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Daily Report Thursday, 17 September 2020
This report shows written answers and statements provided on 17 September 2020 and the
information is correct at the time of publication (06:28 P.M., 17 September 2020). For the
latest information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written
statements, please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/
CONTENTS
ANSWERS 6
BUSINESS, ENERGY AND
INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 6
Department for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Staff 6
Developing Countries: Fossil
Fuels 6
Energy: White Papers 6
New Businesses 6
Retail Trade: Coronavirus 7
Shipping: Investment 8
Small Businesses:
Discretionary Grants 8
Census 9
Elections: Law 10
Redundancy 10
UK Trade with EU 10
Veterans: British Nationals
Abroad 11
Voting Rights: EU Nationals 11
DEFENCE 11
Armed Forces: Crime 11
Côte d'Ivoire: Demonstrations 12
Defence: Procurement 12
HMS Queen Elizabeth:
Coronavirus 13
Inappropriate Behaviours in
the Armed Forces Review 13
Ministry of Defence: Equality 14
Navy: Fisheries 15
Overseas Operations (Service
Personnel and Veterans) Bill
2019-21 15
Qatar: Military Aid 15
UK Border Force: Military Aid 16
Yemen: Military Intervention 17
DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND
SPORT 17
Antenatal Care and Children's
Play: Facilities 17
British Telecom: Redundancy 18
Broadband 18
Broadband: Poplar and
Limehouse 19
Coronavirus Job Retention
Scheme: Tourism 19
Coronavirus: Disinformation 20
Gambling: Advertising 20
Gambling: Coronavirus 20
Internet: Safety 22
National Lottery 22
Pornography: Internet 22
Sports: Coronanvirus 23
Telecommunications Systems 23
Telecommunications: Huawei 24
Theatres: Young People 25
Tourism 25
EDUCATION 26
Adult Education: Coronavirus 26
Apprentices: Coronavirus 27
Assessments 27
Children: Day Care 28
Education: Coronavirus 29
Free School Meals: Voucher
Schemes 29
Further Education: Finance 30
Neurofibromatosis: Pupils 30
Outdoor Recreation:
Coronavirus 31
Pupils: Genetics 31
Pupils: Poverty 32
Schools: Coronavirus 32
Schools: Uniforms 33
Special Educational Needs:
Reviews 34
Students: Employment and
Higher Education 34
Teachers: Documents 35
Universities: Coronavirus 35
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND
RURAL AFFAIRS 37
Agriculture: Trade Fairs 37
Air Pollution 37
Association of Inshore
Fisheries and Conservation
Authorities 38
Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs: Staff 38
Dogs: Public Spaces
Protection Orders 38
Falcons: Exports 39
Flood Control 39
Flood Control: South Yorkshire 40
Hunting: Coronavirus 41
Outdoor Recreation:
Coronavirus 41
FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH
AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE 41
Abduljalil Abdulla al-Singace 41
Afghanistan: Ethnic Groups 42
Bahrain: Capital Punishment 42
Bahrain: Political Prisoners 43
Bangladesh: Rohingya 43
China: Military Exercises 44
Convention on Certain
Conventional Weapons 44
Coronavirus: Disease Control 45
Côte d'Ivoire: Politics and
Government 45
Democracy and Human Rights 46
Developing Countries: Religion 46
Ethiopia: Demonstrations 47
Ethiopia: Human Rights 47
Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office: Equality 48
Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office:
Personnel Management 48
Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office: Religious
Freedom 48
Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office:
Reorganisation 49
Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office: Staff 50
Foreign, Commonwealth and
Development Office: Training 50
India: British Nationals Abroad 50
India: Religious Freedom 51
Israel: Palestinians 51
Maira Shahbaz 52
Myanmar: Rohingya 52
Palestinians: Overseas Aid 53
Palestinians: Textbooks 54
Saudi Arabia: Immigrants 54
Taiwan: Sustainable
Development 54
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 55
Abortion: Coronavirus 55
Abortion: Drugs 55
Care Homes: Coronavirus 56
Care Homes: Visits 56
Deloitte: Coronavirus 57
Health and Social Services:
Quarantine 57
Health Professions:
Discrimination 58
Members: Correspondence 58
NHS: Physiotherapy 58
Respite Care: Dementia 59
Social Services: Coronavirus 60
Social Services: Staffordshire 60
SUDEP Action 61
HOME OFFICE 61
Asylum: Housing 61
British National Socialist
Movement 61
Crime: Young People 62
DNA: Databases 62
Entry Clearances 63
Hampshire Constabulary:
Finance 63
Home Office: Racial
Discrimination 64
Hygiene: Products 64
Immigrants: Finance 65
Immigration Controls: Aiports
and Ports 66
Passports: Applications 67
Police: Staff 67
Police: Training 68
Security: Training 68
Trespass: Reform 68
Unexplained Wealth Orders 69
Victim Support Schemes 69
Visas: Hong Kong 71
HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENT 71
Building Safety Fund 71
Derelict Land: Maps 71
Flats: Insulation 72
Local Government: Sanctions 72
Mayor of the West Midlands 72
Mortgages 73
Planning Permission:
Coronavirus 73
Plants: Urban Areas 73
Remembrance Day:
Coronavirus 74
Social Rented Housing:
Construction 74
Swimming Pools: Coronavirus 75
Tobacco 75
UK Shared Prosperity Fund 75
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 76
Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia 76
Board of Trade: Meetings 81
Food: Import Duties 81
Free Trade: USA 82
Riot Control Weapons: Chile 82
Tobacco: Imports 83
JUSTICE 84
Prisoners: Disability and
Special Educational Needs 84
Prisons: Cockroaches 84
Prisons: Hygiene 85
TRANSPORT 85
A34: Accidents 85
Airports: Non-domestic Rates 85
British Airways: Conditions of
Employment 86
Cycling and Walking: Inland
Waterways 86
Cycling: Voucher Schemes 87
Dartford-Thurrock Crossing:
Tolls 87
Department for Transport:
Ethnic Groups 88
Department for Transport:
Staff 89
Driver and Vehicle Licensing
Agency: Standards 90
Driving Instruction:
Coronavirus 90
Hammersmith Bridge: Repairs
and Maintenance 91
Invalid Vehicles: Speed Limits 91
Motor Vehicles: Hydrogen 92
Motor Vehicles: Testing 92
Passengers: Coronavirus 93
Pedestrian Areas and
Pedestrian Crossings:
Disability 93
Railways: Concessions 94
Railways: Repairs and
Maintenance 94
Road Traffic Control 95
Shipping: Coronavirus 95
Shipping: Exhaust Emissions 96
Transport: Hydrogen 99
TREASURY 99
Affordable Housing:
Coronavirus 99
Bank Services 100
Beer: Excise Duties 100
Business: Coronavirus 100
Centrica: Coronavirus Job
Retention Scheme 101
Charities: VAT 101
Children: Day Care 102
Elizabeth Truss 102
Health Services: Staffordshire 103
Insolvency 103
Public Expenditure 104
Shipping: Tax Allowances 104
Tenants: Loans 105
Treasury: Staff 105
WALES 106
Hydrogen: Wales 106
WORK AND PENSIONS 106
Employment: Coronavirus 106
Employment: Disability 106
Financial Services: Advisory
Services 107
Industrial Health and Safety:
Coronavirus 107
Jobcentres: Staff 108
Kickstart Scheme: Bosworth 108
Kickstart Scheme:
Staffordshire 108
Pensions: Fraud 109
Social Security Benefits:
Children 111
Social Security Benefits:
Terminal Illnesses 111
Universal Credit 112
Universal Credit: Darlington 113
MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS 115
HOME OFFICE 115
Victim Support Schemes 115
WRITTEN STATEMENTS 117
DEFENCE 117
Legal Protections for Armed
Forces Personnel and
Veterans 117
HOME OFFICE 117
Amendment to the Manchester
Arena Inquiry Terms of
Reference 117
HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENT 118
High Streets update 118
Rough sleeping update 119
WORK AND PENSIONS 120
Disability Benefits Operational
Update 120
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
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Staff
Neil O'Brien: [87652]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many
members of staff in their Department have one or more of the words equality, diversity,
inclusion, gender, LGBT or race in their job title.
Nadhim Zahawi:
There are six members of staff in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy that have equality, diversity, inclusion, gender, LGBT or race in their job title.
Developing Countries: Fossil Fuels
Preet Kaur Gill: [87615]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he
plans to publish the outcome of the review into funding support for fossil fuel projects
overseas; and what exemptions he plans to include in the Government’s new policy on
the provision of UKEF funding.
Kwasi Kwarteng:
The Government keeps all policy under review and the outcome of any such reviews
are published in a timely fashion.
Energy: White Papers
Liz Saville Roberts: [89795]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on what date
he plans to publish his Energy White Paper.
Kwasi Kwarteng:
The Energy White Paper is a priority and it will be published this Autumn.
New Businesses
Rachael Maskell: [87594]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
additional support the Government is providing to help start up businesses establish
themselves in the current economy.
Paul Scully:
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) aims to
make the UK the best place to start, scale up and grow a business.
The Start Up Loans Company, part of the British Business Bank, provides
government-backed business loans of up to £25,000 at a fixed interest rate of 6% per
annum with repayment terms of 1 to 5 years. As well as finance, every loan recipient
is also offered a dedicated mentoring service and access to a free expert business
mentor for 12 months to help them with every aspect of setting up a business. At the
end of March 2020, the Start Up Loans programme had delivered more than 71,500
loans, providing more than £586 million of funding.
For new businesses starting up or for existing businesses wishing to scale up, all
advice and guidance – including employee support, tools to identify the right finance,
and checklists for setting up the business in line with regulations – the main source of
information is the GOV.UK website, with support also available via the Business
Support Helpline on FREEPHONE 0800 998 1098 and the British Business Bank
online Finance Hub.
Start up businesses may also contact the network of 38 local Growth Hubs in
England. These are a gateway for local information, guidance, and expertise for
businesses across England, including on taxes, finance and funding schemes.
Retail Trade: Coronavirus
Conor McGinn: [89761]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
assessment he has made of the effect of job losses in the retail sector during the covid-
19 outbreak an on regional inequalities.
Paul Scully:
The Government recognises the impact that the coronavirus is having on retailers
and businesses as a whole, which is why we have delivered one of the most
generous and comprehensive packages of support globally.. Retailers are benefitting
from the removal of business rates for 12 months and have been able to access
grants through the Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality, and Leisure
Grant Fund.
Retailers have been able to benefit from The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan
Scheme, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Bounce Back Loan Scheme,
and an extension on the moratorium on commercial landlords’ right to forfeiture for
the non-payment of rent to 31 December 2020.
Additionally the Job Retention Bonus will encourage businesses, including retailers,
to keep on furloughed workers, helping to protect jobs and our economic recovery.
We have announced a new Plan for Jobs – making available up to £30 billion with a
clear goal to create, protect, and support jobs. This includes a new £2 billion Kickstart
Scheme creating hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young
people across the country and £1.6 billion investment in scaling up employment
support schemes, training, and apprenticeships to help people looking for a job.
We are ramping up and bringing forward investment, creating jobs in every part of the
UK. At the Budget, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced
£88 billion of capital funding for this year. In the New Deal package, we announced
our plans to accelerate a further £5 billion of additional investment projects.
Shipping: Investment
Mr Kevan Jones: [86565]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he
is taking to support private investment in the UK maritime industry.
Nadhim Zahawi:
The Department is working to make the UK the best place in the world for all
businesses to thrive and grow.
The UK maritime sector has strategic importance for our economy and we encourage
private investment into the sector. We have recently supported the £33 million
investment in Artemis in Belfast to develop an autonomous water taxi.
The maritime sector is also benefitting from the Government’s Covid-19 support,
which includes access to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Covid-19
Business Interruption Loans.
Small Businesses: Discretionary Grants
Rachael Maskell: [87583]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many
and what value of grants from the Discretionary Grant Fund have been awarded to (a)
small businesses in shared offices or other flexible work spaces, (b) regular market
traders with building costs, (c) bed and breakfast businesses and (d) charity properties in
receipt of charitable business rates.
Paul Scully:
On 1 May, the Government announced up to £617 million available in the form of the
Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund to support certain small businesses that
are not liable for business rates or rates relief and are therefore out of scope of the
Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund.
Local authorities were responsible for defining precise eligibility for the scheme in
their area, subject to businesses meeting the national eligibility criteria set out in the
guidance. Local authorities continue to pay grants to eligible businesses. We will
publish data on Discretionary Grants Fund payments to businesses in due course
and once all payments have been made. We do not receive management information
from local authorities broken down by sector.
Rachael Maskell: [87584]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much of
the £617 million of the Government's Discretionary Grant fund has been granted to
businesses by local authorities.
Paul Scully:
On 1 May, the Government announced up to £617 million available in the form of the
Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund to support certain small businesses that
are not liable for business rates or rates relief and are therefore out of scope of the
Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund.
Local authorities were responsible for defining precise eligibility for the scheme in
their area, subject to businesses meeting the national eligibility criteria set out in the
guidance. Local authorities continue to pay grants to eligible businesses. We will
publish data on the amount granted to businesses under the Discretionary Grants
Fund in due course and once all payments have been made.
Rachael Maskell: [87585]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what
reason (a) day nurseries and (b) children's indoor play centres were not identified as
priority business types in the Discretionary Grant programme.
Paul Scully:
The Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund was primarily and predominantly
aimed at:
• Small and micro businesses, as defined in Section 33 Part 2 of the Small Business,
Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 and the Companies Act 2006;
• Businesses with relatively high ongoing fixed property-related costs;
• Businesses which can demonstrate that they have suffered a significant fall in
income due to the COVID-19 crisis;
• Businesses which occupy property, or part of a property, with a rateable value or
annual rent or annual mortgage payments below £51,000.
A number of priority groups were identified, including small businesses in shared
offices or other flexible workspaces, following consultation with local authorities.
Recognising that economic need varies across the country, local authorities have had
the discretion to exercise their local knowledge and have been responsible for
defining the precise eligibility for this Fund. Mandatory criteria requires that a
business was trading as of 11 March, however local authorities have been allowed to
determine which cases to support within those criteria.
Census
Preet Kaur Gill: [87616]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to postpone Census 2021 in
line with Scotland; what estimate he has made of the cost of postponing the census; and
what steps the Office for National Statistics is taking to mitigate such costs.
Chloe Smith:
The Government is not planning to postpone Census 2021 in England and Wales. I
regret that Census 2021 has been postponed in Scotland.
Elections: Law
Owen Thompson: [89790]
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office,
when they plan to (a) review and (b) bring forward new proposals on the legislative
framework for electoral law.
Chloe Smith:
The Government has welcomed the Law Commissions’ Electoral Law report. The
Government will consider the issues raised in the report in conjunction with its wider
programme of electoral integrity reforms, and will respond fully in due course.
Redundancy
Rachael Maskell: [88899]
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how
many people have lost their job in each month in the last 15 years.
Julia Lopez:
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have
therefore asked the Authority to respond.
Attachments:
1. UKSA response PQ88899 [PQ88899.pdf]
UK Trade with EU
Paula Barker: [82581]
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what
steps the Government is taking to secure frictionless trade with the EU.
Rachael Maskell: [84305]
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office,
when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on a trade agreement with the EU.
Penny Mordaunt:
We want to reach an agreement and we believe there is still time. We will continue to
work hard to achieve it.
The eighth round of negotiations began on 8 September and we hope to make quick
progress on an agreement based on our reasonable proposal for a standard free
trade agreement, like the one the EU has agreed with Canada and so many others.
Veterans: British Nationals Abroad
Allan Dorans: [87661]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to support the welfare
of British veterans overseas.
Johnny Mercer:
The Government provides a range of different support measures for British Armed
Forces veterans living overseas. Regardless of where a veteran lives, they can
receive any Armed Forces Pension, War Pension, Gurkha Pension or Armed Forces
Compensation Scheme payments they are entitled to. In addition, healthcare support
is also provided. Over 25,000 Gurkha veterans and their families live in Nepal and
can access medical care provided by the Gurkha Welfare Trust. In 2019 the
Government committed £25m over the next 10 years to improve this healthcare
support. Elsewhere, any veteran who has received a gratuity payment due to
disablement resulting from service or is in receipt of a disablement pension under the
War Pension Scheme can have the costs of treatment met where there is no free
healthcare for that condition available in the country they reside. In addition to this
financial and healthcare support the Commonwealth Veteran’s Programme provides
funding to over 7000 Commonwealth veterans in more than 30 countries to ensure
they receive the equivalent of two healthy meals a day. Any Armed Forces veteran
can also contact the Veterans UK helpline wherever they reside in the world.
Voting Rights: EU Nationals
Lloyd Russell-Moyle: [89803]
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what
franchise EU citizens with (a) pre-settled and (b) settled immigration status will have after
31 December 2020.
Chloe Smith:
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 66206 on 6 July 2020.
DEFENCE
Armed Forces: Crime
Carol Monaghan: [89751]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) service personnel and (b)
veterans were charged for crimes which allegedly took place during overseas operations
in each of the last 20 years.
Carol Monaghan: [89752]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) service personnel and (b)
veterans were convicted for crimes which allegedly took place during overseas
operations in each of the last 20 years.
Carol Monaghan: [89753]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in each case in which a (a) member or (b)
veteran of the armed forces has been charged for a crime which allegedly took place
during an overseas operation over the last 20 years, what length of time passed between
the alleged criminal act and charges filed.
Carol Monaghan: [89754]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for each case in which a (a) veteran or (b)
member of the armed forces has been convicted of a crime which took place during an
overseas operation over the last 20 years, what length of time passed between the
criminal act and conviction.
Johnny Mercer:
As this data is not held centrally it is taking some time to compile, and I will write to
the hon. Member shortly.
Côte d'Ivoire: Demonstrations
Stephen Morgan: [86746]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help reduce violence
committed against civilians in the Ivory Coast amid clashes between Government forces
and people protesting against President Alassane Ouattara's decision to run for a third
term.
James Heappey:
The UK Government has a strong partnership with Côte d'Ivoire. Stability and
inclusive economic growth are shared priorities, with a view to consolidating peace
after a decade of crisis and uncertainty. We take every opportunity to demonstrate
our commitment to peaceful, free and credible elections, in line with international law,
and encourage all parties to work towards this goal. We have done so directly with
government and opposition political parties in Côte d'Ivoire.
The elections are the responsibility of the Government of Côte d'Ivoire, all political
parties, and the Ivoirian people. We urge all parties to participate responsibly, engage
fully in the process and avoid the use of inflammatory language. UK Defence is
working closely with partners across Government and our Embassy in Abidjan in
supporting security forces' training which focuses on ensuring public security during
the election period is maintained, including respect for human rights.
Defence: Procurement
Mr Kevan Jones: [88827]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has signed defence
programme contracts with suppliers which purport to prohibit either (a) the prime
contractor or (b) subcontractors from speaking to hon Members on matters related to the
defence programme.
Jeremy Quin:
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 9 September 2020 to
Questions 84656 and 84975.
Attachments:
1. 84656 - Non Disclosure Agreements [Hansard Extract (1).docx]
HMS Queen Elizabeth: Coronavirus
Stephen Morgan: [87640]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential
effect of the second covid-19 outbreak onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth on the outcome of
training exercises involving the vessel.
Stephen Morgan: [87641]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what additional steps are being taken onboard
HMS Queen Elizabeth to prevent further outbreaks of covid-19 onboard the vessel.
Stephen Morgan: [87642]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the latest outbreak of covid-19
onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth will effect the vessel's ability to declare carrier strike
capability ahead of its first operational deployment in 2021.
James Heappey:
Extensive COVID-19 quarantine and testing procedures were developed and
successfully employed, prior to sailing in UK waters, and these continue to be refined.
Although there was a two-day delay for HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH sailing, extant
measures have proven our ability to detect, contain and manage COVID-19 ahead of
bringing the Strike Group together. We remain on track, ensuring our ability to deliver
training exercises, declare Initial Operating Capability (Carrier Strike) and conduct the
first operational deployment in 2021, all as scheduled.
Individuals who present as symptomatic or who have tested positive have been
isolated ashore and, while at sea, any individual who experiences symptoms will be
isolated onboard in accordance with Public Health England guidelines and receive
the appropriate medical attention. We continue to work with the NHS Test and Trace
system to ensure the virus does not spread further, and with Public Health England to
ensure all appropriate control measures are in place.
Inappropriate Behaviours in the Armed Forces Review
Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [88829]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2020
to Question 85970 on Inappropriate Behaviours in the Armed Forces Review, what the
terms of reference are for Danuta Gray’s one year on review of the Wigston report.
Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [88830]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2020
to question 85970 on Inappropriate Behaviours in the Armed Forces Review, whether he
has plans in place for the consultation of (a) charities, (b) Community Interest Companies
and (c) other stakeholders for Danuta Gray’s one year on review of the Wigston report.
Johnny Mercer:
Danuta Gray began her Review on 15 July 2020 and the terms of reference are
attached.
The Review seeks to assess progress made against the Wigston recommendations
over the past year. Tackling unacceptable behaviour requires a culture change,
therefore Ms Gray's Review has engaged with personnel at all ranks and grades, with
Non-Executive Directors and private sector experts; it has also been informed by a
range of studies and feedback. Culture change is a long-term process and the
Wigston Review estimated it would take five to ten years to make a measurable
difference; it is too early to consult on a wider basis, but future work is likely to include
liaison with Service charities.
Ministry of Defence: Equality
Sir John Hayes: [88818]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) the role and (b) cost to the public
purse is of his Department's director of diversity and inclusion.
Johnny Mercer:
The senior leadership of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), military and civilian, is
committed to improving Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) across the Department. We
know we are not sufficiently diverse, not yet reflecting the society we defend and
serve, and we are determined to deliver tangible progress at pace. The Department
has recently set Levels of Ambition for D&I, backed by action plans that will be
regularly assured and reported on. There is a palpable energy for change, from
across Defence personnel, and to harness this and create real momentum we have
directed that D&I will be a high-priority programme, taken forward on a sustained and
enduring basis, across the whole of Defence. To lead this exciting agenda, we are
seeking to appoint a senior D&I professional as Director and Senior Responsible
Officer.
The successful candidate will develop and deliver the Department’s D&I Plan and will
hold our Executive Committee to account, putting the Department’s D&I work on a
programmatic footing in order to make an enduring step change in momentum and
drive actions at all levels to bring about substantive improvements for the whole MOD
workforce, both Service and civilian. They will set D&I policy, refresh D&I strategy
and assure delivery against actions plans by Defence, Top Level Budgets, Chiefs and
Director Generals, together supporting around 240,000 personnel.
This post attracts a salary of £110,000 and offers a Civil Service pension. However, if
the successful candidate is an existing Civil Servant, they will be appointed in line
with the Civil Service pay rules meaning if they are taking up post on level transfer
they will retain their existing salary. Candidates on promotion will either have their
current salary increased by ten per cent or receive the starting salary for a Senior
Civil Servant (Pay Band 2) role which is £92,000 (whichever is higher).
Navy: Fisheries
Mr Kevan Jones: [87496]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether a minesweeper currently in operation
will contribute to fisheries protection after the transition period.
James Heappey:
Royal Navy Minehunters are not currently scheduled to contribute to fisheries
protection after the transition period.
Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill 2019-21
Carol Monaghan: [89755]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential
effect of the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill on the number
of convictions of armed forces personnel.
Johnny Mercer:
The Impact Statement for the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and
Veterans) Bill was published on 17 September.
It is not possible to estimate how many potential future prosecutions will not proceed
as a result of the statutory presumption against prosecution measure as there is
limited available data. In addition, it would not be appropriate for the Government to
"play prosecutor" and try to assess what decision a prosecutor might have made in
an historical case if the presumption measure had been in place at the time.
Qatar: Military Aid
Martin Docherty-Hughes: [86677]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) Royal Air Force personnel and
9b) Qatari Emiri Air Force personnel have been assigned to 12 Squadron RAF.
James Heappey:
There are currently 163 RAF personnel assigned to 12 Squadron. I am withholding
information on the number of Qatari Emiri Air Force personnel assigned to 12
Squadron as its disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice relations between the
United Kingdom and another State. An initial cadre of Qatari Emiri Air Force
personnel is currently on the Squadron; this will gradually increase as further
personnel graduate from training.
Martin Docherty-Hughes: [86678]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much 12 Squadron RAF has cost the
public purse in each year since 2018; and how much of those costs have been borne by
the (a) Qatar Emiri Air Force and (b) Government of Qatar.
James Heappey:
12 Squadron has formed in three stages: Stand Up of the Squadron (July 2018),
commencement of RAF flying operations (2019) and commencement of flying
operations with Qatar Emiri Air Force (2020).
To date 12 Squadron costs from the RAF Operating budget have been £1.951 million
in Financial Year (FY) 2018-2019, £9.959 million in FY 2019-2020 and £5.423 million
in FY 2020-21 to end August 2020. I am withholding detailed information on the costs
the Qatari Emiri Air Force have borne for 12 Squadron operations as its disclosure
would or would be likely to prejudice relations between the United Kingdom and
another State. However, I can confirm as part of the wider £6 billion Export Sale of
Typhoon to Qatar, the Government of Qatar has funded 50% of the Squadron
operating costs since the point at which QEAF pilots started flying on the Joint
Squadron.
UK Border Force: Military Aid
Mr Kevan Jones: [86555]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, prior to his Department accepting the Home
Office’s request for military assistance in the English Channel, what assessment his
Department conducted of the compatibility of that request with his Department's strategic
objectives.
James Heappey:
Responsibility for security and integrity of the UKs borders resides with the Home
Office and Border Force. Support provided to other Government departments is done
so against set principles that guide the provision of Defence support. Support to the
Civil Authorities in this instance was provided in support of wider Defence activities.
Mr Kevan Jones: [86556]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the
operational effectiveness of his Department’s intervention in the English Channel; and if
he will make a statement.
James Heappey:
Defence is providing assistance as a part of a Home Office-led operation, therefore
the ultimate assessment of its effectiveness will lie with them as the lead department.
The Ministry of Defence and the Home Office will work together to ensure that all
requests for Defence support continue to be delivered according to the principles of
Military Aid to the Civil Authorities.
Yemen: Military Intervention
Zarah Sultana: [88410]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July to Question
68798, how many alleged breaches or violations of International Humanitarian Law in
Yemen took place in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017, (d) 2018, (e) 2019 and (f) 2020 to date.
James Heappey:
Disaggregating the number of alleged instances of breaches or violations of
International Humanitarian Law in Yemen listed on the "Tracker" database would be
misleading without the addition of sensitive contextual information, which I am
withholding as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice relations between
the United Kingdom and other states.
DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Antenatal Care and Children's Play: Facilities
Damien Moore: [82345]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what financial support
the Government plans to provide for (a) soft play centres and (b) maternal classes when
those facilities reopen after the covid-19 outbreak.
Nigel Huddleston:
Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and
children to be active and the Government has been committed to reopening facilities
as soon as it is safe to do so. On 13 August, the Government announced that indoor
play and indoor soft play venues could open from 15 August. Indoor play and indoor
soft play venues have been able to access the unprecedented financial support
package that the Government has provided businesses across the economy during
the pandemic.
Antenatal classes are provided by the NHS. Like all areas of NHS care, maternity
services will be affected by the pandemic, but antenatal contact and new baby visits
should continue. Maternity units are working to ensure services are provided in a way
that is safe, supported by greater use of digital and remote technologies.
Video consultation capability by NHS providers has rapidly been scaled up in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Attend Anywhere is a web-based video
consultation platform intended for use on tablets, smartphones, laptops or PC’s with a
webcam and is funded by NHS England and NHS Improvement for all maternity
providers to use.
British Telecom: Redundancy
Conor McGinn: [89758]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has had
discussions with BT Group on preventing compulsory redundancies at BT Technology;
and if he will make a statement.
Matt Warman:
My department regularly engages with BT about a range of topics, including their UK
workforce, at both official and ministerial level.
The Government is committed to boosting job creation in the UK. On 8 July, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the Government’s Plan for Jobs which
makes up to £30 billion available, with a clear goal to create, protect, and support
jobs.
Broadband
Apsana Begum: [87704]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the
Answer of 1 July 2020 to Question 64332 on Broadband and Mobile Phones, what
assessment his Department has made of the efficacy of the strategy to ensure access to
full fibre broadband through promoting network competition and commercial investment.
Matt Warman:
The government set out its high level strategy for delivering nationwide coverage of
gigabit capable broadband in the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR),
published in July 2018. As part of the review, the government commissioned an
independent report by Frontier Economics to consider different competitive models
for achieving these aims against a set of criteria including overall coverage, pace of
deployment, quality of service delivered, total cost and feasibility.
The FTIR concluded that the best way to achieve the government’s aims was to
promote competition and commercial investment where possible, and intervene
where necessary. The review estimated that c.80% of the country could support
competitive networks, and that the remaining c.20% may need further intervention to
deliver gigabit-capable networks.
Since the FTIR, the government has supported measures to enhance competition in
the telecoms market, including Ofcom regulations to open up access to Openreach’s
ducts and poles network. The government has also focused on reducing barriers to
commercial deployment, including through the Telecommunications Infrastructure
(Leasehold Property) Bill currently before Parliament. In addition, we have committed
a record £5 billion to support the deployment of gigabit-capable broadband in the
hardest to reach 20% of the country.
We have seen a considerable increase in gigabit capable coverage since the FTIR
was published. Full fibre coverage has increased from 5% of the UK in May 2018 to
14% as of May 2020, according to Ofcom’s latest Connected Nations figures. Gigabit-
capable coverage is even higher as a result of Virgin Media’s upgrades to its cable
network, with ThinkBroadband now reporting that over a quarter of the UK can
access gigabit-capable broadband.
Broadband: Poplar and Limehouse
Apsana Begum: [87702]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what plans he has to
ensure that people who work and live in Poplar and Limehouse constituency can access
full-fibre broadband internet.
Apsana Begum: [87703]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he
has made of the adequacy of access to full-fibre broadband internet for people who live
and work in Poplar and Limehouse constituency.
Matt Warman:
The government has the ambition of providing nationwide gigabit-capable
connectivity as soon as possible, and will continue to take action to remove barriers
to commercial network rollout.
Broadband rollout in Poplar and Limehouse has been undertaken commercially, with
63% of premises now able to access full fibre broadband - this is up from 1% in
March 2016. This 63% figure is nearly four times the UK figure of 16%. Openreach
are responsible for 12.5% of full fibre connections, and Hyperoptic are also playing a
significant role in delivering full fibre connectivity across the constituency.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Tourism
Rachael Maskell: [87586]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he
has had with the tourism sector on extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Nigel Huddleston:
We recognise the significant impact of Covid-19 on the tourism sector. We continue
to monitor the situation and the Government has put in place an unprecedented
economic package to support the sector, including the Coronavirus Job Retention
Scheme.
Through the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and the Visitor Economy Working Group,
we continue to engage with stakeholders from the tourism sector on the economic
support packages available, and to assess how we can most effectively support
tourism’s recovery on an ongoing basis.
Coronavirus: Disinformation
Chi Onwurah: [89696]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the
Answer of 8 September 2020 to Question 84695 on Coronavirus: Disinformation, how
many full time equivalent staff are engaged in the Counter Disinformation Unit.
Caroline Dinenage:
Addressing the challenges of COVID-19 disinformation and misinformation is a whole
of Government effort. This work draws on a range of existing cross-government
teams, giving it the flexibility to respond to a range of different issues.
Gambling: Advertising
Carolyn Harris: [86702]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what sanctions are in
place for gambling operators that breach age-restricted advertising rules.
Carolyn Harris: [86703]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent
assessment he has made of the potential merits of banning gambling advertising.
Nigel Huddleston:
Gambling companies that advertise to British consumers must abide by strict rules on
the content and placement of ads, including that they must never be targeted at
children or vulnerable people. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the UK’s
regulator for advertising and where it finds an ad to be in breach of its codes it will
require the ad be amended or removed. If an advertiser fails to act on this warning,
the ASA has a range of sanctions it can take, including Ad Alerts to the media,
withdrawal of trading privileges, and mandatory pre-vetting. The ASA’s authority is
underpinned in regulation of broadcast advertising by a statutory relationship with
Ofcom and the Gambling Commission’s licence conditions and codes of practice
require operators to comply with the advertising codes for all forms of gambling
advertising. Serious and repeated breaches of the codes may lead to an operator
being referred by the ASA to the Gambling Commission, which has the power to
suspend or revoke licences and issue financial penalties.
The Government assessed the evidence on advertising in its Review of Gaming
Machines and Social Responsibility Measures, the full response to which can be
found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-proposals-for-
changes-to-gaming-machines-and-social-responsibility-measures. We continue to
keep emerging evidence under review.
Gambling: Coronavirus
Carolyn Harris: [86700]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has
made of the (a) number of (i) men and (ii) women gambling and (b) rates of problematic
gambling during the covid-19 outbreak; and whether he has made an assessment of the
effect of covid-19 lockdown on the propensity of people already gambling to try new
products.
Carolyn Harris: [86701]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what estimate he has
made of the rates of play on different gambling products during the covid-19 outbreak.
Carolyn Harris: [88916]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his
Department has made of trends in the amount of (a) money and (b) time spent by people
on gambling by category of gambling type during the covid-19 outbreak.
Nigel Huddleston:
The Gambling Commission has monitored gambling behaviours during the Covid-19
period by collecting data from operators and through regular surveys. Information
from both of these sources has been published on the Commission’s website and is
available here: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news-action-and-
statistics/news/2020/Data-shows-the-impact-of-Covid-19-on-gambling-behaviour-in-
May-2020.aspx
Survey data collected during April, May and June this year shows that 35% of men
and 27% of women had gambled in the past four weeks. Amongst those past-four-
week gamblers, 31% tried a new product, with the most common being National
Lottery draws (18%). Rates of participation for different forms of gambling are also
given, showing that, for example, 24% of people played National Lottery draws and
2% played online slots or instant win games during that time.
In addition, respondents were asked whether they had spent more time or money on
any gambling activities in the past four weeks than they had previously. 73% of
respondents had not spent more time or money, with National Lottery draws the most
popular activities amongst those who had increased either time (8%) or money (14%)
spent.
The Gambling Commission conducts a quarterly telephone survey of gambling
behaviours which collects data about problem gambling prevalence. The most recent
wave of that survey was carried out in June 2020, and the next is due to take place in
September. As this quarterly data is aggregated to provide annual figures, and
problem gambling is measured using questions which ask about past year
experiences and behaviours, the survey has not yet provided an indication of the
impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on problem gambling rates. However, any significant
shifts are likely to be reflected in the next set of data which is due to be published in
October. Figures for the year to June can be found at
https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news-action-and-statistics/Statistics-and-
research/Levels-of-participation-and-problem-gambling/Research-library.aspx
Internet: Safety
Chi Onwurah: [88316]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions
Ofcom has had with (a) social media companies and (b) citizen and consumer groups on
online harms in 2020.
Caroline Dinenage:
Ofcom has responsibility for the video sharing platform (VSP) regime which will come
into force by this Autumn. Ofcom is working constructively alongside industry to
develop the foundations both for this regime and any future online regulation.
Through its engagement with stakeholders, Ofcom will ensure its guidance for the
VSP regime is informed by robust evidence, best practice and an understanding of
the current capabilities of different services.
Ofcom also has regular ongoing engagement with a wide variety of online-related
bodies in the delivery of its media literacy duties including through the Making Sense
of Media (MSOM) programme, which brings together organisations and individuals
with expertise in media literacy with a shared goal of improving the online skills,
knowledge and understanding of UK adults and children.
In February 2020, the Government published the initial consultation response to the
Online Harms White Paper and announced that it was minded to appoint Ofcom as
the online harms regulator. Further details will be included in the full government
response to the consultation, which we will publish later this year.
National Lottery
Carolyn Harris: [88917]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will raise the age
limit on the National Lottery to 18.
Nigel Huddleston:
I refer the Honourable Member to my answer of 3 August 2020 to Question 75396.
Pornography: Internet
Fiona Bruce: [88858]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the
Answer of 21 July 2020 to Question 75251 on pornography, what plans he has to publish
the Government's analysis of pornography sites.
Caroline Dinenage:
Details of how the online harms legislation will apply to pornography sites, will be
published later this year in the Full Government Response to the Online Harms White
Paper consultation.
Fiona Bruce: [89676]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the
Answer of 21 July 2020 to Question 75251 what proportion of commercial pornography
sites (a) allow user-generated content and (b) place (i) all, (ii) some and (iii) none of their
pornographic content behind a paywall.
Fiona Bruce: [89677]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the
Answer of 21 July 2020 to Question 75251, if he will place in the Library a copy of his
Department’s analysis of commercial pornographic websites that require payment.
Caroline Dinenage:
Details of how the online harms legislation will apply to pornography sites, will be
published later this year in the Full Government Response to the Online Harms White
Paper consultation.
Sports: Coronanvirus
Catherine West: [87612]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what guidance he has
published for amateur sports clubs to return safely during the covid-19 outbreak.
Nigel Huddleston:
Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and
children to be active. It is important that sports clubs remain accessible for people
from all backgrounds as we make efforts to return to normality after the Covid
lockdown period.
Government guidance on team sports is available:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-
phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation/return-to-recreational-team-sport-
framework#team-sport-guidance
Guidance on indoor sports is available: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-
during-coronavirus-covid-19/providers-of-grassroots-sport-and-gym-leisure-facilities
General guidance is available on line at :
www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus
This guidance includes advice on existing rules on social distancing and hygiene, and
updates on those rules when they change with the evolving situation.
Telecommunications Systems
Chi Onwurah: [88314]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he
has had with Ofcom on the switch off of the Public Switched Telephone Network; and
what plans he has to ensure that consumers are (a) prepared for and (b) informed of that
switch off.
Chi Onwurah: [88315]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he
has made of the (a) value of equipment that will need to be replaced and (b) number of
homes affected by the planned switch off of the Public Switched Telephone Network.
Matt Warman:
The retirement of the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and its replacement
with Internet Protocol technology, is being led by Openreach and Virgin Media, as the
relevant infrastructure owners. Openreach and Virgin Media have publicly set out
their plans to withdraw these services by the end of 2025. The migration is likely to
affect all fixed exchange lines, of which there are 31.3 million in the UK. As an
industry led process, the Government has not made an assessment of the value of
equipment to be replaced.
In June this year, the Broadband Stakeholder Group, a government advisory forum
on telecoms policy, launched the ‘Future of Voice’ website. This is a consumer-facing
website to inform the public of the PSTN switchover process. The website has been
developed with the support of telecoms companies, Ofcom and DCMS.
DCMS regularly engages with the telecoms industry, Ofcom, and other Government
departments on PSTN withdrawal, to discuss the impact this will have on consumers,
business and public services and plans for migration to Internet Protocol technology.
For example, DCMS attends Ofcom’s working groups with industry on this issue and
also holds a regular meeting with relevant Government departments.
Telecommunications: Huawei
Chi Onwurah: [86649]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he
has made of the potential merits of providing quarterly reports to Parliament on the
progress on removing Huawei from 5G and other telecommunications networks.
Matt Warman:
Forthcoming legislation on telecommunications security will ensure that there are
appropriate reporting, compliance and enforcement arrangements in place in relation
to the management and oversight of directions in relation to high risk vendors.
Subject to the passage of the forthcoming legislation, the Secretary of State will have
the ability to make directions relating to high risk vendors in the UK 5G network,
working alongside Ofcom, who may be asked to provide the Secretary of State with
factual reports on operators’ use of high risk vendor products. The Secretary of State
may choose to publish any reports, or a summary of such reports. The Secretary of
State would also be responsible for taking forward enforcement action where
necessary to ensure directions are adhered to.
Theatres: Young People
Tracy Brabin: [88924]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his
Department has made of the effect of recent changes to covid-19 restrictions on youth
theatres.
Caroline Dinenage:
A number of exemptions to the Rule of Six have been published and the exceptions
where groups can be larger than 6 people include: registered childcare, education or
training supervised activities provided for children, including wraparound care, youth
groups and activities, and children’s playgroups
Venues such as theatres, concert halls and other entertainment venues that are
already able to host larger numbers, and are Covid secure in line with the relevant
guidance, will continue to be able to do so - as long as groups of more than one
household are limited to six and do not mix with one another.
Tourism
Joy Morrissey: [88399]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is
taking to support the tourism sector as it moves from the summer season into autumn.
Nigel Huddleston:
We recognise the significant impact of Covid-19 on the tourism sector. We continue
to monitor the situation and are taking steps to support the sector as it moves to the
autumn season.
The Government has implemented a series of measures that will assist tourism
business over the coming months, such as the cut to VAT which will last into January
and business rates relief for hospitality, retail and leisure businesses which will last
until the end of March.
We are working with VisitBritain on an Autumn and Winter campaign, 'Escape the
Everyday', which will help extend the tourism season.
The Government is also encouraging local planning authorities to exercise their
discretion in relation to planning conditions for caravan, campsites and holiday parks,
in order to help these businesses extend their open season.
And through the Cultural Renewal Taskforce and the Visitor Economy Working
Group, we are continuing to engage with stakeholders to assess how we can most
effectively support tourism’s recovery across the UK.
EDUCATION
Adult Education: Coronavirus
Rachael Maskell: [88897]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he has taken to help ensure the
safety of adults with additional needs (a) travelling to and (b) taking part in activities at
adult education centres during the covid-19 outbreak.
Gillian Keegan:
It is our priority to make sure that all students return to education this September as
this is the best place for their education, development and wellbeing. Colleges are
making every effort to ensure students and staff are as safe as possible for face to
face teaching and are confident they will achieve this.
The department has published guidance which sets out how further education
colleges can reopen safely for all learners, including those that are older or
vulnerable. The guidance has been developed in close consultation with 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. The full guidance is available at:
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.
In many areas, students make extensive use of the wider public transport system,
particularly public buses, to travel to education. Students and staff using public
transport should refer to the Department for Transport’s safer travel guidance for
passengers which can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-
covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers.
Further education providers are being advised to work with their local authority to
consider the transport needs of students with special educational needs and
disabilities and those with an education, health and care plan and to identify when it
might be necessary to take steps to manage demand on public transport or to
arrange additional transport. Local transport authorities have received additional
funding for school and college dedicated transport to support students in their region
return to further education providers. More information regarding this funding is
available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/multi-million-pound-funding-
package-for-school-transport.
The 16-19 bursary fund offers financial support for students who need additional
support in a range of areas including accessing digital learning, and other forms of
support. For adults we are introducing changes to the Adult Education Budget
funding rules for the 2020 to 2021 academic year. This is to enable providers to use
learner support funds to purchase IT devices for students aged 19 plus and to help
them meet students’ IT connectivity costs, where these costs are a barrier to
accessing or continuing in their training.
Apprentices: Coronavirus
Mr Barry Sheerman: [87484]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that levels
of intakes for apprenticeships nationally does not decline due to the covid-19 outbreak.
Gillian Keegan:
Apprenticeships will be more important than ever in helping businesses to recruit the
right people and develop the skills they need to recover and grow following the
COVID-19 outbreak.
We have introduced a range of flexibilities to support apprentices and employers to
continue with and complete their apprenticeships. These include encouraging the
remote delivery of training, introducing flexibilities to end-point assessments, and
allowing furloughed apprentices to continue their apprenticeships and end-point
assessments.
We recognise that employers face increased challenges with hiring new apprentices.
The government’s ‘Plan for Jobs’ will help to kickstart the nation’s economic recovery
by offering employers payments for recruiting new apprentices. Businesses will be
able to claim £1,500 for every apprentice they hire as a new employee from 1 August
2020 until 31 January 2021, rising to £2,000 if they hire a new apprentice under the
age of 25.
In addition, to support smaller employers, we are ensuring sufficient funding is
available for those wanting to take on an apprentice this year
Assessments
Mary Kelly Foy: [84355]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions he has had with
education providers on the timetable for (a) SATs, (b) GCSE, (c) A-level and (d) BTec
assessments in the 2020-21 academic year.
Nick Gibb:
The Department has confirmed its intention for all existing statutory key stage 1 and 2
assessments (commonly known as SATs) to return in 2020/21, and to take place in
accordance with their usual timetable.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education asked Ofqual in June to
consider a short delay to the GCSE, A and AS level exam timetable in 2021, to free
up additional teaching time. The Department is continuing to work with Ofqual, the
exam boards, regulators in the devolved administrations, and groups representing
schools, colleges and higher education to consider the best approach, and decisions
will be confirmed as soon as possible.
The Department has been working with Ofqual regarding requirements for
assessments and examinations for vocational and technical qualifications, which
include BTEC qualifications. Ofqual is currently consulting and engaging with
awarding organisations to agree guidance on how awarding organisations can adapt
assessments in 2020/21, including timetabling considerations.
Children: Day Care
Mr Andrew Mitchell: [89616]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what (a) practical and (b) financial support is
available to families that rely on childcare provided by extended family members in areas
with additional covid-19 restrictions in place which prevent the mixing of households
unless they are in a support bubble.
Vicky Ford:
We recognise that extended family members often provide informal childcare. In
relevant areas where local restrictions are in place on household mixing, people
cannot host others they do not live with, or who are not in their support bubbles, in
their homes and gardens. Informal childcare is not exempt from these restrictions.
Nationally, our ‘Rule of Six’ guidance specifies the exceptions where groups can be
larger than six people, which includes registered childcare and supervised activities
provided for children, including wraparound care, youth groups and activities, and
children’s playgroups.
Parents who need support to obtain suitable childcare to meet their circumstances
can contact their local authority for information and guidance about what childcare is
available in their area.
The government funds a significant package of free and subsidised childcare. All 3
year olds and 4 year olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of free childcare a week,
with 30 hours of free childcare available for eligible working parents. The government
has acted to protect families that have faced a reduced income as a result of the
COVID-19 outbreak. Parents who who were eligible for the 30 hours free childcare
entitlement prior to the COVID-19 outbreak remain eligible until October even if they
have experienced a change in income. Disadvantaged 2 year olds are also eligible
for 15 hours of free childcare a week and eligible working parents may also be
eligible for tax-free childcare. Parents can find out more about the free and
subsidised childcare offers at: www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.
My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced a series of policies
to support people, jobs and businesses on 20 March 2020, during which he
confirmed an increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance for 12 months, in
addition to planned uprating of 1.7%. The Universal Credit childcare offer remains the
same, and working families can claim back up to 85% of their registered childcare
costs each month. This can be claimed up to a month before starting a job. For
families with 2 children, this could be worth up to £13,000 a year.
Help with up-front childcare costs for starting work is available through a non-
repayable Flexible Support Fund (FSF) award for eligible Universal Credit claimants.
The FSF received an additional £150 million this financial year to help support
Universal Credit claimants to move closer to, or into, work. Help with up-front costs
for eligible Universal Credit claimants is available through Budgeting Advances.
Education: Coronavirus
Stephanie Peacock: [89801]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support his Department is providing to
schools to help disadvantaged pupils catch-up on time missed as a result of the covid-19
outbreak.
Vicky Ford:
All children have had their education disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak, but it is
likely that disadvantaged and vulnerable groups will have been hardest hit. The
government has announced a catch-up package worth £1 billion, including a catch-up
premium worth a total of £650 million to support schools to make up for lost teaching
time. To help schools make the best use of this funding, the Education Endowment
Foundation (EEF) has published a support guide for schools, which is available here:
https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/national-tutoring-
programme/covid-19-support-guide-for-schools/#nav-covid-19-support-guide-for-
schools1.
The guidance includes evidence-based approaches to catch-up for all students and a
further school planning guide: 2020 to 2021, which is available here:
https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/guide-to-
supporting-schools-planning/.
Alongside this universal grant, a National Tutoring Programme worth £350 million will
deliver proven, successful interventions to the most disadvantaged young people.
Research shows high-quality individual and small group tuition can add up to five
months of progress for disadvantaged pupils.
Schools continue to receive the pupil premium, worth almost £2.4 billion this year. We
strongly encourage school leaders to review their Pupil Premium Strategy to ensure
that it responds to the needs of pupils as they resume learning in the autumn term.
Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes
Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [88255]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer on 20 July 2020 to
Question 74468 on Free School Meals: Voucher Schemes, what the source of funding
was for Edenred's delivery of the School Food Voucher scheme.
Vicky Ford:
The government has taken unprecedented and substantial action to ensure that
children do not go hungry as we take measures to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak,
including in relation to free school meals.
In the first instance, we asked schools to support eligible pupils at home by providing
meals or food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. For
circumstances where this was not possible, we also established a national voucher
scheme to support schools and families while schools were closed to most pupils.
The cost of the vouchers issued to parents under the national voucher scheme and
the COVID-19 Summer Food Fund were met by Her Majesty’s Treasury.
Further Education: Finance
Mr Toby Perkins: [89672]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the oral contribution of the
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education of 7 September 2020, Official
Report, column 349, on Further Education College Finances, if he will publish a list of the
40 further education colleges officials of his Department are working with to help structure
their finances.
Gillian Keegan:
The department does not release information on specific colleges we are working
with as this is commercially sensitive.
Where colleges are expecting that they will face financial pressures, the Education
and Skills Funding Agency and Further Education Commissioner teams are working
directly with the college to ensure that there is the right support in place and that
learners are protected.
Neurofibromatosis: Pupils
Greg Smith: [87685]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that
schools are aware of the social, psychological and health problems that pupils with
neurofibromatosis 1 may have.
Vicky Ford:
The government is committed to pupils with medical conditions being properly
supported at school so that they have full access to education.
In 2014, the government introduced a new duty on schools to support all pupils with
medical conditions and has published statutory guidance on this for schools and
others. The guidance is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-
medical-conditions--3.
The guidance does not specify which medical conditions should be supported in
schools. Instead, it focuses on how to meet the needs of each individual child and
how their medical condition impacts on school life.
Governing bodies must ensure that arrangements are in place in schools to support
pupils at school with medical conditions, and that school leaders consult health and
social care professionals, pupils and parents to ensure that the needs of these
children are properly understood and effectively supported.
Outdoor Recreation: Coronavirus
Daisy Cooper: [82433]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to publish re-opening
guidance for residential outdoor activity centres as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are
eased.
Nick Gibb:
The guidance for full school opening advises against overnight educational visits at
this time. We continue to review this position and should the situation change, the
Department will update related guidance accordingly. The guidance can be found
here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-
coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.
Pupils: Genetics
Greg Smith: [87686]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what advice his Department gives to schools
to ensure that pupils with (a) neurofibromatosis 1 and (b) other genetic conditions receive
adequate and effective support.
Vicky Ford:
Our ambition is for every child, no matter what challenges they face, to have access
to a world-class education that sets them up for life.
The statutory guidance to support pupils at school with medical conditions are
designed to help schools ensure that they are meeting their legal responsibilities by
taking reasonable action to support children with medical conditions and to give
parents confidence that the right support will be put in place. The guidance is
available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-
school-with-medical-conditions--3.
The guidance covers a range of areas including the preparation and implementation
of school policies for supporting pupils with medical conditions, the use of individual
healthcare plans, staff training, medicines administration, roles and responsibilities,
consulting with parents and collaborative working with healthcare professionals. It
was developed based on good practice in schools.
We will continue to work with organisations such as the Health Conditions in Schools
Alliance to help raise further awareness of the duty on schools. Collaborative working
between local authorities, health bodies, schools and school governing bodies is vital
to ensure that pupils with medical needs are appropriately supported in school.
Pupils: Poverty
Margaret Greenwood: [82011]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the
regional distribution of schools with an above national average proportion of pupils living
in relative poverty.
Nick Gibb:
The national funding formula for schools includes a deprivation factor that acts as a
proxy measure for schools that are most likely to need extra resources to support
their pupils in reaching their full potential. This is identified through two indicators -
eligibility for free school meals (current eligibility and historic eligibility through the
“Ever6” measure, which records pupils who have been registered for benefits-based
free school meals at any point in the last six years); and the level of relative
deprivation in the postcode where the pupil lives (measured using Income
Deprivation Affecting Children Index, or IDACI). IDACI measures the proportion of
children in an area living in income-deprived families and provides funding based on
the relative socio-economic deprivation of the areas in which their pupils live. By
using this measure, we have broadened the scope of deprivation funding beyond just
those who are eligible for free school meals and the pupil premium.
The Department applies a “banding” methodology whereby IDACI scores are
grouped into seven bands, with each band representing an increase in the expected
level of deprivation. The table below shows the proportion of pupils aged 4 to 16 in
mainstream schools, in each IDACI band, in different regions, based on the October
2019 census. Band A is the highest level of deprivation, and band F is the lowest
(Band G – which is the least deprived and largest band – is not shown because it is
not funded):
Attachments:
1. Deprivation bands by area [82011_Deprivation_by_area.xls]
Schools: Coronavirus
Mary Kelly Foy: [84352]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has published
guidance for schools on a national school outbreak plan in the event of a covid-19 case.
Nick Gibb:
The Government has been clear that all pupils, in all year groups, should return to
school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term and on 2 July we published
guidance to help schools prepare for this, including advice on the responding to any
infections. This includes how schools should manage confirmed cases of COVID-19
amongst the school community, and contain any outbreak. The guidance is available
here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-
coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools
The 2 July guidance set out that every school should plan for the possibility of local
restrictions and how they will ensure continuity of education in exceptional
circumstances where there is some level of restriction applied to education or
childcare in a local area.
The Department of Health and Social Care has published an overview of the tiers of
restriction for education and childcare, to be implemented only where absolutely
necessary, in its contain framework. This can be viewed here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/containing-and-managing-local-
coronavirus-covid-19-outbreaks/covid-19-contain-framework-a-guide-for-local-
decision-makers
We have published guidance on how schools can plan for tier 2 local restrictions due
to the operational challenges that schools could experience. This can be viewed
here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-schools-can-plan-for-tier-2-local-
restrictions/how-schools-can-plan-for-tier-2-local-restrictions
Schools: Uniforms
Jonathan Gullis: [82550]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to
ensure that (a) quality, (b) sustainability and (c) cost considerations are prioritised in
school uniform policy.
Jonathan Gullis: [82551]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the
importance of maintaining school autonomy when developing policy on school uniform.
Jonathan Gullis: [82552]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the
importance of ensuring school uniform retailers maintain year-round availability of uniform
to pupils.
Nick Gibb:
It is for the governing body of a school (or in the case of academies, the academy
trust) to decide whether there should be a school uniform policy and what it should
be.
To support them to do this, the Department has issued best practice guidance, which
can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-uniform. This
makes clear that high priority must be given to cost considerations.
Governing bodies should be able to demonstrate that they have obtained the best
value for money from suppliers. Governing bodies should also consider the available
supply sources and year round availability of the proposed uniform.
The Government supports the recently introduced Private Members’ Bill to ‘Make
provision for guidance about the cost aspects of school uniform policies’, which will
place a duty on the Secretary of State to issue statutory guidance pertaining to cost
aspects of school uniform policies.
Special Educational Needs: Reviews
Alexander Stafford: [87715]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that the
Government’s SEND review is conducted (a) promptly and (b) thoroughly.
Vicky Ford:
The government remains fully committed to a thorough and fundamental review of
the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system.
The issues that the SEND system face are complex, but we are determined to deliver
real, lasting improvements, taking into account the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
I have met with many stakeholders across the SEND sector, to ensure that the review
responds to the concerns of families and representative organisations.
The findings of the review will be published as soon as it is practicable to do so.
Students: Employment and Higher Education
Afzal Khan: [83926]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to
ensure that (a) private candidates and (b) home-schooled students do not miss out on a
place at college or university, or employment, as a result of not having a centre
assessment grade.
Afzal Khan: [83927]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of
the number of (a) private candidates and (b) home schooled students who are missing
out on a place at college or university, or employment, as a result of not having a centre
assessment grade.
Nick Gibb:
Where schools and colleges had accepted entries from external candidates (students
who they have not taught themselves because they have been home educated or
studying independently), those students should have been included in the process of
producing centre assessment grades (CAGs), where the head teacher or principal
was confident that they and their staff had seen sufficient evidence of the student’s
achievement to make an objective judgement.
Ofqual and the exam boards explored the options for those students who did not
have an existing relationship with an exam centre and who needed results this
summer for progression purposes. The Joint Council for Qualifications published
guidance for exam centres on accepting private candidates which set out the options
that would be available. Ofqual asked organisations that represent higher and further
education earlier in the year to consider the steps that they could take when making
admissions decisions this summer for any external candidates who do not receive a
grade. Ofqual informed the Department that they believed that institutions would
consider a range of other evidence and information for these students to allow them
to progress wherever possible. The Government asked universities to be as flexible
as possible, and we will continue to make every effort to minimise the impact of the
pandemic on young people’s education and progression.
Students who were unable to receive a grade will need to sit exams, either in the
autumn exam series or in summer 2021. Exams will be available in all GCSE, AS and
A level subjects in the autumn. We have made clear that we expect schools and
colleges that had accepted entries from private candidates in the summer to enter
them into exams in the autumn where the students wish to sit an exam, and we have
put in place arrangements to ensure that there are no financial barriers to them doing
that.
Teachers: Documents
Fleur Anderson: [86771]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will highlight changes in guidance to
schools to ensure that teachers are easily able to find small changes in long documents.
Nick Gibb:
The response to COVID-19 is a fast-moving situation and, as it has evolved,
guidance for schools has been needed on a range of issues. The Department have
continued to update our guidance in response to feedback from school leaders and
stakeholders, and to ensure that it reflects the most up-to-date medical and scientific
information to make sure that teachers, parents and young people are as well-
informed as possible in the current rapidly changing circumstances.
The Department published guidance for schools on full opening on 2 July, to support
schools to prepare for the autumn term. We have kept this under review and updated
it when needed. The guidance is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-
coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.
Guidance from the Department lists any changes at the start of all documents to
enable school staff and others to see what has been updated. The Department have
also made efforts to reduce the number of different guidance documents on our
website so that leaders can, as far as possible, access all the information they need
in fewer places.
Universities: Coronavirus
Rachael Maskell: [86100]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional steps he is taking to ensure
that universities have the resources they need to respond to the covid-19 outbreak.
Michelle Donelan:
We are working closely with the higher education sector to provide both practical and
financial support through the COVID-19 outbreak. On 10 September, we published
updated guidance to the higher education sector on reopening buildings and
campuses, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-
education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/higher-education-reopening-buildings-
and-campuses.
This updated guidance provides further advice on, among other topics, reopening
university buildings, face coverings and social contacts, student accommodation,
local outbreaks including student movement, and on NHS test and trace.
Furthermore, we announced a higher education support package in early May. HM
Treasury confirmed higher education providers are eligible to apply for government
business support schemes, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy announced its research stabilisation package on 27 June.
From the autumn, the government will provide a package of grants and no-interest or
low-interest loans to 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, we also announced further information about the higher education
restructuring regime. This may 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 mitigate the risks of financial failure have not proved sufficient.
We have also announced that, subject to parliamentary approval, we will completely
remove temporary student number controls to help ensure that there are no
additional barriers to students being able to progress to higher education.
We have lifted caps on domestic medicine and dentistry courses for 2020-21 and
supported providers to offer places to as many students who have met the grades for
their current offer as they have capacity for, and where there are clinical placements
available, through additional grant funding to support the costs of this provision.
We are providing additional teaching grant funding to increase capacity in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and other high-cost subjects which
are vital to the country’s social needs and economy. The Office for Students (OfS) will
consult the sector on the details of how the allocations are made.
Providers will also be eligible to bid for a share of up to £10 million of funding to
support capital expenditure. This funding will be used to support the infrastructure
required to accommodate additional students recruited as a result of the changes to
policy on A level grades. The fund will be administered by the OfS, and providers will
be eligible to bid for projects that support expansion in 2020-21.
We will continue to monitor the situation and consider the effects that deferrals will
have on future years. Funding decisions for future years will be taken at the Spending
Review.
Lastly, and most importantly, we are supporting providers to protect students’ mental
health and wellbeing. This is a priority and I wrote to all higher education providers
asking them to ensure they continue to support students. We have clarified that
providers can use funding worth £256 million for the academic year 2020-21, starting
from August, towards student hardship funds and mental health support.
Furthermore, the OfS has provided up to £3 million to fund the Student Space
platform to bridge gaps in mental health support for students. Student Space is a
collaborative mental health resource to support students at English and Welsh
universities through the unique circumstances created by the COVID-19 outbreak.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Agriculture: Trade Fairs
Carla Lockhart: [89886]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding
his Department has provided to agricultural shows in England in each of the last three
years.
Victoria Prentis:
The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur
disproportionate costs.
Air Pollution
Mr Barry Sheerman: [87483]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is
taking to ensure that upcoming legislative proposals protect air quality.
Rebecca Pow:
This Government takes its air quality obligations seriously and the world-leading
Clean Air Strategy, published in January 2019, sets out the comprehensive action
required across all parts of Government to improve air quality for everyone.
The Environment Bill delivers key parts of this Strategy. It introduces a duty to set a
legally-binding target for fine particulate matter concentrations, the pollutant of
greatest harm to human health, alongside a duty to set a further long-term air quality
target. It also ensures that local authorities have a clear framework and simple to use
powers to address air quality in their areas; and provides government with new
powers to enforce environmental standards for vehicles.
Alongside this, the Bill will include a UK Environmental Protections policy which will
allow for greater transparency and strengthened scrutiny by Parliament regarding
future environmental legislation, including on air quality.
Association of Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities
Luke Pollard: [87659]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many times
since 2010 his Department has issued guidance to the Association of Inshore Fisheries
and Conservation Authorities.
Victoria Prentis:
The Association of Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (AIFCA) is not a
statutory body therefore the Department does not issue any guidance to it. Defra
officials have a monthly meeting with the AIFCA, and a Defra representative has
regularly attended quarterly meetings held between the Association and the Inshore
Fisheries and Conservation Authorities.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff
Neil O'Brien: [87654]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many
members of staff in their Department have one or more of the words equality, diversity,
inclusion, gender, LGBT or race in their job title.
Victoria Prentis:
I refer my Hon Friend to the answer I gave him on 9 September 2020, PQ UIN 83985.
[ questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2020-09-01/83985 ]
Dogs: Public Spaces Protection Orders
Jane Hunt: [87713]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment
he has made of the efficacy of Public Space Protection Orders regarding dog control as a
tool for encouraging responsible dog ownership.
Victoria Prentis:
Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Act 2014 each individual Public
Space Protection Order (PSPO) should be reviewed every three years by the
relevant local authority. This allows PSPOs to be assessed for their efficacy and to be
possibly amended or cancelled.
In addition to PSPOs there are other tools that police and local authorities can use to
control dogs and encourage responsible ownership. The 2014 Act includes specific
measures to enable the police and local authorities to tackle irresponsible dog
ownership before a dog attack occurs. The main tool to combat this form of
irresponsible dog ownership is the Community Protection Notice (CPN). CPNs can be
issued by local authority officers or the police on dog owners, or anyone temporarily
in charge of a dog at the time of an incident, where dogs are behaving in an unruly
way; for example, if a dog is running loose in a park and threatening children, or
where a dog threatens, or is allowed to attack another dog.
The CPN could require the dog’s owner, or the person in charge of it, to take
appropriate action to prevent a reoccurrence of the offending behaviour. To breach a
CPN is a criminal offence and could lead to a significant penalty. The Government is
determined to crack down on irresponsible dog ownership and to that end we are
encouraging police forces across the country to use these new tools.
Falcons: Exports
Allan Dorans: [87660]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to
the APHA Cites applications currently processed in Bristol, what progress he has made
on replacing the paper-based application process for a licence to export live falcons with
an online process; and what the timescale is for the completion of that process.
Victoria Prentis:
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and
Plant Health Agency (APHA) are continuing to develop an electronic permitting (e-
permitting) system through which traders and individuals would be able to apply for
CITES permits and certificates online. The system would be accessible for all CITES
listed specimens including live falcons.
Timelines for progressing this work are currently subject to further discussion
however we remain committed to delivering an efficient and modern domestic regime.
Flood Control
Stephanie Peacock: [89799]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many
meetings he has had on the winter 2019-20 flooding with hon. Members whose
constituencies were affected.
Rebecca Pow:
The Government recognises the impact that flooding has had on individuals, local
communities and businesses and sympathises with all those affected. Following the
winter 2019-20 flooding, the Secretary of State, myself and the department have
been actively engaging with hon Members whose constituencies were affected.
The Secretary of State has made a number of site visits and hosted an event
following the winter floods in November 2019 and February 2020. These included
visits to Ironbridge and Shrewsbury. He has also met individual Members including
the hon Member for Halifax and the Rt Hon Member for Newark to discuss flooding in
their constituencies.
In addition, I have taken part in a Westminster Hall debate on the South Yorkshire
flooding with several affected Members. I have also met hon Members to discuss
flooding in their constituencies including the hon Member for North East Derbyshire,
the hon Member for Brigg and Goole and the hon Member for Don Valley. I have also
attended an end of day debate with the hon Member for West Worcestershire.
I also attended an all-party meeting about the Severn Valley, held on 21 July 2020.
The hon Members for Shrewsbury and Atcham, Gloucester, Montgomeryshire, West
Worcestershire, Ludlow, North Herefordshire, Stroud, Stafford, and Defra's
Parliamentary Private Secretary, the hon Member for Brecon and Radnorshire,
attended.
I have been in contact with hon Members from the South Yorkshire area on the issue
of a round table and I expect to be able to confirm a date very soon.
Flood Control: South Yorkshire
Stephanie Peacock: [89800]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many
meetings he has held with regional stakeholders in South Yorkshire on (a) the winter
2019 floods and (b) flood defence support in the last 12 months.
Rebecca Pow:
The Government recognises the impact that flooding has had on individuals, local
communities and businesses and sympathises with all those affected. Following the
winter 2019-20 flooding, the Secretary of State, myself and the department have
been actively engaging with regional stakeholders.
As Minister for floods I engaged in a Westminster Hall debate focused on the flooding
in South Yorkshire over the winter. This was attended by the hon Members for
Barnsley East, Kingston upon Hull North, Rother Valley, Newport West, and the Rt
Hon Member for Doncaster North. I have also met with the hon Member for Don
Valley to discuss the impact of the winter floods and Sheffield City region's planned
investment programme.
A number of hon Members from South Yorkshire have also written to Defra since
November 2019. These include the hon Members for Barnsley Central, Don Valley,
Rother Valley, and the Rt Hon Members for Doncaster North and Wentworth and
Dearne.
Recently South Yorkshire, Sheffield, Upper Don Valley and the Upper Don
Catchment NFM programme schemes received an allocation of the £170 million
announced on 14 July, £15.4 million for the Sheffield Upper Don scheme and
£600,000 for the NFM programme. Following this announcement, I met with the
Member for Penistone & Stocksbridge to discuss flooding.
I have been in contact with hon Members from the South Yorkshire area on the issue
of a round table and I expect to be able to confirm a date very soon.
Additionally, my officials have been engaging actively with eligible local authorities on
the Property Flood Resilience Fund to provide clarity on the guidance for these
schemes and to provide clarity on delivery questions.
Hunting: Coronavirus
Luke Pollard: [89853]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a)
grouse shooting and (b) trail hunting are exempted activities from the rule of six covid-19
regulations.
Rebecca Pow:
Some types of shooting and hunting may qualify for an exemption from the
gatherings limit, as certain types of physical activity are allowed in groups larger than
six. If someone on a shoot or hunt holds a permit or license, issued by a public body,
that is required for the activity or any equipment used in that activity and the
organiser of the has undertaken a risk assessment, the activity may be able to go
ahead.
There is also an exemption which allows people to participate in fitness-related
activities in larger groups. Some types of hunts may therefore be exempt where
riders are undertaking equestrian activity related to fitness. Individual hunts will want
to take their own advice about whether the rule of six applies to them. For fitness
related activity, a business, a charitable organisation, benevolent or philanthropic
institution, a public body, or a political body must organise.
Outdoor Recreation: Coronavirus
Luke Pollard: [89854]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he
received representations on which outdoor activities are exempt from the rule of six
covid-19 regulations.
Rebecca Pow:
We have exempted over thirty types of sport, exercise and physical activity such as
football, rugby and other outdoor pursuits from the gatherings limit. Outdoor activity is
safer from a transmission perspective, and it is often easier to social distance. Where
such activities take place, safety measures must be taken including conducting a risk
assessment and compliance with COVID-19 Secure guidance. For fitness related
activity, a business, a charitable organisation, benevolent or philanthropic institution,
a public body, or a political body must organise. The Secretary of State did not
receive any formal representations on the exemptions before they were made.
FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
Abduljalil Abdulla al-Singace
Andy Slaughter: [87502]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with
reference to reports of ongoing medical negligence in Jau Prison in Bahrain of (a)
inmates not being provided with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) despite cases of
covid-19 and (b) Dr Abduljalil AlSingace not receiving medical treatment, if the
Government will make urgent representations to the Government of Bahrain on provision
of appropriate (i) PPE and (ii) treatment for Dr AlSingace.
James Cleverly:
We are not aware of any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Bahrain's prisons. The
Government of Bahrain has made clear that access to appropriate medical care for
those in detention continues to be guaranteed, which means under normal
circumstances that any prisoner wishing to see a doctor is taken to the prison clinic,
with referral to specialist facilities where required; but that as part of Bahrain's
COVID-19 precautions, all initial medical consultations now take place via video calls.
Where necessary, physical appointments with external medical specialists continue
to be available, although, in line with guidance issued by the World Health
Organization, prisoners seeing external specialists are required to isolate for 10 days
in a separate detention facility before returning to prison ensuring the safety of both
patients and medical staff. We welcome these assurances from the Government of
Bahrain, urge continued transparency and would encourage those with any concerns
about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights
oversight body.
Afghanistan: Ethnic Groups
Seema Malhotra: [88872]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
discussions he has had with his counterpart in Afghanistan on the protection of minorities,
particularly Afghan Hindus and Sikhs in that country.
Nigel Adams:
[Holding answer 16 September 2020]: We continue to urge the Government of
Afghanistan to ensure that the rights of minorities are protected, in line with the
Afghan Constitution. The Minister of State for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of
Wimbledon, last raised human rights with the Afghan Foreign Minister on 14 May.
Most recently, the UK's Ambassador to Afghanistan, Alison Blake CMG, discussed
citizens' rights with Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, Dr.
Abdullah Abdullah on 3 September. The UK strongly condemns the targeting of
innocent people based on their beliefs. The Minister publicly condemned the 25
March attack in Kabul on a Sikh Gurdwara.
Bahrain: Capital Punishment
Stephen Farry: [86209]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs,
pursuant to the Answer of 1 September 2020 to Question 77846 on Bahrain: Capital
punishment, if he will set out the international standards referred to in the Answer
James Cleverly:
Our support for Bahrain fully complies with our international human rights obligations
as it is dependent on a robust assessment under the Overseas Security and Justice
Assistance process, which requires that recognised human rights and other risks
must be considered prior to providing assistance, including an assessment of the
potential impact of any proposed assistance, and the identification of mitigation
measures against the risk that assistance might directly or significantly contribute to a
violation. Furthermore, our assistance is regularly monitored and evaluated to ensure
it continues to deliver against these standards, and is often delivered in cooperation
with respected international partners such as the United Nations Development
Programme.
Bahrain: Political Prisoners
Wera Hobhouse: [86137]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of (a) the article written by
Bahraini political prisoner and rights activist Ali AlHajee, published by the Independent on
15 August 2020 and (b) Mr AlHajee’s request that the Government call for the release of
all political prisoners in Bahrain.
James Cleverly:
We are aware of the allegations contained in Mr Al Hajee's article, which have been
investigated by Bahrain's independent human rights oversight bodies. The UK
Government takes note of a number of sources of information on Bahrain when
making assessments. Our latest assessment was published as part of our Human
Rights and Democracy Report in July 2020.
Bangladesh: Rohingya
Yasmin Qureshi: [86621]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs,
whether he has received representations on the resumption of the Government of
Bangladesh pilot of the Myanmar curriculum in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps; and
whether steps towards the resumption of that curriculum have been agreed.
Nigel Adams:
[Holding answer 11 September 2020]: The Government of Bangladesh agreed
earlier this year to ensure Rohingya children have access to the Myanmar curriculum.
Since then the COVID-19 crisis has forced the closure of all learning centres in the
camps. Education partners have tried to ensure continuity of learning; for example, by
providing caregivers with learning materials. We hope learning centres will re-open
soon, with measures in place to ensure the safety of pupils and teachers. This
includes piloting the Myanmar curriculum. The Foreign Secretary has stressed the
importance of this in his communication with the Government of Bangladesh. FCDO
officials regularly engage on education for Rohingya refugees, including through the
Myanmar curriculum, with stakeholders in Cox's Bazar, Dhaka and London.
Yasmin Qureshi: [86622]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
representations he has made to his counterpart in Bangladesh on a timetable for the
reinstatement of internet services for Rohingya refugees.
Nigel Adams:
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has consistently engaged with
the Government of Bangladesh on the importance of restoring internet services in the
Cox's Bazar refugee camps since restrictions were introduced in September 2019.
The Foreign Secretary raised this in a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in July.
The Minister for South Asia, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, has discussed the issue
several times with the Bangladesh High Commissioner in London. The British High
Commissioner in Dhaka has also spoken with the Prime Minister's Foreign Policy
Adviser and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On Friday 28 August, we were
pleased to see internet services restored in the camps.
China: Military Exercises
Sarah Champion: [88875]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
discussions he has had with (a) his Chinese counterpart on the China’s People’s
Liberation Army large-scale military exercises in airspace southwest of Taiwan on
September 9 and 10, and (b) his Taiwanese counterpart on maintaining peace and
stability in the region.
Nigel Adams:
[Holding answer 16 September 2020]: We oppose any action which raises tensions
in the region and hinders the chances of peaceful settlement of any issues. The
Foreign Secretary has not discussed the military exercises in the Taiwan Strait that
occurred on 9 and 10 September with anyone in the region, but all our international
partners are clear on the UK's longstanding position
Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
Lisa Nandy: [88867]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for
what reason the Government is yet to join the other permanent members of the UN
Security Council in ratifying Protocol V of the Convention of Certain Conventional
Weapons.
James Cleverly:
[Holding answer 16 September 2020]: The UK is fully committed to the humanitarian
aims of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, and has ratified four of
the Convention's five protocols. The UK already abides by the spirit of Protocol V and
is assessing its position with regard to ratification.
Coronavirus: Disease Control
Ms Lyn Brown: [86616]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
assessment he has made of the extent of persecution of religious minorities within the
covid-19 pandemic response in (a) Nigeria, (b) India, (c) Bangladesh, (d) Somalia, (e)
China, (f) Myanmar, (g) the Gulf region and (h) other countries.
Nigel Adams:
We are continuing to assess the impact of COVID-19 on minority religious and belief
communities around the world. We are deeply concerned by incidents of hate speech
targeting minority religious and belief groups, including the rise in conspiracy theories
that certain faiths or beliefs are to blame for coronavirus. Such incidents are
unacceptable, and the UK will continue to refute these divisive and harmful claims.
We are also concerned by reports that some minority communities have been denied
access to aid and information. As part of our ongoing work to promote Freedom of
Religion or Belief for all, we have issued statements calling for states to ensure that
any restrictions to the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief are necessary,
proportionate and time-limited to protect public health. The Minister for Human
Rights, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, also urged states to take steps to mitigate the
disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged
members of society, including religious and belief minorities, during the UK's closing
statement at the 44th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
Côte d'Ivoire: Politics and Government
Neil Coyle: [84699]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
assessment his Department has made of the political and security situation in the Ivory
Coast.
James Duddridge:
The UK Government has a strong partnership with Côte d'Ivoire. Stability and
inclusive economic growth are shared priorities, with a view to consolidating peace
after a decade of crisis and uncertainty.
The upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections are the responsibility of the
Government of Côte d'Ivoire, all political parties, and the Ivoirian people. Peaceful,
free and credible elections, in line with international law, are an opportunity to build
long term peace and stability in Côte d'Ivoire. We encourage all parties to work
towards this goal.
We are concerned about reports of protests and violence, which resulted in a dozen
deaths in August. We urge all parties to participate responsibly, engage fully in the
process, avoid the use of inflammatory language, and denounce violence and hate
speech. To support these aims, alongside members of the international community,
our Embassy in Abidjan is working closely with the United Nations Development
Programme to support fair and transparent elections. This includes £300,000 of
funding to support dialogue and prevention management of the risks of electoral
violence. This includes increasing the number of women mediators involved in
election management and organising meetings between security forces, civil society
and communities. We are also supporting the training of security forces, which is
focused on ensuring that public security during the election period is maintained and
that human rights are respected. We are following developments closely. We expect
elections to be conducted transparently and that due process be followed before and
during the polls.
Democracy and Human Rights
Jim Shannon: [87549]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he
will invite submissions from civil society during the process of preparing his Department’s
Human Rights and Democracy report.
Nigel Adams:
We regularly engage with a wide range of civil society organisations globally on
human rights issues and value their contributions in achieving our foreign policy and
development priorities. This engagement will be reflected in the Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office's 2020 Annual Human Rights and
Democracy Report to be published in 2021.
Developing Countries: Religion
Ms Lyn Brown: [86614]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
steps he is taking to ensure that religious identity is not a barrier to equal access to UK
Official Development Assistance.
James Cleverly:
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) use of country
context analysis has increased the extent to which religious dynamics and religious
groups are factored into all of our country programmes. The FCDO undertakes
interdisciplinary analysis of a country's politics, society, state and economy to identify
the most significant problems that hinder development and the main entry points and
opportunities to create change. There is a strong emphasis on how politics, security,
and demographics interact with economic growth and human development. This
includes the role of religion and the persecution of religious minorities.
The FCDO is committed to working with all its partners, including faith-based
organisations, to ensure that the most vulnerable people and groups are prioritised
for humanitarian assistance, in line with international humanitarian principles. This
includes religious and ethnic groups who are at risk of discrimination and persecution.
We work closely with our partners to ensure they are rigorously assessing
vulnerability and needs (including those linked with religious identity), ahead of
allocating assistance, as well as conducting robust monitoring to ensure that aid is
reaching those most in need.
Ethiopia: Demonstrations
Patrick Grady: [86686]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
discussions he has had with his Ethiopian counterpart on the recent protests in that
country.
Patrick Grady: [86687]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
diplomatic steps he is taking to help reduce violence committed against civilians and
protesters in Ethiopia.
James Duddridge:
[Holding answer 11 September 2020]: The UK is concerned by reports of violence
and displacement of people in a number of regions in Ethiopia. I raised this with the
Government of Ethiopia when visiting Addis Ababa at the end of July. I raised the
importance of open and transparent investigations into ongoing incidents of violence.
The UK supports the efforts of the Government of Ethiopia to strengthen
accountability and has been encouraged by their efforts to open the political space -
in particular the release of thousands of political prisoners and the reform of
legislation which constrained civil and political rights. We are committed to supporting
civil society organisations in Ethiopia so that they can play an increasing role in
monitoring human rights. We shall continue to monitor the situation and to raise the
importance of respect for human rights in meetings with the Government of Ethiopia
and regional leaders.
Ethiopia: Human Rights
Patrick Grady: [86688]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
diplomatic steps he is taking to help reduce human rights violations against the Oromo
people in Ethiopia.
James Duddridge:
[Holding answer 11 September 2020]: I am concerned by reports of human rights
violations against the Oromo people that included the murder of Ethiopian musician
Hachalu Hundessa on 29 June, and the violence that followed in Addis Ababa and
the Oromo region. I visited Ethiopia from 27 - 29 July and was able to discuss these
events with the President, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and the President
of Oromia Region. I urged for transparent investigations into these incidents of
violence and asked that those detained receive access to justice, and that their cases
are heard promptly. I also expressed the need for more peaceful dialogue between
different groups in Ethiopia and for space to be given for political debate. We shall
continue to monitor the situation and to raise the importance of respect for human
rights in meetings with the Ethiopian Government and regional leaders.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Equality
Yasmin Qureshi: [84997]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
steps he has taken to ensure his Department's management board is diverse in terms of
(a) gender, (b) ethnicity and (c) experience.
Nigel Adams:
[Holding answer 9 September 2020]: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development
Office (FCDO) is committed to putting diversity and inclusion at its heart.
The people appointed to the interim Board bring a range of experience, including
from FCDO, HM Treasury, BEIS, Cabinet Office, the private and voluntary sectors
and academia. It is not possible to provide a breakdown by gender or ethnicity for the
Board members as this would contravene GDPR principles. Biographies of all Board
members can be found on Gov.UK.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Personnel Management
John Stevenson: [84203]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how
many full-time equivalent staff were employed in the (a) Foreign and Commonwealth
Office's and (b) Department for International Development's human resources section in
April 2020.
Nigel Adams:
As of the 31st March 2020, the Department for International Development had 64.6
FTE staff employed in the Human Resources Department and 27.3 FTE officers
employed in the in-house HR Operations function.
As of the 31st March 2020, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office had 116.8 FTE staff
employed in the Human Resources Directorate and 57.6 FTE officers employed in
the in-house HR Operations function.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Religious Freedom
Jim Shannon: [87546]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he
will make protecting freedom of religion or belief a priority for his Department.
Jim Shannon: [87551]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs,
whether it remains his Department's policy to implement the recommendations of the
Bishop of Truro’s Review of the FCO’s work to support persecuted Christians.
Nigel Adams:
Defending the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all is a priority for the
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The UK Government has
committed to implement the Bishop of Truro's 22 recommendations in full, in a way
that will bring real improvements in the lives of those persecuted because of their
faith or belief. Over half of the recommendations have either been implemented, or
are in progress, and work is continuing to implement the remainder.
Jim Shannon: [87548]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
steps he is taking to ensure that Departmental officials who work in countries with
significant freedom of religion or belief violations are using his Department's freedom of
religion or belief toolkit to help tackle that issue.
Nigel Adams:
The FCDO has developed a workshop that helps our staff in overseas Posts to
implement our toolkit on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). The Freedom of
Religion or Belief toolkit was developed with input from legal and academic experts,
and is intended to support FCDO human rights officers as they promote and protect
this human right, and respond to violations or abuses of it
(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attach
ment_data/file/561516/Freedom_of_Religion_or_Belief_Toolkit_-_2016.pdf).
Colleagues in Posts are encouraged to report to the Department on FoRB issues in
their host countries on a regular basis.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Reorganisation
Catherine West: [84721]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
assessment he has made of the effect of the merger of the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office and the Department for International Development on British foreign policy
objectives.
James Duddridge:
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will maximise UK
influence around the world by combining diplomatic leverage with world-leading
development support and expertise. The FCDO will continue to pursue our national
interests and projects the UK as a force for good in the world. We will promote the
interests of British citizens, safeguard the UK's security, defend our values, reduce
poverty and tackle global challenges with our international partners.
As the PM has made clear, the new FCDO will maximise the impact of our aid budget
to help the world's poorest while making sure we get the best value for UK taxpayers
money.
The objectives of the FCDO will be informed by the outcome of the Integrated
Review, which is expected to conclude in the autumn. Both the review and the
inception of the FCDO are evidence of the Government's commitment to a unified
British foreign policy that will maximise our influence around the world.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Staff
Apsana Begum: [87695]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether civil
servants in the (a) Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) Department for
International Development will see a change in their legal employer on the formation of
the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Nigel Adams:
As employees are and will remain Crown employees, there is technically no change
of employer due to the merger. However, all staff affected by the merger have been
advised that they transferred into the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development
Office on 2 September.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Training
Neil O'Brien: [86155]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how
much the Department spent on unconscious bias training in each of the last five years.
Nigel Adams:
There are three ways the FCDO supports staff in this learning: by direct access to the
Civil Service Learning (CSL) website, by accessing CSL via the FCDO's internal
learning system, Global Learning Opportunities (GLO), or by learning provided by
specialists and learning champions overseas. There is no cost to departments for the
online CSL unconscious bias training. We do not hold any data centrally for
unconscious bias courses delivered overseas or for earlier periods.
India: British Nationals Abroad
Zarah Sultana: [84743]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs,what
recent discussions he has had with his Indian counterpart on the deaths of (a) Sakil
Dawood, (b) Saeed Dawood and (c) Mohammed Aswat during riots in Gujarat in
February 2002.
Nigel Adams:
We have not had any recent conversations with the Government of India about this.
We stand ready to provide further consular assistance if requested.
India: Religious Freedom
Paul Girvan: [82301]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
representations he has made to his Indian counterpart on the persecution and murder of
Christians and members of other minority religious groups in India.
Nigel Adams:
The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High
Commissions maintain a continuous assessment of the human rights situation across
India, talking regularly to the Government of India, including about freedom of religion
or belief. Where we have concerns, we raise them directly with the Government of
India: the Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, Lord (Tariq)
Ahmad of Wimbledon, has raised these issues on several occasions with the Indian
High Commissioner in London and his opposite number in the Ministry of External
Affairs in New Delhi. We also continue to engage Indian religious leaders of all faiths
and to support Indian partners to promote interfaith relations among young people
Israel: Palestinians
Rushanara Ali: [85045]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
recent assessment his Department has made of the rate of (a) demolitions and (b)
confiscations of (i) Palestinian homes and (ii) other structures by Israel in 2020 compared
to the last five years.
James Cleverly:
The UK is concerned by the demolition of Palestinian property by Israeli authorities.
In all but the most exceptional of circumstances demolitions are contrary to
International Humanitarian Law. We also remain concerned about Israeli
confiscations of Palestinian homes and structures. These practices are harmful to the
peace process. We continue to urge the Government of Israel to develop improved
mechanisms for zoning, planning and permitting in Area C for the benefit of the
Palestinian population, including by facilitating local Palestinian participation in such
processes.
Rushanara Ali: [85048]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with
reference to the report to the UN Human Rights Council of the UN Special Rapporteur on
the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, dated 15
July 2020, what representations he has made to the Government of Israel on ending all
measures amounting to collective punishment of Palestinians including the closure of
Gaza.
James Cleverly:
We have serious concerns about the use of punitive acts against the families of
Palestinians who have been accused of violent acts by Israel, including Israel's policy
of demolitions to destroy the homes belonging to suspected Palestinian terrorists or
their families. Such punishments, in all but the most exceptional of cases, are
contrary to international humanitarian law. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv
have registered concerns about this policy with Israeli authorities. The UK also
remains deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza. We continue to stress to the
Israeli authorities the damage that their restrictions are doing to the economy and to
the living standards of ordinary Palestinians in Gaza. There remains an urgent need
for all parties to reach an agreement that addresses the underlying causes of the
conflict in Gaza.
Maira Shahbaz
Alex Sobel: [82339]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
discussions his Department has had with his Pakistani counterpart on the decision by the
Lahore High Court that 14-year old Maira Shahbaz must stay married to a man who
allegedly abducted her at gunpoint in that country.
Nigel Adams:
We are closely monitoring Maira Shahbaz's case following her reported abduction in
April. We are concerned about women's and girls' rights and ongoing reports of
forced marriage and forced conversion in Pakistan, including such reports of this
happening to women and girls from religious minorities such as Hindus, Christians
and Sikhs. The UK Government strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced
conversion of women and girls.
We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and
girl's rights and gender equality with the government of Pakistan at a senior level.
Most recently, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon raised our human rights concerns with
Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 15 July.
Myanmar: Rohingya
Claire Hanna: [84755]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
progress his Department has made in (a) advocating Myanmar accountability for crimes
committed against the Rohingya population and (b) making representations on the
Rohingya people’s safe, voluntary and dignified return home.
Nigel Adams:
The UK has been clear that those responsible for serious human rights violations
should be held to account. We have used our role on the UN Security Council
(UNSC) to increase international attention on the Rohingya crisis and we continue to
lead calls for accountability. The UK has worked with partners to try and implement
the Fact Finding Mission recommendations, including establishing the UN
Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar to collect and preserve evidence
of atrocities. When I spoke to the Myanmar Minister for International Cooperation on
23 June, I encouraged Myanmar to continue to engage with the International Court of
Justice process in a transparent way. On 6 July, the UK's Global Human Rights
sanction regime (GHR) listed the Myanmar military's Commander-in-Chief and
Deputy Commander-in-Chief, for overseeing the systematic and brutal violence
against the Rohingya and other minorities, as set out in the Independent Fact Finding
Mission Report. This is in addition to the sanctions which the UK secured through the
EU, against 14 members of the Myanmar military responsible for serious human
rights violations.
The UK has been clear that Rohingya returns must be voluntary, safe and dignified,
in line with the principles of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). We agree with the
UNHCR's assessment that conditions are not yet in place to enable this. Since early
2019 there have been serious clashes in Rakhine State between the Arakan Army,
an Ethnic Armed Organisation, and the Myanmar military. We have called at the
UNSC for an immediate cessation of hostilities. We continue to press the
Government of Myanmar for full implementation of the Kofi Annan Rakhine Advisory
Commission (RAC) recommendations, including granting citizenship, freedom of
movement and permitting immediate and effective access for agencies. The UK is
clear that the RAC recommendations remain the best and only internationally and
domestically agreed template for tackling the problems in Rakhine State.
Ms Lyn Brown: [86611]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
support he is providing to the International Criminal Court Investigation ICC-01/19 of
crimes against the Rohingya people.
Nigel Adams:
The UK wants to see accountability for atrocities committed in Myanmar. The UK
provides both practical and financial support to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The UK currently contributes 8.4% of the ICC's total budget. ICC investigations are
funded through this annual programme budget.
Palestinians: Overseas Aid
Rushanara Ali: [85046]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
support his Department plans to provide to vulnerable Palestinians through the £2.7m UK
aid package that he announced on 25 August 2020.
James Cleverly:
The Foreign Secretary recently announced a £2.7 million UK aid package to UN
agencies to help provide food assistance, medical supplies and personal protection
for the most vulnerable Palestinians. This includes food vouchers for over 120,000
people for one month to prevent malnutrition; cash assistance for 1,114 households
for eight months and personal protection for frontline doctors and aid workers to stop
the spread of the virus.
Palestinians: Textbooks
Jonathan Gullis: [86781]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
discussions he has had with his EU counterparts in response to reports that the EU's
review into the Palestinian curriculum presents Israeli textbooks as those published by
the Palestinian Authority.
James Cleverly:
The UK Government has a zero tolerance approach towards incitement to violence
and lobbied our European partners to conduct a thorough independent review of
textbooks used in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which is now underway. This
review is ongoing, and the final report is not due until the end of 2020. We will study
its findings carefully.
The UK does not comment on leaked reports. Our European partners have been
clear that the study does not look at Israeli textbooks. We understand that the
methodology of the study will include a separate section on a very limited sample of
textbooks used in East Jerusalem and modified by Israel for the purpose of
comparison.
Saudi Arabia: Immigrants
Jim Shannon: [87550]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
representations he has made to the Saudi Arabian authorities on the forceful detention of
African migrants in covid-19 detention centres in that country.
James Cleverly:
We are monitoring the situation closely, as we always do on human rights issues. In
July, I met with the Head of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, Dr Awwad al-
Awwad, to discuss our human rights concerns. Lord Ahmad also discussed our
concerns with Dr al-Awwad in June, including on human trafficking and migrant
workers' rights. It is important that we work collectively to respond to the
unprecedented threat of COVID-19 to limit the spread of the virus and to mitigate its
negative impacts, whilst simultaneously respecting fundamental human rights.
Taiwan: Sustainable Development
Andrew Rosindell: [88251]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what
steps the Government is taking to strengthen its co-operation with Taiwan on achieving
and implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Nigel Adams:
The UK Government welcomes the contribution Taiwan voluntarily makes to the UN's
Sustainable Development Goals, despite not being a member state of the UN, and
we continue to work closely with Taiwan on this and other matters. We enjoy a
constructive relationship covering a range of issues through organisations where
statehood is not a prerequisite, such as the WTO and the European Bank of
Reconstruction and Development. The UK believes that the people of Taiwan have a
valuable contribution to make on issues of global concern and this includes on
sustainable development.
HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
Abortion: Coronavirus
Andrew Rosindell: [88252]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to
ensure that temporarily allowed home abortions during the covid-19 outbreak do not
place women at increased risk of complications; and whether he will suspend them
pending further investigations of these risks.
Helen Whately:
The Department is aware of a small number of incidents of concern which we are
looking into alongside with the Care Quality Commission and other partners. We
continue to closely monitor the impact of the temporary approval for women’s homes
to be classed as a place where both sets of medication for early medical abortion can
be taken up to 10 weeks gestation.
The Government has committed to undertake a public consultation on making
permanent the COVID-19 measure allowing for home use of both pills for early
medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation for all eligible women. Further details on
the consultation will be available in due course.
Abortion: Drugs
Scott Benton: [88412]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has
made of the health risks of abortion pills taken at home.
Helen Whately:
The Department continues to closely monitor the impact of the temporary approval for
women’s homes to be classed as a place where both sets of medication for early
medical abortion can be taken up to 10 weeks gestation. Officials have regular
meetings with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Care
Quality Commission and abortion service providers.
The Government has committed to undertake a public consultation on making
permanent the COVID-19 measure allowing for home use of both pills for early
medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation for all eligible women. Further details on
the consultation will be available in due course.
Sir David Amess: [88805]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which Minister in his
Department has responsibility to make an assessment of the effect of the temporary
measure to approve both sets of medication for early medical abortion to be taken at
home during the covid-19 outbreak; when such information with be made available; and if
he will make a statement.
Helen Whately:
[Holding answer 16 September 2020]: Responsibility for abortion policy within the
Department falls within my Ministerial portfolio.
The Department continues to closely monitor the impact of the temporary approval for
women’s homes to be classed as a place where both sets of medication for early
medical abortion can be taken up to 10 weeks gestation.
The Government has committed to undertake a public consultation on making
permanent the COVID-19 measure allowing for home use of both pills for early
medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation for all eligible women. Further details on
the consultation will be available in due course.
Care Homes: Coronavirus
Steve McCabe: [55852]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the criteria are on care
home prioritisation for covid-19 home testing kits.
Helen Whately:
In June, the following criteria were assessed in order to prioritise sending test kits:
- care homes referred to us by Public Health England because they have had a new
outbreak;
- care homes for older people and those with Dementia that have over 50 beds, then
those with 25-50 beds; and
- all other care homes.
Care Homes: Visits
Sarah Olney: [86130]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is
taking to update visiting arrangements in care homes to allow for closer interaction
between residents and their visitors while maintaining the health and safety of care
workers and residents as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.
Helen Whately:
[Holding answer 10 September 2020]: Our first priority is to prevent infections in care
homes, and this means that visiting policy should still be restricted with alternatives
sought wherever possible.
However, we are aware that limiting visits in care homes has been difficult for many
families and residents who want to see their loved ones. The decision on whether or
not to allow visitors, and in what circumstances will be for the relevant Director of
Public Health and managers of each individual setting to make. Care homes will be
supported by local infection control leads in making decisions about visiting, to
ensure that the balance of risks and benefits is appropriately considered. Advice for
residents and families should be set out in the visiting policy of the care home and
shared with them. All our guidance is designed with care users in mind, to ensure that
individuals are treated with dignity and respect and that their particular needs are
addressed.
The latest guidance on visiting arrangements in care homes is available at the
following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visiting-care-homes-during-
coronavirus/update-on-policies-for-visiting-arrangements-in-care-homes
Deloitte: Coronavirus
Stella Creasy: [69535]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11
June 2020 to Question 48980 on Deloitte, if he will set out the total sum of monies paid
by his Department to Deloitte for each month of 2020.
Helen Whately:
[Holding answer 9 July 2020]: We do not currently hold data in the requested format.
However, information on Deloitte's contract with the Department will be published in
due course at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder
Health and Social Services: Quarantine
Debbie Abrahams: [67650]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what equality impact
assessment he has made of the disparity in rules for quarantine upon arrival in the UK for
(a) carers of people with disabilities who are either directly employed as a personal
assistant or employed through a care agency registered with the Care Quality
Commission and (b) health and care workers with proof of professional registration with a
UK-based regulator.
Helen Whately:
[Holding answer 6 July 2020]: On 8 June new rules for international travellers were
introduced in order to reduce the risk of new COVID-19 cases from abroad. An
exemption to the requirement to self-isolate was added to allow registered health and
care staff to return to England to provide essential healthcare, helping to strengthen
the country’s response to the coronavirus outbreak and save lives.
On 30 July the Government removed the exemption for registered health and care
staff, thereby requiring them to self-isolate for 14 days on return from a non-exempt
country or territory. The removal of this exemption ensure consistency with wider self-
isolation measures and continue to protect public health.
Health Professions: Discrimination
Sir Mark Hendrick: [81550]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what unconscious bias training
his Department offers to healthcare professionals.
Helen Whately:
There are elements of the Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Level 1 session,
which deal with the concept of unconscious bias. This session is part of the e-
Learning for Healthcare Statutory and Mandatory Training Programme and is aimed
at all staff, including unpaid and voluntary staff.
Individual National Health Service organisations have responsibility for training their
own staff and will provide further relevant training where appropriate.
Members: Correspondence
Mr John Baron: [69461]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to
the letters of 29 April 2020, 7 May 2020 and 18 June 2020 from the hon. Member for
Basildon and Billericay on Ms Valerie Utting.
Helen Whately:
[Holding answer 9 July 2020]: I replied to the hon. Member’s letter on 19 August
2020.
NHS: Physiotherapy
Liz Twist: [87619]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to retain
physiotherapists who have entered NHS employment temporarily during the covid-19
outbreak.
Helen Whately:
In total, 3,754 physiotherapists have joined the Health and Care Professions
Council’s COVID-19 temporary register.
A recent survey of returners indicated that around 50% across all professions were
interested in continuing to work in the health and social care system.
There are existing return to practice schemes designed to support physiotherapists
who have been out of the workforce for a number of years to safely re-start their
careers.
NHS England is working with the Department and other local employing
organisations to consider a range of flexible options to make it easier for
professionals including physiotherapists who are interested in re-joining the National
Health Service workforce to do so.
Respite Care: Dementia
Caroline Lucas: [86623]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to require a
uniform method of recording (a) the provision of respite care across local authorities and
(b) whether the person being cared for has dementia; if he will undertake regular
assessments of the implications for his policies of respite care data at a national level;
and if he will make a statement.
Caroline Lucas: [86624]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made
of the implications for his Department's policies of the recommendations in the
Alzheimer’s Society report, The Fog of Support – An inquiry into the provision of respite
care and carers assessments for people affected by dementia.
Caroline Lucas: [86625]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had
with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the
provision of dementia-specific carers’ respite services since the Prime Minister's
statement to the nation on covid-19 on 23 March 2020.
Helen Whately:
Day services are an important form of support for people with dementia and their
carers. Decisions about opening and delivery of care lie at local authority level, in line
with local risk assessments and the latest public health advice. Some services were
able to stay open, but others in more complex or closed settings may have closed
and may now be looking to re-open or provide services that meet the needs of their
communities in alternative ways, subject to any local or national restrictions to
prevent the risk of infection. We have worked with the Social Care Institute for
Excellence to publish guidance to help make decisions on restarting services and to
provide quality care safely. The guidance was published on Friday 10 July.
Support groups such as dementia support groups remain exempt from the ‘rule of 6’
that came into force on 14 September. Such groups can take place in COVID-secure
settings or public outdoor spaces, if the support group is organised by a business, a
charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institution or a public body to provide mutual
aid, therapy or any other form of support to its members or those who attend its
meetings.
Data on day services is not held centrally. Day services may be run by private
providers, voluntary organisations or local authorities. Local authorities are
responsible for commissioning services in their areas. We are working with the
Association of Directors of Adult Social Services to better understand the current
picture relating to day services and alternative arrangements that have been put in
place by local authorities and providers with the aim of sharing best practice.
The Department continues to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities
and Local Government, local authorities and providers to support those with the need
for social care.
Social Services: Coronavirus
Kate Hollern: [81960]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is
taking to support adult social care providers to prepare for the potential effect of a second
wave of covid-19 infections in winter 2020-21.
Helen Whately:
The recommendations from the Social Care Sector Covid-19 Taskforce will shape our
approach to COVID-19 in the adult social care sector and, in particular, the plans we
put in place for winter which we will set out in the Adult Social Care Winter Plan. This
will be published shortly.
Rosie Cooper: [83712]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to publish
the Social Care Taskforce plan for supporting the social care sector through the covid-19
outbreak.
Helen Whately:
[Holding answer 7 September 2020]: The recommendations from the Social Care
Sector Covid-19 Taskforce will shape our approach to COVID-19 in the adult social
care sector and, in particular, the plans we put in place for winter which we will set
out in the Adult Social Care Winter Plan. The Taskforce concluded at the end of
August and will publish its recommendations in September on what measures need
to be in place across all parts of the care sector in England to respond to COVID-19
and winter.
Social Services: Staffordshire
Jonathan Gullis: [82557]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is
taking to support the social care sector in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) Staffordshire during
the covid-19 outbreak.
Helen Whately:
The recommendations from the Social Care Sector Covid-19 Taskforce will shape our
approach to COVID-19 in the adult social care sector and, in particular, the plans we
put in place for winter which we will set out in the Adult Social Care Winter Plan. The
Taskforce concluded at the end of August and will publish its recommendations in
September on the advice on what measures need to be in place across all parts of
the care sector in England to respond to COVID-19 and winter.
SUDEP Action
Mr Ben Bradshaw: [81510]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if the Government will meet
representatives of SUDEP Action to discuss its research into the effect of covid-19 on (a)
people with epilepsy, (b) health professionals and (c) people bereaved by that condition.
Helen Whately:
While there are no specific plans to meet representatives of SUDEP Action at this
time, the Government is committed to working with the charity sector to utilise their
research into epilepsy, and to ensure that the needs and views of the diverse and
often specialist stakeholders and services are captured and valued.
HOME OFFICE
Asylum: Housing
Dame Diana Johnson: [84663]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers have
been allocated to initial accommodation by local authority in each of the last three years.
Dame Diana Johnson: [84665]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many local authorities
classed by her Department as dispersal areas received an allocation of asylum seekers
for initial accommodation in each of the last three years.
Chris Philp:
The number of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority can be found
at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-
datasets#asylum-support
There are141 Local authorities across the UK which accommodate asylum seekers.
We do not publish data for each separate initial accommodation.
British National Socialist Movement
Nicola Richards: [82636]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made
of the threat posed by the British National Socialist Movement to the public; what
representations she has received on the British National Socialist Movement; and if she
will make a statement.
Victoria Atkins:
The British National Socialist Movement (which is also sometimes called the British
Movement) is a white supremacist group that originated in 1968.
The Government is committed to tackling Right Wing Extremism (including white
supremacist and neo-Nazi activity). This includes undertaking assessments of Right
Wing Extremist activity by the Counter Extremism Insight and Analysis unit.
The Building a Stronger Britain Together (BSBT) programme brings people across
England and Wales to tackle extremism at local level. Since the programme’s launch
in 2016 it has supported over 240 civil society organisations.
Crime: Young People
Sir Mark Hendrick: [81570]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her
Department has made on the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the rate of crime
involving young people.
Kit Malthouse:
No data exists on the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the rate of crime involving
young people. However, the National Police Chiefs Council reported on its website on
27 August 2020 that provisional data from police forces in England and Wales shows
a reduction in crime during the Coronavirus outbreak and that the vast majority of the
public are following government regulations enacted in response to the crisis. It also
reported that the provisional data indicates certain crime trends are returning towards
pre-lockdown levels. This report is available from:
https://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/provisional-data-shows-crime-slowly-returning-
to-2019-levels
The Office for National Statistics published a report ‘Coronavirus and crime in
England and Wales’ on 26 August 2020, which estimated a significant reduction in
crime during April and May 2020 compared with a two-month average in the pre-
lockdown period, and that reductions were seen across many types of crime. This
report is available from:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/cor
onavirusandcrimeinenglandandwales/august2020
Police recorded crime statistics and Crime Survey of England and Wales data
covering the period to June 2020 will be released in October 2020.
DNA: Databases
Philip Davies: [88851]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many DNA profiles have
been removed from the national DNA database since 1 April 2018.
Kit Malthouse:
Between 01/04/2018 and 31/03/2019 117,430 subject profile records and 4,846 crime
scene profile records have been deleted from the National DNA Database.
Between 01/04/2019 and 31/03/2020 124,492 subject profile records and 7,597 crime
scene profile records have been deleted from the National DNA Database.
Entry Clearances
Karen Bradley: [R] [87540]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many individuals have been
refused entry to the UK at all ports of entry as a result of convictions for human trafficking
and modern slavery or similar offences (a) in the UK, (b) in the EU and (c) in the rest of
the world, in each calendar year from 2016 to 2019 inclusive.
Chris Philp:
The specific information you have requested is not readily available and could only be
obtained at disproportionate cost. This is because a manual search through individual
records would be required to identify individuals have been refused entry to the UK
from 2016 to 2019 inclusive
We do not hold data on those refused in EU countries and the rest of the world
Tackling human trafficking and modern slavery, both in the UK and overseas, is a
priority for the government. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 gives law enforcement
agencies the tools to tackle modern slavery and provides protection for victims. The
Modern Slavery Act also includes powers which enable law enforcement officers,
including Border Force, to pursue modern slavery perpetrators at sea.
Border Force has a duty of care to all crossing the border and adults with vulnerability
for any reason will be dealt with respect and care.
Hampshire Constabulary: Finance
Stephen Morgan: [86750]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment has she
made of the effect of the police allocation formula adequacy of funding allocated to
Hampshire Constabulary.
Kit Malthouse:
The police funding formula remains the most reliable mechanism the department has
to distribute core grant funding to forces. The police funding settlement for 2020/21
sets out the biggest increase in funding for the policing system since 2010, with
Hampshire Constabulary receiving a total of up to £366.4m, an increase of up to
£26m on 2019/20.
The Government will consider the way core grant funding is distributed to forces as
part of our longer-term vision for policing.
Home Office: Racial Discrimination
Catherine West: [86124]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police officers, (b)
police staff, (c) National Crime Agency staff and (d) UK Border Force staff have been (i)
suspended and (ii) dismissed for racism in the last three years.
Kit Malthouse:
A & B) The Home Office collects and publishes information annually on the outcome
of misconduct proceedings and criminal investigations involving police officers,
including the number of officers that have been dismissed following proceedings.
However, information on the reason for dismissal is not collected centrally by the
Home Office.
The latest data on the outcomes following misconduct proceedings, which covers
cases in the year ending March 2019, is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-30-
september-2019.
The College of Policing publish data annually relating to those who have been
dismissed from policing and placed on the Police Barred List. The most recent data
shows that, in the period ending 31 March 2019, 15 officers and 7 members of police
staff were dismissed under the category ‘equality and diversity’. This data is available
here:
https://www.college.police.uk/News/Collegenews/Documents/Barred_List_2019.pdf
Suspension of police officers or police staff is a matter for local forces. The Home
Office does not collect or store this data.
C) No NCA officer has been suspended on grounds of racism in the last 3 years.
There has been one dismissal of an NCA officer on racism grounds in the last 3
years.
D) Border Force does not hold the data on suspensions on the grounds of racism in
the last three years. There has been one dismissal of a Border Force officer on
racism grounds in the last three years.
Hygiene: Products
Sir Paul Beresford: [88239]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant of the Answer of 3
September 2020 to Question 81490 on Hygiene: Products, whether the National Fire
Chiefs Council’s press statement setting out the low risk of alcohol-based hand sanitisers
takes into consideration the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on storing alcohol in
workplaces across the UK.
James Brokenshire:
The consideration of guidance that informs National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC’s)
press statements is a matter for the NFCC.
Under the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR)
2002, employers must assess and eliminate or reduce risks from dangerous
substances so far as is reasonably practicable in order to keep people safe.
As outlined in my answer to Question 81490, those responsible for premises are also
required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to consider the fire risks
on that premises and ensure that these are mitigated to as low a level as reasonably
practicable.
Immigrants: Finance
Claudia Webbe: [82590]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of
the number of people who have No Recourse to Public Funds conditions attached to their
immigration status in (a) Leicester East constituency and (b) the UK.
Chris Philp:
The information you have requested is not currently published by the department.
The department has written to the UKSA with regard to this matter. Please see the
link below: https://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/correspondence/response-from-
daniel-shaw-to-ed-humpherson-parliamentary-question-response/.
In the Chief Statistician’s response to the UKSA, we committed to investigate whether
there is data held by the Department which can inform understanding of the effect of
the NRPF condition. Following our investigation, we have now published information
relating to change of conditions at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-protection-data-august-2020
Migrants coming to the UK are expected to maintain and support themselves and
their families without posing a burden on the UK’s welfare system. Access to benefits
and other publicly funded services reflects the strength of a migrant’s connections to
the UK.
The Home Office publish a range of statistics on entry clearance visas, and
extensions of leave in the UK in the quarterly Immigration Statistics. However, these
do not show the number of people subject to NRPF.
Stephen Timms: [87474]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for a
change of conditions to the no recourse to public funds condition were made (a) with and
(b) without a representative; and what proportion of each type of application has been (i)
successful and (ii) unsuccessful in each quarter since the third quarter of 2017.
Stephen Timms: [87475]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants for a
change of conditions to the no recourse to public funds condition have been made in
each quarter since the third quarter of 2017 were aged (a) under 18, (b) 18-25, (c) 25-30,
(d) 30-40, (e) 40-50, (f) 50-60, (g) 60-70, (h) 70-80 and (i) over 80.
Stephen Timms: [87476]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of applicants for
a change of conditions to no recourse to public funds made in each quarter since the third
quarter of 2017 had dependents under 18.
Stephen Timms: [87477]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applicants for a
change of conditions to no recourse to public funds in each quarter since the third quarter
of 2017 had dependents under 18 who are (a) British children and (b) have a disability.
Stephen Timms: [87478]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of applicants
with dependents for a change of conditions to no recourse to public funds in each quarter
since the third quarter of 2017 (a) applied as single applicants, (b) made a joint
application (c) had a non-applying partner.
Kevin Foster:
Following previous questions and the commitment given to UK Statistics Authority
(UKSA), Change of Conditions information is now part of the transparency data which
can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-protection-data-august-
2020. The relevant data is in tab CoC_01.
Currently we cannot provide the data requested because this information is not
readily available and would require a more detailed examination of all Change of
Conditions cases to establish whether the data requested is held and would meet the
quality requirements for release.
As part of the regular publication of this data the Home Office will review whether the
data can be meaningfully broken down any further.
Immigration Controls: Aiports and Ports
Karen Bradley: [R] [88309]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many exit checks (a) in
person and (b) using automated processes were carried out for EEA and Swiss nationals
departing from all UK ports and airports in (i) 2018 and (ii) 2019; and what information
those checks recorded.
Karen Bradley: [R] [88310]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has been made
on introducing automated exit checks for people departing the UK; and whether exit
checks will be carried out on (a) all travellers and (b) at all ports from 1 January 2021.
Kevin Foster:
We re-introduced exit checks in April 2015 to further complement our work on border
security, plus support the Home Office’s wider work to deal with illegal immigration.
The vast majority of passengers leaving the country on scheduled commercial
international air, sea and rail routes now go through exit checks. The data collected is
already providing the police and security services with information to help track the
movements of known criminals and terrorists.
Border Force hold data for outbound alerts issued by Border Force at the National
Border Targeting Centre (NBTC). However, we do not hold a breakdown of the data
in the format requested.
A variety of agencies, including Border Force, undertake in person outbound
interventions, as a result of this activity there is no single record held on their
respective outcomes.
Government is working to ensure all parties including other government departments,
traders, industry and passengers are prepared for the changes which will come into
effect at the UK border on 1 January 2021.
Passports: Applications
Holly Lynch: [82132]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Her Majesty’s
Passport Office's update on passport applications published on 24 July 2020, how many
passport applications are currently being processed by HM Passport Office.
Chris Philp:
Due to COVID-19, Her Majesty’s Passport Office continues to operate at reduced
staffing levels so that its people can continue to socially distance, and it is therefore
taking longer than usual to process passport applications. As part of its contingency
arrangements, HM Passport Office is rapidly increasing its capacity for processing
passport applications, in line with public health guidance, that will help to ensure that
it continues to meet the travel needs of its customers.
As at 31 August 2020, passport applications work in progress is approximately
239.1k. There are a further 134,414k applications that will need to be worked through
in the coming weeks once initial documentation has been received and allocated.
Police: Staff
Mr Steve Baker: [88864]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will secure funding
settlements for the police extending over two to three years in the Spending Review.
Mr Steve Baker: [88865]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will ensure that police
officers are not used to backfill police staff roles to achieve cost savings; and if she will
make a statement.
Mr Steve Baker: [88866]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, she will ensure that police staff
roles are sufficiently resourced through the Spending Review to ensure that new police
officers are not diverted away from core policing duties.
Kit Malthouse:
The Department is in the process of undertaking work on the Spending Review, in
consultation with the policing sector. We will continue to make the best case for
policing to deliver this Government’s top priorities and will make an announcement in
due course.
Police: Training
Wera Hobhouse: [88375]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for which foreign states the
College of Policing provided training courses in (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19 and (c) 2019-20;
and what the subject of each of those training courses was.
Kit Malthouse:
This is a matter for the College of Policing, but I can confirm that it does provide
bespoke training packages to international partners.
Security: Training
Mark Eastwood: [86773]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the
launch of the Security Training Fund.
James Brokenshire:
The Home Office has listened to the security concerns of our faith communities,
including through the recent public consultation on faith security. We recognise that
protective security must be tailored to support the specific requirements of faith
communities. The Home Office is currently developing a security training package,
which will be suitable for all faiths. This will ensure that our commitment of 19 March
2019 to deliver this training within three years is met. Security advice for places of
worship is currently available for free from the National Counter Terrorism Security
Office on GOV.UK.
Trespass: Reform
Joy Morrissey: [88400]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will set out a timetable for
bringing forward legislative proposals to reform the law on trespassing.
Kit Malthouse:
We have a clear manifesto commitment to tackle unauthorised encampments. We
remain determined to ensure that the police have the powers they need.
The consultation has closed and the Government is considering the response. It is
our firm aim to bring forward legislation later this session.
Unexplained Wealth Orders
Alyn Smith: [82386]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her
Department has made of the efficacy of Unexplained Wealth Orders in tackling financial
crime in the UK.
Kit Malthouse:
Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) were introduced as part of the Criminal
Finances Act 2017 and came into force from 1 January 2018. Whilst still relatively
new legislation, the Home Office assesses that UWOs (and associated Interim
Freezing Orders) are an important addition to existing powers which can result in the
provision of critical information which could not be obtained in any other way. UWOs
have been used in four cases so far, in relation to property worth an estimated
£143.2m. The Home Office keeps the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Criminal
Finances Act 2017 under review to ensure that all powers remain effective.
Victim Support Schemes
Simon Fell: [87667]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications there
have been to the National Referral Mechanism by region in each of the last five years.
Simon Fell: [87669]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of applications
to the National Referral Mechanism received a reasonable grounds decision in each of
the last five years following appeal of a negative decision.
Victoria Atkins:
Statistics relating to the number of referrals made to the National Referral Mechanism
by region is not currently published by the Single Competent Authority. Published
statistics include the police force the referral was sent to for investigation and crime
recording purposes.
Data tables detailing the number of RG decisions made and their outcomes for the
last five years can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-
referral-mechanism-statistics-uk-end-of-year-summary-2019. The published data
details the final outcome of an RG decision and does not take into account any
previous decisions that may have been made on a particular case.
There is no appeals process for negative RG outcomes, however an individual, or
someone acting on their behalf, may request reconsideration of a negative RG
decision. Further detail on this can be found in the Modern Slavery Act 2015 –
Statutory Guidance for England and Wales v1.02 sections 14.220 - 14.235. All
negative decisions are reviewed by a Technical Specialist who is senior to a Decision
Maker.
Simon Fell: [87668]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of applications
to the National Referral Mechanism received a reasonable grounds decision in each of
the last five years.
Victoria Atkins:
Statistics relating to the number of referrals made to the National Referral Mechanism
by region is not currently published by the Single Competent Authority. Published
statistics include the police force the referral was sent to for investigation and crime
recording purposes.
Data tables detailing the number of RG decisions made and their outcomes for the
last five years can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-
referral-mechanism-statistics-uk-end-of-year-summary-2019. The published data
details the final outcome of an RG decision and does not take into account any
previous decisions that may have been made on a particular case.
There is no appeals process for negative RG outcomes, however an individual, or
someone acting on their behalf, may request reconsideration of a negative RG
decision. Further detail on this can be found in the Modern Slavery Act 2015 –
Statutory Guidance for England and Wales v1.02 sections 14.220 - 14.235. All
negative decisions are reviewed by a Technical Specialist who is senior to a Decision
Maker.
Simon Fell: [87670]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people who have
been recognised through the National Referral Mechanism as being a victim of a crime
have gone on to prosecution; and how many of those prosecutions have been successful
by type of crime in each of the last five years.
Victoria Atkins:
The Single Competent Authority (SCA) operates the National Referral Mechanism
(NRM) which is a civil process for the identification and support of victims of modern
slavery.
The SCA does not collect data on the number of prosecutions related to people being
recognised as a victim of modern slavery through the NRM. Many victims are
recognised through the NRM independently of a prosecution being linked to their
case.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) publishes quarterly modern slavery
prosecution statistics, and the latest quarter can be found at:
https://www.cps.gov.uk/publication/cps-data-summary-quarter-4-2019-2020
https://www.cps.gov.uk/publication/cps-data-summary-quarter-4-2019-2020
Visas: Hong Kong
Alberto Costa: [82086]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her
Department has made of the UK's capability to accommodate citizens from Hong Kong
under the bespoke Hong Kong BN(O) Visa.
Kevin Foster:
While this visa offer is a generous one, recognising our historic commitment to Hong
Kong BN(O) citizens, it is not an unconditional offer. BN(O) citizens will need to
support themselves independently while living in the UK; they will need to show they
can support themselves in the UK for at least six months and will contribute to our
brilliant NHS through the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Successful applicants to the route will be able to work in the UK in almost any
capacity and have no recourse to public funds. This means they will be unable to
claim most benefits, tax credits, or housing assistance that are funded by UK
taxpayers for the full five years of the visa.
We are working closely with other government departments, including the Ministry of
Housing, Communities & Local Government, to ensure BN(O) citizens coming into
the UK can be self-sufficient, whilst integrating with and contributing to the betterment
of society across our United Kingdom.
HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Building Safety Fund
Hilary Benn: [89610]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when
applicants to the cladding building safety fund will be allocated to caseworkers.
Hilary Benn: [89611]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how
many applications to the cladding building safety fund each caseworker will be
responsible for handling.
Christopher Pincher:
If confirmed eligible for the fund, building owners are contacted by officials following
their registration and are invited to apply. The number of applications handled by
case workers varies depending on the level of support required by building owners at
each stage of the registration and application processes.
Derelict Land: Maps
Steve Reed: [89713]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
plans his Department has to publish a national map of brownfield sites.
Christopher Pincher:
All local planning authorities in England are required to prepare, maintain and publish
registers of previously developed (brownfield) land that they have assessed as being
appropriate for residential development.
Flats: Insulation
Hilary Benn: [89612]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
estimate he has made of the number of leasehold flats in buildings that do not have an
EWS1 certificate.
Christopher Pincher:
The EWS1 form was introduced by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
(RICS) to assist in valuation of high-rise residential buildings for mortgage purposes,
and so the Department does not hold this information. EWS1 assessments are not
commissioned by the department but are requested from building owners by some
lenders.
Local Government: Sanctions
Dr Rupa Huq: [86722]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with
reference to the Supreme Court ruling of 29 April in R (on the application of Palestine
Solidarity Campaign Ltd and another) (Appellants) v Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government (Respondent), what plans the Government has to bring forward
legislative proposals to allow local authorities to pursue boycotts, divestments and
sanctions against foreign nations and UK defence industries.
Luke Hall:
The Government remains firmly opposed to local boycotts which can damage
integration and community cohesion, hinder exports, and harm foreign relations and
the UK’s economic and international security. Local authorities should not undertake
boycotts that could undermine foreign policy, which is a matter for the UK
Government alone. We will legislate as soon as Parliamentary time allows.
Mayor of the West Midlands
Liam Byrne: [89615]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how
many representations he has received from the Mayor of the West Midlands on proposed
changes to the planning system.
Christopher Pincher:
The Secretary of State and other Ministers in the department have regular and
productive discussions with the Mayor.
Mortgages
Daisy Cooper: [88934]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant
to the Answer of 11 September 2020 to Question 86761 on Mortgages, what steps he is
taking to encourage mortgage lenders to accept equivalent evidence; and what examples
of suitable equivalent evidence he has encouraged mortgage lenders to accept.
Christopher Pincher:
I refer the Hon. Member to my answer of 11 September to question UIN 86618.
Planning Permission: Coronavirus
Alberto Costa: [87579]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
steps his Department is taking to support local authorities to tackle any backlog of
planning applications resulting from the covid-19 outbreak.
Christopher Pincher:
Government has introduced a number of measures to prevent delays and to ensure
the planning system has remained open during the Covid-19 pandemic. Guidance for
local authorities is published here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-
planning-update
Plants: Urban Areas
Catherine West: [87610]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
steps the Government is taking to protect vegetation in the urban environment.
Christopher Pincher:
The forthcoming Environment Bill will include measures to protect urban vegetation
including new powers to establish local nature recovery strategies with local business
and communities, including those in urban areas. We are also mandating biodiversity
net gain through the Environment Bill, which will mean that a gain of at least 10 per
cent in habitats for wildlife, including trees and woodland, must be achieved by any
proposed developments.
We have also committed to the protection of trees by establishing the Tree
Preservation Order (TPO). The system allows local authorities to protect trees and
woodlands so that they can continue providing ecological, health, cultural and
economic benefits to current and future generations. An Order makes it an offence to
cut down, prune, uproot, willfully damage or destroy a tree covered by that Order
without the local authority’s written permission. More information can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-preservation-orders-and-trees-in-conservation-
areas.
In addition, the Government has ensured that the planning system provides
protection for locally, nationally and internationally designated wildlife sites, and
irreplaceable habitats including ancient and veteran trees through the National
Planning Policy Framework. Further information can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-planning-policy-framework--2.
The Government has recently announced £40 million Green Recovery Challenge
Fund in England. The fund will support projects that are ready to deliver and focus on
nature restoration, nature-based solutions and engagement with nature. The fund will
protect up to 2000 jobs and create up to 3000 more whilst delivering against the
goals of the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. Further information on the
fund can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-40-million-green-jobs-
challenge-fund.
Remembrance Day: Coronavirus
Justin Madders: [87571]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
advice the Government has issued to local authorities on conducting covid-secure
Remembrance Sunday services.
Luke Hall:
Should local authorities or other organisations wish to hold Remembrance Sunday
events they should consult the relevant public health guidance on holding events
during the pandemic and ensure appropriate licences are secured and that COVID-
19 risk assessments are completed to ensure the risk of transmission is minimised.
The Government has published guidance for the safe use of Places of Worship, and
for special religious services and gatherings during the pandemic. At Remembrance
events inside places of worship or in public places there can be multiple groups of six
people doing the same activity provided that these groups do not mingle.
Social Rented Housing: Construction
Thangam Debbonaire: [89749]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
estimate he has made of the proportion of new homes delivered through the 2021-2026
affordable homes programme that will be for social rent.
Christopher Pincher:
The Government is committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing and has
recently confirmed the details of £12.2 billion of investment. This includes a new
£11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme which will be delivered over 5 years from
next year (2021-2026), providing up to 180,000 new homes across the country,
should economic conditions allow. This programme represents the highest single
funding commitment to affordable housing in a decade.
We are committed to delivering wide range of affordable homes of different tenures
so that we can support range of people in different circumstances and stages in their
lives.
Half of these homes will be for Affordable and Social Rent, to help those in the
greatest need.
Swimming Pools: Coronavirus
Steve Reed: [89712]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
information his Department holds on the number of local authority run swimming pools
including pools run under contract by third parties that have (a) reopened after the covid-
19 lockdown and (b) remained closed.
Luke Hall:
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport published guidance on the safe
reopening of swimming pools and it can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-gyms-and-pools-to-
reopen-safely.
Decisions on reopening are made by local authorities and this information is not held
centrally.
Tobacco
Steve Reed: [89714]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what
meetings (a) he has and (b) Ministers in his Department have held with tobacco
companies or their representatives since March 1st 2020.
Kelly Tolhurst:
None.
UK Shared Prosperity Fund
Rachael Maskell: [89775]
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he
plans to publish the (a) criteria and (b) budget for the Shared Prosperity Fund.
Luke Hall:
Now we have left the European Union, we will create the UK Shared Prosperity Fund
as the domestic successor to EU structural funds. The fund will bind together the
whole of the United Kingdom, tackling inequality and deprivation in each of our four
nations.
The Government understands the importance of this investment for local
communities across the UK. At minimum, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will match
the current levels of funding for each nation from EU structural funds. Final decisions
on the design of the fund will need to be taken after the Comprehensive Spending
Review. In the meantime, we will continue to work closely with interested parties
whilst developing the fund.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia
Emily Thornberry: [87504]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 21 January 2016 air-
strike on a house in Majz was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her Department
to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international humanitarian
law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible violation of
international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87505]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 7 August 2016 air-
strike on a store in Nihm was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her Department to
consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international humanitarian law
and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible violation of
international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87506]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 30 August 2016 air-
strike in Shara'ab Al-Rawnah was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law, and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87507]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 30 August 2016 air-
strike on a residential area in Saada was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87508]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 10 March 2017 air-
strike on a market in Al-Khawkhah was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87509]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 17 May 2017 air-
strike on a vehicle in Mawza was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87510]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 18 July 2017 air-strike
on a displaced persons camp in Mawza was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law, and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87511]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 18 July 2017
air-strike on a house in Taizz was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law, and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87512]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 25 August 2017
air-strike on a residential area in Bani Matar was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed
by her Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of
international humanitarian law, and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to
be a possible violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87513]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 7 November
2017 air-strike on a residential area in Aflah Yamin was (a) among the 300 incidents
analysed by her Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of
international humanitarian law, and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to
be a possible violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87514]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 17 November
2017 air-strike on stalls in Abs was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87515]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 15 December
2017 air-strike on a residential area in Al-Khawkhah was (a) among the 300 incidents
analysed by her Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of
international humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to
be a possible violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87516]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 30 December
2017 air-strike on a market in Al-Jirahi was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87517]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 17 February
2018 air-strike on a vehicle in Kitaf Wa Al-Boqe'e was (a) among the 300 incidents
analysed by her Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of
international humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to
be a possible violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [87518]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 9 August 2016
air-strike on a crisp factory in Nahda was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88258]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 25 August 2017
air-strike on houses in Sanaa was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88259]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 22 January
2018 air-strike on a house in Saada was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88260]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 11 June 2018
air-strike on a cholera treatment centre in Abs was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed
by her Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of
international humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to
be a possible violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88261]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 23 August 2018
air-strike on a vehicle in al-Duraihmi was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88262]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 13 October
2018 air-strike on a bus in Hodeidah was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88263]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 24 October
2018 air-strike on a market in Hodeidah was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88264]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 11 March 2019
air-strike on a village in Kushar was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88265]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 26 March 2019
air-strike on a petrol station near a hospital in Kitaf was (a) among the 300 incidents
analysed by her Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of
international humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to
be a possible violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88266]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 31 March 2015
air-strike on a dairy factory in Al-Hali was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88267]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 16 April 2015
air-strike on a residential area in Bani Suraim was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed
by her Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of
international humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to
be a possible violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88268]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 21 April 2015
air-strike on a hotel in Harad was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88269]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 1 May 2015 air-
strike on a residential area in Shu’oub was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88270]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 5 May 2015 air-
strike on stores in Sihar was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her Department to
consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international humanitarian law
and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible violation of
international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88271]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 11 August 2019
air-strikes on houses and an open space in Al-Sawamel were (a) among the 300
incidents analysed by her Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible
breach of international humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents
assessed to be a possible violation of international humanitarian law.
Emily Thornberry: [88272]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 1
September 2020 to Question 78567 and grouped questions, whether the 24 September
2019,air-strikes in Al Muzaimir was (a) among the 300 incidents analysed by her
Department to consider whether or not it constituted a possible breach of international
humanitarian law and (b) one of the small number of incidents assessed to be a possible
violation of international humanitarian law.
Mr Ranil Jayawardena:
I refer the Rt Hon. Lady to the answer that I gave on 11th September (UIN: 84666).
Board of Trade: Meetings
Lloyd Russell-Moyle: [89802]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 11
September 2020 to Question 86738, when the date and location of the next board of
trade meeting will be advertised.
Graham Stuart:
I refer the Hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown to the answer given to him by my
Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade on 11
September 2020, UIN: 86738.
Food: Import Duties
Judith Cummins: [89728]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate she has made of the
additional annual cost to UK food and drink manufacturing businesses of the application
of the published UK global tariff.
Judith Cummins: [89729]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what information she holds on the
potential effect of the application of the published UK global tariff on the average weekly
family grocery purchase.
Greg Hands:
The UK Global Tariff (UKGT) is tailored to the UK economy and balances the
interests of UK consumers and producers. It is a lower tariff regime than the EU’s
Common External Tariff. In designing the UKGT, we assessed all available evidence
submitted during the public consultation in depth and considered a range of factors,
such as the five principles set out in the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act 2018.
The UKGT eliminates tariffs on imports where the UK has limited domestic
production, which may lower cost pressures for UK households and businesses.
We will publish more analysis in the Taxation Information and Impact Note (TIIN)
alongside the legislation, as is standard practice.
Free Trade: USA
Emily Thornberry: [89627]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions (a) officials and
(b) Ministers in her Department have had since 27 September 2017 with external (i)
individuals and (ii) organisations involved in the production of the document entitled the
Ideal US-UK Free Trade Agreement, published by the Initiative for Free Trade and the
Cato Institute on 18 September 2018 on the (A) development and (B) contents of that
document.
Greg Hands:
The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at
disproportionate cost.
Emily Thornberry: [89628]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether officials from her
Department attended the launch events in (a) London or (b) Washington DC on 18
September 2018 for the Ideal US-UK Free Trade Agreement, published by The Initiative
for Free Trade and The Cato Institute.
Greg Hands:
One junior Department for International Trade (DIT) official attended the London
event in order to take a readout, and no DIT officials attended the Washington, DC
event.
Riot Control Weapons: Chile
Owen Thompson: [89789]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many licences for the export of
12 gauge rubberised buckshot TEC Harseim ammunition to Chile have been granted in
the last 12 months.
Mr Ranil Jayawardena:
None.
Tobacco: Imports
Emily Thornberry: [88831]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what information her Department
holds on the 10 largest source countries for tobacco leaf imports into the UK in the last 12
months for which figures are available; what volumes were imported from those
countries; and what tariff rates are set to apply to imports of tobacco leaf from those
countries from 1 January 2021.
Emily Thornberry: [88832]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment the Government
has made of the effect on the UK tobacco manufacturing industry of the imposition of the
UK Global Tariff on imports of tobacco leaf from 1 January 2021.
Emily Thornberry: [88833]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment the Government
has made of the effect on (a) the average prices, (b) consumption and (c) tax revenues
deriving from the sale of duty-paid tobacco products in the UK as a result of the
imposition of the UK Global Tariff on imports of tobacco leaf from 1 January 2021.
Emily Thornberry: [88834]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment the Government
has made of the effect of the imposition of the UK Global Tariff on imports of tobacco leaf
from 1 January 2021 on forecast levels of smuggling of counterfeit and other tobacco
products into the UK.
Greg Hands:
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) remains committed to promoting
compliance and tackling avoidance and evasion. Guidance on how to not facilitate
smuggling of tobacco products is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-notice-477-tobacco-products-duty-
control-of-supply-chains/excise-notice-477-tobacco-products-duty-control-of-supply-
chains-1.
In addition, on 12 July 2020, we announced more than £705m in additional funding to
make sure our border systems are robust and operational.
We will publish more analysis in the Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN)
alongside the legislation, as is standard practice.
JUSTICE
Prisoners: Disability and Special Educational Needs
Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [86579]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners in England and Wales
have (a) dyslexia and other Specific Learning Difficulties, (b) speech and language
difficulties and (c) other special educational needs and disabilities.
Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [86580]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent estimate his Department has made
of the level of undiagnosed (a) dyslexia, (b) other specific learning difficulties, (c) speech
and language difficulties and (d) other special educational needs and disabilities in
prisons.
Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [86581]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to support
prisoners with (a) dyslexia and other Specific Learning Difficulties, (b) speech and
language difficulties and (c) other special educational needs and disabilities.
Lucy Frazer:
Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is committed to meeting the
needs of all vulnerable offenders, including those with learning disabilities, difficulties
and speech, language and communication needs. All individuals who come into
contact with the Criminal Justice System (CJS) need to be able to access the right
support to help them engage with their sentence.
For those who go into learning and where screening indicates an issue, education
suppliers assess them to ensure the right adaptations and support arrangements are
put in place.
The available data on offender learning participation, and learner characteristics, is
published by the Department for Education. Data on learning difficulties and/or
disabilities amongst those prisoners who engage in prison education is available via
the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-education-and-
training
In addition, prison officer training covers disabilities and responding sensitively and
appropriately to behaviours.
Prisons: Cockroaches
Ms Lyn Brown: [86612]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisons recorded cockroach
infestations in each month from January to August 2020.
Lucy Frazer:
For the period January to August 2020, six prisons reported pests at their
establishments.
Each prison in England and Wales has a pest control contract in place managed by
the relevant provider and monitored by HMPPS contract management staff. Where
any infestation takes place, appropriate action is taken to eradicate the problem.
Prisons: Hygiene
Ms Lyn Brown: [86613]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent representations her Department
has received on (a) delays and (b) inadequacies in the delivery of clean prison kit from
HMPPS stores.
Lucy Frazer:
No recorded delays or inadequacies have been recorded recently with the supply of
clothing and/or equipment from the HM Prison and Probation stores at Branston.
TRANSPORT
A34: Accidents
Layla Moran: [89827]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2019
to Question 28460 on A34: Oxfordshire, what estimate he has made of the number of (a)
deaths and (b) injuries on the A34 in (i) 2018 and (ii) 2019.
Rachel Maclean:
The table below shows the number of fatalities and all casualties in reported road
accidents on the A34 in Oxfordshire in 2018.
Number of fatalities and all casualties in reported road accidents on the A34 in
Oxfordshire in 2018:
FATALITIES ALL CASUALTIES 1
1 79
1. All casualties include fatalities Source: DfT STATS19
Data for 2019 will be published on September 30 2020.
Airports: Non-domestic Rates
Seema Malhotra: [88874]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on the alleviation of business rates for airports in England
and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Robert Courts:
Business rates are managed by HM Treasury in conjunction with the Ministry of
Housing, Communities and Local Government and Local Authorities. The Department
for Transport and HM Treasury have been engaging closely with industry, through the
Expert Steering Group, to understand their assessment of the outlook for the sector
and implications of any sector specific support measures, including business rates.
British Airways: Conditions of Employment
Dan Jarvis: [88869]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the email correspondence
to British Airways staff of 2 June 2020 on the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme, what
discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) representatives of the
International Airlines Group on proposed redundancies and changes to terms and
conditions of employment.
Robert Courts:
The Government recognises that, despite the measures put in place to protect the
economy, there remain serious challenges for the aviation sector, and we are working
at pace to ensure the recovery of the aviation sector. Departments across
Government, including the Department for Transport, are working together to
progress options to support individuals affected.
I appreciate that this is a very worrying time for BA’s loyal and devoted airline staff
and their families. Although these are commercial decisions for companies, they are
decisions which I nevertheless profoundly regret. It would not be appropriate to
comment on any individual discussions.
Cycling and Walking: Inland Waterways
Robert Largan: [86782]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the
potential effect on (a) levels of active travel and (b) the connectivity of the most deprived
areas of England of Canal & River Trust proposals for 30 towpath improvement schemes
across the country; and if he will make a statement.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
On 28 July the Prime Minister launched ambitious plans to boost cycling and walking,
with the aim that half of all journeys in towns and cities are cycled or walked by 2030.
This includes a £2 billion package of funding for active travel.
This will significantly increase the funding available for local authorities to deliver
cycling and walking infrastructure, including on canal towpaths. Further details of
funding for the different commitments in the Plan will be determined as part of the
Spending Review process in the autumn.
Cycling: Voucher Schemes
Carla Lockhart: [89885]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications have been made to
the Cycle to Work Scheme in each month of 2020.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Government does not hold this data. The Cycle to Work Alliance, an industry
body which represents four of the leading providers of bicycles and equipment under
the cycle to work scheme, has informed the Department that weekly applications to
their members increased between the period May-July 2020 compared to the same
period in 2019.
Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls
Sir Peter Bottomley: [87467]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much revenue has accrued to the public
purse in each year since charges replaced the original tolls at the Dartford crossing; and
what estimate he has made of the time taken to pay for the costs of building the Elizabeth
Bridge and funding its long-term maintenance.
Rachel Maclean:
The revenue accruing from the Dart Charge is published each year in the Dartford-
Thurrock river crossing charging scheme accounts (in the table headed income)
which can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/search/all?keywords=%22dartford+thurrock%22+accounts&order
=relevance.
Toll charges were levied until 2003 when the debts associated with the construction
of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and the tunnels had been fully discharged. A Road
User Charge was introduced in 2003 to manage the high demand for use of the
Crossing after a study reported that traffic levels would be 17% higher if payment was
removed. The charges imposed and collected are used to fund transport
improvements in accordance with the Transport Act 2000, though not exclusively
Dartford-related.
The published accounts include figures on the maintenance and operation of the
crossing in the expenditure table.
The maintenance cost for both the tunnels and Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, for the
year ended 31 March 2019, amounted to £11.371 million. This figure included costs
for:
EXPENDITURE (2018-2019) £000
Highways England Staff 3,530
Safety Scheme 4,833
EU Tunnel directive on safety 1,848
Technology projects safety 890
Network Resilience 136
Routine maintenance 494
Department for Transport: Ethnic Groups
Apsana Begum: [87701]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of staff who
applied for promotion within his Department between 1 September 2019 and 31 August
2020 and identified as (a) BAME and (b) White were successful at each grade; and if he
will make a statement.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of resourcing across the Department for
Transport (DfT); developing and testing innovative new approaches to attract and hire
a more diverse candidate pool. We have clear objectives to increase representation
rates to reflect the proportion of BAME individuals in the local working-age
population, strengthen our BAME talent pipeline (grades 6 and 7) and our leadership
cadre (SCS) as well as increase diversity in roles and professions where BAME staff
are underrepresented.
The data provided relates to roles advertised by the Department for Transport on the
Civil Service Jobs recruitment platform. Any permanent promotion opportunities
within the department would be advertised on the platform to allow fair and open
competition with an appointment being made on merit in line with the Civil Service
Commissioners principles.
The data provided is based on identifications of applicants who are currently Civil
Servants in any government department or agency, and is not restricted to
promotions just from the DfT workforce and covers the Department and its four
executive agencies. It does not include the diversity of applicants or successful
applicants who were applying from outside the Civil Service. The data can be found
in the attached table.
The completeness and accuracy of the data above is influenced by the following
factors.
For vacancies advertised across government, individuals need to have a verified
account to confirm their eligibility as existing Civil Servants. As part of their personal
profile, Civil Servants are requested to provide their current substantive grade. If
individuals have not completed their personal profile we would be unable to identify
whether they were promoted.
For vacancies advertised externally, individuals have the option to use a privately
registered account as there is no requirement for them to confirm that they are
existing Civil Servants. This means that in the instance that an existing Civil Servant
applies for an externally advertised vacancy using a private account, then we cannot
identify whether or not the successful individual is being promoted.
In light of this, the data provided may not be comprehensive and would only be
indicative of ‘how many and what proportion of Civil Service staff who applied for
promotion within his Department between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020
and identified as (a) BAME and (b) White were successful at each grade’.
Attachments:
1. Table of employees on promotion - BAME [Table - no. of employees on promotion -
BAME.docx]
Department for Transport: Staff
Sir Christopher Chope: [88811]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many members of staff in his
Department were (a) working at their normal place of work, (b) working from home, (c) on
annual leave, (d) on sickness absence and (e) not working for another reason in the week
commencing 7 September 2020; and what plans he has in place to encourage
departmental employees back to their normal place of work.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The core department has, over the last few months, flexed to working almost entirely
from home, and has continued to deliver against our objectives. From 1 September
2020, our two primary offices in London and Hastings were made Covid secure and
were opened to staff with strict social distancing measures in place.
a) Since opening on 1 September, 32% of core DfT staff have returned to their usual
workplace, with a) 24% attending during the w/b 7 September;
b) The remainder of staff were either working from home or absent due to annual
leave, sickness or other reasons (see below);
c) On average, there was an 8% absence due to annual leave each day during the
w/b 7 September;
d) On average, there were 11 absences less than 1% due to sickness each day
during the w/b 7 September;
e) On average, there were 51 absences (2%) due to other reasons (including
maternity leave) each day during the w/b 7 September.
Our number one priority is the safety of our staff, and we are continuing to look for
opportunities to maximise the capacity in our buildings whilst ensuring they remain
Covid secure. The core Department’s headquarters, Great Minster House, is
currently undergoing a planned refurbishment which is limiting our safe capacity and
demand is currently at capacity. As each stage of refurbishment is completed, further
capacity will be released with social distancing measures in place to meet the
increasing demand, and we are exploring other options to maximise space available
for staff to return.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Standards
Fay Jones: [87671]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve waiting
times at the DVLA.
Fay Jones: [87672]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve the
accessibility of the DVLA to people seeking to use its services.
Rachel Maclean:
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has a range of services available
online offering quick and easy ways of transacting. The DVLA’s online services have
worked well and as normal throughout the pandemic. Between March and the end of
August, the DVLA has issued nearly seven million registration certificates and three
and a half million driving licences.
The DVLA’s 6,000 staff are largely based at a single site in Swansea and to adhere
to Welsh social distancing requirements the number of staff onsite had been greatly
reduced. This impacted on the time taken to process applications sent by post as
these have to be dealt with in person. The DVLA has reconfigured its accommodation
to maximise staff numbers whilst meeting the requirement in Wales to maintain the
two-metre social distancing and ensure it remains Covid secure.
Drivers with a licence that expires between 1 February and 31 December 2020 have
been given an automatic extension from the date of expiry. This means they will not
need to renew their entitlement to drive until 11 months after the original expiry date.
The DVLA has also accelerated the development of additional online services to
further reduce paper applications and supported their take up through a publicity
campaign.
Driving Instruction: Coronavirus
Mr Barry Sheerman: [88248]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with
Cabinet colleagues on the effect of covid-19 social distancing restrictions on learner
drivers.
Rachel Maclean:
The Secretary of State for Transport has not had any recent discussions with Cabinet
colleagues on the effect of COVID-19 social distancing restrictions on learner drivers.
But the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the part of his department
responsible for driver training and testing, understands the impact the COVID-19
pandemic has had on learner drivers. The agency’s priority throughout the pandemic
has been the safety of its staff and customers. That remains its priority as it restarts
its services. The agency has developed new COVID-safe risk assessments and
standard operating procedures and shared them with the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) and Public Health England (PHE). PHE has said they comply with
general public health principles and existing guidance for the reduction of virus
transmission risk. The DVSA has also sought similar clearances with the respective
public health bodies in Scotland and Wales.
Hammersmith Bridge: Repairs and Maintenance
Andy Slaughter: [88828]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) membership, (b) terms of
reference (c) work programme and (d) budget is of the Hammersmith Bridge taskforce.
Rachel Maclean:
The first meeting of the Hammersmith Bridge task force, chaired by Baroness Vere,
took place on 16 September 2020. Alongside the Department, the task force has a
membership of all key stakeholders including: Transport for London; The London
Boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham and Richmond upon Thames; the Port of
London Authority; the Greater London Authority, and; Network Rail.
The task force will focus on urgently pulling together all necessary information,
including technical and operational information and costs, in order to reach a decision
on the most appropriate way to safely re-open Hammersmith Bridge to full use and
provide appropriate temporary measures during the works.
Any funding will be subject to the findings of the task force and the agreed next steps.
Invalid Vehicles: Speed Limits
Sarah Olney: [89797]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the
potential merits of increasing the speed limit for mobility scooters on UK roads to that in
the EU.
Rachel Maclean:
The Government has not made an assessment of increasing the speed limits of
mobility scooters for use on the roads. The safety of all road users is a key priority for
the Government and the current speed limit for mobility scooters is based on both
safety and mobility considerations and balances the interests of all road users.
Motor Vehicles: Hydrogen
Fay Jones: [87675]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had
about the role hydrogen passenger vehicles can play as part of the Transport
Decarbonisation Plan.
Rachel Maclean:
Ministers and officials are engaging extensively with UK hydrogen stakeholders
including through the Net Zero Transport Board, our strategic priority workshops that
ran through July and August and involved over 700 key stakeholders, as well as a
number of Ministerial and official roundtables and bi-laterals meetings as we develop
the Transport Decarbonisation Plan. We are committed to exploring all the options for
green hydrogen across freight, buses, trains, maritime and aviation and ensuring the
UK can leads the world in its deployment and use in transport applications.
Fay Jones: [87676]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made
of the role hydrogen passenger vehicles can play in decarbonising transport.
Rachel Maclean:
In 2018, the Department for Transport published the outputs of the Transport Energy
Model. The model provides an assessment of the relative environmental impacts of a
range of fuel and powertrain options for road vehicles over the period to 2050,
including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Motor Vehicles: Testing
Sir Peter Bottomley: [R] [87466]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment he has made
of the (a) number of and (b) deficit in MOT testing in each month since March (i) 2019
and (ii) 2020; what estimate he has made of the (A) number of MOT tests required to
restore adequate service levels and (B) average number of days before a request for a
MOT test is met; and if he will make a statement.
Rachel Maclean:
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) monitors MOT testing capacity
constantly to inform future planning. The agency does not hold data on MOT booking
requests as they are made directly to MOT testing stations (cars) or authorised
testing facilities (lorries, buses and trailers).
For lorries, buses and trailers, where DVSA staff conduct annual road worthiness
(MOT) tests, the DVSA has issued a series of exemptions. The deadline for a
vehicle’s next test depends on when the MOT was originally due and whether the
vehicle qualifies for a 3-month or a 12-month exemption. These exemptions will be
automatically applied. The DVSA is confident, with its plan for exemptions in place,
that it can deliver to capacity to carry out tests when they are due. DVSA is working
with industry to ensure that tests are presented when due, so that demand is
managed.
For light vehicles, such as cars, where private garages carry out MOTs, a six month
extension was applied automatically to all MOTs expiring between 1 April and 31 July
2020. The DVSA is working closely with the industry to help it manage demand for
MOTs now extensions are no longer being issued. There is confidence the network of
23,000 garages that conduct MOTs will be able to meet demand for MOTs from light
vehicle owners.
Passengers: Coronavirus
Dan Jarvis: [88868]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to
ensure that passengers are financially compensated for cancelled flights as a result of
changes to Government travel advice during the covid-19 outbreak.
Robert Courts:
The department is in regular contact with industry and has encouraged businesses to
act fairly during this unprecedented event. The Government has been clear that
airlines and travel agents should not deny consumers their legal right to a refund, if it
is requested and this should be done in a timely manner. The Civil Aviation Authority
(CAA) undertook a review of the refund policies of all UK airlines, as well as a
number of international airlines that operate flights to and from the UK. The CAA has
utilised this review to influence airlines to change their processes and practices in
order to improve performance in providing refunds. The CAA’s actions have led to an
improved quality of service and performance from most airlines. The CAA continues
to work with carriers to drive down waiting times, but balancing the support
businesses need during this unprecedented situation.
Pedestrian Areas and Pedestrian Crossings: Disability
Dr Luke Evans: [86767]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to support the
development of disability friendly pavements and crossings.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
As set out in the Inclusive Transport Strategy, the Department wants to see well
maintained pavements, appropriately placed dropped kerbs and navigable and
legible routes in our public realm.
Local authorities are responsible for the design of their streets and public realm. It is
for them to ensure their streets, including pavements and crossings, are designed to
be inclusive and meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
To help deliver this, we are updating Inclusive Mobility, the key piece of design
guidance covering the pedestrian environment as a whole. This will also include
advice covering the much greater knowledge and understanding now available of the
needs of those with hidden disabilities, including autism, dementia and mental health
conditions.
Railways: Concessions
Rachael Maskell: [89773]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the
potential merits of extending the (a) young person's railcard and (b) 26 to 30 railcard for
12 months to encourage young workers to use the train.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
My Department recognises that Railcard holders have been unable to use their cards
while travel restrictions were in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are considering a range of options for all Railcard holders. We have not
specifically considered the potential merits of extending the Young Person’s Railcard
or the 26 to 30 Railcard. We continue to work closely with the Rail Delivery Group
and the wider industry to consider how best to support those returning to the railway
Railways: Repairs and Maintenance
Lilian Greenwood: [88859]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he intends to publish an updated Rail
Network Enhancements Pipeline list, which was last updated on 21 October 2019.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline showing the status of rail enhancement
schemes at different stages of development will be published on an annual basis. An
update of this will be published following the Spending Review.
Lilian Greenwood: [88860]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what rail schemes are listed at any stage of
the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline as of September 2020.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline Schemes Update was last published in
October 2019, and can be found at the following link:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm
ent_data/file/840709/rail-network-enhancements-pipeline.pdf
The schemes currently in the Pipeline are at different stages of development and
spread across the country. The Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline will be updated
on an annual basis and will be published in due course.
Lilian Greenwood: [88861]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to accelerate
projects listed in the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
We want to see rail infrastructure projects delivered faster and as efficiently as
possible.
We have implemented the Small Operational Enhancements Fund which will allow
smaller schemes that give rapid operational benefits to progress quickly through the
pipeline.
In order to deliver all transport infrastructure projects better, greener and faster DfT
has established a new Acceleration Unit. It will seek to ensure that we unblock issues
that impact the delivery of infrastructure projects, with close Ministerial support and
oversight.
Road Traffic Control
Dr Rupa Huq: [86723]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been received by
each local authority in (a) London and (b) England for the purposes of creating low traffic
neighbourhoods.
Chris Heaton-Harris:
The Government’s £225 million Emergency Active Travel Fund, launched in May, is
designed to help local authorities implement measures to create an environment that
is safer for both walking and cycling. This can include the development of low traffic
neighbourhoods, should a local authority see fit.
Full funding allocations to local authorities for tranche 1 of the Emergency Active
Travel Fund and indicative allocations for tranche 2 can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-active-travel-fund-local-
transport-authority-allocations/emergency-active-travel-fund-total-indicative-
allocations . Local authorities have received their tranche 1 funding, and an
announcement on tranche 2 funding is due to be made shortly.
Shipping: Coronavirus
Mr Kevan Jones: [86559]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department is providing to
the maritime sector as part of the economic recovery from the covid-19 oubreak.
Andrew Stephenson:
The maritime sector plays a vital role in the UK economy and continues to provide
vital freight and key worker services throughout the pandemic. However, as with
many parts of the economy, it has faced significant disruption and challenges. That is
why the Chancellor announced a £330bn package of financial support to support
businesses and employees during these unprecedented times. In addition, the
Department provided bespoke financial support to ensure that critical lifeline and
freight services continued to operate through the most challenging period.
My Department is now working closely across the maritime sector on their restart
plans identifying the support that is needed to enable the safe resumption and
continued increase of services and operations. We are also working with the sector
on a longer-term Maritime Recovery Plan which will build on the Maritime 2050
launched by the Government last year. The Recovery Plan will draw on the plans the
industry has already provided and consider both fiscal and non-fiscal opportunities.
Shipping: Exhaust Emissions
Mr Kevan Jones: [86561]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support the Government is providing to
the maritime sector to help it decarbonise.
Andrew Stephenson:
The Department for Transport is working actively with the maritime sector to support
decarbonisation at both international and domestic level.
Internationally we are working with other high ambition states and the sector to
develop and adopt pragmatic, effective short and medium term measures that will
peak and reduce emissions from the sector.
Domestically we have published research exploring the opportunities and challenges
arising from decarbonisation, to provide the sector with greater clarity on what is
required to achieve decarbonisation, and in support of this the Department has
provided £1.5m of grants through Maritime Research and Innovation UK, supporting
clean maritime innovation in the UK
Mr Kevan Jones: [86562]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had
with the maritime sector on the effect decarbonising that sector will have on improving (a)
the environment and (b) air quality.
Andrew Stephenson:
Officials have regularly engaged with industry on the issue of maritime
decarbonisation, particularly since the launch of the Clean Maritime Council, in 2018.
When discussing the need for rapid decarbonisation with the maritime sector the
Department for Transport has been careful to consider and include the opportunities
for wider environmental improvements, including to air quality.
Research carried out for the Department in support of the Clean Maritime Plan
considered air quality elements alongside decarbonisation, and looked at options for
decarbonisation that would also maximise the air quality benefits. This work has been
published on Gov.UK, and was shared with the maritime sector as part of a wider
dialogue on zero emissions shipping.
Mr Kevan Jones: [86564]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions the Government has had
with the maritime sector on the potential effect of decarbonising that sector in securing a
transition from jobs reliant on carbon industries to those in low and zero-carbon sectors.
Andrew Stephenson:
In 2019, the Department published the Clean Maritime Plan, which identified the
potential for clean economic growth in the UK as a result of the transition to zero
emission shipping. In line with the Government’s vision for sustainable economic
growth as set out in the Clean Growth Strategy and Industrial Strategy, the Clean
Maritime Plan seeks to support the innovation already present in British
manufacturing, technology, fuel production and services, encouraging the translation
of this expertise to the potential new clean maritime market.
The Clean Maritime Plan has been developed in close partnership with the maritime
industry. This has included an extensive programme of stakeholder engagement,
including the establishment of a Clean Maritime Council, alongside workshops and
ongoing dialogue.
Sir Mike Penning: [86582]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had on
the role decarbonising the maritime sector can play in reaching Net Zero by 2050; and
will he make a statement.
Andrew Stephenson:
In June 2019, the UK became the first major economy to legislate for a net zero
domestic greenhouse gas emission target by 2050[1]. This target includes emissions
from domestic shipping, making the case for supporting maritime decarbonisation
even more urgent[2]. The Clean Maritime Plan, published in 2019, sets out an
ambitious and bold plan to put the sector on a path to deliver this objective while
securing growth opportunities for the UK.
The publication of the Clean Maritime Plan was underpinned by extensive
stakeholder engagement with the UK maritime industry on decarbonising maritime,
including through the Clean Maritime Council, which was established in 2018 to
ensure strong collaboration between Government, industry and academia on this
matter. This partnership continues today, supporting my Department’s action in
tackling shipping emissions and ensuring that the whole transport sector delivers on
the legislative objective to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-
zero-emissions-law
[2] Whilst international shipping emissions are not formally included in the net-zero
target at present, the Government is still required to take these emissions into
account when setting carbon budgets under the Climate Change Act.
Sir Mike Penning: [86583]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of
the value of decarbonising the maritime sector in terms of economic growth.
Andrew Stephenson:
In 2015, the Department published the Maritime Growth Study, which considered all
aspects of the maritime sector and identified where action could be taken to generate
growth[1]. Following the publication of Maritime 2050 in 2019, which builds on the
findings of the Maritime Growth Study, the Department published the Clean Maritime
Plan, which identified the potential for clean economic growth in the UK as a result of
the transition to zero emission shipping[2].
Alongside the Plan, the Department published an assessment of the value of
potential economic opportunities from low and zero emission shipping. This review
provided a framework for assessing the scale of the opportunity generated by
emission reduction technologies, including a mapping of the relevant supply chain, an
assessment of the global uptake of these technologies, the economic footprint of the
UK firms in the supply chain and the UK’s share of global export of these
technologies [3] .
[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/maritime-growth-study
[2]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attach
ment_data/file/815664/clean-maritime-plan.pdf
[3]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attach
ment_data/file/815666/economic-opportunities-low-zero-emission-shipping.pdf
Sir Mike Penning: [86584]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had on
the role decarbonising the maritime sector can play in reaching net zero by 2050.
Andrew Stephenson:
The domestic maritime sector falls under the UK’s national net zero target, and in
common with the wider economy will need to be decarbonised by 2050 in order to
achieve net zero.
The Department has regular meetings with industry and civil society on the issue of
decarbonisation, and has published extensive research on Gov.UK into the
opportunities and challenges presented by the sector’s transition to net zero.
Wes Streeting: [87603]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the level of
funding that would be required to decarbonise the maritime sector.
Robert Courts:
The Department has undertaken extensive research to consider the level of
investment required for the UK’s domestic maritime sector to achieve net zero by
2050. This research comprises a range of scenarios assessing different policy
options, including both costs and benefits, and has been published on Gov.UK at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/clean-maritime-plan-maritime-2050-
environment-route-map
For the global shipping industry, research carried out by UMAS, part of UCL, and
published in January 2020, suggests that the total cost to achieve global maritime
decarbonisation may be in the region of £1.5 trillion, invested over the next thirty
years, with the majority of that investment occurring in the production and supply of
alternative fuels.
Transport: Hydrogen
Allan Dorans: [86751]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made
of the potential role hydrogen in decarbonising transport.
Rachel Maclean:
In 2018, the Department for Transport published the outputs of the Transport Energy
Model. The model provides a clear assessment of the relative environmental impacts,
including on greenhouse gas emissions and air quality, of a range of fuel and
powertrain options for cars, vans, buses and heavy goods vehicles over the period to
2050, including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
The Transport Secretary is exploring options for green hydrogen in transport across
freight, buses, trains, maritime and aviation and how the UK can lead the world in its
deployment and use. Further details will follow in due course.
TREASURY
Affordable Housing: Coronavirus
Stephen Farry: [86211]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential
merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to make housing more affordable for
people who have experienced financial hardship as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Steve Barclay:
The Government has put in place significant measures to help people with their living
costs, including housing, by paying up to 80% of their wages, increasing the amount
available to welfare claimants and raising the Local Housing Allowance rate to the
30th percentile, supporting tenants who may be struggling with their rent. Also, 1.9
million mortgage payment holidays have been granted, equivalent to 1 in every 6 UK
mortgages, and the current stay on lender repossessions of homes will be in place to
31 October 2020.
Furthermore, the Government has committed an additional £9.5 billion for the
Affordable Homes Programme at the Budget. This takes funding from 21/22 to £12.2
billion. The £12.2 billion will be spent over five years and this will deliver up to
180,000 new affordable homes
We also introduced a stay on possession proceedings for renters in England and
Wales to ensure no one needed to be concerned about the threat of eviction over the
summer. From 21 September courts will start to hear possession hearings again and
these will be subject to new court processes and procedures, developed by the
Judiciary, including prioritisation of the most serious cases.
The Government has changed the law to increase notice periods to six months in all
but the most egregious cases. This means that renters now served notice can stay in
their homes over winter, with more time to find alternative support or accommodation.
We are also taking steps to ensure that no enforcement of evictions will take place in
areas where local lockdown measures are in force which restrict access to premises.
There will also be a ‘winter truce’ on the enforcement of evictions, with no evictions
permitted in England and Wales in the run up to and over Christmas except in the
most serious circumstances, such as cases involving anti-social behaviour or
domestic abuse.
Bank Services
Dan Carden: [89824]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2020 to
Questions 75431 to 75432 on Bank Services, 75433 on Bank Services: Foreign Nationals
and 75434 on Bank Services: Undocumented Migrants, for what reason that information
is not held by HM Treasury.
John Glen:
Although HM Treasury sets the legal framework for the regulation of financial
services, it does not routinely collect such specific information of this kind. The
information relates to commercial data from UK financial institutions.
Beer: Excise Duties
James Wild: [89862]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HMRC has made of the number
of brewers producing between 2,100 hectolitres and 5,000 hectolitres a year.
Kemi Badenoch:
HMRC publishes annual statistics on Small Brewers Relief, this includes the number
of people claiming the relief. Information on the number of brewers claiming the relief
by production volume is not readily available. The Government will be bringing
forward more details on the reform of SBR as part of the technical consultation later
in the Autumn.
Business: Coronavirus
Anneliese Dodds: [89828]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what conditions on (a) environmental
performance, (b) treatment of employees, (c) continuation as a going concern, (d) tax
practices, (e) corporate behaviour including the use of share buybacks and dividend
payments and (f) executive remuneration are imposed on companies receiving support
through the (a) Coronavirus Job Retention scheme, (b) Coronavirus Business Interruption
Loan scheme, c) Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan scheme and (d) COVID-
19 Corporate Financing Facility.
Kemi Badenoch:
The Government support measures are well-targeted at businesses most in need,
bearing in mind the need to act very quickly to deliver this unprecedented package.
The OBR has said that that the positive actions the Government have taken
“should…help to limit any long-term economic ‘scarring’, by keeping workers attached
to firms and helping otherwise viable firms stay in business.”. The Coronavirus Job
Retention Scheme in particular, has supported more than 1.2 million firms to furlough
9.6 million jobs. We expect everyone to act responsibly and in the spirit of these
packages, and only claim and use support as intended. In addition:
Under the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS),
borrowers are required to restrict dividend payments, which means they are only
allowed to make dividends payments which were a) declared before the CLBILS loan
was taken out, b) are in keeping with similar dividends payments made in the
preceding 12 months, and c) do not have a material negative impact on the
borrower’s ability to repay the loan. In addition to restrictions on dividends payments,
firms borrowing more than £50m will be required to agree to not make dividend
payments or share buybacks, and to restrictions on pay and bonuses for senior
management. These restrictions remain in place until the loan has been repaid.
Issuers participating in the Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) are required to
commit to restraint on their capital distributions (including dividends and share
buybacks) and on senior pay. This applies to all commercial paper (CP) maturing
after 19 May 2021. Issuers will be required to provide a letter of commitment to HM
Treasury in relation to this if a) an increase in an issuer's CCFF limit, over and above
that suggested by the issuer’s investment rating, is requested and approved, and/or
b) a CCFF transaction is entered into which involves CP maturing on or after 19 May
2021. HM Treasury reserves the right to publish this letter, should it become aware
that the terms of the letter have not been complied with.
Centrica: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Charlotte Nichols: [89867]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total sum of payments made to
Centrica plc and its subsidiaries is under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Jesse Norman:
It is not possible to provide an answer to this question. In line with their
responsibilities under the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005,
HMRC do not comment on identifiable taxpayers.
Charities: VAT
Fiona Bruce: [89673]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will reconsider the provisions under Section
33 of the VAT Act 1994 which mean charitable bodies cannot recover VAT on public
benefit works on endowed sites.
Jesse Norman:
Eligibility for VAT refunds for public bodies is subject to strict criteria, as set out in UK
legislation. Although the Government keeps all taxes under review, there are no
plans to extend the scope of Section 33 at this time.
Children: Day Care
Tulip Siddiq: [88366]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the (a) forecast expenditure and
(b) actual expenditure for the tax-free childcare scheme in the last three financial years to
date.
Steve Barclay:
The forecast expenditure (forecast in March 2017) was £400m in 2017/18, £800m in
2018/19 and £900m in 2019/20. The actual expenditure was £32m in 2017/18,
£117m in 2018/19 and £236m in 2019/20. Forecast expenditure has been published
by the OBR (https://obr.uk/efo/economic-fiscal-outlook-march-2017). Actual
expenditure has been published on the gov.uk website
(https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tax-free-childcare-statistics-june-2020).
The Government recognises that take up of Tax-Free Childcare has been below
expectations, particularly for school-aged children. For this reason, at March 2020
Budget we announced a measure that will make TFC payments compatible with
school payment agents, allowing up to 500,000 eligible children to access TFC for the
first time.
Tulip Siddiq: [88367]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the forecast expenditure is for the tax-free
childcare scheme for (a) 2020-21 and (b) the next three financial years.
Steve Barclay:
The forecast expenditure is £0.3bn in 2020/21. It is £0.5bn in 2021/22, £0.6bn in
2022/23 and £0.7bn in 2023/24. This is information is also available at
https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2020/.
Elizabeth Truss
Emily Thornberry: [89625]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many events were attended between 1
September 2017 and 24 July 2019 by the then Chief Secretary to the Treasury at the
invitation of: (a) the Institute or Initiative for Free Trade; (b) the Institute for Economic
Affairs; (c) the Adam Smith Institute; (d) the Centre for Policy Studies; (e) Politeia; (f) the
Cato Institute; (g) the Heritage Foundation; (h) the Manhattan Institute; (i) the American
Enterprise Institute; (j) the Competitive Enterprise Institute; (k) the Mercatus Center; and
(l) the Legatum Institute.
Steve Barclay:
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in
the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and
delivery.
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations
on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-
and-overseas-travel
Health Services: Staffordshire
Jonathan Gullis: [86776]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure
the adequacy of funding for the NHS over winter 2020-21 in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b)
Staffordshire.
Steve Barclay:
The NHS is the Government’s number one spending priority and this year we are part
way through the largest cash increase to the NHS budget in its history, which will take
the NHS budget in England to £148.5 billion in 2023/24. This year we have gone
further in responding to the Coronavirus pandemic, which is why the Chancellor set
out at the Summer Economic Update that the Treasury had approved £31.9 billon of
extra support to health services in 2020/21. The Prime Minister subsequently
announced an additional £3 billion package of support to manage NHS capacity
pressures over winter- including to deliver the largest ever flu vaccination programme
and to continue access to independent sector hospitals for NHS patients. This
unprecedented support for the NHS will benefit patients and protect the public across
the UK, including in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.
As well as increasing day-to-day spending the Prime Minister has also announced
£1.5 billion of additional capital funding for NHS hospitals in England this year,
including towards improving A&E capacity. I am pleased to say that £4.3 million of
this A&E funding has been allocated to the University Hospitals of North Midlands
NHS Trust which serves patients in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.
Insolvency
Anneliese Dodds: [89829]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of
the effect of the return of HMRC preferential creditor status on (a) the willingness of retail
banks to extend credit and loans, and (b) the ability of retail banks to renew the facilities
of existing borrowers.
Jesse Norman:
The recent legislative change gives HMRC second preferential creditor status for
certain taxes. This change ensures that when a business enters insolvency, more of
the taxes paid in good faith by its employees and customers, but held temporarily by
the business, go to fund public services as intended, rather than be distributed to
other creditors.
This change is not expected to have a significant impact on financial institutions, the
lending market or wider economy. This measure is forecast to raise up to £220 million
a year. To put this into perspective, bank lending to small and medium-sized
businesses alone in 2019 was £57 billion.
Public Expenditure
Stephen Farry: [86784]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the economic effects of the
covid-19 pandemic, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of index-linking
devolved Administrations' borrowing limits to reflect cost pressures.
Steve Barclay:
The devolved administrations receive a share of funding from UK Government
borrowing through the Barnett formula. This demonstrates the significant benefit
derived from pooling and sharing resources across our Union.
The UK Government has guaranteed that the devolved administrations will receive a
minimum of £12.7bn of additional resource funding in 2020/21. This is an
unprecedented guarantee of additional in-year funding.
The devolved administrations can also augment this funding through their own
borrowing powers and Reserves, ensuring they have the tools to deliver their
response to COVID-19 this year.
Shipping: Tax Allowances
Anneliese Dodds: [89830]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to inform UK
seafarers who have been unable to work due to covid-19 travel restrictions that they may
face a tax bill as a result of not qualifying for the Seafarers Earnings Deduction.
Jesse Norman:
The Seafarers Earnings Deduction (SED) offers a 100 per cent reduction in income
tax on maritime employment income for UK and EEA resident seafarers who have a
qualifying period of time absent from the UK. The qualifying period must be made up
of at least 365 days, but return visits to the UK during that time up to a maximum of
183 consecutive days can count towards the qualifying period. This is among the
most generous reliefs available to seafarers worldwide.
In addition, the Government has introduced a broad range of support to help meet
this challenge. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-
Employment Income Support Scheme and mortgage holidays for homeowners and
landlords.
Guidance is available on GOV.UK for seafarers to check whether they are eligible for
SED and what steps they need to take to claim, including a worksheet which
seafarers can use each year to determine their eligibility.
As with other areas of tax policy, the Government is keeping this under review in light
of the pandemic.
Tenants: Loans
Layla Moran: [88927]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to introduce a
tenant hardship loan fund.
Steve Barclay:
The UK Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support
which is available to tenants, and we will continue to monitor closely the impacts of
Covid19 for renters.
Notably, we have increased the local housing allowance rate to the 30th percentile.
This increase will mean nearly £1bn of additional support for private renters claiming
Universal Credit or Housing Benefit in 2020/21 and benefits over 1 million
households, including those in work.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has offered support for business to pay staff
salaries, enabling people to continue to pay their rent.
For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments are
available. As announced at the spending round for 2020/21, there is already £180m
in Discretionary Housing Payments for Local Authorities to distribute for supporting
renters with housing costs in the private and social rented sectors.
Treasury: Staff
Neil O'Brien: [87650]
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many members of staff in their Department
have one or more of the words equality, diversity, inclusion, gender, LGBT or race in their
job title.
Kemi Badenoch:
HM Treasury have three job titles that include diversity, inclusion and race. Currently
there are 5 staff matching with one of the three Job Titles below:-
Diversity and Inclusion Manager
Diversity lead Let's Talk About Race project
Head of Diversity & Inclusion
WALES
Hydrogen: Wales
Fay Jones: [87673]
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what support his Department is providing to the
Welsh hydrogen economy.
Simon Hart:
The Government aims to consult on a preferred business model for low-carbon
hydrogen production in 2021. This will be key to stimulating the deployment of
hydrogen across the UK.
In addition, I am pleased to see that the South Wales Industrial Cluster is being
supported by UK Research and Innovation’s £170m Industrial Decarbonisation
Challenge, which is looking at options for decarbonising the region’s industrial base,
including using hydrogen.
My officials regularly engage with officials in other departments across the UK
Government to raise awareness of the opportunities in Wales for hydrogen energy
generation.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Employment: Coronavirus
Sir John Hayes: [88816]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is
taking to support people of all ages back into work as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are
eased.
Mims Davies:
I refer the Rt. Hon. member to my response to question 43982.
Employment: Disability
Sir John Hayes: [88814]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department is
providing to help disabled people (a) find and (b) remain in employment during the covid-
19 outbreak.
Justin Tomlinson:
The Government has put in place a range of provision to help disabled people find
and stay in work across the country. Our programmes include Access to Work,
Disability Confident, specialised employment support including the Work and Health
Programme and the Intensive Personalised Employment Support Programme, and
local trials in partnership with the Department for Health and Social Care. During the
Covid-19 outbreak, we have provided this support remotely and made the Work and
Health and Intensive Personalised Employment Support programmes easier to
access by allowing self-referrals as well as referrals through work coaches.
Financial Services: Advisory Services
Henry Smith: [87528]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department
has made of the potential merits of implementing a training programme for pension and
finance professionals to ensure they can more readily identify scam risks.
Guy Opperman:
The Government is committed to working closely with industry, regulators and
pension scheme providers to help identify and prevent scams, it is working with
Project Bloom, the Pension Regulator led taskforce, to stop scams and co-ordinate
action against offenders.
Through Project Bloom, DWP works with other government departments, regulators,
enforcement agencies and the pensions industry to monitor the evolution of scam
typology and respond with a collective and coordinated response. Project Bloom is
examining the range of measures that all agencies including providers and financial
professionals could take to help prevent scams.
DWP will consider with Project Bloom, industry and the regulators the feasibility of
how a training programme could be developed. This would build on training individual
providers already provide for their people.
Industrial Health and Safety: Coronavirus
Neil Coyle: [89720]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many covid 19-related
workplace inspections the Health and Safety Executive undertook in each of the last six
months; and what the outcome was of each of those inspections.
Mims Davies:
The table below provides details of Covid specific site visits carried out by the Health
and Safety Executive’s (HSE) operational staff in each of the last 6 months and up
until 15th September 2020. Where an outcome has been recorded this has been
provided below and please note that there will be some instances where an outcome
has not yet been recorded.
MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST
1 ST - 15 TH
SEPTEMBER TOTAL
No. of Covid
Site Vists
1 35 126 159 1,820 1,103 475 3,721
No Action Taken 1 10 41 47 913 532 216 1,761
MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST
1 ST - 15 TH
SEPTEMBER TOTAL
Verbal Advice - 12 55 61 619 379 195 1,322
Written
Correspondence
- 13 24 37 165 111 34 384
Enforcement
Notices served
- - 6 13 31 15 3 68
Notes:
i) As the above data is taken from a live operational database it is subject to change
e.g. when the outcome of an inspection is determined and recorded, due to the delay
between a site visit and details being recorded onto the database and as a result of
data quality checks.
ii) The data also does not include site visits for other purposes which may have
addressed Covid issues e.g. investigations of reported accidents and workplace
concerns and inspections carried out for other purposes.
Jobcentres: Staff
Seema Malhotra: [89705]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many full-time equivalent work
coaches there are in her Department.
Mims Davies:
As at 31 August 2020, c14,000 full-time equivalents were employed on Work Coach
activity.
Kickstart Scheme: Bosworth
Dr Luke Evans: [86766]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure
the efficient roll out of the Kickstart scheme in Bosworth constituency.
Mims Davies:
We are pleased to confirm that the department is now processing many applications
from across the UK, this is currently a clerical process, so reliable management
information, particularly on geographical areas, is not yet available.
Kickstart Scheme: Staffordshire
Jonathan Gullis: [86775]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is
taking with employers to help ensure as many young people as possible benefit from the
Kickstart scheme in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) Staffordshire.
Mims Davies:
We are pleased to confirm that the department is now processing many applications
from across the UK, this is currently a clerical process, so reliable management
information, particularly on geographical areas, is not yet available.
Pensions: Fraud
Henry Smith: [87524]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department
has made of the potential increase in pension scams since the covid-19 outbreak.
Guy Opperman:
Through Project Bloom, DWP works with other government departments, regulators,
enforcement agencies and the pensions industry to monitor the evolution of scam
typology and respond with a collective and coordinated response. Project Bloom is
examining the range of measures that all agencies including providers and financial
professionals could take to help prevent scams.
At the onset of the covid-19 pandemic, the Department convened a cross-
government and regulator group to closely monitor and respond to any increase in
transfers and scams. The group includes DWP, HMT, both the Pensions Regulator
and the FCA as well as the Money and Pensions Service and the Pension
Ombudsman. This is supported by cross government and regulator gathering,
monitoring and evaluating of data in order to develop as complete and robust a
picture as possible. At this point the Department doesn’t yet have any robust
evidence showing an increase in pension scams activity but will continue to monitor
across the industry.
In addition to active monitoring, the Government, working with the regulators and the
Money and Pension Service has been communicating with pension savers to alert
them to the risk of scams in the current climate. DWP continues to communicate
regularly on social media out the warning signs of a scam. A joint statement was
issued by The Pension Regulator, Financial Conduct Authority, and Money Advice
and Pension Service on 7 April pointing to the actions members should seek to take
to safeguard against becoming victims of scams. Additional guidance was issued to
trustees, and providers from both The Financial Conduct Authority and the Pensions
Regulator to support them to produce suitable communications during the Covid-19
outbreak.
Please see links below for more information about the joint statement from
Regulators and the Money Advice Service, and help available, produced by the
Pension Protection Fund and supported by government.
https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/covid-19-savers-stay-calm-dont-rush-
financial-decisions
https://www.ppf.co.uk/sites/default/files/file-2020-05/COVID-19-and-your-pension.pdf
Henry Smith: [87526]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have contacted
Action Fraud on potential pension scams since the covid-19 outbreak.
Guy Opperman:
The Government continues to work with Regulators and the Police to prevent scams
and this has continued during Covid-19. In the period March – July 2020, 116 reports
of pension fraud were received by Action Fraud, compared to 179 for the same
period in 2019.
In recognition of the potential impact of Covid-19 on individual’s pensions savings the
Department convened a cross-government and regulator group, to closely monitor
and respond to any increase in transfers and scams. Regulators, Police and Action
Fraud have confirmed that to date no evidence has emerged to demonstrate an
increase in either transfers or scams, based on their internal monitoring of the
industry. Although this is encouraging Government recognises it needs to continue to
monitor and react to the changing environment.
Henry Smith: [87529]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions her Department
has had with HMRC on its investigation of tax rule breaches arising from pension scams.
Guy Opperman:
Tax liabilities relating to unauthorised payments and HMRC’s investigation of tax
rules arising from pension scams are the responsibility of HMT. DWP will continue to
work closely with HMRC to understand their position and how these may impact the
Pensions Schemes Bill and savers.
Government continues to work with regulators and industry to protect consumers and
find the best ways of preventing pension scams. HMRC and DWP have held regular
discussions relating to the enhanced protection measures in the Pension Scheme Bill
2020.
Henry Smith: [87530]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions her Department
has had with (a) pension regulators, (b) pension providers and (c) HMRC on encouraging
victims of pensions scams to report that scam.
Guy Opperman:
Through Project Bloom, DWP works with other government departments, regulators,
enforcement agencies and the pensions industry to monitor the evolution of scam
typology and respond with a collective and coordinated response. Project Bloom is
examining the range of measures that all agencies including providers and financial
professionals could take to help prevent scams.
DWP consistently works with other organisations to raise awareness of pension
scams and encourage reporting, including regular campaigns, from the Financial
Conduct Authority and the Pensions Regulator, conducted through the ScamSmart
branding. Alongside promoting what to look out for to recognise a pension scam, the
ScamSmart campaigns and website encourage people to report when they think they
have been scammed. These messages are proving effective, in the most recent
campaign prior to Covid-19, June to September 2019 over 222,000 visited the
ScamSmart website to find out how to identify a scam scheme and report a scam.
The Government, working with the regulators and the Money and Pension Service
communicates with pension savers to alert them to the risk of scams in the current
climate. DWP continues to communicate regularly on social media to set out the
warning signs of a scam and has made 18 posts referencing Pension Scams and
ScamSmart in total across Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn in the period March to
September 2020.
A joint statement was issued by The Pension Regulator, Financial Conduct Authority,
and Money Advice and Pension Service on 7 April pointing to the actions members
should take to help safeguard against scams. Additional guidance was issued to
trustees, and providers from both The Financial Conduct Authority and the Pensions
Regulator to support them to produce suitable communications during the Covid-19
outbreak.
Please see links below for more information about the joint statement from
Regulators and the Money Advice Service, and help available, produced by the
Pension Protection Fund and supported by government.
https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/covid-19-savers-stay-calm-dont-rush-
financial-decisions
https://www.ppf.co.uk/sites/default/files/file-2020-05/COVID-19-and-your-pension.pdf
Social Security Benefits: Children
Seema Malhotra: [89708]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has
made of the number of households with children subject to the benefit cap; and what
assessment she has made of the correlation between that cap and levels of rent arrears
among those families.
Mims Davies:
As published in August here, there are 132,900 households with children that had
their benefits capped at May 2020. No assessment has been made of the level of
rent arrears among these households. Claimants can approach their Local Authority
for a Discretionary Housing Payment if they need additional support to meet rental
costs.
Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses
Vicky Foxcroft: [87602]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June
2020 to Question 52243 on Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illness, when her
Department plans to publish the outcome of the review into how the benefits system
supports people who are terminally ill, announced in July 2019.
Justin Tomlinson:
As I stated during recent oral questions [Hansard, 14 September 2020, Column 3].
The evaluation took longer due to covid-19. It has shown that there are three themes:
the need to change the six-month rule, to improve consistency and to raise
awareness of the support. The Department is working at pace across government to
bring forward proposals.
Universal Credit
Chris Stephens: [88351]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claims in
each parliamentary constituency had deductions taken from them in the most recent
month for which data is available; what the average deduction was in each constituency;
and what proportion of each sum was deducted to repay advance payments.
Will Quince:
[Holding answer 15 September 2020]: The requested information surrounding
deductions to Universal Credit payments by parliamentary constituency is shown in
the attached table.
Universal Credit advance repayments are made gradually over 12 months, and
deductions are capped at 30% of claimants’ standard allowance. This is further to the
reduction of the overall maximum level of deductions from 40% to 30% of the
standard allowance since October 2019.
From October 2021, the repayment period will be extended from 12 months to 24
months and the reduction of the deductions cap from 30% to 25%.
For those who find themselves in unexpected hardship, advance repayments can be
deferred for up to three months in certain cases.
Attachments:
1. 88351 Attachment [Proportion of Universal Credit claims with deductions by
Parliamentary Consituency.xlsx]
Vicky Foxcroft: [88358]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July
2020 to Question 72774 on Universal Credit, what estimate her Department has made of
the cost of providing information on the number of payments of financial redress her
Department has made since March 2019 to claimants who moved from legacy benefits to
universal credit on her Department's advice and became worse off.
Will Quince:
When considering our response to PQ 72774, the Department undertook a sampling
exercise that indicated an estimated cost in excess of £850 for providing the
requested data. For this reason, the Department considered that the information
could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
Drew Hendry: [89762]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure
that increased time frames for personal independence payment renewals do not prevent
people whose PIP is no longer paid from accessing universal credit's limited capability for
work related activity element when their income is above the conditionality earnings
threshold and stopping them from having a universal credit work capability assessment.
Justin Tomlinson:
As I stated during recent oral questions [Hansard, 14 September 2020, Column 6] the
Department has supported disabled customers during the Covid outbreak by
automatically extending existing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards. As
PIP payments are unaffected until any review activity has been completed, the
circumstances whereby an individual loses access to Universal Credit's limited
capability for work and work related activity element do not arise.
Universal Credit: Darlington
Peter Gibson: [88398]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is
taking to support people transitioning from legacy benefits to universal credit in Darlington
constituency.
Will Quince:
We currently spend over £95 billion a year on working age benefits including
Universal Credit and remain committed to supporting the most vulnerable in society.
Recent changes to Universal Credit include temporarily increasing the standard
allowance by up to £1,040 per year and increasing the Local Housing Allowance
rates, including the Shared Accommodation element, so that it covers the lowest 30%
of local market rents benefiting over one million households by £600 a year on
average.
The Department has delivered a number of improvements to support claimants
during their first assessment period, such as removing waiting days and paying those
claimants moving from Housing Benefit on to Universal Credit a two week ‘transitional
housing payment’. Since July 2020, an additional two-week run has been introduced
to assist eligible claimants moving from Income Support, Employment and Support
Allowance (IR) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (IB). Advance payments are available so
nobody has to wait five weeks for payment.
We are also doubling the number of work coaches across our network of jobcentres,
from 13,500 to 27,000, so that every jobseeker receives tailored support to get back
on their feet, build skills and move into work
We recognise that some people will need extra help to successfully establish a claim
to Universal Credit. Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland, have supported in
excess of 250,000 individuals through ‘Help to Claim’ since April 2019, offering
tailored and practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim and up to
receiving their first full correct payment on time. ‘Help to Claim’ is funded by the
Department and is available online, on the phone and face-to-face in locations
including Jobcentres and Citizen’s Advice offices.
MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS
HOME OFFICE
Victim Support Schemes
Simon Fell: [87667]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications there
have been to the National Referral Mechanism by region in each of the last five years.
An error has been identified in the written answer given on 17 September 2020. The
correct answer should have been:
Victoria Atkins:
Statistics relating to the number of referrals made to the National Referral Mechanism
by region is not currently published by the Single Competent Authority. Published
statistics include the police force the referral was sent to for investigation and crime
recording purposes.
Data tables detailing the number of RG decisions made and their outcomes for the
last five years can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-
referral-mechanism-statistics-uk-end-of-year-summary-2019. The published data
details the final outcome of an RG decision and does not take into account any
previous decisions that may have been made on a particular case.
There is no appeals process for negative RG outcomes, however an individual, or
someone acting on their behalf, may request reconsideration of a negative RG
decision. Further detail on this can be found in the Modern Slavery Act 2015 –
Statutory Guidance for England and Wales v1.02 sections 14.220 - 14.235. All
negative decisions are reviewed by a Technical Specialist who is senior to a Decision
Maker.
Statistics relating to the number of referrals made to the National Referral
Mechanism by region is not currently published by the Single Competent
Authority. Published statistics include the police force the referral was sent to
for investigation and crime recording purposes.
Data tables detailing the number of RG decisions made and their outcomes
for the last five years can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-referral-mechanism-
statistics-uk-end-of-year-summary-2019
The published data details the final outcome of an RG decision and does not
take into account any previous decisions that may have been made on a
particular case.
There is no appeals process for negative RG outcomes, however an individual,
or someone acting on their behalf, may request reconsideration of a negative
RG decision. Further detail on this can be found in the Modern Slavery Act
2015 – Statutory Guidance for England and Wales v1.02 sections 14.220 -
14.235. All negative decisions are reviewed by a Technical Specialist who is
senior to a Decision Maker.
Simon Fell: [87669]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of applications
to the National Referral Mechanism received a reasonable grounds decision in each of
the last five years following appeal of a negative decision.
An error has been identified in the written answer given on 17 September 2020. The
correct answer should have been:
Victoria Atkins:
Statistics relating to the number of referrals made to the National Referral Mechanism
by region is not currently published by the Single Competent Authority. Published
statistics include the police force the referral was sent to for investigation and crime
recording purposes.
Data tables detailing the number of RG decisions made and their outcomes for the
last five years can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-
referral-mechanism-statistics-uk-end-of-year-summary-2019. The published data
details the final outcome of an RG decision and does not take into account any
previous decisions that may have been made on a particular case.
There is no appeals process for negative RG outcomes, however an individual, or
someone acting on their behalf, may request reconsideration of a negative RG
decision. Further detail on this can be found in the Modern Slavery Act 2015 –
Statutory Guidance for England and Wales v1.02 sections 14.220 - 14.235. All
negative decisions are reviewed by a Technical Specialist who is senior to a Decision
Maker.
Statistics relating to the number of referrals made to the National Referral
Mechanism by region is not currently published by the Single Competent
Authority. Published statistics include the police force the referral was sent to
for investigation and crime recording purposes.Data tables detailing the
number of RG decisions made and their outcomes for the last five years can be
found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-referral-
mechanism-statistics-uk-end-of-year-summary-2019. The published data
details the final outcome of an RG decision and does not take into account any
previous decisions that may have been made on a particular case.
There is no appeals process for negative RG outcomes, however an individual,
or someone acting on their behalf, may request reconsideration of a negative
RG decision. Further detail on this can be found in the Modern Slavery Act
2015 – Statutory Guidance for England and Wales v1.02 sections 14.220 -
14.235. All negative decisions are reviewed by a Technical Specialist who is
senior to a Decision Maker.
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
DEFENCE
Legal Protections for Armed Forces Personnel and Veterans
Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Ben Wallace): [HCWS456]
Today, I am announcing the publication of the Ministry of Defence (MOD)’s Analysis and
Response to the 2019 public consultation on "Legal Protections for Armed Forces
Personnel and Veterans serving in operations outside the United Kingdom". A copy has
been placed in the Library of the House and will be published on GOV.UK.
There were over 4,200 responses to the consultation, with approximately 3,750 of
respondents identifying as being a current serving member of the Armed Forces, or a
veteran, or a relative of either. We also received approximately 20 responses from legal
firms, interest groups and NGOs.
The Analysis and Response includes statistical data and identifies the key themes drawn
from the textual comments provided by respondents. A MOD response has been
provided for each question set to explain how we have reflected on these key themes,
and also against the more general points made by respondents (points not directly linked
to the questions and measures in the consultation). While the responses to the
consultation proposals were overwhelmingly supportive, in order to ensure a balanced
analysis, we have also referenced where respondents either did not support or expressed
concerns about the proposed measures.
The analysis of the responses helped to guide our thinking and to shape the legal
protections measures that we introduced on 18 March 2020 in the Overseas Operations
(Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill, to deliver our manifesto commitment to legislate to
prevent vexatious claims being brought against the Armed Forces. I look forward to
discussing this vitally important issue with the House at Second Reading of the Bill.
Attachments:
1. Ministry of Defence's Analysis and Response [20200907-MOD Analysis and Response-
FINAL.pdf]
HOME OFFICE
Amendment to the Manchester Arena Inquiry Terms of Reference
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Priti Patel): [HCWS455]
On 22 October 2019 I announced an independent public inquiry to investigate the deaths
of the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack, and the Terms of Reference for
that Inquiry.
I have now received a request from the Inquiry’s Chair, Sir John Saunders, to make a
small addition to the Terms of Reference. The additional text was not explicitly included in
the original Terms of Reference due to the risk of prejudicing a future trial. That trial has
now completed and therefore I have agreed that it is in the public interest that the Terms
of Reference should more fully reflect the scope of the Inquiry’s investigations.
Therefore the following text will be added to section 1(ii): “whether Prevent referrals
should have been made in respect of Salman Abedi and/or any of his family members”.
The updated Terms of Reference can be found on the Inquiry’s website at
www.manchesterarenainquiry.org.uk.
I would like to thank Sir John Saunders for his continued work, and I pay tribute to the
strength and courage of all those who will be sharing their experiences to ensure the
Inquiry can deliver its vital work.
HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
High Streets update
Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(Robert Jenrick): [HCWS453]
I am today informing the House that I have laid a statutory instrument that will extend the
moratorium on commercial landlords’ right to forfeit a lease due to the non-payment of
rent to the end of the year.
The moratorium was established via Section 82 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 and was due
to expire on 30 September. It has now been extended by three months and will expire on
31 December 2020. This extension will help provide businesses and employees with
certainty and protect vital jobs, particularly in the retail and hospitality sectors.
This is being accompanied by an amendment to Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery
measures led by the Ministry of Justice. Accompanying restrictions on the service of
statutory demands and winding-up petitions, implemented through the Corporate
Insolvency and Governance Act 2020, are currently in place until 30 September, and we
are working closely across Government to consider a similar extension to these.
Since March, Government has implemented a range of measures to support commercial
property tenants and landlords. The objective of these measures was to preserve tenants’
businesses through the Covid-19 lockdown and to give time and space to landlords and
tenants to agree reasonable adjustments to rent and lease terms, including terms for the
payment of accumulated rent arrears.
This is a temporary measure being extended; however government recognises that it
cannot go on indefinitely. We recognise the impact that this extension has on landlords,
therefore we expect both sides of the sector to use this time to negotiate and government
will intervene further if necessary.
This extension will provide the businesses with certainty as they scale up their recovery
from Covid-19 and will ensure that sectors most acutely impacted by the closure of non-
essential retail can benefit from the Christmas trading period.
This is not a rent holiday. Government is clear that landlords and tenants should be
coming together to negotiate in good faith where a tenant is unable to pay in full, using
the principles set out in the voluntary Code of Practice we published in June which
recommends that those tenants who can pay should do so while those landlords who are
able to grant concessions should do so. This Code of Practice and approach was
supported by a wide range of sector bodies representing tenants and landlords.
England, Northern Ireland and Wales are covered by the protection from forfeiture in the
Coronavirus Act. Section 82 relates to England and Wales, and the Welsh Government
have already laid a statutory instrument to extend the measures for an additional three
months. Section 83 relates to Northern Ireland, who are currently considering a similar
extension. The Scottish Government passed separate emergency legislation to
implement similar measures.
Rough sleeping update
Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(Robert Jenrick): [HCWS457]
On 18 July, as part of the Government’s ‘Everyone In’ initiative, we launched the Next
Steps Accommodation Programme to support local authorities and their partners to
prevent the nearly 15,000 people accommodated during the pandemic from returning to
the streets. There are two parts to this funding: £105 million to pay for short-term and
immediate accommodation and support; and £161 million to deliver 3,300 units of longer-
term move-on accommodation this year (part of the £433 million total).
Today I have announced the allocations for the short-term aspect of this funding. 274
councils across England will be receiving £91.5 million to provide short-term and
immediate accommodation and support to help vulnerable people to move on into
sustainable accommodation. This funding will enable councils and providers to support
individuals into the private rented sector, facilitate reconnections with friends and family,
or maintain or extend emergency accommodation where necessary on a short-term
basis, including where additional provision is required over the winter. Additionally, this
funding will allow local areas to provide support for those with complex needs. We will
continue to work with local authorities to allocate the remaining £13.5 million funding to
enable them to tackle new or emerging challenges.
For the longer-term aspect of the fund, we are progressing our assessment of bids. This
includes conducting due diligence regarding proposals and undertaking further
negotiations where required to make proposals viable. Details on successful bids will be
announced in due course. This allocation is part of a broader £433 million funding
package which will provide 6,000 homes for rough sleepers over the course of the
Parliament, the largest ever investment in accommodation of this kind.
Taken together, this funding will provide immediate reassurance to those housed as part
of our ‘Everyone In’ campaign and give longer-term assurance of more move-on
accommodation – ensuring as few people as possible return to the streets.
Today’s announcement is on top of the £112 million Rough Sleeping Initiative funding
provided to councils earlier this year. We have also provided £3.7 billion to help councils
to manage the impacts of COVID-19, including supporting homeless people and a further
£3.2 million in emergency funding for local authorities to support vulnerable rough
sleepers as part of a total package of almost £28 billion of support to councils,
communities and businesses since March. An additional £23 million will be provided so
that vulnerable individuals experiencing rough sleeping, including those currently in
emergency accommodation as a response to COVID-19, can access the specialist help
they need for substance dependency issues. This funding, together with our pledge to
fully enforce the Homelessness Reduction Act, demonstrates our commitment to making
the most of this opportunity to transform the lives of the some of the most vulnerable in
society, and to ending rough sleeping for good.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Disability Benefits Operational Update
Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work (Justin Tomlinson):
[HCWS454]
I would like to update the House on the Department’s plans to implement the Supreme
Court judgment in the case of Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v. MM, known as
MM 1 , into the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment process.
The Supreme Court judgment concerned the definition of “social support”, when engaging
with other people face to face, in activity 9 of the PIP regulations, and how far in advance
that support can be provided.
I set out to the House on 23 July 2019 that we would carefully consider the full judgment
before updating the House on our implementation plans. We have worked hard to
implement the judgment quickly, but given the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our
staff resources and services, this has taken longer than we would have liked. We have
also consulted Mind, the mental health charity, who intervened in the Supreme Court
case.
We have now made the necessary changes to the way PIP Activity 9 is assessed and
these are reflected in revisions to the PIP Assessment Guidance (PIPAG) published
today on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-
independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-
guide-part-2-the-assessment-criteria
Despite the challenges, all DWP staff and Healthcare Professionals working for our
Assessment Providers have been trained to apply the judgment. DWP will be applying
the changes to all decisions from today. A FAQ will be deposited in the House library.
On 23 July 2019, I also confirmed that the Department would be undertaking an
administrative exercise to check whether claimants are entitled to more PIP as a result of
the judgment. This is a complicated exercise and we are still planning our approach. This
will be a substantial undertaking and will take some time.
I also want to update the House on the administration of Severe Disability Premium
Transitional Payments (SDP).
On 22 July 2019, we laid legislation to provide additional financial support for former SDP
recipients who had moved to Universal Credit on account of a change of circumstances.
As at 17 January 2020, we had already paid over 15,000 people, totalling more than
£51.5 million.
The UC (Managed Migration Pilot and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2019
provide for the conversion of these transitional payments into transitional elements. This
means that payments will be made through the UC system rather than manually, and all
transitional protection will be subject to the same rules.
I will be signing a Determination setting the conversion day to 8 October 2020 and will
place a copy in the library. This is when the UC system will have capacity to convert SDP
transitional payments to transitional elements.
1 Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Appellant) v MM (Respondent)(Scotland) 18
July 2019 https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2017-0215-judgment.pdf
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