Baroness Deech

Publication will be considered when costs are no longer commercially sensitive.

Victoria Tower Gardens is Crown land. The feasibility of the site was discussed with key stakeholders, including DCMS, Westminster City Council, and The Royal Parks, and no technical obstacles were raised that would prevent the Memorial and Learning Centre being built in Victoria Tower Gardens.

Costs are currently being reviewed in light of the delay due to the High Court judgement.

These costs will be determined through competitive tender and releasing details could affect our ability to achieve best value for money. The costs will be published at the appropriate time in line with the Government Major Projects Portfolio reporting process.

Costs are regularly reviewed and updated figures will be published in due course in line with the Government Major Projects Portfolio reporting process. Additional costs resulting from the delay due to the High Court judgement are being assessed.

Professional advisers carried out checks as part of the normal planning process, including searching land registry.

Value for money has been assessed in the business case in line with Green Book guidance.

No.

Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society, which is why we’re taking a strong lead in tackling it in all its forms.

This year we have provided £14 million to the Protective Security Grant to provide safety for Synagogues and other Jewish Institutions. We are bringing forward the Online Safety Bill to address hatred that manifests online and we will be introducing a new Hate Crime Strategy in 2022.

Antisemitism has no place in our society and this Government remains absolutely committed to tackling it.

We became the first country to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism in 2016, and we continue to encourage organisations to take this important step in combatting this form of hatred. It is encouraging that, following the Government’s encouragement, organisations such as the Premier League, the Football Association, over 80 universities and over three-quarters of councils have adopted the definition – demonstrating their willingness to support the Jewish community.

We will continue to encourage organisations and combat antisemitism in all its forms.

We look forward to the completion of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, including the improvements that development will bring to the quality and accessibility of Victoria Tower Gardens.

The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation has been established to advise the Government on the recommendations made by the Holocaust Commission in their 2015 report. Good progress is being made with the implementation of that report and updates on specific elements will be provided at the appropriate time.

We are considering a range of operating models for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

The case for a Learning Centre was set out in Britain’s Promise to Remember, the report of the Prime Minister’s Holocaust Commission, published in January 2015.

Flood risks have been considered throughout the development of the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre. The Environment Agency have given their consent to the proposal subject to conditions which will be complied with in full.

The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The first floor of the Victoria Tower is 65 feet above ground level - emphasising its stature as the Royal Entrance - which means any flooding would only happen due to leaking pipe work at a higher level, or through the cast iron roof.

It is known that the cast iron roof is in a poor state of repair. There is water ingress from roof level, but it is not yet critical. However, if the roof is left unrepaired its condition will only deteriorate further. In addition, much of the roof drainage system is concealed within stonework, which makes precise assessment of its condition difficult without carrying out thorough intrusive surveys. These surveys would be technically difficult to carry out due to the height, location and design of building.

Water ingress is monitored and options are currently being explored to address the repair of the roof as part of the safety critical repairs to the Victoria Tower stonework.

Costs are regularly reviewed and updated figures will be published in due course in line with the Government Major Projects Portfolio reporting process.

Costs are regularly reviewed and updated figures will be published in due course in line with the Government Major Projects Portfolio reporting process.

Costs are regularly reviewed and updated figures will be published in due course in line with the Government Major Projects Portfolio reporting process.

Costs are regularly reviewed and updated figures will be published in due course in line with the Government Major Projects Portfolio reporting process.

The independent fund-raising campaign is expected to secure at least £25 million. Funding arrangements will be in place before main construction begins.

Members are not required to register their pension arrangements. The Committee for Privileges and Conduct (as it then was) has considered several times over a number of years whether EU pensions should be singled out for registration, most recently after the 2016 referendum on European Union membership. The Committee did not recommend such a change to the rules, noting that (a) declaration of EU pensions would be required if the House debated liability for those pensions during exit negotiations, and (b) the perception that support of the EU is a condition of receipt of a pension from an EU institution results from a selective reading of Article 245 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

The Code of Conduct requires members to treat those with whom they come into contact in the course of their parliamentary duties and activities (including parliamentary proceedings) with respect and courtesy. Behaviour that amounts to bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct is a breach of the Code. Under the definitions appended to the Code, harassment is unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct that has the purpose or effect of either violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them and is related to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010, including religion or belief. Anti-Semitic behaviour that amounts to harassment would thus be liable to sanction under the Code.

In relation to parliamentary proceedings, however, the Code of Conduct recognises the constitutional principle of freedom of speech and excludes members’ views and opinions from the Commissioner for Standards’ remit. It is open to all members to address offensive behaviour or language used in the course of proceedings.

Any educational institution which provides full-time provision to 5 or more pupils of compulsory school age (or one or more pupils of compulsory school age who is ‘looked after’ or has an education, health and care plan) is required to register with the Secretary of State for Education as a school. It is a criminal offence under section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 to conduct an independent educational institution unless it is registered.

The existing definition of full-time education does not capture education providers which offer only a narrow curriculum even if this teaching takes place throughout all, or most, of the school day.

The consultation on regulating independent educational institutions included proposals to consider how to expand on the categories of full-time institutions that will be regulated in the same way that independent schools are currently regulated, and to change the definition of independent schools in primary legislation to incorporate such education providers. Taking forward the proposals would bring a range of currently unregistered institutions under the independent education regulatory regime.

The government remains committed to changing the law on the registration of independent educational institutions. We repeated that commitment in the department’s evidence to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, and we welcomed the recommendation when the report was recently published.

Publication of the response to the regulating independent educational institutions consultation is expected in early 2022.

The department has not made any estimate of the number of children attending or who have left unregistered schools. Those conducting an unregistered school are committing a criminal offence and they do not generally inform the department about the school’s operation. The same principle applies to the number of children who have suffered serious abuse or corporal punishment at an unregistered school.

The department intervened in the Goodred v Portsmouth City Council judicial review as a neutral party to assist the court in understanding relevant guidance and legislation. A judgment was handed down on 16 November 2021, where the claim was dismissed on all grounds.

The government has substantially strengthened its guidance to local authorities on exercising their powers in relation to elective home education. The revised guidance, which was published in April 2019, sets out the steps that local authorities should take to satisfy themselves that the education provided by parents at home is suitable, and the actions that they can take if they are not satisfied. This guidance will be reviewed again in due course.

My right hon. Friend, the Sectary of State for Education, announced new measures to strengthen free speech and academic freedom at universities in England on 16 February 2021, in order to stamp out unlawful silencing on campuses. The new measures set out in the policy paper will help to ensure that our universities are places where free speech can thrive. The policy paper can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-free-speech-and-academic-freedom.

However, the right to free speech does not include the right to harass others, or to incite violence or terrorism. The government has always been very clear that there is no place in our society, including in higher education, for hatred or any form of harassment, unlawful discrimination or racism, including antisemitism. Universities have clear responsibilities in this regard: they and other higher education providers should be at the forefront of tackling hatred.

In October 2020, the Secretary of State wrote to all higher education providers in England urging adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. It is estimated that at least 31 additional institutions have adopted the definition since this letter, with more indicating their intention to adopt. We have been clear that adopting the IHRA definition sends a clear and important signal to students and staff that antisemitism is taken seriously and it will not be tolerated. The IHRA ​definition allows providers better to understand and recognise incidents of antisemitism, which helps them​ to address hatred or unlawful discrimination in higher education settings. We will continue to call on providers to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism.

The government does not see a conflict between protecting freedom of speech and adopting the IHRA definition. Indeed, our strengthened protections for free speech are likely to support Jewish students who on a number of occasions have had their freedom of speech curtailed by others. Universities have clear legal responsibilities regarding discrimination and harassment, and must balance these with their legal duties to protect free speech.

We will continue to work across government to ensure that racism and religious hatred of any kind is not tolerated anywhere, including in our world-leading universities.

The Government has supported Holocaust education for many years and is fully committed to continuing this support.

In recognition of its importance, the Holocaust is the only historic event which is compulsory within the national curriculum for history at key stage 3. This ensures that young people from every background can continue to learn about the Holocaust and its relevance today. Effective teaching about the Holocaust can support pupils to learn about the possible consequences of antisemitism and extremism and to understand how society can prevent the repeat of such a catastrophe.

The Department for Education further supports school pupils’ and teachers’ understanding of the Holocaust by providing funding for the University College London’s Centre for Holocaust Education, £500,000 in the 2020-21 finanical year match-funded by the Pears Foundation, and the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz project, £2.193 million for the 2020-21 financial year. These programmes help reach all types of schools and help to develop high-quality teaching across the school sector.

The University College London Centre for Holocaust Education’s report and wider research informs the continuing professional development work for teachers that the Department for Education funds by identifying key gaps in knowledge and underpins the educational resources that the centre makes available to teachers across the country.

We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why we are making Relationships Education compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools, from September 2020.

The statutory guidance sets out that parents will continue to have a right to request to withdraw their child from sex education delivered as part of RSE in secondary schools which, unless there are exceptional circumstances, should be granted up to three terms before their child turns 16. At this point, if the child themselves wishes to receive sex education rather than be withdrawn, the school should make arrangements for this to happen in one of the three terms before the child turns 16, the legal age of sexual consent. The statutory guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/805781/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf.

Parents will not be able to request to withdraw their child from sex education delivered as part of the science curriculum. There is also no right to withdraw from Relationships Education at primary or secondary as we believe the content of these subjects is essential in supporting pupils’ wellbeing and attainment, and helping young people to become successful and happy adults who make a meaningful contribution to society.

Before granting any such request from parents, it would be good practice for the headteacher to discuss the request with parents and, as appropriate, with the child to ensure that their wishes are understood and to clarify the nature and purpose of the curriculum. Good practice is also likely to include the headteacher discussing with parents the benefits of receiving this important education and any detrimental effects that withdrawal might have on the child.

Parents should also be given every opportunity to understand the purpose and content of Relationships Education and RSE. Good communication and opportunities for parents to understand and ask questions about the school’s approach help increase confidence in the curriculum. This can be an important opportunity to talk about how these subjects contribute to wider support in terms of pupil wellbeing and keeping children safe.

We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe. We also want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why we are making Relationships Education compulsory for primary school-age pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for secondary school-age pupils and Health Education compulsory for pupils in all state-funded schools, from September 2020.

The statutory guidance sets out that parents will continue to have a right to request to withdraw their child from sex education delivered as part of RSE in secondary schools which, unless there are exceptional circumstances, should be granted up to three terms before their child turns 16. At this point, if the child themselves wishes to receive sex education rather than be withdrawn, the school should make arrangements for this to happen in one of the three terms before the child turns 16, the legal age of sexual consent. The statutory guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/805781/Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education.pdf.

Parents will not be able to request to withdraw their child from sex education delivered as part of the science curriculum. There is also no right to withdraw from Relationships Education at primary or secondary as we believe the content of these subjects is essential in supporting pupils’ wellbeing and attainment, and helping young people to become successful and happy adults who make a meaningful contribution to society.

Before granting any such request from parents, it would be good practice for the headteacher to discuss the request with parents and, as appropriate, with the child to ensure that their wishes are understood and to clarify the nature and purpose of the curriculum. Good practice is also likely to include the headteacher discussing with parents the benefits of receiving this important education and any detrimental effects that withdrawal might have on the child.

Parents should also be given every opportunity to understand the purpose and content of Relationships Education and RSE. Good communication and opportunities for parents to understand and ask questions about the school’s approach help increase confidence in the curriculum. This can be an important opportunity to talk about how these subjects contribute to wider support in terms of pupil wellbeing and keeping children safe.

There is no place in our society - including within higher education (HE) – for hatred or any form of harassment, discrimination or racism, including antisemitism. The government will continue to work with universities to ensure we stamp out antisemitism in all its forms.

The government expects HE providers to take their responsibilities, including those under the Equality Act 2010 (including the Public Sector Equality Duty) and to promote freedom of speech, seriously. We expect HE providers to have robust policies and procedures in place to meet, and balance, their legal obligations effectively and to investigate and swiftly address reports of hate crime, including any antisemitic incidents that are reported.

We expect HE providers to have clearly set out procedures and policies for events and the hosting of external speakers, which allow for open, transparent events, challenge and debate and ensure that lawful speech can occur on campuses. Under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986, HE providers have a legal duty to take reasonably practicable steps to ensure that freedom of speech within the law is secured for their members, students, employees of the establishment and visiting speakers.

In relation to events occurring under the banner of Israeli Apartheid Week, it is crucial that HE providers handle these appropriately, taking into account their legal obligations to ensure that our values, expectations and laws are upheld.

The government strongly encourages HE providers to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. It is an important tool in tackling antisemitism and a strong signal that HE providers take these issues seriously.

This government has committed to strengthen academic freedom and free speech in universities and ensure they are places where free speech and debate can thrive – this includes considering the underpinning legal framework. We have made it clear that if universities do not uphold free speech, the government will.

However, there is no place in our society - including within higher education (HE) – for hatred or any form of harassment, discrimination or racism, including antisemitism. The government will continue to work with universities to ensure we stamp out antisemitism in all its forms.

The government expects HE providers to take their responsibilities, including those under the Equality Act 2010 and for freedom of speech, seriously. We expect HE providers to have robust policies and procedures in place to meet, and balance, their legal obligations effectively and to investigate and swiftly address reports of hate crime, including any antisemitic incidents that are reported.

We expect HE providers to have clearly set out procedures and policies for events and the hosting of external speakers, which allow for open, transparent events, challenge and debate and ensure that lawful speech can occur on campuses. Under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986, HE providers have a legal duty to take reasonably practicable steps to ensure freedom of speech within the law for their members, students, employees and visiting speakers.

The government does not support blanket no-platforming of individuals or organisations. There have been some examples of attempts to restrict free speech under the banner of no-platforming or safe spaces and it is important that this does not become commonplace.

The government adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism in 2016 and has written to HE providers on several occasions encouraging them to consider adopting this definition. The government sees the IHRA definition as an important tool in tackling antisemitism and a strong signal that HE providers take these issues seriously, which is why we will continue to call on higher education providers to adopt this definition.

There are no current plans to renew the two year extension to storage limits for frozen eggs, sperm and embryos. However, we will keep this under active review in the light of the impact of COVID-19 restrictions.

The Department has been considering the responses to the public consultation. A Government response will follow in due course.

We have made no such assessment.

Public Health England (PHE) is monitoring the effectiveness of the vaccines, including the effects of dosage schedules. Data from the programme shows the first dose of either the BioNTech/Pfizer or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine provides substantial protection within two to three weeks of vaccination. Additionally, data from PHE’s SIREN study shows that both these vaccines provide high protection against COVID-19 infections in healthcare workers after a single dose, beyond 56 days of having been vaccinated. The second dose completes the course and is vital for longer term protection. By the end of March 2021, it was estimated that a total 10,400 deaths were averted as a consequence of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

PHE is conducting enhanced surveillance for the small number of individuals who may develop COVID-19 post-vaccination. This enhanced surveillance, including viral whole genome sequencing which detects viral mutation, can identify whether an individual did not successfully mount an immune response to a vaccination, or whether the disease presented despite evidence of an immune response to vaccination. Understanding these factors are an important part of ensuring the success of the vaccination programme and allows the Government to understand the evolution of new COVID-19 variants and respond swiftly.

The process for consent applies to all vaccines, including those against COVID-19. An individual gives consent to receive a full course of treatment rather than consenting to a time frame for when the treatment is to be received. Consent remains valid unless the individual who gave it withdraws it.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has reviewed preliminary data from the Clalit Research Institute on vaccine effect, including the vaccine effectiveness estimate at day 14 after the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The JCVI concluded that the results are preliminary and there is a need for greater clarity, including full information on the dataset, before further consideration or comment. The JCVI will review this data carefully once the full study details are released.

Having studied evidence on both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that we should prioritise giving as many people in at-risk groups their first dose, rather than providing two doses in as short a time as possible. The four United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers agree this will have the greatest impact on reducing mortality, severe disease and hospitalisations and in protecting the National Health Service and equivalent health services. The evidence shows that one dose of either vaccine provides a high level of protection from COVID-19.

For both vaccines, data provided to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency demonstrates that whilst efficacy is optimised when a second dose is administered, both offer considerable protection after a single dose, at least in the short term. Everyone will receive their second dose within 12 weeks of their first. The second dose completes the course and is important for longer term protection.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) considered data on the efficacy of a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine. It concluded that a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine would remain highly effective in the weeks following administration. The JCVI’s statement Optimising the COVID-19 vaccination programme for maximum short-term impact: Short statement from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is attached.

Public Health England publishes a monthly report on vaccine effectiveness. The most recent study, published on 17 March, shows that vaccines provide high protection against COVID-19 infections after a single dose, beyond 56 days of having been vaccinated. A copy of Public Health England vaccine effectiveness report is attached.

Based on the data available to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation the first dose of either Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine provides substantial protection within two to three weeks of in particular for severe COVID-19 disease. The second vaccine dose is likely to be more important for duration and sustaining such protection. An appropriate dose interval may further increase vaccine efficacy. In the short term, the additional increase of vaccine efficacy from the second dose is likely to be modest as the great majority of the initial protection from clinical disease is after the first dose of vaccine.

Public Health England (PHE) is monitoring the effectiveness of the vaccines in the real world, including the effects of dosage schedules. Early data from PHE’s SIREN study shows a promising impact of vaccination on infection in healthcare workers aged under 65 years old.

Data shows one dose reduces the risk of catching infection by more than 70%, rising to 85% after the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

A phase three clinical trial study on COVID-19 vaccine efficacy demonstrated a two-dose vaccine efficacy of 95% with a second dose delivered between 19 and 42 days. A copy of the study Safety and Efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine is attached.

Using data available from this study, Public Health England estimated that short term vaccine efficacy from the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be approximately 89%. This is the efficacy calculated 15 to 21 days after the first dose.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s view is that protective immunity from the first dose likely lasts for a duration of 12 weeks.

The public consultation for Statutory Storage Limits for eggs, sperm and embryos completed earlier this year and received a large number of responses, with a wide range of views on this issue.

The Department is currently reviewing these responses and a Government response to the consultation is expected to be published in early 2021.

Estimates using the latest data directly from Apple and Google show that 89% of people with a smartphone in the United Kingdom are able to use the app. These are a device that can install a version of the iOS or Android operating system with the contact tracing technology the National Health Service COVID-19 app uses. For Apple this is iOS versions 13.5 and higher and for Android version Marshmallow (v6.0) and higher. The 89% estimate is made up of 87% of iOS smartphone owners and 93% of Android smartphone owners.

The Government ran a public consultation between 11 February and 5 May 2020, seeking views about changing the statutory storage limits for embryos and gametes. The Department is currently analysing responses. We intend to publish a Government response to the consultation later this year, which will our outline our plans.

In the meantime, the Government has given a two-year extension to all those with embryos and gametes in storage, who have been affected by delays to treatment caused by the response to COVID-19. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Statutory Storage Period for Embryos and Gametes) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 were laid on 3 June 2020 and cover anyone who has not been able to access treatment as a result of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority temporarily suspending fertility treatment services on 23 March 2020.

Should the deal in Vienna be concluded, the UK would not lift any sanctions. The UK maintains a number of sanctions consistent with the nuclear deal, including sanctions related to human rights, proliferation and terrorism. The full UK Sanctions List is available on the GOV.UK website (www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uk-sanctions-list), which provides details of those individuals and entities designated under sanctions regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act. We keep all regimes and designations under close review.

The UK will continue to condemn the IRGC's destabilising regional activities and maintains a range of sanctions aimed at deterring such behaviour. This includes IRGC political, financial and military support to a number of militant and proscribed groups including Hizballah in Lebanon and Syria, and militias in Iraq. The UK stands firmly against recruitment and use of child soldiers in conflict, as outlined by the Paris Principles which the government has endorsed.

We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). There is a fair and comprehensive deal on the table which would reverse Iran's nuclear programme, return its programme to strict JCPoA limits, and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It would also provide economic benefit to the Iranian people.

The sanctions in place on Russia due to their unprovoked invasion of Ukraine are entirely separate to the Iran nuclear deal. We reject attempts to exploit JCPoA negotiations to obtain assurances that are separate to the JCPoA. We urge all parties to focus on rapidly concluding the deal and implementing it in full.

We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action (JCPoA). There is a fair and comprehensive deal on the table which would reverse Iran's nuclear programme, return its programme to strict JCPoA limits, and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It would also provide economic benefit to the Iranian people.

We urge all parties to focus on rapidly concluding the deal and implementing it in full.

We have always been clear that Iran must uphold its international legal obligations, including conducting thorough and independent investigations into suspected human rights violations, both past and present. We have called and will continue to call President Raisi and his government, including the Minister of Interior Ahmad Vahidi, to set Iran on a different course. This includes committing to improving human rights in Iran.

In Financial Year 2020/2021, the UK provided £63.6m to UNRWA, which includes £7million to the Syria Emergency Appeal and £3.8million to the Occupied Palestinian Territories Emergency Appeal. On 20 May, Minister Cleverly announced that the UK is providing an initial £3.2million to UNRWA's emergency flash appeal, which launched on 19 May.

The UK Government strongly condemns all forms of violence and incitement to hatred and will continue to monitor UNRWA's implementation of its curriculum framework to ensure lessons taught by UNRWA are in line with UN values. We accompany our support for UNRWA with stringent attention to implementation of their neutrality policy, including how they apply this to textbooks.

In financial year 2020/21 we provided £20m in funding to the Palestinian Authority to support the salaries of education workers in the West Bank. No UK aid is used for the Martyrs Fund directly or indirectly.

The United Kingdom is committed to combatting all forms of racism, including anti-semitism, both at home and abroad. We believe that one of the most effective ways to tackle injustices and advocate respect among different religious and racial groups is to encourage all states to uphold their human rights obligations. Some of the anti-Semitic actions and speeches in and around the Durban conference and its various follow-up events gave rise to serious concerns. We will consider UK attendance in the light of developments between now and the commemoration event, including the likelihood of any recurrence.

The Government has long been clear about its concerns over Iran's continued destabilising activity, including its political, financial and military support to a number of militant and proscribed groups. The Government continues to take every possible measure, in coordination with our international partners, to counter such threats in order to keep the British people safe and support regional and international security.

The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has been clear that Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, and we are committed to working with our international partners to find a solution to Iranian proliferation in the region. The Government believes that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action represents the best - and currently the only - way of constraining Iran's nuclear programme, and we are working hard to find a diplomatic way forward which brings Iran back into compliance with its commitments and restores the non-proliferation benefits of the deal.

We have always been clear that any sustainable solution will need to address a range of issues, including Iran's ballistic missile programme and destabilising activity in the region. The UK continues to enforce the EU arms embargo through domestic legislation; UN ballistic missile restrictions on Iran will also remain in place until 2023. There are also other sanctions regimes which restrict Iranian ability to proliferate weapons in the region, including those established by UN Security Council Resolutions 1540, 1701 and 2216.

The United Kingdom is committed to combatting all forms of racism, both at home and abroad. We believe that one of the most effective ways to tackle injustices and advocate respect among different religious and racial groups is to encourage all states to uphold their human rights obligations. However, some of the anti-Semitic actions and speeches in and around the Third World Conference against Racism and its various follow-up events gave rise to serious concerns. Therefore we will consider UK attendance in the light of developments between now and the commemoration event, including the likelihood of any recurrence.

The UK remains committed to preserving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). We are concerned by Iran's continued and systematic non-compliance with its nuclear commitments under the JCPoA. The UK has repeatedly made clear in public and in private, both bilaterally and with the governments of France and Germany (as E3), that Iran must return to full compliance with its commitments. In his call with President Rouhani on 10 March, the Prime Minister stressed that while the UK remains committed to making the JCPoA a success, Iran must stop all nuclear activity that breaches the terms of the deal and come back into compliance. The E3 has made frequent official level representations to the Iranians on this issue both in Tehran and Vienna. Iran's announcement on 16 April that they have started uranium enrichment up to 60% using advanced centrifuges is a serious and deeply worrying development. As the E3 said in a statement on 14 April, the production of highly enriched uranium constitutes an important step in the production of a nuclear weapon. Iran has no credible civilian need for enrichment at this level.

We fully support the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its safeguards mandate, which is an essential part of the global non-proliferation system. The UK, unilaterally and as E3, has urged Iran to fully co-operate with the IAEA, including on all issues related to the IAEA's separate safeguards investigation. We remain concerned by Iran's decision to restrict access and oversight by the IAEA of its nuclear programme from 23 February.

Iran's continued systematic non-compliance with its JCPoA commitments is undermining the non-proliferation benefits of the deal and jeopardising our efforts to preserve it. We continue to work with the parties to the JCPoA and the US Administration to find a diplomatic way forward that realises the benefits of the deal, and call upon Iran not to take any further steps which violate its JCPoA commitments and make a return to mutual compliance harder to achieve.

The UK remains committed to preserving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). We are concerned by Iran's continued and systematic non-compliance with its nuclear commitments under the JCPoA. The UK has repeatedly made clear in public and in private, both bilaterally and with the governments of France and Germany (as E3), that Iran must return to full compliance with its commitments. In his call with President Rouhani on 10 March, the Prime Minister stressed that while the UK remains committed to making the JCPoA a success, Iran must stop all nuclear activity that breaches the terms of the deal and come back into compliance. The E3 has made frequent official level representations to the Iranians on this issue both in Tehran and Vienna. Iran's announcement on 16 April that they have started uranium enrichment up to 60% using advanced centrifuges is a serious and deeply worrying development. As the E3 said in a statement on 14 April, the production of highly enriched uranium constitutes an important step in the production of a nuclear weapon. Iran has no credible civilian need for enrichment at this level.

We fully support the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its safeguards mandate, which is an essential part of the global non-proliferation system. The UK, unilaterally and as E3, has urged Iran to fully co-operate with the IAEA, including on all issues related to the IAEA's separate safeguards investigation. We remain concerned by Iran's decision to restrict access and oversight by the IAEA of its nuclear programme from 23 February.

Iran's continued systematic non-compliance with its JCPoA commitments is undermining the non-proliferation benefits of the deal and jeopardising our efforts to preserve it. We continue to work with the parties to the JCPoA and the US Administration to find a diplomatic way forward that realises the benefits of the deal, and call upon Iran not to take any further steps which violate its JCPoA commitments and make a return to mutual compliance harder to achieve.

We respect the independence of the ICC, and we expect it to exercise due prosecutorial and judicial discipline.

We respect the independence of the ICC, and we expect it to exercise due prosecutorial and judicial discipline.

We are aware of the IMPACT-se report and have contacted United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) regarding this issue. We understand that once the issue was identified, UNRWA introduced additional quality assurance processes and will continue to develop new systems to ensure lessons taught by UNRWA are in line with UN values. The UK Government strongly condemns all forms of violence and incitement to violence and will continue to monitor UNRWA's implementation of its curriculum framework and self-learning materials to ensure lessons taught by UNRWA are in line with UN values. We use a variety of tools to monitor the UNRWA performance and ensure it continues to deliver quality services including via programme monitoring and annual assessments. We have a regular dialogue with both the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel in which we reiterate the need for both sides to prepare their populations for peaceful coexistence, including by promoting a more positive portrayal of one another to contribute to building the conditions needed for peace.

We are aware of the IMPACT-se report and have contacted United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) regarding this issue. We understand that once the issue was identified, UNRWA introduced additional quality assurance processes and will continue to develop new systems to ensure lessons taught by UNRWA are in line with UN values. The UK Government strongly condemns all forms of violence and incitement to violence and will continue to monitor UNRWA's implementation of its curriculum framework and self-learning materials to ensure lessons taught by UNRWA are in line with UN values. We use a variety of tools to monitor the UNRWA performance and ensure it continues to deliver quality services including via programme monitoring and annual assessments. We have a regular dialogue with both the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel in which we reiterate the need for both sides to prepare their populations for peaceful coexistence, including by promoting a more positive portrayal of one another to contribute to building the conditions needed for peace.

The UK continues to meet its commitments under the Terezin declaration.

HMG have been in regular discussions with the Polish Government about the restitution of property seized during the Nazi occupation. As the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and Americas noted in the House in July 2020, the British Ambassador to Poland has raised our concerns with the Polish Foreign Minister and the Speaker of the Polish Parliament. Lord Pickles, the UK's Special Envoy for post-Holocaust Issues, and the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and Americas have also engaged the Polish Government on this sensitive issue since it was last discussed in the House.

We regret that, despite this, the Polish Senate passed legislation in September 2020 which may make property restitution more difficult for some claimants in Warsaw. The UK will continue to take a strong stand on the issue of property restitution, in line with our unwavering commitment to supporting Holocaust survivors. Working with like-minded partners and the World Jewish Restitution Organisation (WJRO), the FCDO will continue to urge Poland to introduce comprehensive national legislation to deal with Holocaust-era property restitution.

The UK remains concerned by Hizballah's activities within Lebanon which are in clear breach of UN Security Council Resolutions 1509 and 1701. We regularly raise our concerns at the UN Security Council, and call on all parties to abide by the provisions of the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

We are aware of reports of increased tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. The UK condemns all violations of UN Security Council Resolutions 1509 and 1701, and call for all sides to adhere to the relevant resolutions. We welcome United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's efforts to mediate between parties and decrease tensions.

This is matter for the European Union to be decided in accordance with EU law. Since the UK has left the EU, we shall not comment on this matter.

Misinformation about coronavirus is dangerous and hampers the global fight against the disease. We urge all authorities to do all they can to prevent the circulation of such misinformation. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General in Jerusalem are in regular contact with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities respectively. We welcome the ongoing cooperation between the PA and Government of Israel in their respective responses to COVID-19.

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) is a reciprocal deal: it lifts sanctions in exchange for tough nuclear limits. Iran has broken the nuclear limits in the JCPoA and we are working to bring Iran back into compliance through the deal's Dispute Resolution Mechanism.

UNSCR 2231, which underpins the JCPoA, includes a number of clauses designed to allow sanctions to expire on fixed dates: the UN conventional arms embargo is due to expire in October 2020. We have repeatedly set out concerns about Iranian destabilising behaviour, including proliferation to non-state actors. UNSCRs 1540, 2216 and 1701, which prohibit the proliferation of weapons to the Houthis and Lebanese Hizballah, will remain in place after the arms embargo expires. The EU arms embargo and UN ballistic missile restrictions will also remain in place until 2023. We are consulting partners on the broader implications of arms embargo expiry and encourage all states to implement national export control best practice.

A detailed assessment of the environmental impact was made as part of the planning application. The documents are available (attached) at

https://idoxpa.westminster.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=PL0CVYRP27O00

Decisions on the operating model will be made in good time before the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre opens.

Decisions on the future management arrangements for Victoria Tower Gardens will be taken in good time before the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre opens.

Firm pledges of private funding have not been sought in advance of planning permission.

As plans are developed for the content of the Learning Centre, the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation will continue to discuss progress with relevant organisations.

The Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre’s main focus is the Holocaust. The exhibition will address subsequent genocides but it is too early to decide what the detail of that content will be.

We will put in place a sustainable long-term plan in good time before the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre opens.

Following an extensive search of central London locations, the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation recommended Victoria Tower Gardens as the most fitting site for the proposed Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre. The Government agreed with the Foundation's recommendation.

The Government has committed up to £75 million towards the establishment of the national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, including £25 million which is to be matched by donations from the Holocaust Memorial Charitable Trust. The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation will continue to consider all the recommendations made in the Commission’s report and the best way to deliver them.

Proposals for a national Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre at Victoria Tower Gardens, including space for lectures and seminars, are the subject of a planning application which is currently under consideration.

The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation conducted a very extensive comparison of possible sites before recommending Victoria Tower Gardens. The Government agreed with the Foundation that Victoria Tower Gardens is the most fitting site. Public consultations were held once designs for the proposed Memorial were available: initially on ten shortlisted designs, and then on the detailed proposals which were put forward for planning consent.

From 2015/16 to 31 January 2021, the Government has spent £12.9 million (including VAT) on the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre programme.

The aim is to raise at least £25 million from charitable donations. A fund-raising campaign is being led by a newly established independent charity, led by Foundation member Gerald Ronson CBE, who has committed to securing pledges of at least £25 million.

The site will continue to be owned by Government. We are considering a range of operating models for managing the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

The site will continue to be owned by Government. We are in discussion with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and The Royal Parks about the future management arrangements for Victoria Tower Gardens.

Construction is expected to last no longer than 3 years. Provision will be made to ensure part of Victoria Tower Gardens remains open for users during construction works.

The UK Holocaust Memorial will honour the six million Jewish men, women and children who were murdered in the Holocaust, and all other victims of Nazi persecution. The remit of the co-located learning centre will also focus on subsequent genocides.

The scope and content of the exhibition within the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre will be developed over the coming years by the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation, drawing on a wide range of external advice and expertise.

The scope and content of the exhibition within the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre will be developed over the coming years by the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation, drawing on a wide range of external advice and expertise.

The UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation will work with other institutions both in the UK and across the World supporting Holocaust commemoration and education, seeking to promote a deeper understanding of the Holocaust among as wide an audience as possible.

An Academic Advisory Board has been appointed, which includes members of the British Association of Holocaust Scholars and the head of the UCL’s Centre for Holocaust.

We are considering a range of operating models and will put in place a sustainable long-term plan.

The annual running costs are estimated at up to £6 million. My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced on 28 January that the Government will provide free entry in perpetuity to everyone visiting the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

In February 2019, the Government response to the technical consultation on updates to national planning policy and guidance, committed to review the standard method for assessing local housing need within 18 months. This is to establish a new approach that balances the need for clarity, simplicity and transparency for local communities with the Government’s aspirations for the housing market. Further details will follow in due course.

As the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government announced on 12 March we will review the standard method for assessing local housing need and remain committed to ensuring it is consistent with our manifesto commitment of delivering 300,000 homes a year by the mid 2020's. Further details will follow in due course.

The published annual statistical releases and associated tables at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-belt-statistics provide information on the local authority areas within which land had been transferred from the Green Belt - and the hectares of land involved - for each year from 2010-11 to 2018-19.

In addition, Table 2 of the 2018-19 release provides figures for the net change in the size of the Green Belt for each year from 2010-11 to 2018-19 separately.

Information for 2019-20 is due to be published in September or October 2020.

The local plans process does not provide for the department to routinely receive information on the numbers of hectares of land proposed for removal from the Green Belt. Until a revised development plan is submitted to formal examination, any Green Belt boundary changes would be conjecture.

In revising the National Planning Policy Framework we re-affirmed the protections for Green Belt. Under the strengthened “exceptional circumstances” test - applied if a local authority is considering adjustment of a Green Belt boundary – the authority is expected to show evidenced justification that it has examined all other reasonable options for meeting its development needs, and that Green Belt release is a last resort.

The Framework also expects development plans to set out ways in which the impact of removing land from Green Belt will be offset by compensatory improvements to access and environmental quality in the rest of the Green Belt.

Because of the Secretary of State’s quasi-judicial role in the planning system I am unable to comment on the detail or merits of individual development plans. National policy on Green Belts, and the Government’s expectations of how local authorities should protect them, are made clear in the National Planning Policy Framework, re-issued in February 2019.

The Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre will have security arrangements similar to the many other public buildings in Westminster. We are working with security experts, government agencies and the Metropolitan Police to ensure the necessary security measures are put in place and the gardens remain accessible for all users. Horseferry playground will also be enhanced and updated.

Detailed assessment has been made of the environmental impact. The full reports are publicly available as part of the planning application (the attachment is too big to attach) at:
https://idoxpa.westminster.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=PL0CVYRP27O00

The Holocaust Memorial will serve as a permanent reminder that political decisions have far-reaching consequences. In light of Holocaust denial, revisionism, the rise of antisemitism and indifference, it is more important than ever to ensure that the story of what happened during the Holocaust resonates with ordinary people and raises questions about Britain’s role at the time. The Learning Centre will explore the role of our Parliament and democratic institutions in the Holocaust, what we did and what more we could have done both at the time and subsequently to tackle the persecution of the Jewish people and other groups.

Detailed assessments have been made of the impact on traffic of both the construction and operation phases. The full reports are publicly available as part of the planning application (the attachment is too big to attach) at: https://idoxpa.westminster.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=PL0CVYRP27O00 .

The UK government’s Post Holocaust Issues Envoy takes the lead in discussions regarding restitution of property of Holocaust survivors. The Envoy is involved in ongoing conversation on the issue with the Polish government, national and international community organisations, and international intergovernmental representatives.

There is no place in our society - including within higher education – for hatred or any form of harassment, discrimination or racism, including antisemitism.

In October this year the Communities Secretary wrote to all universities to urge them to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. This followed a letter from the Universities Minister in May regarding antisemitism in higher education.

We expect all Higher Education Providers to discharge their responsibilities fully and to have robust policies and procedures in place to comply with the law, to investigate and swiftly address hate crime, including any antisemitic incidents that are reported. We will continue to work with universities to ensure we stamp out antisemitism in all its forms.

That is why we will be providing an additional £500,000 of government funding to allow 200 university students each year to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, to hear from the last Holocaust survivors and to help educate students on the importance of continuing to tackle antisemitism on campuses.