Baroness Altmann

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has 19 colleague-run networks, 11 of which are diversity-related. Time taken on network activities is agreed between individuals and line managers- no formal facility time is allocated. No network holds a delegated budget, and there are currently no plans to revise this approach.

UKRI has 12 network co-chairs across 8 formally supported staff networks. Co-chairs are allocated 1 day per month to carry out network related activities which includes work on organisation-led EDI priorities and reporting on network activities to governance. All 8 networks receive funding for their activities (in financial year 2023/24 this was less than £5,000). There are no plans to alter these funding arrangements.

The delivery of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Staff Network activity is agreed between networks and departments as the employer. This includes permitted time allocation and any funding arrangements. The majority of staff time spent on diversity staff networks is voluntary and unpaid.

Defra does not afford any protected time to network leads or co-chairs or anyone involved in network activity.

Time allocation

The Department for Transport Core (DfTc) and the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) do not allocate a specified amount of time for staff to spend on diversity-related network activities. Civil Service guidance for diversity-related networks requires that time being spent on EDI activities by volunteers, where it is not part of an individual’s core role, is appropriate, reasonable and proportionate.

Funding

At present none of the networks within Department for Transport Core (DfTc) and the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) are funded. We are currently reviewing our staff networks and any future funding will align with the guidance on EDI Expenditure published on 14th May 2024.

No estimate has been made.

Estimates for pensioner households who are eligible for but not receiving Pension Credit in 2022/23 are available on Gov.uk.

Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year ending 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

No estimate has been made as the requested information is not available.

The Pensioners' Incomes series provides figures on how much income pensioners get each week and where they get that income from, but does not include all passported benefits. More information on the Pensioners’ Incomes series can be found on Gov.uk.

Pensioners' Incomes: financial years ending 1995 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For financial year 2022/23, we estimate that the number of pensioner units with gross annual income below £15,000 is approximately 1.6 million. Of those, we estimate 0.3 million are in receipt of Pension Credit.

This estimate is based on Pensioners’ Incomes and Households Below Average Income data derived from the Family Resources Survey and covers private households in the United Kingdom. Income is calculated as total income of the pensioner unit, including benefits such as State Pension and Pension Credit, occupational and personal pensions, investment income and earnings.

A pensioner unit can be a single pensioner over State Pension age, a pensioner couple where one member is over State Pension age, or a pensioner couple where both members are over State Pension age.

We want all eligible pensioners to apply for Pension Credit and so the Department is continuing to maximise opportunities to promote Pension Credit.

Like all means-tested benefits, a person’s eligibility for Pension Credit and the amount they may get depends on their specific financial and personal circumstances. Full eligibility criteria are available on gov.uk at the following link: Pension Credit: Eligibility - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

That’s why we encourage anyone who thinks they may be entitled to check whether they can get Pension Credit.

This Autumn, we will be directly contacting pensioners who are in receipt of Housing Benefit but who may be eligible for, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit – building on last years ‘Invitation to Claim’ trial.

From 16th September we have launched a Pension Credit awareness campaign across press, radio and social media and I know that the devolved administrations in Wales and Scotland, along with local authorities and organisations such as Age UK, are also undertaking promotional activities.

The Department continues to maximise opportunities to promote Pension Credit and to raise awareness of its wider benefits and to encourage pensioners to apply. The department uses a range of creative media including TV, press, radio and social media to boost awareness of the benefit. We engage with stakeholders, including other Government Departments, Councils, and charities, to harness their help and support to raise awareness through their networks and channels.

The Government is ensuring pensioners are supported through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million pensioners will benefit, with many expected to see their new State Pension increase by around £1700 over the course of this Parliament.

Additionally, the Government will invest an extra £6.6 billion over this Parliament in clean heat and energy efficiency through the Warm Homes Plan, upgrading five million homes through solutions like low carbon heating and improved insulation to reduce emissions and cut bills.

The Household Support Fund is also being extended for a further six months, from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2025.   An additional £421 million will be provided to enable the extension of the HSF in England, plus funding for the Devolved Governments through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion, as usual.

The Warm Home Discount scheme in England and Wales provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. This winter, we expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme.

The Government is committed to expanding access to Fracture Liaison Services. The Department is working closely with NHS England to develop rollout plans to ensure better quality and access to these important preventative services, to fill the current gaps in coverage.

More than 500,000 fragility fractures occur every year, and up to 40% of fracture patients will suffer another fracture.

This Government and NHS England support the clinical case for services which help to prevent fragility fractures and support the patients who sustain them. That is why this Government is committed to the expansion of Fracture Liaison Services and is working closely with NHS England to develop rollout plans to end the postcode lottery.

Following the independent review by Catherine Colonna the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) set out an action plan with detailed management reforms including stronger independent oversight, better detection systems, improved screening procedures, mandatory training for staff on humanitarian principles and more proactive donor engagement. As a result, we are assured that UNRWA is taking action to ensure it meets the highest standards of neutrality.

£1 million of the UK's £21 million support to UNRWA this financial year will support implementation of these reforms. The FCDO will also continue to conduct its own annual assessment of UK funding to UNRWA.

When the Foreign Secretary announced the resumption of funding on 19 July 2024, he said that UNRWA has taken serious action in response to the appalling allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel. The government is confident that UNRWA is taking action to ensure it meets the highest standards of neutrality and is strengthening its procedures. £1 million of the £21 million of new UK funding will be earmarked to support UNRWA implement the management reforms recommended by the Colonna review. Together with other donors, we will continue to monitor UNRWA's progress on implementation of its action plan. The FCDO will also continue to conduct our own annual assessment of UK funding to UNRWA.

Legislation introduced in 2023 requires HMRC to make a top-up payment to those individuals contributing to a pension scheme using a net pay arrangement, whose total taxable income is below their personal allowance.

This means that low earning pension savers should receive similar outcomes regardless of whether they are members of a relief at source pension scheme or a net pay pension scheme.

HMRC are developing the IT solution to make these payments, in line with legislation, as soon as practicable in the tax year after the pension contributions were made. The first payments will be made in tax-year 2025-26 in respect of contributions made during 2024-25.

The investment company sector plays a key role in the UK’s economy, representing over 30% of the FTSE 250, and investing in illiquid assets – including infrastructure projects and renewables – to support the Government’s growth agenda.

The Government will carefully consider all options regarding cost disclosure to retail investors.

Information is not held concerning the number of staff, both civilian and military, who are permitted to undertake diversity related network time, nor the percentage of overall working time or total hours they are permitted to spend on such network activity.

We align with Government guidance in supporting Civil Service staff in engaging in Network duties. The Armed Forces who form the vast majority of the workforce do not receive any facilitated time and carry out Network duties in their own time, as do many of our Civil Servants.

All staff networks working in support of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) outcomes are eligible to apply for funding in accordance with Government Guidance on ED&I expenditure dated 14 May 2024.

Until the Government Guidance on ED&I expenditure dated is superseded, this policy will be applied to all applications for network funding.