelly Tolhurst:
On 12 June the Transport Secretary announced the creation of the Jet Zero Council.
We have been working with the Business Secretary on the aims and objectives of the
Council. It is our intention to publish draft membership and terms of reference before
summer recess.
Bus Service Operators Grant: Hydrogen
Alex Cunningham: [72203]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the
potential merits of amending the Bus Service Operator's Grant to include hydrogen.
Rachel Maclean:
As announced in the ‘Better Deal for Bus Users’ package, the Government remains
committed to the reform of the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) in order to
support the environment and improved passenger journeys.
Buses: Hydrogen
Alex Cunningham: [72204]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce further
information on his Department's policy to introduce (a) a hydrogen bus town scheme and
(b) a hydrogen hub.
Rachel Maclean:
The Transport Secretary is exploring options for using hydrogen in transport. Further
details will be announced in due course.
Department for Transport: Apprentices
Robert Halfon: [74506]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to meet
the public sector apprenticeship target.
Andrew Stephenson:
The Department remains fully committed to the Government’s apprenticeship agenda
and is actively encouraging both the recruitment of apprentices externally, through
proactive outreach and the utilisation of apprenticeships to develop internal capability
and strengthen talent pipelines.
Due to the diverse work of the department, DfT core and each of its executive
agencies (DfT Group) have developed localised strategies to support ongoing work
against public-sector apprenticeship targets, and improve the overall quality of the
apprentice experience.
For mainstream recruitment, we have embedded a process standard across DfT
Group requiring vacancy holders to consider recruiting apprentices as the default
resourcing option to fill vacant roles. This is alongside work with the policy, HR,
project delivery, finance and other technical operational professions to actively
encourage apprenticeship uptake to support skills and capability growth and talent
retention.
From Autumn 2020 we plan to move to volume-based recruitment and apprenticeship
management. Alongside this, we will continue to focus on developing our corporate
support offer for apprentices and their line-managers, and strengthening supplier
engagement to drive quality of provision.
High Speed Two: Directors
Dame Cheryl Gillan: [73677]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who the newly appointed non-executive
directors of HS2 are; and what their (a) responsibilities and (b) remuneration packages
are.
Andrew Stephenson:
The Secretary of State has appointed Ian King, Elaine Holt and Tom Harris. All non-
executive directors are appointed to provide challenge and guidance to the Board,
Chair and senior leadership at HS2, though each brings their own specialisms. Ian
King has been appointed specifically to represent the government’s interests on the
board.
Appointees are remunerated at £950 per day, on an assumption of a time
commitment of two days per month.
Dame Cheryl Gillan: [73678]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people applied to become non-
executive directors of HS2; and what the process was by which the successful applicants
were selected.
Andrew Stephenson:
Seventy nine people applied to an open and fair competition overseen by Ministers,
which was launched in June 2019. Elaine Holt was appointed via this process.
Tom Harris has been directly appointed to his role for a one year term after which an
open and fair competition will commence. Ian King has been directly appointed to his
role for a three year term, something which is appropriate given his role as a
government representative.
All appointments have been made in accordance with the Government’s Governance
Code for Public Appointments with the agreement of the Prime Minister and the
Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Jet Skis: Wales
Liz Saville Roberts: [74690]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Welsh Government has
legislative competence to regulate on the (a) use and (b) ownership of jet skis.
Kelly Tolhurst:
Regulations on the use and ownership of jet skis and other personal water craft is a
reserved matter for the UK Parliament. This is because they are within the scope of
shipping, technical and safety standards of vessels that are not ships for the
purposes of the Government of Wales Act 2006.
Although the vast majority of personal watercraft users operate their craft responsibly,
the Department for Transport are currently considering how to ensure that any who
willfully or neglectfully cause accidents or endanger the safety of others can be
prosecuted.
Large Goods Vehicles: Coronavirus
Mr Laurence Robertson: [74431]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the covid-19 outbreak, if he
will make an assessment of the potential merits of permitting a twelve month extension to
MOT tests for heavy goods vehicles in cases where it can be shown to be safe to do so;
and if he will make a statement.
Rachel Maclean:
The Government is aware of calls from some sectors of the road haulage industry to
issue Certificates of Temporary Exemption for periods of up to 12 months, in order to
mitigate operational issues. These views are being actively considered at present.
Consequent to passage of the Business and Planning Bill, regulations will be made
relating to this issue in coming weeks.
Public Transport: Coronavirus
Sir Edward Davey: [72149]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to
ensure that public transport remains accessible for disabled people during the covid-19
outbreak.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Government remains as committed to delivering inclusive transport for all
passengers as they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. Our expectation is that
transport operators should continue to assist disabled passengers who need
assistance. I made this clear in my open letter to the rail industry on 8 April 2020
(www.gov.uk/government/speeches/letter-from-the-rail-minister-to-the-rail-delivery-
group-on-maintaining-accessibility-during-the-covid-19-outbreak) .
We have also made clear to local authorities that the Public Sector Equality Duty still
applies and that they must continue to consider the needs of disabled people. An
accessible public realm is vital to enabling disabled people to access public transport.
On 9 May the Department published statutory guidance to local authorities on
reallocating road space which makes clear that authorities must consider the needs
of disabled people and those with other protected characteristics when making
changes to their transport networks
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reallocating-road-space-in-response-to-
covid-19-statutory-guidance-for-local-authorities/traffic-management-act-2004-
network-management-in-response-to-covid-19). Public Sector Equality Duty
requirements apply to temporary measures as they do to permanent ones.
I am meeting regularly with key disability stakeholders, including Disability Rights UK,
Scope, Guide Dogs and Transport for All, to hear directly from them about the
experiences of disabled people using transport. This means we will be able to take
action quickly if we find that passengers are not receiving the assistance to which
they are entitled.
Sir Edward Davey: [72150]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to distribute
protective masks for disabled extremely vulnerable passengers on services provided by
Transport for London; and if he will make a statement.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
Last month we made it mandatory for passengers to wear a face covering when
travelling on public transport in England, unless they are exempt for health, disability
or other reasons. We expect people to bring their own coverings and it is not the
responsibility of public transport operators to provide them for their passengers. Face
coverings are available to purchase at many retailers and public transport hubs,
whilst there is advice on the gov.uk website which describes in detail how people can
make their own (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-
a-cloth-face-covering/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering).
To help introduce this policy, we have distributed over two million face coverings
which were donated to the Government. These were distributed to local transport
providers, National Rail and maritime operators across the country for use by
passengers and the transport workforce. In London, TfL has also been helping their
customers adjust to the new requirement by temporarily distributing face masks at
targeted Tube and bus stations.
Public Transport: Information Services
Layla Moran: [73950]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure public
access to the Zipabout Passenger Connect service.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Zipabout Passenger Connect service is freely available through the National Rail
Enquiries (NRE) Alert Me service for anyone to sign up to via the website link (here:
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/208333.aspx). The Department is working
with NRE on increasing the visibility and promotion of the messaging service on the
website and app.
Work is underway currently to consider how we can roll out similar services to users
of other public transport.
Railway Stations: Visual Impairment
Sarah Olney: [73933]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of
the number of operational railways platforms that are (a) owned and (b) managed by
Network Rail that do not have tactile warnings installed to warn visually-impaired people
of the platform edge.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
Data on the facilities available at stations is collected and held by the Rail Delivery
Group, who you can contact using [email protected].
Sarah Olney: [73934]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by what date his Department plans for every
operational platform that is (a) owned and (b) managed by Network Rail will meet the
European Technical Specification for Interoperability covering Persons of Reduced
Mobility of the provision of tactile warnings installed to warn visually-impaired people of
the platform edge.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Department expects the industry to meet current accessibility requirements
whenever it installs, renews or replaces station infrastructure. In addition, by 2030,
we envisage equal access for disabled people using the transport system, with
assistance if physical infrastructure remains a barrier.
Railways: Coronavirus
Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: [73945]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to
monitor the proportion of customers using face masks on trains.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Department for Transport receives regular data from Network Rail and operators
about the proportion of customers wearing face coverings on trains. The Office for
National Statistics also conducts a weekly survey to track the proportion of people
declaring they wear a face covering on public transport. Their survey shows
significant public support for the measure - of those adults who had used public
transport in the past seven days, 89% had worn a face covering while doing so
across all of Great Britain. This rate was the same in England.
To help encourage enforcement of the requirement, Police and TfL enforcement
officers have been deployed across the network to support frontline transport staff.
Not everyone can wear a face covering, for various reasons, which is why we would
not expect 100% compliance with the policy.
Mr Laurence Robertson: [74429]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to encourage
passengers to safely use the railways as covid-19 restrictions are eased; and if he will
make a statement.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
Our priority remains the safety of staff and passengers. Rail operators are working
hard to ensure passengers can travel safely, in line with Public Health England
advice. Measures taken thus far include regular station speaker announcements, the
installation of clear floor markings and the provision of extra staff to manage
passenger flows and provide guidance. As of 15 June, we have also made face
coverings compulsory on public transport, to minimise the chances of the virus being
spread by asymptomatic patients.
In order to support a safe, green recovery and new working patterns, the department
is also working with industry to explore already available options for flexible
commuters, such as carnets, and what steps could be taken quickly to make these as
useful and convenient for passengers as possible.
Mr Laurence Robertson: [74430]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with train
operating companies on the potential merits of offering incentives for passengers to
safely return to using the railways as covid-19 restrictions are eased; and if he will make
a statement.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on 17th July and as we now understand
the epidemiology of the virus better and can control it through targeted, local action,
we are extending our plan to lift the remaining national restrictive measures. Our
priority remains the safety of staff and passengers. Rail operators are making sure
passengers have the confidence to return to the railway, and continue to take all
necessary measures to make rail travel safe. These include the installation of clear
floor markings and the provision of extra staff to manage passenger flows and
provide guidance. On 15 June, we made face coverings compulsory on public
transport, to prevent the transmission of the virus by asymptomatic patients.
In order to support a safe, green recovery and new working patterns, the department
is also working with industry to explore already available options for flexible
commuters, such as carnets, and what steps could be taken quickly to make these as
useful and convenient for passengers as possible.
Grahame Morris: [74502]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the
comparative cost of extending (a) rail operators’ Emergency Measures Agreements and
(b) the Operator of Last Resort from September 2020.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Department is reviewing its approach to potential contractual arrangements
following the expiry of the Emergency Measures Agreements. Work is underway to
consider a range of options and to determine the most appropriate approach. This
work will take account of the potential impact of COVID-19 on demand for passenger
rail travel in both the short and long term, and the associated economic and financial
impacts on the railway, including analysis of Value for Money to taxpayers.
Railways: Exhaust Emissions
Grahame Morris: [74501]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on delivering net-zero
carbon emissions by 2050 on the rail network.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Government is developing an ambitious Transport Decarbonisation Plan to
achieve net zero emissions across all modes of transport. We will use electrification
and alternative technologies such as battery and hydrogen trains to remove diesel
trains from the network and decarbonise the railway.
Ongoing work led by Network Rail will inform decisions about the pace of rail
decarbonisation to achieve net zero and the deployment of different decarbonisation
technologies on each part of the network.
Railways: Season Tickets
Caroline Lucas: [72195]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to
require rail franchisees to provide part-time season tickets; what assessment he has
made of the increase in demand for part-time season tickets following increases in home
working in relation to the covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Government recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a fundamental
change in working patterns and that this could have long-term effects. The
Department is commissioning research and analysis to understand future commuting
patterns and potential demand for more flexible commuting fares.
More immediately, the Department is working with industry to explore already
available options for flexible commuters, such as carnets, and what steps could be
taken quickly to make these as useful and convenient for passengers as possible.
Railways: Technology
Grahame Morris: [73795]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps is he taking to increase the level
of renewable technology used on the rail network.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Government supports the use of new technology on the railway to deliver our
legally binding target of net-zero UK greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The Department for Transport is working with Network Rail and the rail industry to
determine which parts of the network are best suited to use of hydrogen or battery
trains, as well as further electrification. DfT is also supporting the development of
hydrogen and battery technology through innovation funding and research to
overcome safety and other barriers to their deployment.
Roads: Capital Investment
Kerry McCarthy: [73744]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the most recent Appraisal
Summary Tables for all the capital enhancement schemes in the Road Investment
Strategy 2.
Rachel Maclean:
The latest approved Appraisal Summary Tables for enhancement schemes included
in the second Road Investment Strategy are being published by Highways England
on whatdotheyknow.com.
Caroline Lucas: [73779]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of
the cumulative effect of its second Roads Investment Strategy on the level of, carbon
dioxide emissions from now until the end of the fifth carbon budget period in 2032.
Rachel Maclean:
Analysis carried out in the preparation of the second Road Investment Strategy
(RIS2) showed that the additional effect of new RIS2 schemes will be around 0.27
megatonne CO2 equivalent (MtCO2e) through to the end of the 2032. When
compared to the UK’s fifth carbon budget of 1,725 MtCO2e, these schemes represent
an extremely small component.
Rolling Stock: Procurement
Grahame Morris: [73794]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, will he will make it his policy to establish a
criteria that promotes UK manufacturing in procurement contracts for rail rolling stock
after the end of the transition period.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The end of the transition period presents an important opportunity for wider reform of
our public procurement framework to ensure it meets our national needs, drives
improved commercial outcomes, removes complex and unnecessary bureaucratic
rules, and reduces burdens on business, whilst continuing to comply with the UK's
obligations under its international trade agreements. This includes the World Trade
Organization’s Government Procurement Agreement, which the UK will accede to as
an independent member at the end of the transition period. We will continue to work
closely with industry, including rail businesses, to promote skilled employment and
manufacturing in the UK.
Taxis: Coronavirus
Dan Jarvis: [74589]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2020 to
Question 67659 on Taxis: Coronavirus, what plans he has to review the rules on making
face coverings in taxis compulsory, following updated guidance on compulsory face
coverings in shops from 24 July 2020.
Rachel Maclean:
The Government has published safer transport guidance on the safe provision of
transport services during the coronavirus pandemic. The guidance to passengers
says that passengers should wear a face covering when using taxis or private hire
vehicles. Taxi drivers are able to refuse carriage to passengers where it is reasonable
to do so, and private hire vehicle operators can make wearing a face covering a
condition of hiring. We are aware of private hire vehicle operators that are doing this
and requiring the driver they work with to do the same. We are continually reviewing
the guidance for safer transport in line with scientific advice.
Transport: Coronavirus
Emma Hardy: [74717]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect
of wearing face coverings in (a) taxis,(b) buses and (c) trains on the transmission of
covid-19.
Rachel Maclean:
The decision to make face coverings mandatory on public transport was guided by
scientific advice. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advised
using cloth face coverings as a precautionary measure in enclosed spaces such as
public transport, where social distancing is not possible consistently, creating a risk of
close social contact with multiple parties the person does not usually meet, for
example, when passing by other passengers.
This advice does not replace or change existing advice on other measures – such as
good hand hygiene and social distancing – which remain critically important.
Operators should also continue to follow the practical steps we have set out in the
operator guidance to ensure their services are Covid-19 secure.
Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles carry fewer people and are typically unlikely to
involve passengers from more than one household travelling together, and
passengers and drivers do not travel face-to-face. However, we recognise that taxis
are confined, close spaces – our advice on face coverings remains that people
should wear them in an enclosed space.
Travel: Coronavirus
Alberto Costa: [72222]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria his Department uses for the
establishment of travel corridors between the UK and other countries.
Kelly Tolhurst:
I refer the honourable member to the Secretary of State for Transport’s Written
Ministerial Statement on travel corridors made on 6 July 2020.
TREASURY
Animal Housing: VAT
Sir Mike Penning: [72181]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made on extending the
eligibility for VAT reductions in the Accommodation and Food Services sector to kennel
and cattery businesses.
Jesse Norman:
In light of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Chancellor has introduced a range of measures
to help individuals and businesses through the crisis, including grants, loans and
relief from business rates at a cost of more than £300 billion.
The temporary reduced rate of VAT will support the tourism and hospitality sectors
and will help over 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs. There are
currently no plans to expand the scope of the temporary VAT reduction to include
kennel and cattery businesses. However, the Government keeps all taxes under
review.
Blood Cancer: Coronavirus
Layla Moran: [74722]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to provide financial
support to people with blood cancer that are advised to continue shielding by their
treating team.
Jesse Norman:
From 1 August the Government will relax national advice to those shielding, bringing
it in line with the advice to those who are clinically vulnerable. The advice for those
shielding is still to stay at home as much as possible. However, if they are unable to
work from home, they will be able to return to their workplace, provided their
workplace is COVID-safe.
The Government has announced an unprecedented package of financial support
through this period, all of which is available to those who have been asked to shield.
This is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also includes the
introduction of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and an increase in the
generosity of welfare payments worth a further £9.3bn according to Office for Budget
Responsibility estimates.
In addition to this, those required to shield and who are in receipt of a letter or
notification advising them so, will have access to Statutory Sick Pay for the duration
of their shielding period. The Government has made Statutory Sick Pay easier to
access for these individuals, making it payable from day 1 rather than day 4.
Catering: VAT
Dr Dan Poulter: [73789]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether caterers providing food for (a) wedding
breakfasts and (b) similar events are eligible for the VAT cut announced on 8 July 2020
on eat-in or hot takeaway food from restaurants, cafes and pubs as the covid-19
restrictions are eased.
Jesse Norman:
Catering for events and functions provided on the catering supplier’s premises are
covered by the new reduced rate, with the exclusion of alcoholic beverages. This is
set out in the catering, takeaway food guidance (VAT Notice 709/1) published on
GOV.UK.
Further detail about the application of the new reduced rate can be found in the
Revenue and Customs guidance on the temporary reduced rate of VAT for
hospitality, holiday accommodation and attractions, also published on GOV.UK.
Charities: Tax Allowances
Wes Streeting: [74678]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to publish the UK
charity tax relief statistics for 2019-2020.
Kemi Badenoch:
This publication had previously been announced for release in June 2020. As the
demand increases for statistics and data to measure the impact of the COVID19
pandemic, HMRC has had to change its release practices, focussing efforts on
priority analysis and statistics. In line with guidance from the Office for Statistics
Regulation, HMRC announced on 22 May its decision to delay the release of this
publication to October 2020. This information is online on GOV.UK at:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm
ent_data/file/900739/20200715_HMRC_Announcements.pdf
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Rachael Maskell: [72231]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to help
ensure that businesses do mot use support from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
to fund the staff notice pay.
Rachael Maskell: [72232]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he intends to impose sanctions on
businesses found to be using support from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to
fund staff notice pay.
Jesse Norman:
Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, an employer can claim for a
furloughed employee who is serving a statutory notice period. However, grants
cannot be used to substitute for redundancy payments. HMRC will continue to
monitor businesses after the scheme has closed.
Further guidance on employee rights and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme can
be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-
coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
Mr Laurence Robertson: [73703]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the furlough scheme to enable
people who are suffering from cancer to remain at home.
Caroline Lucas: [73781]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will allocate funding to people with blood
cancer who have been (a) been shielding and cannot work from home and (b) advised to
continue shielding from August 2020 to help them access full financial support through
the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for as long as they require; and if he will make a
statement.
Dr Dan Poulter: [73786]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend financial support through the
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to people with blood cancer who (a) have been
shielding but cannot work from home or (b) have been advised to continue shielding from
August.
Dr Rupa Huq: [73920]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate the Government has made of the
number of people with (a) blood cancer and (b) other long-term illnesses who are (i)
shielding during the covid-19 outbreak and cannot work from home and (ii) have been
advised to continue shielding after August 2020; and what assessment he has made of
the potential merits of providing additional support to those people through the
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Jesse Norman:
The Government recognises that COVID-19 has posed significant challenges for
those suffering with cancer.
The Government has put in place unprecedented levels of income support to help
people deal with the financial consequences of COVID-19. This does not just include
the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also the Self-Employment Income
Support Scheme, changes to Statutory Sick Pay, and the £9.3bn which the OBR
estimates that the Government has injected into the welfare system.
The Chancellor announced on 12 May that the CJRS scheme will be extended until
October. Before 30 June, any employee could be furloughed, including those
suffering from cancer. From 1 July, an employee can only continue to be furloughed if
they have previously been furloughed for at least 3 consecutive weeks taking place
any time between 1 March 2020 and 30 June.
For those required to shield after 1 August, they will receive a letter or notification
advising them of this, and they will continue to be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay on
the basis of their shielding status.
Sir Christopher Chope: [74428]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason his 10 July 2020 guidance to
employers on individuals for whom they can claim wages who are not employees was not
issued before that date; and what estimate he has made of the number of new eligible
claimants.
Jesse Norman:
On 10 July 2020, the guidance to employers on individuals they could claim for under
the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was relocated within GOV.UK and the
structure was updated to improve clarity.
There were no substantive content changes and therefore there has been no change
in eligibility.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Travel
Alex Norris: [73946]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to extend the deadline for the
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for leisure travel companies.
Jesse Norman:
After eight months of the CJRS, the scheme will close at the end of October. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer has said there will be no further extension or changes to
the CJRS.
It would be challenging to target the CJRS to specific sectors in a fair and deliverable
way, and it may not be the case that this is the most effective or sensible way to
provide longer term support for those sectors most affected by coronavirus.
The Government will continue to engage with businesses and representative groups
with the aim of ensuring that support provided is right for those sectors and for the
economy as a whole.
Coronavirus: Protective Clothing
Geraint Davies: [73694]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2020 to
Question 64047 on Coronavirus: Protective Clothing; if he will make it his policy to make
a comparative assessment of the cost to the public purse of the production of pm2.5
filtration masks for people in the most polluted areas and covid-19 associated deaths in
those areas.
Steve Barclay:
No such comparative assessment has been made at this time. The Government’s
priority remains to prioritise clinical PPE to protect frontline staff and ensure they feel
safe in their workplace.
Customs: Contracts
Rachel Reeves: [74528]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many contracts for the planned physical
customs inspection sites have been signed.
Jesse Norman:
To date HMRC have signed leases to secure four sites that were developed as
temporary customs facilities ahead of the UK’s exit from the EU on 31 January 2020.
Where necessary, contracts will be reviewed to extend them beyond 1 January 2021.
Contracts are also in place for the development and running of these sites.
It is intended to conduct physical inspections at most of these locations after the end
of the Transition Period.
Customs: Kent
Rachel Reeves: [74527]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what environmental impact assessment has
been carried out on building physical customs inspection sites in Kent.
Jesse Norman:
Environmental matters have been taken into account when considering the
development of any potential inland customs facilities. Such matters will continue to
be considered carefully as proposals are developed and taken forward for planning
approval.
Cycling and Walking
Geraint Davies: [72769]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Secretary
of State for Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on
improving local economies through increased walking and cycling.
Steve Barclay:
The Government has committed to invest £2bn in cycling and walking in England
over the course of this Parliament. This includes £225m to be spent this year on
expanding cycling and walking infrastructure in local authorities across England to
encourage people to cycle and walk to reduce demand for public transport while
social distancing is in place.
Economic Growth: Carbon Emissions
Sir Edward Davey: [72157]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential
effect of the measures announced in his summer economic update on the (a) UK's net
zero emissions target and (b) Paris climate agreement; and whether he will make a
statement.
Kemi Badenoch:
Our world-leading Green Book guidance provides a robust framework for assessing
the impact of interventions on achieving our environmental goals.
As part of the Plan for Jobs, the Chancellor announced over £3 billion of new funding
for green buildings, including a £2 billion Green Homes Grant scheme to upgrade
people’s homes and £1 billion to improve the energy efficiency of public sector
buildings.
This accelerates our progress towards net zero, saving the equivalent of up to 0.6
MtCO 2 e per year, which is roughly equivalent to taking up to 270,000 cars off the
road.
Employment
Wes Streeting: [73913]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the
public purse of the policy at paragraph 2.14 of the July 2020 Plan for Jobs CP 261.
Kemi Badenoch:
The government will introduce a new payment of £2,000 to employers in England for
each new apprentice they hire aged under 25, and a £1,500 payment for each new
apprentice they hire aged 25 and over, from 1st August 2020 to 31st January 2021.
Table 1 of the Plan for Jobs shows the level of fiscal support available including £1.6
billion for boosting worksearch, skills and apprenticeships. This includes the
indicative cost of 100,000 incentive payments for new apprenticeship hires. The final
costs will depend on the number of new apprentices hired.
Wes Streeting: [73914]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding he has allocated to the policy
at paragraph 2.48 of the July 2020 Plan for Jobs CP 261.
Kemi Badenoch:
The government is creating a new Office for Talent based in No.10, with delivery
teams across government departments. The Office will focus on attracting, retaining
and developing top research and science talent across the UK and internationally.
Precise details of implementation, including funding arrangements, will be determined
in due course.
Employment: Coronavirus
Shabana Mahmood: [74484]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support he plans to make available to
people who are (a) shielding and (b) living in multigenerational households in the event
that they are unable to safely return to work once the shielding programme is paused,
notwithstanding statutory sick pay.
Liz Saville Roberts: [74691]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to maintain the current level
of employment support for people who are shielding and whose workplaces cannot be
made covid-safe when the shielding scheme comes to an end on 1 August 2020.
Jesse Norman:
On 22 June, the Prime Minister announced that the Government will relax the current
public health guidance for those identified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) to
shield at home. This means from 1 August they will be able to return to work if they
are unable to work from home, provided their workplace is COVID-safe.
It is important that this group continue to take careful precautions, and employers
should do all they can to enable them to work from home where this is possible,
including moving them to another role if required. Where this is not possible, the CEV
should be provided with the safest on-site roles that enable them to maintain social
distancing from others.
If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, the CEV will continue to
have access to an unprecedented package of financial support. This is not limited to
the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also includes the introduction of the Self-
Employment Income Support Scheme, and an increase in the generosity of welfare
payments worth a further £8bn.
Current guidance for those who live with the shielded, including those in multi-
generational households, is that they do not need to shield themselves but must
carefully follow guidance on social distancing.
Food: VAT
Grahame Morris: [73796]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will extend the 8 July 2020 VAT reduction
to include cold food served from (a) ice cream parlours and (b) other specialised food
establishments.
Jesse Norman:
In light of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Chancellor has introduced a range of measures
to help individuals and businesses through the crisis, including grants, loans and
relief from business rates at a cost of more than £300 billion.
The temporary reduced rate of VAT will support the tourism and hospitality sectors
and will help over 150,000 businesses and protect over 2.4 million jobs. Ice cream
served for consumption on the premises in ice cream parlours or other food
establishments will benefit from the reduced rate.
Fuels: Excise Duties
Wes Streeting: [74684]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the latest quarterly
statistics on duty receipts and clearances for hydrocarbon oils.
Kemi Badenoch:
HMRC are provisionally scheduled to publish the latest quarterly hydrocarbon oils
receipts and clearances statistics at 09:30 22 September 2020. The publication will
be updated with provisional statistics for June, July and August 2020 and will be
published on the HMRC UK Trade Info website.
Income Tax
Andy McDonald: [73850]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of
income tax revenue lost to the public purse from the underpayment of the national
minimum wage in each year since 2009-10.
Jesse Norman:
HMRC enforce the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW)
in line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
The Low Pay Commission (LPC) publishes an annual report that provides an
assessment of the nature and extent of NMW underpayment. The latest report
published by the LPC in April 2019 can be found here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm
ent_data/file/797675/Non-
compliance_and_enforcement_of_the_National_Minimum_Wage_WEB.pdf.
There is no robust estimate available of the income tax revenue lost as a result of
NMW underpayment.
Andy McDonald: [73851]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the amount of
income tax revenue lost to the public purse from workers being wrongly categorised as
self-employed in each year since 2009-10.
Jesse Norman:
The Government is committed to tackling false self-employment. HM Revenue &
Customs (HMRC) take a risk-based approach to investigating employers who may
have misclassified individuals for tax purposes. In these cases, HMRC establish the
facts and take steps to ensure the right tax and National Insurance contributions are
paid.
Income Tax and National Insurance contributions lost due to false self-employment
are part of the tax gap related to employers. HMRC publish an assessment of the tax
gap: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/measuring-tax-gaps.
A separate estimate of the tax gap relating to false self-employment is not available.
Kickstart Scheme
Wes Streeting: [73912]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to open the Kickstart scheme to
(a) employers and (b) young people.
Jesse Norman:
The Kickstart Scheme will be open to funding applications from employers from
August 2020, and the Government expects that the first jobs for young people will
begin in the autumn.
Killing Kittens: Finance
Sarah Champion: [74604]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to stop payments being
made to the sex party organisers, Killing Kitten via the Future Fund.
Sarah Champion: [74605]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many sex party companies have received
payments from the Government covid-19 business support schemes.
Kemi Badenoch:
The Government publishes aggregate application and approval figures for the
Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), the Coronavirus
Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS)
and Future Fund but does not hold specific information relating to individual
companies who have accessed these schemes. HMRC publishes weekly
management information on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and
monthly management information on VAT deferrals. On 11 June HMRC published the
Official Statistics for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which included a
breakdown of recipients by sector, but not individual companies. Therefore the
Government does not collect data on the information requested.
Regarding the Future Fund, it is an investor-led scheme with clear and published
eligibility criteria. The scheme is being delivered by the British Business Bank and the
Government is unable to comment on individual applications.
Local Government Finance: Coronavirus
Steve Reed: [73849]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2020 to
Question 68708, on Local Government Finance: Coronavirus, whether Barnett
Consequentials will flow from his Department's covid-19 local authority funding scheme.
Steve Barclay:
Any new funding for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government will
have the Barnett formula applied to it in the usual way.
This would be on top of the £8.9 billion of additional funding that we have already
confirmed for the devolved administrations in relation to Covid-19.
Offshore Industry: Income
Wes Streeting: [74683]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when his Department plans to publish statistics
on Government revenues from UK oil and gas production.
Kemi Badenoch:
On 18th May 2020 HMRC confirmed the publication date for Statistics of Government
revenues from UK Oil and Gas Production as 23rd July 2020 on the official
Government website (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schedule-of-updates-
for-hmrcs-statistics). A direct link to HMRC’s announcement is provided below:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm
ent_data/file/900739/20200715_HMRC_Announcements.pdf
Personal Care Services: VAT
John McNally: [72214]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential
merits of including hair and beauty sector in the temporary VAT cut for the hospitality
sector.
John McNally: [72215]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the hair and beauty sector was
included in the wider hospitality and retail sectors in relation to guidance issued during
the covid-19 lockdown but not included in the temporary VAT cut for the hospitality
sector.
John McNally: [72216]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to reduce the tax burden (a)
companies and (b) people operating in the hair and beauty sector.
John McNally: [72217]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to support owners of hair and
beauty businesses in the UK as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
John McNally: [72218]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to extend eligibility for the
temporary VAT cut for the hospitality sector to the hair and beauty sector.
Jesse Norman:
The temporary VAT reduction is designed to support businesses and jobs in the
tourism and hospitality industry. In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chancellor
has announced a range of measures to help individuals and businesses through the
crisis, including grants, loans and relief from business rates worth more than £300
billion.
All eligible businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors will pay no business
rates in England for 12 months from 1 April 2020 and the Government deferred Value
Added Tax (VAT) payments so UK VAT-registered businesses did not need to pay
any VAT due with VAT returns from 20 March through to the end of June 2020, until
31 March 2021.
A range of further measures has been made available. This includes the Coronavirus
Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to
help firms keep people in employment. The Bounce Back Loan Scheme has also
been launched to help small businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Government will continue to consider how best to support the economic
recovery.
Retail Trade: Government Assistance
Martyn Day: [72237]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the effect on
the provision of services at (a) schools, (b) care homes, (c) hospitals and (d) other public
services of inadequate financial support to ensure the sustainability of the wholesale
distribution sector.
Kemi Badenoch:
The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to
protect them against the current economic emergency. This support is kept
constantly under review and the Government continues to consider how to best
support businesses, including those in the wholesale distribution sector.
Wholesale distributors continue to have access to the Government’s unprecedented
package of support for business, including, but not limited to, the Coronavirus Job
Retention Scheme (CJRS), the Discretionary Grant Fund and the four government-
backed loan schemes for firms of all sizes. The Business Support website provides
further information about how businesses can access the support that has been
made available, who is eligible and how to apply - https://www.gov.uk/business-
coronavirus-support-finder.
The Government continues to work hard to support wholesale distributors to ensure
that supplies continue to reach our schools, care homes, hospitals and other public
services. We will continue to engage with businesses and representative groups in
the wholesale sector to support businesses and ensure that the sector has a strong
and sustainable recovery.
Revenue and Customs: Cleaning Services
Dan Carden: [73949]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money cleaning contractor ISS
charged HMRC for cleaning services at (a) Litherland House, (b) The Triad, Regian
House and (c) Imperial Court HMRC offices in Merseyside between 16 and 27 March
2020 and at (i) City Centre House and (ii) Norfolk House in Birmingham between 16 and
17 March 2020.
Jesse Norman:
HMRC do not have a direct contract with ISS, who are a Tier Three supplier within
HMRC’s PFI agreement with Mapeley STEPS Ltd.
Self-employed: Coronavirus
Claire Hanna: [73991]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support self-employed
people who are not eligible for the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme due to having
a loss in trading profit bringing their average trading profit to below zero.
Jesse Norman:
Self-employed individuals, including members of partnerships, are eligible for the Self
Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) if they have submitted their Income
Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19, continued to trade, and
have been adversely affected by COVID-19. To qualify, their self-employed trading
profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to their non-trading income.
The value of the grant is based on average trading profit over three tax years: 2016-
17, 2017-18, and 2018-19. The aim is not to subsidise the self-employed who would
have been making losses regardless, but to support those who have been adversely
affected as a result of COVID-19.
Individuals who are not eligible for the SEISS may be able to benefit from other
elements of the unprecedented financial support provided by the Government. This
package includes Bounce Back Loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage
holidays, and other business support grants. On 8 July, the Government also
introduced the new Plan for Jobs which will make available up to £30 billion to assist
in creating, supporting and protecting jobs.
Self-employment Income Support Scheme
Drew Hendry: [73894]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of
the effect of the introduction of the additional evidential standard under which applicants
to the Self Employment Income Support Scheme are required to show a continued
sectoral impact of covid-19 by 14 July 2020 on the level of accessibility to that scheme's
second payment.
Jesse Norman:
Applications for the second and final grant will open on 17 August. This will provide
eligible claimants with a taxable grant worth 70% of their average monthly trading
profits, paid out in a single instalment covering a further three months’ worth of profit,
and capped at £6,570 in total.
Those claiming for the second grant will have to confirm that their business has been
adversely affected on or after 14 July 2020. The eligibility criteria for both grants are
the same.
A business could be adversely affected by coronavirus if, for example, the self-
employed person is unable to work because they are shielding or self-isolating. A
business could also be adversely affected if it has fewer or no customers. More
examples are provided on GOV.UK.
Taxpayers claiming the SEISS grant should keep a record of how their business has
been adversely affected; examples of evidence are available on GOV.UK.
Owen Thompson: [73911]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2020 to
Question 45271 on Self-employment Income Support Scheme, what steps he has taken
to review his policy on calculation of average self-employed earnings in the Self-
Employment Income Support Scheme to take into account periods of maternity leave.
Jesse Norman:
As announced on 17 June, the Government has amended the Self-Employment
Income Support Scheme (SEISS) eligibility conditions to support self-employed new
parents.
This means self-employed parents will be able to claim grants if they were taking time
out of their trade to care for their new-born or newly adopted child and, as a result,
did not submit a Self-Assessment tax return for 2018-19 or their trading profits in
2018-19 were less than their non-trading income.
Further details of the change for self-employed parents is available on GOV.UK.
Soft Drinks: Taxation
Wes Streeting: [74679]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of
the covid-19 lockdown restrictions on forecast revenue from the soft drinks industry levy.
Kemi Badenoch:
The Treasury does not publish forecasts of the economy or the public finances.
Forecasts of future receipts are produced by the Office for Budget Responsibility
(OBR) on a regular basis as part of their Economic and Fiscal Outlook series.
Although the OBR published a Fiscal Sustainability Report on 14 July, that report
contains scenarios, not forecasts, and is not broken down to the level of individual
taxes.
The Chancellor will commission the OBR to produce a forecast alongside the next
fiscal event in the usual way.
Treasury: Correspondence
Sir Mike Penning: [72183]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the adequacy
of the standard of correspondence produced by the Correspondence and Enquiry Unit in
his Department in response to enquiries raised during the covid-19 outbreak.
Kemi Badenoch:
Since March, the Treasury has received over 18,000 items of correspondence from
Honourable Members – the largest correspondence volume received of any
Government department leading on coronavirus pandemic. Replying to this amount
of correspondence while delivering targeted action to protect millions of jobs and
livelihoods is a significant challenge for a department of around 1,500 staff. However,
the Treasury ensures that every MP receives a timely, accurate and informative reply
to their queries. On rare occasions, when MPs have said any replies from the
Treasury have not fully covered the issue raised, the department has provided an
additional reply covering any outstanding points as soon as possible.
WALES
Agriculture: Coronavirus
Sir Edward Davey: [72794]
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the effect of
the covid-19 outbreak on farming in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Hart:
The UK Government is acutely aware of the pressures facing Welsh farmers as a
result of the Covid-19 crisis. We are hugely grateful for the hard work they have done
– and continue to do – to maintain vital food supply chains, and we know how
essential farming is to rural communities in Wales. Whilst we are pleased to see
business now returning as shops and restaurants reopen, this has been a challenging
period for many farmers who have seen a significant reduction in demand following
the temporary closure of the food service sector.
We want a profitable and resilient farming sector and we will always champion our
farmers by supporting them to provide a sustainable food supply to consumers.
Although agriculture is a devolved matter in Wales, the UK Government took several
specific measures to support our farmers through the Covid-19 outbreak. For
instance, we have temporarily relaxed certain elements of competition law to support
the farming sector and have worked with the industry on promotional campaigns for
beef and dairy. This is in addition to the package of UK Government-backed financial
support schemes, such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and
the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, which have provided vital support to Welsh farmers.
I have had several meetings with Welsh farming unions and other key industry
stakeholders in Wales throughout this crisis. We remain in regular contact with
representatives from across the sectors to help us assess specific challenges and
identify how best to support their economic recovery in the months ahead.
Manufacturing Industries: Coronavirus
Sir Edward Davey: [72797]
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the financial loss
to the manufacturing industry in Wales as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Simon Hart:
I appreciate the huge impact Covid-19 has had on business owners and employees
in the Welsh manufacturing sector and have met with stakeholders across the sector
to discuss concerns.
The UK Government has taken prompt and decisive action to support the economy
during these difficult times. We have implemented unprecedented measures to help
businesses through the outbreak, including through the Coronavirus Large Business
Interruption Loan Scheme, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, VAT
deferral and Bounce Back Loans.
Our measures to keep Welsh workers in Jobs have included the Coronavirus Job
Retention Scheme (“furlough”) and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme
(SEISS). Up to 30 June 2020, 378,400 employments were furloughed and 108,000
SEISS claims worth £289m were made in Wales. Via Barnett Consequentials, the
Welsh Government has received an additional £2.8bn to support the fight against
Covid-19, including an additional £500m as a result of spending announced at the
Summer Economic Update by the Chancellor.
The UK Government has also provided a loan directly to Celsa Steel to help support
them during these difficult times. This loan secured 800 positions at the company’s
main site in South Wales.
Mass Media: Employment
Sir Edward Davey: [72796]
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps he is taking to help protect jobs in the
Welsh media sector; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Hart:
The UK Government recognises the impact of Covid-19 on the Welsh media sector
and has taken unprecedented action to protect Welsh jobs, with 378,400 jobs
supported by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and £289m provided to support
108,000 self-employed people.
The UK Government recognises the huge contribution that the media sector makes to
the Welsh economy and cultural life, and the important role it has played throughout
lockdown in providing an invaluable source of information and entertainment.
The Welsh Government will benefit from an extra £59m Barnett funding announced
as part of the UK Government’s major £1.57 billion support package for the arts,
museums, heritage sectors, music venues and independent cinemas to help them
through the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales and I have been in regular
contact with stakeholders across the media sector in Wales throughout the outbreak
and will continue to engage closely as the sector helps lead Wales’ recovery.
Tourism: Coronavirus
Sir Edward Davey: [72795]
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the effect on the
Welsh economy of the reduction in income from tourism to Wales as a result of the covid-
19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
Simon Hart:
The UK Government recognises the challenges faced by businesses in the wake of
Covid-19. This is why we acted quickly and decisively to provide an unprecedented
level of support to protect businesses, jobs and incomes in the tourism industry in
Wales.
By the end of June, the UK Government had supported 378,400 Welsh jobs through
the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and 108,000 self-employed people in Wales
through the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.
We have cut VAT by 15% for six months for the tourism and hospitality sectors to
kick-start recovery and our Eat Out to Help Out scheme will help get those sectors
back on their feet during August.
The Welsh Government has now heeded the call to plan for the full reopening of the
tourism and hospitality sectors in Wales. The measures the UK Government has in
place will help those sectors in Wales make the most of the remainder of the summer
season.
Welsh Water
Bill Wiggin: [73727]
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether he has plans to restrict Welsh Water to
selling water to customers living in Wales.
Bill Wiggin: [73728]
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will take steps to ensure that customers of
Welsh Water resident in England and Wales receive consistent standards of service from
that company.
Simon Hart:
Welsh Water is already required in law to provide all customers in England and
Wales with the same levels of service.
Responsibility for water and sewerage companies operating wholly or mainly in
Wales is a devolved matter. The regulation of Welsh Water is therefore a matter for
the Welsh Government.
Section 48 of the Wales Act 2017, when commenced, will align Senedd Cymru/the
Welsh Parliament’s responsibilities for water and sewerage with the England-Wales
border. The UK Government and Welsh Government are currently discussing when
this change should be made. Welsh Water’s ability to sell water to customers in
England and Wales will be unaffected by this change.
The joint Intergovernmental Protocol on Water Resources, Water Supply and Water
Quality made under the Wales Act 2017 came into effect on 1 April 2018. It provides
a mechanism to enable both UK Government and Welsh Government to work
together on cross-border issues to avoid any serious adverse impact on water
resources, water supply or water quality in England or in Wales.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Habitual Residence Test
Sir Edward Davey: [72156]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many habitual residence tests
were carried out in each of the last five years; and what proportion of those tests were
passed.
Justin Tomlinson:
The table below gives the total number of Habitual Residency Tests (HRT) completed
by Universal Credit (UC) full service claimants for the last five years, and the
proportion of these HRT where a pass outcome was recorded.
YEAR UC CLAIM
DECLARED
UC CLAIMS WITH AN
ASSOCIATED HRT
UC CLAIMS WITH AN
ASSOCIATED HRT THAT
PASSED
PROPORTION OF
PASSES
2015 50 50 100%
2016 4,600 4,100 89%
2017 51,400 44,800 87%
YEAR UC CLAIM
DECLARED
UC CLAIMS WITH AN
ASSOCIATED HRT
UC CLAIMS WITH AN
ASSOCIATED HRT THAT
PASSED
PROPORTION OF
PASSES
2018 245,900 201,900 82%
2019 417,400 364,100 87%
2020 231,400 211,900 92%
Table Notes:
1. All figures rounded to 100, but 2015 figures are rounded to the nearest 50.
2. Figures are taken from Management Information on Universal Credit Full Service
claims and do not include Live Service claims for which HRT data is not available.
3. The month used in this data is the month in which the UC claim was declared
(regardless of when the UC claim passed the HRT).
4. Subtracting the number of HRT passes from the total number of UC HRTs
undertaken would not provide the number of HRT fails, as this also includes HRTs
where the outcome could not be determined, for example, a claim was withdrawn
before the HRT result was recorded.
5. The year refers to the calendar year, January – December apart from 2015 data
which only includes June-December 2015 data and 2020 data which only includes
January-March 2020 data.
6. Information on Universal Credit Full service claims may be subject to future change;
this is because claim data may be entered retrospectively for past months. Any
retrospective changes are most likely to affect recent months; for this reason, we
have provided data up to the end of March 2020.
7. The UC full service data supplied is derived from unpublished management
information, which was collected for internal Departmental use only and has not
been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard.
The data should therefore be treated with caution.
Jobcentres: Staff
Neil Gray: [74609]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Chancellor's
summer economic update of 8 July 2020, what plans she has to expand the job centre
network to accommodate the new work coaches announced in that update.
Mims Davies:
We are currently evaluating the job centre network to ensure we can accommodate
the new Work Coaches in a COVID-secure way.
Neil Gray: [74610]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Chancellor's
summer economic update of 8 July 2020, whether her Department plans to lease or
purchase new buildings to accommodate the new work coaches announced in that
update.
Mims Davies:
We are currently evaluating the job centre network to ensure we can accommodate
the new work coaches in a COVID-secure way.
Neil Gray: [74613]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Chancellor's
summer economic update of 8 July 2020, what the timetable is for the recruitment of the
new work coaches announced in that update; and what estimate she has made of the
proportion of those so recruited that will be (a) redeployed from within her Department,
(b) redeployed from other Government departments and (c) newly recruited into the Civil
Service.
Mims Davies:
With reference to the Chancellor’s summer economic update of 8 July, we are
doubling the number of work coaches to 27,000 by March 2021. We shall recruit an
additional 4500 work coaches required by October through a blend of cross-
government promotion and external campaigns.
Kickstart Scheme
Bridget Phillipson: [74529]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to work with
(a) other Departments and (b) local authorities to deliver the Kickstart scheme; and how
bids from employers wishing to take part in the scheme will be assessed.
Mims Davies:
DWP will continue to work closely with a range of other government departments
including DCMS, BEIS and MHCLG to develop and deliver the Kickstart Scheme.
We know that mayoralties and all local authorities have an important role in the
economic recovery. DWP will continue to work with them, and skills advisory panels,
to make best use of their expertise and ensure the Kickstart Scheme meets their
areas’ economic needs.
Details on how bids will be assessed are yet to be finalised. We aim to make the
process as straightforward as possible to allow the widest range of organisations to
take part, whilst ensuring value for money. More information will be available in due
course.
Bridget Phillipson: [74530]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had on
the delivery of the Kickstart scheme with (a) the Secretary of State for Housing,
Communities and Local Government; (b) Jobcentre Plus Regional Offices and (c) local
authorities.
Mims Davies:
DWP is implementing the Kickstart Scheme. We will continue to work closely with a
wide range of government departments including MHCLG, to develop and deliver the
Scheme as part of the wider package announced in the Chancellor’s Summer
Statement.
With MHCLG we are setting up joint design groups to optimise the effectiveness of
the scheme at a local and regional level. I have already discussed the Kickstart
Scheme with the M9 Mayors and we have engaged extensively with the Jobcentre
network.
We are keen to develop an effective and comprehensive economic response that
works nationally and locally. Our Job Centre Plus partnership managers and
employer advisors already work closely with key local partners, such as Mayoral
Combined Authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships.
Bridget Phillipson: [74531]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what conditions will be placed on
employers seeking to hire people under the Kickstart scheme.
Mims Davies:
It is an employer's duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees
including young people who will be employed through the Kickstart scheme.
Further details about the Kickstart Scheme will be set out in due course.
Bridget Phillipson: [74532]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he will take to monitor
the Kickstart scheme to ensure people employed under that scheme start new rather than
previously existing jobs.
Mims Davies:
Kickstart jobs will be new jobs - with the funding conditional on the employer
demonstrating that these jobs are additional. Further details about the Kickstart
Scheme monitoring and evaluation processes will be set out in due course.
Materials Handling Equipment: Industrial Accidents
Apsana Begum: [72276]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions his Department
has had with (a) Gateway Housing Association, (b) Tower Hamlets Council and (c) Swan
Housing Association on the welfare needs of people who have been displaced as result
of the crane collapse on 9 July 2020 at the Swan Housing Association’s Watts Grove
development site in Bow.
Mims Davies:
The Department has not been approached by either Gateway Housing, Tower
Hamlets Council or Swan Housing Association regarding localised support for
displaced residents. We will provide support to any residents who have been affected
and are working with local agencies to coordinate our services and ensure people are
able to access the help they need.
Personal Independence Payment
Jessica Morden: [73759]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how claimants for personal
independence payment in 2019 died within six months of making those claims; and how
many of those claimants had their claims disallowed by her Department.
Jessica Morden: [73760]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of
the claimants for personal independence payment in 2019 who died within six months of
making those claims and had those claims disallowed by her Department (a) made those
claims under the special rules for terminal illness and (b) died within three months of
those claims being disallowed by her Department.
Justin Tomlinson:
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is claimed by people with a range of health
conditions and disabilities, many of which are degenerative or life limiting and the
Department treats the death of any claimant sympathetically. Claims made under the
special rules for people who are terminally ill are fast tracked and are currently being
cleared within 5 working days for new claimants.
Of the 1,820 PIP claimants who died within 6 months of registering a claim and were
disallowed at initial decision:
• 240 claimants originally registered their claim under Special Rules for Terminal
Illness.
• 1,670 claimants died within 3 months of an initial decision on their PIP claim.
Notes
Source: PIP ADS, Customer Information System
• PIP data includes normal rules and special rules for the terminally ill claimants, and
is for both new claims and DLA reassessment claims.
• This analysis only takes the first registration a claimant makes to PIP.
• This is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to
future revision.
• Data has been rounded to the nearest 10. Components may not sum to the whole
due to rounding.
• Figures cover PIP claims registered between January 2019 and December 2019,
claims cleared up to and including 30 th April 2020 and deaths up to 30 th April
2020.
• GB Only.
Under the Social Security (Notification of Deaths) Regulations 2012 and s125 of
Social Security Administration Act 1992 date of death is provided to the Department
for all registered deaths. Additionally, next of kin also provide information on the date
of death of an individual and this information is used appropriately in the
administration of Departmental benefits.
Social Security Benefits: Medical Assessments
Chris Stephens: [R] [58015]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many assessments for (a)
personal independence payments, (b) employment and support allowance and (c) the
limited capability for work component of universal credit were scheduled to take place
after 1 March 2020; and how many of those assessments have taken place.
Justin Tomlinson:
[Holding answer 15 June 2020]: Our priority throughout this Covid-19 period
continues to be to protect the public and staff, while ensuring people receive the
benefits they are entitled to quickly and safely. We suspended face-to-face
assessments, reviews and reassessments. We continue to assess people based on
written evidence alone, where that is possible, and have introduced telephone
assessments. We also automatically extended awards where necessary for certain
health and disability benefits, providing reassurance to those in receipt of them. This
action enabled us to prioritise activity on new claims and changes of circumstances.
The number of assessments that were scheduled to have taken place between 1
March 2020 and 30 May 2020 and the number of assessments that took place during
that time can be found in the table below:
ASSESSMENTSSCHEDULED ASSESSMENTSCOMPLETED
PIP 187,700 117,050
ESA 20,370 14,500
UC 34,530 19,890
Please note:
Data has been rounded to the nearest 10.
Figures do not include paper based reviews.
PIP
The Assessments Scheduled data has been produced by the assessment providers
(Capita and Independent Assessment Services).
The Assessments Completed data is derived from unpublished contractual
management information produced by the assessment providers which was collected
for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official
Statistics Publication standards.
Face-to-face assessments for PIP were paused due to Covid-19 from 17 March
2020. Telephone assessments began a piloted roll out from 23 March 2020 for Capita
and 03 April 2020 for IAS.
ESA and UC
Face-to-face assessments for UC and ESA were paused due to Covid-19 from 17
March 2020. Telephone assessments began a piloted roll out from 04 May 2020
where only Limited Capability for Work Related Activity recommendations were being
made.
The department continues to process both New Claims and Changes of
Circumstance and encourage anyone with a change in their needs to contact the
Department so that we can ensure they are receiving the correct level of support.
Universal Credit
Ruth Jones: [72260]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of
the implications for her policies of the conclusions of the NAO report on Universal Credit:
Getting to First Payment.
Will Quince:
The Department is considering the findings of the report in the normal way.
Drew Hendry: [73895]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure
that claimant commitments under universal credit do not comprise (a) volunteering and
(b) other activities that affect an individual's eligibility for (i) personal independence
payment and (ii) other additional support.
Mims Davies:
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can be paid regardless of whether someone
can work or volunteer.
Work-related requirements are agreed in discussion with the claimant and will always
be tailored to the claimant’s personal circumstances, ensuring they are realistic and
achievable.
Work coaches have the flexibility to personalise requirements for individual claimants
based on their health condition. They can remove all work related requirements
where it is not reasonable to expect them to be able to fulfil them.
Universal Credit: Disability
Jessica Morden: [72184]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of
claims for the disability component of universal credit were made under the special rules
for terminal illness in each year since 2016.
Justin Tomlinson:
The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Data
exists in the system that would require matching across a number of data sets, which
is a substantial piece of work. The required information is therefore not all readily
available to analysts in a format that would enable them to undertake the analysis
and quality assure the figures, to answer this PQ in the timescales.
Universal Credit: Terminal Illnesses
Andrew Gwynne: [73745]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there has been a reduction
in Special Rules for Terminal Illness claims for universal credit as a result of her
Department's change to the online application question on terminal illness in May 2019;
and if she will make a statement.
Justin Tomlinson:
The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Data
exists in the system that would require matching across a number of data sets, which
is a substantial piece of work. The required information is therefore not all readily
available to analysts in a format that would enable them to undertake the analysis
and quality assure the figures, to answer this PQ in the timescales.
Andrew Gwynne: [73746]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department’s review
of how the welfare system works for people with a terminal illness includes issues relating
to universal credit for terminally ill people.
Justin Tomlinson:
In July 2019, the then DWP Secretary of State announced an in-depth evaluation of
how the benefits system supports people nearing the end of their life and those with
the most severe conditions.
The evaluation included three strands of research:
• hearing directly from claimants, clinicians and charities about their first-hand
experiences;
• considering international evidence to find out what works in other nations and the
support they provide; and
• reviewing current Departmental performance to better understand how the Special
Rules for Terminal Illness and severe conditions processes operate and perform.
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY
Business update
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Alok Sharma):
[HCWS387]
I am today updating Parliament on the work of the Vaccine Taskforce in securing a
vaccine against Covid-19.
Tackling this virus is the biggest challenge that this country has faced in peacetime
history. Today I am announcing the recent steps that the Vaccines Taskforce has taken
towards making a successful Covid-19 vaccine available as soon as possible to the UK
population and the wider world.
I can inform the House that we have signed agreements with the BioNTech/Pfizer
alliance and Valneva to purchase their vaccines. This is part of our strategy to procure a
portfolio of promising vaccine candidates, giving us the best chance of securing a
successful one at the earliest opportunity. Demand for a successful vaccine will be high
and placing these orders early will give us access to the doses we need, if and when, any
of these candidates prove to be safe and effective in clinical trials and receive regulatory
approval.
I am also announcing that the Government has issued a letter of intent in advance of
entering an agreement to secure an antibody that may be used as a therapeutic
treatment in support of the wider vaccination programme. The antibody, manufactured by
AstraZeneca, is currently in clinical trials and could be available for use by the second
quarter of 2021, if those trials are successful.
Clinical trials play a vital part in the vaccine development process. Today, the
Government is also launching the NHS Covid-19 vaccine research registry. This new
website will enable people in the UK to volunteer for future vaccine studies planned in the
UK, playing their part in our national effort to ensure a Covid-19 vaccine is available as
soon as possible.
Contingencies Fund Advance
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Business and Industry)
(Nadhim Zahawi): [HCWS388]
I hereby give notice of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s
intention to seek an advance from the Contingencies Fund of £5,070,000,000 to provide
funding for the Nuclear Liabilities Fund (NLF).
The funding will be used to increase the NLF’s public sector assets, by making £5.07bn
available to the NLF in the form of a deposit in the National Loans Fund. This offers an
alternative investment opportunity to the NLF, which otherwise would re-allocate monies
within the next month into investments in its privately held asset portfolio. Such re-
allocation would increase Public Sector Net Debt, and so this alternative funding
arrangement avoids this immediate negative fiscal impact. The payment to the NLF is
fiscally neutral.
The Trustee Directors of the NLF have a fiduciary duty to ensure the NLF remains on
track to be sufficient to meet certain future decommissioning liabilities. Parliamentary
approval for additional capital of £5,070,000,000 will be sought in a Supplementary
Estimate for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Pending that
approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £5,070,000,000 will be met by repayable cash
advances from the Contingencies Fund.
The cash advance will be repaid upon receiving Royal Assent on the Supply and
Appropriation Bill.
Unified Patent Court
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Minister for Science, Research and
Innovation (Amanda Solloway): [HCWS395]
I am tabling this statement for the benefit of Honourable and Right Honourable Members
to bring to their attention the UK’s withdrawal from the Unified Patent Court system.
Today, by means of a Note Verbale, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland has withdrawn its ratification of the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court and the
Protocol on Privileges and Immunities of the Unified Patent Court (dated 23 April 2018) in
respect of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man,
and its consent to be bound by the Protocol to the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court
on provisional application (dated on 6 July 2017) (collectively “the Agreements”).
In view of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, the United
Kingdom no longer wishes to be a party to the Unified Patent Court system. Participating
in a court that applies EU law and is bound by the CJEU would be inconsistent with the
Government’s aims of becoming an independent self-governing nation.
The Agreements have not yet entered into force. However, in order to ensure clarity
regarding the United Kingdom’s status in respect of the Agreements and to facilitate their
orderly entry into force for other States without the participation of the United Kingdom,
the United Kingdom has chosen to withdraw its ratification of the Agreements at this time.
The United Kingdom considers that its withdrawals shall take effect immediately and that
it will be for the remaining participating states to decide the future of the Unified Patent
Court system.
DEFENCE
Service Complaints Ombudsman's Annual Report 2019
Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans (Johnny Mercer): [HCWS392]
The Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s formal response to the Service Complaints
Ombudsman’s (SCO) annual report for 2019 on the fairness, effectiveness and efficiency
of the Service complaints system has today been placed in the Library of the House.
The Ombudsman’s report assessed the fourth year of operation of the reformed Service
complaints system which was implemented on 1 January 2016 and the work of her office
in 2019. The response sets out MOD’s comments and approach to each of the
Ombudsman’s new recommendations, the observations that she has made and includes
a summary of our position on recommendations made in previous annual reports.
The MOD values the strong independent oversight that the Ombudsman brings to the
Service complaints process, and remains committed to having a system in which our
personnel can have confidence. This will include progressing outstanding
recommendations and observations, together with improvements identified in Air Marshal
Wigston’s Report in April 2019 on Inappropriate Behaviours.
Attachments:
1. MODs Formal Response Annex A [MODs Formal Response to Service Complaints and
Ombudsman's Annual Report 2019.docx]
2. SCO Annual Report Recommendations Annex B [SCO Annual Report
Recommendations 2016 to 2019 to the Service Complaints and Ombudsman's Annual
Report 2019.docx]
DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Community Match Challenge
Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Oliver Dowden):
[HCWS396]
On 8 April, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £750 million funding package
for the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector. I wish to set out to
the House the details of how £90 million from this package will be allocated.
We are all aware of the vital role that the VCSE sector plays in our society, and this has
especially been the case in the past few months. Charities and community organisations
have been at the frontline of the coronavirus outbreak, providing trusted support to people
and communities.
Through the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, £200 million is already being
allocated largely to small and medium sized charities in England by the National Lottery
Community Fund.
We are now inviting the philanthropists, foundations, and grant makers to put forward
new funding which the Government will match on a pound for pound basis.
The Government will match up to £85 million of funding from strategic funders such as
philanthropists and charitable foundations. This funding is intended for beneficiary groups
which are the most vulnerable and the hardest hit by COVID-19. We expect awards to be
made principally to charitable grant makers providing aid to small and medium sized
charities. We anticipate funding applications in the £5 million to £20 million range. This
innovative approach will build on the expertise of philanthropists and foundations by
supporting the charities that they believe will have the highest impact in the areas that we
want to focus on, while giving charities longer term recovery support by allowing the non-
Government portion of the match funding to be spent beyond March 2021.
We believe that this approach will stimulate further donations and ensure that a further
£85 million of philanthropic funding from those who wish to support their communities
during these challenging times will go to charities, further increasing support to the sector.
An additional £4.8 million is also being allocated to the Voluntary and Community Sector
Emergencies Partnership to strengthen its support to the voluntary and community
sector, and its coordinating role with government and statutory agencies, as they
continue to respond to COVID-19.
Applications close at midnight on 2 August 2020 and details can be found at the fund
website here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-match-challenge-
and-voluntary-and-community-sector-emergencies-partnership .
EDUCATION
School Funding Update
The Minister of State for School Standards (Nick Gibb): [HCWS393]
Today I am confirming provisional funding allocations for 2021-22 through the schools,
high needs and central school services national funding formulae (NFF). The allocations
distribute the second year of the multi-billion school funding settlement that the Secretary
of State for Education announced to Parliament on 3 September 2019. Core school
funding is increasing by £2.6bn in 2020-21, and will increase by £4.8bn and £7.1bn in
2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively, compared to 2019-20. In addition, we continue to fund
the recent increase in pension costs for teachers, worth £1.5bn a year.
These allocations, which are part of the annual funding cycle, will provide schools and
local authorities with certainty of future funding. In addition to this core funding, schools
can apply for exceptional funding to cover specific unavoidable costs incurred by schools
due to coronavirus (COVID-19) between March and July that cannot be met from existing
resources. Schools will also benefit from the £1bn ‘catch-up’ package for the 2020/21
academic year to directly tackle the impact of the disruption that COVID-19 has caused.
This includes a ‘Catch-Up Premium’ worth £650m to support schools to make up for lost
teaching time for all pupils, and a new £350m tutoring fund for disadvantaged pupils.
Guidance on the allocation and use of that funding will be published today.
The funding factors used in the 2021-22 NFF remain the same, but we have made two
technical changes, which are detailed in the NFF policy document also published today:
• Funding from the teachers’ pay grant and the teachers’ pension employer
contribution grant, including the supplementary fund, has been added to the
formulae from 2021-22. This will simplify the allocation of this funding – worth
almost £2bn a year – recognising that these grants are part of schools’ core
budgets and providing reassurance to schools and local authorities that the funding
will continue to be provided.
• The 2019 update to the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index has been
incorporated so that deprivation funding allocated through the formulae is based on
the latest data.
School funding through the NFF is increasing by 4% overall in 2021-22. The NFF will
distribute this funding based on schools’ and pupils’ needs and characteristics. The main
features in 2021-22 are:
• The funding floor will ensure that every school is allocated at least 2% more pupil-
led funding per pupil compared to its 2020-21 NFF allocation.
• The key factors in the NFF will increase by 3%, providing a significant increase to
those schools already attracting their NFF allocations.
• The minimum per pupil funding levels will ensure that every primary school
receives at least £4,000 per pupil, and every secondary school at least £5,150 per
pupil, delivering on the Government’s pledge to level up the lowest funded schools.
• Funding to cover additional teachers’ pay and pensions costs, previously funded
through separate grants, has additionally been reflected in all schools’ allocations.
This means that a further £180 and £265 respectively will be added to the minimum
per pupil amounts above.
• Additional funding for small and remote schools will increase in 2021-22, with
primary schools attracting up to £45,000, compared to £26,000 previously, as a
first step towards expanding the support the NFF provides for such schools from
2022-23.
High needs funding will increase by a further £730m, or 10%, in 2021-22 – that follows
the substantial increase this year and brings the total high needs budget to over £8bn.
The high needs NFF will ensure that every local authority receives a further increase of at
least 8% per head of population, compared to this year, with some authorities receiving
up to 12%. This vital extra resource will help local authorities to manage their cost
pressures in this area. The Government is continuing to pursue a cross-departmental
review of the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system to see what further
improvements are necessary to ensure that it supports children and young people with
SEND as effectively as possible.
In addition, the Department will start negotiations with some of those local authorities with
the highest Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficits about supporting them to reduce
their deficits over time.
Central schools services funding in 2021-22 will increase by 4% for the ongoing
responsibilities that local authorities continue to have for all schools. In line with the
process introduced for 2020-21 to withdraw funding over time based on the commitments
local authorities entered into before 2013-14, funding for historic commitments will
decrease by 20% for those local authorities in receipt of this funding.
The provisional NFF allocations published today will be updated, based on the latest pupil
data, to produce final allocations in December that local authorities will receive through
the DSG.
Local authorities will continue to use that funding to determine final allocations for all local
mainstream schools. In light of the need to focus efforts on meeting the challenges of
COVID-19, we are not changing local authorities’ role in the distribution of school funding
in 2021-22. The Government will, later this year, put forward its proposals to move to a
‘hard’ NFF in future, which will determine schools’ budgets directly rather than through
local formulae set independently by each local authority. This will level up the school
funding system so that all schools across the country are funded on a comparable basis.
We will consult widely with local authorities, schools and others to make this transition
carefully.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Report on Regulations Made under Section 32 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money
Laundering Act 2018
Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Nigel Adams):
[HCWS394]
My Honourable Friend, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Lord
Ahmad of Wimbledon), has made the following written Ministerial statement:
Today the ‘Report on Regulations Made under Section 32 of the Sanctions and Anti-
Money Laundering Act 2018’ will be laid in Parliament.
The report details the two regulations laid under section 1 of the Sanctions and Anti-
Money Laundering Act 2018 during the reporting period from 23 May 2019 to 22 May
2020, and states the relevant human rights purposes of those regulations.
In addition to the actions set out in the report, the Government established the Global
Human Rights sanctions regime on 6 July by laying regulations in Parliament. These
regulations enable the Government to impose sanctions in response to serious human
rights violations or abuses around the world. The Government made immediate use of
the powers provided by the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020,
implementing 49 designations on a range of people and entities.
The UK’s future relationship with the EEA EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein and
Norway) and Switzerland
Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas (Wendy Morton):
[HCWS390]
The Government is pleased to announce that we have moved into formal negotiations on
our future relationships with both the EEA EFTA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein and
Norway) and Switzerland from the beginning of July.
The Government has already been working closely with all four non-EU states on a range
of issues related to our future relationship. We have successfully delivered a number of
agreements, including the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement signed in January this year,
which broadly mirrors provisions in the EU Withdrawal Agreement on citizens’ rights and
a small number of other relevant separation issues. With the Swiss we have concluded
and signed agreements in five key areas; trade; air services; road transport; insurance;
and citizen’s rights.
The EEA EFTA states and Switzerland are important European economic partners, with
bilateral trade totalling approximately £27bn with the EEA EFTA states and around £39bn
with Switzerland in 2019. We also enjoy close cooperation with these countries across a
range of areas outside of trade, which is why the Government is seeking to agree
measures that span across the entire breadth of our relationship.
EEA EFTA STATES
Negotiations with the EEA EFTA states will continue to take place alongside those we are
conducting with the EU. In some areas, our future relationship with these states will be
closely tied to the UK’s future relationship with the EU by virtue of their participation in the
EU Single Market (via the EEA Agreement) and other EU-led initiatives. In others, these
countries have the flexibility to agree bespoke bilateral arrangements. The ongoing
negotiations will need to take account of this, but we are clear in our aim of protecting the
close levels of existing cooperation we have we these key European partners, and
building ambitious future facing agreements befitting our close relationship with them.
A successful UK-EEA EFTA Future Relations Dialogue took place on 16 July. We will be
publishing further details of these negotiations on the Government’s website soon,
providing further details on the scope of the arrangements we are seeking to agree.
SWITZERLAND
Over the last three years a dedicated high-level UK-Swiss Continuity Dialogue has
proven highly successful in advancing vital work to uphold our excellent relations with the
Swiss in the context of our EU exit. The continuity arrangements we have reached with
Switzerland have given vital certainty to citizens and businesses alike. The Government
is seeking to build on these strong foundations in the future: we are now convening a new
UK-Swiss Future Relations Dialogue to open the next chapter in our relations.
Our first UK-Swiss Future Relations Dialogue took place on 1 July. The Government is
taking a sequenced approach to our joint endeavours with Switzerland before the review
clause in our trade continuity agreement activates in 2021. Firstly, we will aim to resolve
residual separation issues as far as is possible. Secondly, we will also aim to address
issues that are dependent on our negotiations with the EU or indeed related negotiations.
Thirdly, we will begin exploring new bilateral opportunities where we can make progress
together in 2020.
SEQUENCING
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working with other government departments to
secure the delivery of these negotiations. The Department for International Trade
continues to be responsible for all trade and economic arrangements. In non-trade areas,
departments responsible will seek arrangements which deliver on UK interests and
provide maximum coverage across the full scope of our relationship with these countries.
The Government is aiming to bring some of the agreements negotiated with these states
into effect by the end of the transition period in line with our approach to EU negotiations.
Further details on the progress of these negotiations will be made available to Parliament
as they develop. Indeed, our future relationship with these key partners is a government
priority.
HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Building Safety update
Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(Robert Jenrick): [HCWS391]
I would like to update Parliament on the Government’s progress in overhauling the
building and fire safety system, as part of our unwavering commitment to ensuring that
people, and the buildings they live in, are safe.
Building safety
We must never forget the seventy two people who lost their lives as a result of the
Grenfell Tower tragedy. Countless lives were torn apart by that tragedy and we owe it to
the deceased, the bereaved, the survivors, and the residents of all high-rise buildings to
ensure that we do all we can to prevent a repeat of events like that fateful night occurring
again.
We promised to overhaul the system and to establish a national building safety regulator
at its heart. Today I am pleased to be making a significant step towards that fundamental
reform by publishing the draft Building Safety Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny, before the
final Bill is brought forward to Parliament.
The Bill will establish the regulator in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and give it
significant powers to improve safety and performance across the built environment,
especially in higher-risk buildings.
These reforms will improve safety and performance standards across all buildings.
However, certain buildings warrant even closer oversight because the potential for
significant consequences should a fire spread or the structure fail. It is right that we have
a more stringent regime where the risk is deemed greatest, to protect the greatest
number of people. Initially the scope of the more stringent regime will apply to multi-
occupied residential buildings of 18 metres or more in height or more than six storeys,
whichever is reached first. We have designed the new regime so its scope can be
changed if the evidence base or operational experience suggest it should.
The Bill will provide a stronger framework to make sure those responsible for managing
building safety risks in higher-risk buildings are held to account, with stronger
enforcement powers and sanctions where those rules are not followed. It will also ensure
that the residents of high-rise buildings have a stronger voice, alongside giving them
better access to safety information about their building, clarifying their rights and
providing recourse to raise safety concerns directly to the regulator.
The draft Bill applies to England only with the exception of the policies to require
developers to belong to a New Homes Ombudsman scheme, strengthen the oversight of
the construction products regulatory regime, and allow the Architects Registration Board
(ARB) to monitor the competence of architects. Further detailed analysis of the territorial
extent is provided in the Explanatory Notes.
Building safety financing
The Government is clear that it is unacceptable for leaseholders to have to worry about
the cost of fixing historic safety defects in their buildings that they didn’t cause.
The draft Bill proposes a new ‘building safety charge’, which will give leaseholders
greater transparency around costs incurred in maintaining a safe building. We want these
to be fair and proportionate, which is why I have deliberately included numerous powers
in the Bill that will enable us to limit the building safety costs that can be re-charged to
leaseholders.
This is a topic that we are particularly committed to developing further throughout the
process of scrutiny and as the Bill is finalised for introduction. I have asked Michael
Wade, senior adviser to the Cabinet Office, to accelerate this work with leaseholders and
the financial sector. We must remove barriers to fixing historic defects and identify
financing solutions that protect leaseholders from unaffordable costs; but we must also
ensure that the bill does not fall on tax payers. We will update on any further measures
required before the final Bill is introduced to Parliament.
Establishing the Building Safety Regulator
As I announced in January, the HSE is establishing the regulator in shadow form, and I
am today announcing that I have set aside £16.4 million in this financial year for HSE to
recruit the people and develop the capabilities that will enable the regulator to hit the
ground running once its powers come into effect.
HSE has a strong track record of improving safety and fostering a safety-first culture
within the construction and major hazards industries, and will draw on years of
experience to deliver results quickly and effectively. As shadow regulator, HSE is playing
an increasingly important role in the Government’s Building Safety Programme: it is
supporting work on how to identify higher-risk buildings; supporting work by the National
Fire Chiefs Council to assess the fire risk in every high-rise residential building by end
2021; and supporting work with early adopters in the construction industry, social
landlords and local government to trial the new regime, and to promote culture change
across the industry. I am today announcing that HSE will also take over as chair of the
Joint Regulators’ Group, which advises the Government on ways to strengthen the
regulatory regime; and will take over the Independent Expert Advisory Panel, which
advises the Government on fire safety in high-rise residential buildings.
Over coming months, the shadow regulator will engage with and advise residents,
building owners, the construction industry and other regulators on how the new system
will operate, what it will mean for them, and what they should do now to make their
buildings safe and prepare for the new regime. In the Autumn, we will kick off work to
appoint the first national Chief Inspector of Buildings, who will lead the new regulator.
We, and the public, expect industry to manage building safety risks now and prepare to
fulfil their duties when this new regime comes into effect. The public expects and
demands industry to implement these reforms with conviction and speed. The new
Building Safety Regulator stands ready to work hand in hand with industry to bring about
a culture change that prioritises residents and their safety.
Fire safety reforms
The Home Office is also today publishing a Fire Safety Consultation, which sets out
proposals to: strengthen the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – the Fire
Safety Order – and improve compliance for all regulated buildings; implement the Grenfell
Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report recommendations for multi-occupied residential buildings
which require a change in law; and, seeks views on the effectiveness of the
arrangements for consultation and information sharing between building control bodies
and fire and rescue authorities in relation to building work. This is alongside a
commitment to overhaul the Fire Safety Order’s supporting guidance.
Proposals for multi-occupied residential buildings, mostly high-rise buildings, include
prescribing in law the frequency of checks of fire doors; that Responsible Persons (RPs)
carry out inspections of other key fire-fighting equipment, not just lifts designed to be
used by firefighters; and that RPs provide information to residents including in relation to
fire safety (including evacuation and other specific information) in an accessible format.
Our proposals go beyond the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations in several areas.
In others, our proposals prioritise residents’ safety in a way that is practical, proportionate
and effective to the risks the Inquiry has identified. The Government wants to listen to the
views of those who have experience of these matters, including those who have been
personally affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The proposals set out in the Home
Office consultation will further deliver the Government’s objective to improve building and
fire safety in all regulated premises where people live, stay or work.
Construction products
The Bill also enables us to progress our commitment to radically strengthen oversight of
the regulatory regime for construction products. The bill will make sure a wider range of
construction products are subject to strengthened safety regulations. It will also
strengthen the powers available to the Government, paving the way to create a new
national regulatory function that will have oversight of the construction products
regulation. The Government is developing options for how this new national regulatory
function could be implemented.
Other housing measures
The draft Bill also contains measures to protect the rights of all new build homebuyers by
requiring developers to belong to the New Homes Ombudsman. It also includes new
measures that will make access to redress swifter and more effective for all social
housing residents.
Pre-legislative scrutiny
These are extensive reforms that it is incumbent on us all to get right. The Building Safety
Bill is a large and complex piece of legislation, reflecting the scale of the reforms needed.
In this spirit, I am publishing the Bill in draft form to ensure it receives the due and proper
consideration it deserves through pre-legislative scrutiny from Parliament, from industry,
from regulatory bodies, and from residents. I want to thank those that have helped shape
the legislation so far, including those who contributed to the ‘Building a Safer Future’
consultation and who have engaged in various forums with my department. I now
encourage colleagues from across both Houses to engage wholeheartedly in
strengthening these proposals so that together we can further improve the legislation and
deliver greater safety for residents.
I will deposit copies of the draft Building Safety Bill, Delegated Powers Memorandum and
Impact Assessment in the libraries of both Houses. A copy of the full Fire Safety
Consultation and its Impact Assessment will also be deposited in the libraries of both
Houses.
TRANSPORT
Crossrail Annual Update
Minster of State for Transport (Chris Heaton-Harris): [HCWS389]
Over the past year, several milestones have been reached on the Crossrail project and
work continues despite the new challenges presented by Covid-19.
When complete, the Elizabeth line will be transformative, reducing overcrowding,
delivering spacious new trains, adding significant additional rail capacity to London and
the South East, and delivering a huge boost to the recovering UK economy. Its benefits
will be vast and long lasting.
Important progress is being made on taking the Crossrail project towards completion and
for its transition to Transport for London (TfL), the future Elizabeth line operator.
In December last year, TfL Rail commenced operating services between Paddington and
Reading using the new UK built Class 345 trains, marking another important stage in the
delivery of the Elizabeth line. This year, the higher capacity 9 carriage trains are being
introduced along this part of the route.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has approved the new trains to run in passenger
service between Paddington and Heathrow Airport, paving the way for a future increase
in services to 4 trains per hour, adding important extra service capacity to the local rail
network. Final testing and driver training is taking place with Bombardier and MTR
Elizabeth Line ahead of the services being introduced.
Over the past year, Crossrail Limited (CRL) have made further progress on the final
completion of the new central section. Signalling and train software testing has
progressed and a number of assets including completed shafts and portals together with
the new Custom House station have now been handed over to TfL. All of the stations in
the central section are now ready for the Trial Running of services, with the exception of
Bond Street which requires further work.
Network Rail (NR) works on the eastern and western sections of the route have
continued to progress over the past year with the delivery of the enhanced ticket halls
and access improvements on the surface section progressing at Ilford and Romford;
Acton Main Line, Ealing Broadway, West Ealing, Southall, Hayes & Harlington and West
Drayton, with step-free access being prioritised where possible.
In March this year, future Elizabeth line stations Hanwell, Iver, Langley, and Taplow were
also provided with step-free access from street to platform.
Together, these milestones represent key steps forward in the operational development
of the railway.
But there have been challenges as well.
In January, CRL announced that it planned to open the central section of the railway in
summer 2021 and the full Elizabeth line by mid-2022, citing challenges with completing
the software development and the safety assurance processes preventing it from meeting
its previously planned opening window. Progress was further affected by the ‘safe stop’
announced on March 24, when CRL ceased all physical work at its construction sites,
including Network Rail’s station upgrade works, as a result of the Covid-19 crisis and in
line with TfL’s decision to pause work on project sites, though essential, business critical
and remote assurance work continued.
In November last year and before the impact of Covid-19, CRL announced that it would
not be able to deliver the railway within the funding package originally announced by the
Department and the Mayor of London in December 2018, and that it would require
between £400 to £650 million in additional funding.
The further schedule delays and cost increases to this project since the last annual
update are very disappointing. A revised funding package will now need to be developed
for Crossrail that is fair to UK taxpayers, with London as the primary beneficiary bearing
the cost.
Works have now restarted as part of Crossrail’s Recovery Plan with sites operating within
the framework of Public Health England’s safety guidelines, with CRL intensely focussed
on achieving the next key programme milestone - commencement of the intensive testing
of the railway, known as Trial Running.
CRL are currently in the process of updating their cost and schedule forecasts in light of
their Recovery Plan, including assessing the impact on their opening schedule and will
make a further update on this shortly.
A further update to the overall costings for Network Rail’s programme show that the
Crossrail On Network Works require an extra £140m of funding with the cost of the
surface works package now standing at just under £3bn. The additional costs, which
were assessed before the Covid-19 crisis, are the result of some station and power
upgrade work taking longer than planned.
The Department will continue to work with its joint Sponsor, TfL, to closely scrutinise the
project, supporting its delivery as soon as is safely possible and to deliver the vital
assurance and safety certification that is required before passenger services can
commence.
The Department will also work with TfL to oversee the effective review and evolution of
Crossrail’s future governance arrangements to make sure the right decisions are taken as
the project moves towards completion, and that it successfully transitions to TfL
operations as soon as possible. CRL together with both Sponsors remain committed to
ongoing transparency with regard to the project.
During the passage of the Crossrail Bill through Parliament, a commitment was given that
an annual statement would be published until the completion of the construction of
Crossrail, setting out information about the project’s funding and finances. Further details
on CRL’s funding and finances in the period to 29 May 2020 are set out in the table
below. The relevant information is as follows:
TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNTS
PROVIDED TO CROSSRAIL
LIMITED BY THE DEPARTMENT
FOR TRANSPORT AND TFL IN
RELATION TO THE
CONSTRUCTION OF
CROSSRAIL TO THE END OF
THE PERIOD (22 JULY 2008
TO 29 MAY 2020) £14,164,813,354
Expenditure incurred
(including committed land and
property spend not yet paid
out) by Crossrail Limited in
relation to the construction of
Crossrail in the period (30
May 2019 to 29 May 2020)
(excluding recoverable VAT
£1,014,218,000
TOTAL FUNDING AMOUNTS
PROVIDED TO CROSSRAIL
LIMITED BY THE DEPARTMENT
FOR TRANSPORT AND TFL IN
RELATION TO THE
CONSTRUCTION OF
CROSSRAIL TO THE END OF
THE PERIOD (22 JULY 2008
TO 29 MAY 2020) £14,164,813,354
on Land and Property
purchases)
Total expenditure incurred
(including committed land and
property spend not yet paid
out) by Crossrail Limited in
relation to the construction of
Crossrail to the end of the
period (22 July 2008 to 29
May 2020)
(excluding recoverable VAT
on Land and Property
purchases)
£14,972,678,000
The amounts realised by the
disposal of any land or
property for the purposes of
the construction of Crossrail
by the Secretary of State, TfL
or Crossrail Limited in the
period covered by the
statement.
£16,000,000
The numbers above are drawn from CRL’s books of account and have been prepared on
a consistent basis with the update provided last year. The figure for expenditure incurred
includes monies already paid out in the relevant period, including committed land and
property expenditure where this has not yet been paid. It does not include future
expenditure on contracts that have been awarded.
Transport for London Extraordinary funding and financing update
Secretary of State for Transport (Grant Shapps): [HCWS398]
I wrote to the House on 18 May 2020, to share details of the extraordinary funding and
financing agreement reached with Transport for London (TfL). That package of support,
which was agreed between Government, the Mayor and TfL, included a number of
conditions and I am today writing to update Parliament on two of those.
To help avoid such drastic action in the future work has been underway on the
Government-led review of TfL’s future financial position and structure, and we have now
published the Terms of Reference for that review.
I am pleased to also announce the appointment of the two Government Special
Representatives to attend the TfL Board; Andrew Gilligan and Clare Moriarty. They will
also be able to attend TfL’s Finance and Programme Investment Committees. These
positions required a specific skillset and have therefore been made through direct
Ministerial Appointment.
Clare Moriarty is a former civil servant and has been Permanent Secretary for the
Department for Exiting the European Union and for the Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs, and she was previously Director General, Rail Executive and
Director General for Corporate Services in the Department for Transport.
Andrew Gilligan advises the Prime Minister on transport matters and worked closely with
TfL for three years, acquiring detailed knowledge of its operations, as former Cycling
Commissioner for London.
Transport Update
Minister of State for Transport (Andrew Stephenson): [HCWS399]
I have been asked by my Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State, to make this
Written Ministerial Statement. This statement concerns the application made under the
Planning Act 2008 for the proposed construction by Highways England of a continuous
dual carriageway on the A303 linking the Podimore Roundabout and the Sparkford
Bypass.
Under section 107(1) of the Planning Act 2008, the Secretary of State must make his
decision within 3 months of receipt of the Examining Authority’s report unless exercising
the power under section 107(3) to extend the deadline and make a Statement to the
House of Parliament announcing the new deadline. The Secretary of State received the
Examining Authority’s report on the A303 Sparkford to Ilchester Development Consent
Order application on 12 September 2019 and the deadline for a decision was previously
extended from 12 December 2019 until 17 July 2020 to allow for further work to be
carried out.
The deadline for the decision is to be further extended to 20 November 2020 (an
extension of 4 months) to enable further information to be provided by the Applicant and
interested parties on outstanding concerns raised by the Examining Authority and
consideration of that provided information before determination of the application by the
Secretary of State.
The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to give
development consent.
TREASURY
Public service pensions, survivor benefits for opposite–sex widowers and
surviving male civil partners.
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Steve Barclay): [HCWS397]
The government is committed to providing public service pensions that are fair for public
sector workers and for taxpayers. The government’s position remains that benefit
entitlements should normally be determined based on the rules applicable at the time the
member served, to maintain fairness for active scheme members and the taxpayer.
Following the Walker v Innospec Supreme Court ruling, the government decided that in
public service schemes, surviving male same-sex and female same-sex spouses and civil
partners of public service pension scheme members will, in certain cases, receive
benefits equivalent to those received by widows of opposite sex marriages. The
exception to this is in specific schemes where, in the past, improvements in female
members’ survivor benefits have involved female members making employee
contributions or increasing them.
A case brought in the Employment Tribunal against the Secretary of State for Education
earlier this year highlighted that these changes may lead to direct sexual orientation
discrimination within the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, where male survivors of female
scheme members remain entitled to a lower survivor benefit than a comparable same-sex
survivor.
The government has concluded that changes are required to the Teachers’ Pension
Scheme to address the discrimination. The government believes that this difference in
treatment will also need to be remedied in those other public service pension schemes,
where the husband or male civil partner of a female scheme member is in similar
circumstances.
Departments responsible for the administration of affected schemes will consult on and
take forward changes as soon as possible. Schemes will notify their members of changes
and any actions they need to take.