Lord Balfe

In December 2020 the Liaison Committee published the final recommendations from its extensive review of investigative and scrutiny committee activity. These recommendations were agreed by the House on 13 January 2021 and a number of new sessional committees were subsequently appointed on 14 April. These include a Select Committee on European Affairs, with orders of reference which include consideration of matters relating to the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union and European Economic Area. There are no current plans to recommend the appointment of further committees to consider relations with the European Union.

On 31 January 2020, the date the United Kingdom ceased to be a Member State of the European Union, the UK Parliament ceased to be an EU ‘national Parliament’, except for certain limited purposes set out in Article 128(2) of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

Up until this point designated staff of the House of Lords and House of Commons, as representatives of an EU ‘national Parliament’, were granted access to the European Parliament, along with office accommodation and other benefits. As the noble Lord points out, Norway has since 2012 been the only non-EU Member State to be granted comparable access thus far.

Despite the UK’s changed status after 31 January 2020, the European Parliament continued to afford access to House staff for the duration of the transition period, and on 22 December 2020 the Secretary General of the European Parliament offered “continued hosting” for the two Houses’ representatives after the end of the transition period, subject to “appropriate practical arrangements in the light of the evolving relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom”.

To date, no such practical arrangements have been required, given the guidance agreed by the House of Lords Commission in March 2020, which strongly discouraged overseas travel. Since that date there has been no committee or staff travel to Brussels, and the House’s representative has therefore undertaken the role remotely, using digital tools.

The House of Lords Commission continues to review the guidance on overseas travel, taking account of Government advice and the wider public health situation, and decisions on staff travel to Brussels will be taken as and when the guidance is updated.

On 31 January 2020, the date the United Kingdom ceased to be a Member State of the European Union, the UK Parliament ceased to be an EU ‘national Parliament’, except for certain limited purposes set out in Article 128(2) of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

Up until this point designated staff of the House of Lords and House of Commons, as representatives of an EU ‘national Parliament’, were granted access to the European Parliament, along with office accommodation and other benefits. As the noble Lord points out, Norway has since 2012 been the only non-EU Member State to be granted comparable access thus far.

Despite the UK’s changed status after 31 January 2020, the European Parliament continued to afford access to House staff for the duration of the transition period, and on 22 December 2020 the Secretary General of the European Parliament offered “continued hosting” for the two Houses’ representatives after the end of the transition period, subject to “appropriate practical arrangements in the light of the evolving relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom”.

To date, no such practical arrangements have been required, given the guidance agreed by the House of Lords Commission in March 2020, which strongly discouraged overseas travel. Since that date there has been no committee or staff travel to Brussels, and the House’s representative has therefore undertaken the role remotely, using digital tools.

The House of Lords Commission continues to review the guidance on overseas travel, taking account of Government advice and the wider public health situation, and decisions on staff travel to Brussels will be taken as and when the guidance is updated.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

14 January 2021

Dear Lord Balfe,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what is the average age of people who have had COVID-19 cited as a contributory cause of death in the last four weeks; how many such people were (1) 0-18, (2) 19-30, (3) 31-40, (4) 41-50, (5) 51-60, (6) 61-70, (7) 71-80, (8) 81-90, and (9) over 90, years old at the time of death; and in each cohort how many such deaths occurred in people with underlying health conditions (HL11720).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing numbers of deaths registered in England and Wales. Information on deaths involving COVID-19 and pre-existing health conditions was published in July[1]. As part of deaths registered weekly in England and Wales[2], the ONS produces the number of deaths involving COVID-19 by age group. Table 1 provides the number of deaths involving COVID-19 by age group in the last four weeks.

Table 2 is the mean and median age at death of those whose death involves COVID-19 and for all deaths in the last 4 weeks.

Table 3 shows deaths involving COVID-19 where there is no pre-existing condition against total COVID-19 deaths for that age cohort. Data is available from March 2020 to June 2020, however we will be resuming publication of this data within the next 6 weeks.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

Table 1: Deaths registered weekly in England and Wales involving COVID-19 by age group, Week ending 4 December to Week ending 25 December 2020[3]^{,[4],[5],[6],[7]}

Table 2: Average age of deaths registered weekly in England and Wales, Week ending 4 December to Week ending 25 December 2020^3,4,5,6,7

Source: ONS

Table 3: Number of deaths involving COVID-19, by age group and whether a pre-existing condition was present, England and Wales, deaths occurring between March and June 2020[8]^{,[9],[10],[11],[12]}

[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsinvolvingcovid19englandandwales/deathsoccurringinjune2020

[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest

[3] Deaths where COVID-19 (ICD10 codes U07.1 and U07.2) are mentioned anywhere on the death certificate

[4] For deaths registered from 1st January 2020, cause of death is coded to the ICD-10 classification using MUSE 5.5 software. Previous years were coded to IRIS 4.2.3, further information about the change in software is available.

[5] Does not include deaths where age is either missing or not yet fully coded.

[6] Does not include deaths of those resident outside England and Wales or those records where the place of residence is either missing or not yet fully coded.

[7] These figures represent death registrations, there can be a delay between the date a death occurred and the date a death was registered. More information can be found in our impact of registration delays release.

[8] Figures include deaths of non-residents

[9] Figures are provisional

[10] Based on deaths involving COVID-19 (ICD-10 codes U07.1 and U07.2) rather than deaths where COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death

[11] Deaths occurring between March and June 2020 rather than deaths registered between March and June 2020

[12] Including deaths registered up until 4 July 2020.

Our collective understanding of the virus, and how it spreads, has vastly improved since the initial wave of infections. As a responsible government, we have been planning and continue to prepare for a wide range of scenarios, including the reasonable worst case scenario. In the coming months, we will continue to assess what the UK can learn from other nations, and carry out a series of exercises, to test the Government’s winter plans, including for a reasonable worst case scenario and to ensure effective coordination between departments and with the devolved administrations.

In May, we published the UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy. This was updated in July, including details on planning for the winter. Our planning assumptions and guidance are kept under review and amended as the scientific and medical advice develops.

The department did not undertake a further formal evaluation of the Union Learning Fund following the evaluation by Exeter University.

As part of the Spending Review process, the Department has assessed its priorities across all its objectives, including considering the evidence from the Unionlearn evaluation. The decision to discontinue funding for Unionlearn beyond this financial year reflects the consolidation of investment to support retraining in major new programmes, including the National Skills Fund, which support progression to higher levels of attainment.

The government has taken the decision not to continue to provide grant funding to Unionlearn in the next financial year. This decision should not be seen in isolation but as part of the department’s overall plans for improving the skills offer.

This was a difficult decision. However, we need to prioritise how we use our resources in these challenging times and have decided to concentrate on a number of major investments in further education. The government has announced it will introduce a £2.5 billion National Skills Fund to help adults get the skills they need. My right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, as part of his Lifetime Skills Guarantee, recently announced that for adults, who do not currently have a level 3 qualification, we will be fully funding their first full level 3, focusing on the valuable courses that will help them get ahead in the labour market. The offer will be funded from the National Skills Fund and offered from April 2021.

My right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, also recently announced digital bootcamps to support local regions and employers to fill in-demand vacancies by providing valuable skills. Adults in the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Liverpool City Region can now register their interest to take part in the digital bootcamps. In early 2021, the digital bootcamps will also be available in Leeds City Region, Heart of the South West, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. We are planning to expand the bootcamps to more of the country from Spring 2021 and we want to extend this model to include other technical skills training.

Further plans for the National Skills Fund will be announced in due course.

Alongside the National Skills Fund, the department has been working to provide further support in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. In his Summer Economic Update, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced investment of over £500 million to deliver a package of support for people to access the training and develop the skills they will need to go on to high-quality, secure and fulfilling employment. The Skills Recovery Package included:

• Apprenticeships: A new payment of £2,000 to employers in England for each new apprentice they hire who is aged 24 or below and a £1,500 payment for each new apprentice they hire who is aged 25 and over, from 1 August 2020 to 31 January 2021.
• Traineeships: £111 million to triple the scale and reform traineeships for those aged 16 - 24 (25 with an Education, Health and Care plan), with additional funding available to providers in 2020-21 to support 30,000 new places. We have also introduced, for the first time, payments of £1,000 per trainee for employers who offer new or additional work placements (up to 10 trainees).
• Careers information, advice and guidance: £32 million over two years to help 269,000 more people of all ages receive advice from the National Careers Service.
• Sector-based work academy programme (SWAP): £17 million to triple the number of SWAP placements in 2020/21, enough funding to support an extra 40,000 job seekers with additional training opportunities and the chance of a job.

In addition, the recently announced expansion of The Skills Toolkit means that people can now choose from over 70 courses, covering digital, adult numeracy, employability and work readiness skills, which have been identified as the skills employers need the most. These courses will help people stay in work or take up new jobs and opportunities.

The government appreciates the importance of adult education to improving people’s life chances. We will continue to explore options within adult education to aid the post COVID-19 recovery.

The government did not consult with any outside bodies prior to making the decision not to continue to provide funding for the Union Learning Fund after 31 March 2021.

We have made no commitment to funding beyond this date and have always been clear any future funding would depend on the Government’s Spending Review. The decision to cease funding after April 2021 has been communicated at this stage in the Spending Review process in order to give a greater period of notice.

The government did not consult with any outside bodies prior to making the decision not to continue to provide funding for the Union Learning Fund after 31 March 2021.

We have made no commitment to funding beyond this date and have always been clear any future funding would depend on the Government’s Spending Review. The decision to cease funding after April 2021 has been communicated at this stage in the Spending Review process in order to give a greater period of notice.

The government did not consult with any outside bodies prior to making the decision not to continue to provide funding for the Union Learning Fund after 31 March 2021.

We have made no commitment to funding beyond this date and have always been clear any future funding would depend on the Government’s Spending Review. The decision to cease funding after April 2021 has been communicated at this stage in the Spending Review process in order to give a greater period of notice.

My noble Friend Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne was appointed Trade Envoy in July 2017 to Kazakhstan and in October 2020 the Hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham, Daniel Kawczynski, was appointed Trade Envoy to Mongolia. There are no plans to appoint a Trade Envoy to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan or Afghanistan.

My Rt Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys are drawn from both Houses and across the political spectrum. They are chosen based on relevant skills and experience required to undertake the role. This experience can be related to their assigned market or UK industry knowledge, or their Government-to-Government experience, as well as willingness and an ability to undertake some international travel. Trade Envoys are appointed by the Prime Minister, usually following a recommendation by my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade.

Trade Envoys engage with emerging and developing markets where substantial trade and investment opportunities have been identified by the UK Government. The appointment by the Prime Minister in January 2016 of a Trade Envoy to Taiwan was based on feedback received from the British Trade Office there and underlined the growing importance of the UK-Taiwan trade and investment relationship.

Taiwan offers opportunities for UK businesses in a number of sectors, which was highlighted during last autumn’s UK-Taiwan trade talks, including education, science and innovation. Further proof of this is the number of UK firms that are present in Taiwan.

We are constantly reviewing suitable markets to identify where the appointment of a Trade Envoy can be of greatest benefit to the trade and investment aims of the UK, with the Prime Minister making the final decision. There are no plans to appoint a Trade Envoy to the northern part of Cyprus.

Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys are drawn from both Houses and across the political spectrum. They are chosen based on relevant skills and experience required to undertake the role. This experience can be related to their assigned market or UK industry knowledge, or their Government-to-Government experience, as well as willingness and an ability to undertake some international travel.

With regard to the criteria used to determine which countries are added to the programme, I refer my noble Friend to the answer I gave to the noble Lord, Viscount Waverley, on 16 February 2021, UIN: HL13033.

Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys are drawn from both Houses and across the political spectrum. They are chosen based on relevant skills and experience required to undertake the role. This experience can be related to their assigned market or UK industry knowledge, or their Government-to-Government experience, as well as willingness and an ability to undertake some international travel.

With regard to the criteria used to determine which countries are added to the programme, I refer my noble Friend to the answer I gave to the noble Lord, Viscount Waverley, on 16 February 2021, UIN: HL13033.

Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys are drawn from both Houses and across the political spectrum. They are chosen based on relevant skills and experience required to undertake the role. This experience can be related to their assigned market or UK industry knowledge, or their Government-to-Government experience, as well as willingness and an ability to undertake some international travel.

With regard to the criteria used to determine which countries are added to the programme, I refer my noble Friend to the answer I gave to the noble Lord, Viscount Waverley, on 16 February 2021, UIN: HL13033.

It is a matter for each country to decide on appropriate health measures and how Covid-19 tests are provided. We recognise that the cost of tests can be high. The Government is working with the travel industry and private testing providers to see how we can further reduce costs for the British public while ensuring travel is as safe as possible.

The price of tests has reduced significantly in recent weeks, bringing the UK in line with other countries, and some providers are offering testing packages for arrivals countries on the green list starting at £43. The Government is considering a range of options to lower the cost of testing, including cheaper tests being used when passengers return home.

The Government has always been clear that NHS Test and Trace tests should not be used for the purposes of international travel. This is to safeguard testing capacity.

NHS Test and Trace tests may not be used for the Test to Release for International Travel scheme. Travellers must use a test from a private testing provider on the gov.uk private providers list. NHS Test and Trace is not on this list, and for this reason, does not meet the minimum standards required to legally release a traveller from self-isolation upon providing a negative result.

NHS Test and Trace does not provide a result notification in a format that would be acceptable to meet the new pre-departure testing requirements, and as such, will not be accepted for travel to England.

Lateral Flow Tests may meet the minimum standards of more than 80% sensitivity and more than 97% specificity for the pre-departure testing regime, depending on the individual test product. The test must be provided by a testing provider which can meets these minimum standards, as well as the standards regarding the result notification requirements.

Failure to consult people and their families on decisions around CPR causes significant distress and we have taken decisive action to prevent this from happening. NHS England and NHS Improvement clinical leaders issued a number of letters to the health and social care system throughout April and May 2020, and in March 2021, to clarify best practice around do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions.

Joint guidance for clinicians from the British Medical Association, the Resuscitation Council UK and Royal College of Nursing reflects that agreement to a DNACPR is an individual decision and should involve the person concerned or, where the person lacks capacity, their families, carers, guardians or other legally recognised advocates. The Department reiterated this message in the Adult Social Care Winter Plan in 2020.

The DNACPR Ministerial Oversight Group continues to review the resources available to ensure adherence to DNACPR guidance across the system. Sensitive and well communicated DNACPRs can and should be an important part of patient care and end of life experience. We are committed to taking continued action to ensure those decisions are managed and communicated well in all settings.

The first meeting of the Ministerial Oversight Group has now taken place and the Group has set out their commitment to driving forward improvements. A summary of the meeting has been shared with interested stakeholders. The membership, workings and decisions of the Ministerial Oversight Group were published on 23 July.

The Ministerial Oversight Group was created in response to a key recommendation of the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) review of how Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions were made during the early phases of the pandemic. Further details of the Group’s membership, workings and key decisions will be published in due course.

The Department does not record or assess the circumstances of DNACPRs orders in place. However, the Ministerial Oversight Group will be responsible for the delivery and required changes of the CQC’s recommendations, to ensure adherence to guidance across the system about how DNACPRs are used.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Due to the concerns raised at the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic around the application of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions, the Department asked the Care Quality Commission to review how these decisions were made. Their report was published in March. The Department has established a Ministerial Oversight Group that will be responsible for the delivery and required changes of the recommendations of this report, to ensure adherence to guidance across the system on how DNACPRs are used.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Due to the concerns raised at the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic around the application of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions, the Department asked the Care Quality Commission to review how these decisions were made. Their report was published in March. The Department has established a Ministerial Oversight Group that will be responsible for the delivery and required changes of the recommendations of this report, to ensure adherence to guidance across the system on how DNACPRs are used.

The UK remains concerned about the impact Nord Stream 2 will have on European energy security and particularly on the interests of Ukraine. Our focus continues to be supporting resilient European energy markets, including measures that diversify energy supply.

In 2017, the two Cypriot Leaders, supported by the UN Secretary-General who played an important role, came closer than ever before to reaching a settlement. Unfortunately, this did not prove possible, which led the UN Secretary-General to close the Conference.

A Cyprus Settlement is in the best interests of the Cypriot communities and the wider region. The Foreign Secretary has therefore been actively engaged in support of UN efforts to find a Cyprus solution and will represent the UK as a Guarantor Power at the UN-led informal five-party talks from 27-29 April.

Ahead of talks, the Foreign Secretary spoke to the Cypriot FM on 22 March and the Turkish Foreign Minister on 23 March. The Foreign Secretary visited the island on 4 February and met President Anastasiades, Turkish Cypriot leader Tatar and the UN. The Foreign Secretary also met the Greek Foreign Minister on 2 February. The UK is urging all sides to approach the UN talks in a spirit of flexibility and compromise. During the Minister for the Americas and European Neighbourhood's visit to Cyprus (7-9 April), she reiterated this message and the UK's support for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue.

A Cyprus Settlement remains key to resolving wider tensions in the region. We are supportive of the UN Secretary General's efforts and the proposal of the informal meeting between the parties ("5+UN"). The UK is actively engaging with the parties ahead of the 5+UN meeting to urge them to approach the meeting in the spirit of flexibility and compromise. The Foreign Secretary delivered this message to both the Greek Cypriot leader and the Turkish Cypriot leader during his visit to Cyprus on 4 February, as well as in phone calls with the Turkish Foreign Minister and Greek Foreign Minister.

Talks to reunite Cyprus are led by the Leaders of the two communities on-island and facilitated by the UN. The UK's role as a Guarantor Power under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee is unrelated to our membership of the European Union.

The UK remains a strong supporter of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue, based on the internationally accepted model of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation as set out in relevant Security Council Resolutions. To that end, we welcome the UN Secretary General's ongoing commitment to work with the parties to conduct in-depth consultations and we look forward to the possibility of an informal meeting hosted by the UN which includes the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, and the Guarantor Powers, Greece, Turkey and the UK.

We are engaging all parties regularly. The Foreign Secretary met with Greek Foreign Minister Dendias on 2 February, spoke to Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu on 3 February, and travelled to Cyprus on 4 February, to urge all sides to engage constructively ahead of the talks and to demonstrate flexibility in their approach so the Settlement process can progress.

The UN has responded to the COVID-19 crisis across three pillars: responding to the health crisis, safeguarding lives and livelihoods, and building back better. The UN has adapted and enhanced their programmes across each of these pillars, including their 'Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan' and 'Global Humanitarian Response Plan', which promote a coordinated UN response. UK investment and relationships with the UN - with an additional £145 million to UN appeals including £75 million to the WHO - have galvanised a stronger global response. The UN will continue to be a key ally in our efforts to build back better.

The 194 members of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation agreed to propose 2021 as the International Year of Fruit and Vegetables in July 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Our assessment is that it will help to raise the importance of fruit and vegetables for a healthy diet.

The National Crime Agency’s National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime for 2021 includes a section on organised immigration crime and the use of small boats. The full assessment may be found here:

www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/who-we-are/publications/533-national-strategic-assessment-of-serious-and-organised-crime-2021/file

The assessment notes that, ‘The increase in small boats use is almost certainly a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions affecting freight and air transport, in addition to enhanced security around the UK-operated border controls at Calais, Coquelles and Dunkirk’ and ‘It is highly likely OCGs and migrants are attracted to the high success rate and low cost-high profit nature of small boats compared to HGV facilitation’.

The UK’s departure from the EU has not made a material difference to the methods of the criminal gangs or our joint activity with European partners to stop them. The UK and France share a history of cooperation on this issue, seen in our commitments under the Sandhurst Treaty and Small Boats Action Plan and most recently via the action agreed in the joint statement between the Home Secretary and Minister Darmanin on 20 July. We have an excellent relationship with our French counterparts and are grateful for their continued commitment.

Increasing numbers of French law enforcement officers, supported by UK funding, are patrolling beaches and are preventing more and more crossing attempts. Nearly 10000 crossing attempts have been prevented so far this year.

The Government’s Nationality and Borders Bill will seek to reform the system, including by deterring illegal entry into the UK, breaking the business model of criminal facilitation, and saving lives.

The Home Office is following guidance published by Public Health England, Health Protection Scotland and the NHS with regards to COVID testing for migrant arrivals.

All migrants are tested on arrival with a lateral flow test, any refusing are treated as if infectious and isolated. Lateral flow testing is a fast and simple way to test people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19, but who may still be spreading the virus. Arrivals who present as symptomatic or who provide a positive lateral flow test are allocated to an approved quarantine site.

Due to the small possibility of false positives associated with lateral flow tests, any individual who receives a positive result at a residential short-term holding facility in England or an Immigration Removal Centre, will be offered a PRC test to confirm the result. Any detained individual with symptoms of COVID-19, or testing positive for COVID-19 will be placed in protective isolation for at least 10 days and Public Health England informed.

We do not hold information regarding the percentage which have been genomically sequenced as this is the responsibility of Public Health England.

The Home Office is following guidance published by Public Health England, Health Protection Scotland and the NHS with regards to COVID testing for migrant arrivals.

All migrants are tested on arrival with a lateral flow test, any refusing are treated as if infectious and isolated. Lateral flow testing is a fast and simple way to test people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19, but who may still be spreading the virus. Arrivals who present as symptomatic or who provide a positive lateral flow test are allocated to an approved quarantine site.

Due to the small possibility of false positives associated with lateral flow tests, any individual who receives a positive result at a residential short-term holding facility in England or an Immigration Removal Centre, will be offered a PRC test to confirm the result. Any detained individual with symptoms of COVID-19, or testing positive for COVID-19 will be placed in protective isolation for at least 10 days and Public Health England informed.

We do not hold information regarding the percentage which have been genomically sequenced as this is the responsibility of Public Health England.

Under Part 4 of the Data Protection Act 2018, pertaining to Intelligence services processing, subjects of information held by a UK intelligence service can request this information from the relevant service. Where the data continues to be held, the intelligence services must consider each subject access request on its merits and provide a response accordingly, except where it would be damaging to national security to do so.

The Undercover Policing Inquiry is independent of the Home Office, and its independence is crucial to its effectiveness.

Disclosure is a matter for the Inquiry. Safeguarding the independence of the Inquiry is of paramount importance and it would not generally therefore, be acceptable for the Government to comment on or intervene in the Inquiry’s decision-making.

More information on the Inquiry’s evidence and disclosure process can be found on the Inquiry’s website at Evidence & hearings - UNDERCOVER POLICING INQUIRY (ucpi.org.uk)