Lord Bassam of Brighton

Departments are responsible for their responses to written parliamentary questions. Written parliamentary questions receive final sign off from Ministers.

The Cabinet Office has produced guidance for civil servants on drafting answers to parliamentary questions. This can be found on the gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drafting-answers-to-parliamentary-questions-guidance.

Civil servants and Ministers conduct these duties in line with their respective codes of conduct.

The Department of Health and Social Care has outlined that the department’s contract included a general clause for Deloitte to provide support to civil servants in responding to written questions, freedom of information requests and media queries. They have not been directly responsible for drafting replies.

Departments are responsible for their responses to written parliamentary questions. Written parliamentary questions receive final sign off from Ministers.

The Cabinet Office has produced guidance for civil servants on drafting answers to parliamentary questions. This can be found on the gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/drafting-answers-to-parliamentary-questions-guidance.

Civil servants and Ministers conduct these duties in line with their respective codes of conduct.

The Department of Health and Social Care has outlined that the department’s contract included a general clause for Deloitte to provide support to civil servants in responding to written questions, freedom of information requests and media queries. They have not been directly responsible for drafting replies.

The Prime Minister and Cabinet have been regularly briefed on COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus. These briefings have included assessments of the potential impacts to the UK economy and public health. These issues have also regularly been discussed at meetings of the COBR Committee. Additionally, since 16 March, a series of Cabinet Committees have convened to support the Government’s efforts.

The Prime Minister and Cabinet have been regularly briefed on COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus. These briefings have included assessments of the potential impacts to the UK economy and public health. These issues have also regularly been discussed at meetings of the COBR Committee. Additionally, since 16 March, a series of Cabinet Committees have convened to support the Government’s efforts.

The Prime Minister and Cabinet have been regularly briefed on COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus. These briefings have included assessments of the potential impacts to the UK economy and public health. These issues have also regularly been discussed at meetings of the COBR Committee. Additionally, since 16 March, a series of Cabinet Committees have convened to support the Government’s efforts.

I refer the noble Lord to my answer on 12th March 2020 to Lord Young of Cookham (Official Record, House Of Lords,Vol. 802. Col. 1158).

The Government is committed to ensuring the UK becomes a global science superpower and continues to collaborate with Europe on scientific research. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear that the UK is ready to consider a relationship in line with non-EU Member State participation in Horizon Europe, provided that this represents value for money and is in the UK’s interest. Any agreements relating to Union programmes should contain fair terms for UK participation. This should include fair treatment of participants, a fair and appropriate financial contribution, provisions allowing for sound financial management by both parties, and appropriate governance and consultation.

I refer the Noble Lord to a Written Ministerial Statement made by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 28 April (HCWS209), which set out that UK and EU discussions took place across all workstreams including on EU Programmes.

As a responsible government, we are also developing alternative schemes to support international research and innovation collaboration. This includes options which can address immediate needs and work through to any future funding scenario.

In the Budget, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that government investment in R&D will increase to £22bn by 2024/25, the biggest ever absolute increase. The increase in investment in R&D will include funding for any continued participation in EU research and innovation Programmes or EU replacement schemes.

SAGE is a scientific advisory committee and as such follows the Science Advisory Committee guidance.

The Government is aware of the consequent pressures of COVID-19 on universities and research institutions. This is a difficult time for all - both undergraduate and post graduate students, academic staff and researchers. BEIS is working with Department for Education and others to consider how best to support researchers, universities, the research community and research institutions.

UKRI has confirmed it?will?offer a costed extension of up to six months for those?PhD students?due to complete by 31 March 2021 and whose study has been impacted by the pandemic. ?This will apply to those who have redeployed to work on COVID-19 related research or other action to support the response.

UKRI has also introduced processes for supporting grant awardees to switch their funding to support COVID-19 priorities.

The Government is aware of the consequent pressures of COVID-19 on universities and research institutions. This is a difficult time for all - both undergraduate and post graduate students, academic staff and researchers. BEIS is working with Department for Education and others to consider how best to support researchers, universities, the research community and research institutions.

UKRI has confirmed it?will?offer a costed extension of up to six months for those?PhD students?due to complete by 31 March 2021 and whose study has been impacted by the pandemic. ?This will apply to those who have redeployed to work on COVID-19 related research or other action to support the response.

UKRI has also introduced processes for supporting grant awardees to switch their funding to support COVID-19 priorities.

We will continue to collaborate with the EU on scientific research and have been clear that, where it is in the UK’s interests, we will seek to participate in some specific EU Programmes. The shape and content of the next EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework Programmes for 2021-2027, including Horizon Europe, are currently being negotiated in the EU Institutions and have not yet been finalised. Horizon Europe must be adopted by the EU before any l formal negotiations on possible association could begin.

The UK has played a constructive role in the development of Horizon Europe to ensure that it aligns with UK priorities and we look forward to continuing our relationship in research and innovation with our European partners.

As a Member State of the EU, the UK did not contribute financially to specific programmes. Member States pay for participation in EU Framework Programmes through the general UK contribution to the EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF).

The Withdrawal Agreement means that the UK continues to participate in EU Programmes financed by the 2014-2020 MFF until their closure. Horizon 2020 is a Programme funded under the current MFF. UK scientists, researchers and businesses can continue to participate in these programmes and receive EU grant funding for the lifetime of individual projects, including projects finishing after the transition period ends in 2020. This will include UK participations in Horizon 2020 projects running until 2027 where the funding has been committed under the 2014 – 2020 MFF.

Information on the UK’s participation in Horizon 2020 can be found on the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 dashboard.

The shape and content of EU Programmes post-2020, including Horizon Europe, are currently being negotiated in the EU Institutions. This includes budget discussions which are decided as part of the EU’s Multi-annual Financial Framework negotiation. The Horizon Europe Regulation budget is as of yet unknown and will only be finalised after the overall EU budget has been agreed.

UK scientists, researchers and businesses can continue to participate in, bid for and lead projects in the Horizon 2020 programme as usual after the 31 January 2020.

The Political Declaration indicates a shared intent between UK and EU leaders to agree a framework that would support future collaboration in science, research and innovation. On Horizon Europe, there are a number of elements of this package yet to be agreed, including the provisions on third country association and the Programme budget; these elements will inform our decision on future participation.

Channel 4 has played an important role in supporting independent production in the UK. The government has been clear that we want Channel 4 to remain a public service broadcaster (PSB), with obligations and benefits similar to those all PSBs have including those that are currently privately-owned if there is a change of ownership.

We are clear that Channel 4’s public service remit, and its strengths both in working with independent producers across the country and in showing original, distinctive content, are precisely the attributes we would expect to be attractive to a buyer, and that we would expect any buyer to be likely to nurture and develop through new investment.

Channel 4 is one of this country’s greatest broadcasting assets, but we must think long-term about the challenges ahead and make sure it has the capital it needs to continue to contribute to the UK’s success in public service broadcasting.

We have consulted on the best ownership model to support Channel 4 for years to come. Our public consultation closed on 14 September. We have received around 60,000 responses, and we are carefully considering the views and evidence we have received to inform the government’s final decision.

Once we have answered the questions set out in the consultation, we will know what specific impacts to assess and will therefore be in a position to carry out an impact assessment.

Channel 4 is one of this country’s greatest broadcasting assets. We must think long-term about the challenges ahead and make sure it has the capital it needs to continue to contribute to the UK’s success in public service broadcasting. We have therefore consulted on the best ownership model to support Channel 4 in the years to come.

The government has not decided whether to sell Channel 4, or how Channel 4 may be sold. Ministers and DCMS officials have been meeting a broad range of interested parties throughout the consultation process. Their views and evidence along with the consultation responses we have received will inform our policy-making and final decision.

Government Ministers meet members of the Channel 4 board and executive team regularly to discuss a range of issues.

The government intends to consult on a potential change in ownership of Channel 4 on the basis that an alternative ownership model (but one where it keeps a public service remit) may be better for the broadcaster and its ability to contribute socially, economically and culturally in the decades to come.

The public consultation was published on 06 July 2021. It will run for 10 weeks, closing on 14 September 2021. The Government is seeking views from a broad range of stakeholders to inform its policy making.

Channel 4 has delivered on its remit successfully and helped grow the UK’s independent production sector. It has also done an excellent job in managing the recent uncertainty in the market. However, the government is concerned that its current public ownership model presents challenges to its ability to grasp opportunities and keep pace in the future.

Further detail regarding the government’s assessment is provided in the government’s recent publication, “Consultation on a potential change of ownership of the Channel 4 Television Corporation”, copies of which have been placed in the libraries of both Houses.

The government is firmly committed to making the UK the safest place to be online, and DCMS and the Home Office are working at pace to introduce this legislation. We will publish a Full Government Response to the Online Harms White Paper later this year. This will be followed by legislation in 2021, when parliamentary time allows.

It is vital that we get this legislation right and we will make a final decision on pre-legislative scrutiny nearer the time of introduction. We are mindful of the need to balance speed and scrutiny when introducing these measures, and we will continue to engage with parliamentarians as we prepare legislation.

As the Government has transposed all relevant legislation, there will not be any gaps in online harms protection at the end of the transition period. The government is also working at pace to deliver online harms legislation next year, which will introduce comprehensive protections for young people.

The Government transposed the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive into domestic law on the 30th September and the Regulations came into force on the 1st of November 2020. UK-established video sharing platforms are required to take appropriate measures to protect minors from content which may impair their physical, mental or moral development, and all users from illegal content.

The AVMS Directive aligns well with the Government’s plans to tackle online harms, in particular in its requirements on UK-established video sharing platforms to have systems in place to protect users, especially minors. It should be noted that the video sharing platform regime will be repealed and will be superseded by the online harms regulatory framework, once it comes into force.

The Government is firmly committed to making the UK the safest place to be online and is working at pace to introduce this legislation. We will publish the Full Government Response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation later this year, which will contain more detailed proposals on online harms regulation and will be released alongside interim voluntary codes on tackling online terrorist and child sexual exploitation and abuse content and activity. This will be followed by legislation, which will be ready next year.

The Government is firmly committed to making the UK the safest place in the world to be online and the end of the transition period will not affect this. Regulations transposing the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS Directive) came into force on the 1st of November 2020 and require UK-established video sharing platforms (VSPs) to have systems and processes in place to protect the public, including minors, from illegal and harmful material. Ofcom has the power to take enforcement action against UK-established VSPs which do not take adequate appropriate measures, or which do not implement the measures adequately, in order to protect UK users.

VSPs established in the European Economic Area will not be regulated by Ofcom and will be regulated by the Member State that they are established in. As the regulation under this VSP regime is systems regulation and not content regulation, we expect platforms based outside of the UK to set up and invest in systems in order to comply with the AVMS Directive. It is anticipated that these same systems will also be introduced for their UK subsidiaries particularly in anticipation of the incoming online harms regime. Regulation provided by other EU Member States will therefore be effective and robust enough to provide protection to UK users until such time as the online harms regime is in place.

As the AVMS Directive aligns well with the Government’s plans to tackle online harms, the VSP regime will be repealed and superseded by the online harms regulatory framework, once it comes into force. We will publish the Full Government Response to the Online Harms White Paper consultation later this year, which will contain more detailed proposals on online harms regulation.

Officials are working very closely with the England and Wales Cricket Board on plans to deliver the safe return of club cricket as soon as possible. We are working at pace to shape guidance that will allow the safe return of competitive cricket and other team sports. Any shared sporting equipment may risk transmission, but these risks can be mitigated with good hygiene practice as being adopted across a wide range of sectors. I hope to make further progress on this in the coming weeks so that teams can enjoy a great cricketing summer.

In terms of developing and consulting on a national strategy for grassroots cricket, this is a matter for the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Officials are working very closely with the ECB and their medical experts to understand the unique qualities of cricket. We are working at pace to shape guidance that will allow the safe return of competitive cricket and other team sports. Any shared sporting equipment may risk transmission, but these risks can be mitigated with good hygiene practice as being adopted across a wide range of sectors.

Sport England, the national sports council for England, has provided £9m to the England and Wales Cricket Board for 2017- 2021 period, plus an additional £1.2m of funding for a specific volunteering project linked to the Cricket World Cup in 2019. As part of Sport England’s flexible support to system partners during Covid-19, they have committed to rolling over funding for a further year (details about this can be found on Sport England’s website (https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/coronavirus/funding-innovation-and-flexibility).

Other national governing bodies of cricket are outside the remit of Sport England funding.

The Government recognises the impact that Covid-19 is having on the sporting sector. The Chancellor announced an unprecedented package of measures to help businesses during this period, including £330 billion worth of government-backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme have supported businesses across the UK and in every sector, including sport.

In addition, Sport England, announced £210 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.

The Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage has been engaging with the England and Wales Cricket Board to ensure they are aware of the assistance available to the sport and how it can be accessed. We know this is a challenging period for all sports and we continue to work closely with the whole sector to understand the issues they face and how we can best support them through this difficult time.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is having regular discussions with sector and industry bodies to understand the impact of COVID-19 on sport and how we can provide support. This includes the Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage chairing a fortnightly meeting with over 25 sporting organisations. Sport is also represented on the department’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce, which is looking at ways to get sectors across the department back up and running.

Government has already published three stages of guidance for the return of elite sporting competition, and guidance for the return of outdoor grassroots sport and recreation. These are available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation

Further guidance will be published in due course to help sporting organisations understand how they can operate safely as lockdown restrictions are further eased in the future.

This is in addition to financial support that has been made available to the sector. The Chancellor announced a host of measures to help businesses, with £330 billion worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK. In addition, Sport England, has also announced £210 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is having regular discussions with sector and industry bodies to understand the impact of COVID-19 on sport and how we can provide support. This includes the Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage chairing a fortnightly meeting with over 25 sporting organisations. Sport is also represented on the department’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce, which is looking at ways to get sectors across the department back up and running.

Government has already published three stages of guidance for the return of elite sporting competition, and guidance for the return of outdoor grassroots sport and recreation. These are available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-phased-return-of-sport-and-recreation

Further guidance will be published in due course to help sporting organisations understand how they can operate safely as lockdown restrictions are further eased in the future.

This is in addition to financial support that has been made available to the sector. The Chancellor announced a host of measures to help businesses, with £330 billion worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses across the UK. In addition, Sport England, has also announced £210 million of funding to help sport and physical activity organisations deal with the short and long term effects of the pandemic.

The safety and wellbeing of university staff and students is always our priority, and we are confident that universities are well prepared for the return of students, having taken measures to reduce the risk of transmission such as introducing social distancing on campus, limiting travel requirement for classes, and staggering teaching across extended days to reduce numbers on site. To help providers make informed decisions, the government has issued guidance on reopening campuses and buildings, which is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses.

We support face-to-face teaching only where possible and if safety guidelines are followed but expect providers to reopen with a blend of online teaching and in-person tuition as they consider appropriate in line with public health advice. Providers are required to carry out risk assessments, modelled on a range of scenarios including where students are mixing across settings, and develop appropriate mitigations in response.

We are about to publish updated guidance on reopening higher education institutions – including face coverings, local lockdowns, and test and trace – based on the most up-to-date advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE). Everyone should be following basic guidance on COVID-19, including social distancing and maintaining good hand and respiratory hygiene.

We have also released guidance for landlords and tenants on renting and the COVID-19 outbreak. This sets out necessary public health measures to protect the health of students living together and those staff assisting them. We expect universities and other higher education providers to prioritise the health and safety of their staff and students and put in place measures that apply to their individual circumstances. The guidance is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-and-renting-guidance-for-landlords-tenants-and-local-authorities.

English higher education (HE) providers are autonomous institutions – this means they have the freedom to determine the way their courses are taught, supervised, and assessed. However, providers that are registered with the Office for Students (OfS), the regulator of registered HE providers in England, must ensure that all students, from admission through to completion, have the support that they need to succeed in and benefit from HE. The government’s expectation is that quality and academic standards must be maintained, and the OfS has made it clear that all HE providers must continue to comply with registration conditions relating to quality and standards, which set out requirements to ensure that courses are high quality, that students are supported and achieve good outcomes, and that standards are protected.

The OfS has published information and guidance for providers and students, and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education has also published a series of guides to support providers in securing academic standards and supporting student achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

HE providers have indicated that they will deliver a blend of online teaching and in-person tuition in the autumn term that they consider appropriate and which is in line with public health advice. If students have concerns, there is a process in place for them to pursue them. They should first raise their concerns with their university. If their concerns remain unresolved, students at providers in England or Wales can ask the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education to consider their complaint. Notwithstanding the ongoing uncertainty, we expect providers to ensure that continuing and prospective students receive the clear, accurate, and timely information they need to make informed decisions. This includes making them aware of any potential for changes at the earliest opportunity.

The government is aware of the disproportionate impact that the pandemic will have on some students. We have already worked closely with the OfS to help clarify that providers can draw upon existing funding within the current academic year to provide hardship funds and support disadvantaged students affected by COVID-19, including the purchase of IT equipment and mental health support. We have also allocated £100 million to support remote education, including to provide routers and laptops to vulnerable students, prioritising care leavers, including those at university.

Working closely with the FE college sector we will receive a light touch financial return at the end of the 19/20 academic year setting out the year-end financial position for 19/20 and forecast for 20/21. On a voluntary basis, colleges can also provide information on 21/22. The return is designed to minimise the administrative burden on the sector during this time and therefore focuses on the finances at institutional level and does not provide the level of detail to assess the impact at individual funding lines such as apprenticeships. The intention is to continue to monitor the impact and receive further submissions during 20/21. These returns will enable FE colleges with current or forecast financial issues to be identified.

In regard to the funding gap, the 20/21 return will allow us to make an overall assessment of the difference between income and costs for colleges.

The UK’s participation in the next Erasmus+ programme (2021–2027) is a matter for our ongoing negotiations with the EU. The government remains open to considering participation in elements of the next Erasmus+ programme, provided that the terms are in the UK’s interests. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of those negotiations.

This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation and I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write to the noble Lord and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, have regular meetings with Welsh ministers, and ministers from all of the devolved administrations, about higher education issues. These discussions have included the development of student number controls policy. The department’s officials also have regular meetings and discussions with their counterparts.

Student number controls are a direct response to the COVID-19 outbreak. They are designed to minimise the impact of the financial threat to higher education institutions that is posed by the COVID-19 outbreak. They also form a key part of the package of measures to stabilise the higher education admissions system.

These controls are a temporary measure and will be in place for one academic year only. Student number controls for higher education institutions in the devolved administrations only apply to the number of English-domiciled entrants who will be supported with their tuition fees through the Student Loans Company, and these controls are set at a level which will allow every institution to take more first year English students than they took last year. The funding of English-domiciled students is not a devolved matter, and it is right and fair that this policy should apply as consistently as possible wherever they are studying in the UK.

Ministers will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations on strengthening and stabilising the higher education system following the COVID-19 outbreak.

The government remains open to participation in some elements of the next Erasmus+ programme. This will be subject to our ongoing negotiations with the EU.

We are, in parallel with the negotiations, developing a domestic alternative to Erasmus+, to ensure we are prepared for every eventuality as the government remains committed to international exchanges in education, both with the EU and beyond.

We are working closely with the devolved administrations as we develop the alternative scheme, as our intention is that this will be UK-wide, and are consulting with a range of stakeholders.

The development of the scheme has not been affected by COVID-19.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education recently set out (to the Education Select Committee) that we are working on a White Paper aimed at delivering ambitious reform in our vital further education (FE) sector.

The FE sector is playing a pivotal role in making sure more people can access the high-quality education and training they need to progress and will support our economic recovery following the COVID-19 outbreak. Our reforms will build on and strengthen the excellent work already happening across the country and will ensure the FE sector is at the heart of every community.

We have been working very closely with the sector on the development of the reform programme from the start and will continue to do so. We will outline further details in due course.

As my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID-19.

According to the latest statistics published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, total sector income from residential operations (excluding catering and conferencing operations) was £1.92 billion in 2018/19. This represents nearly 5% of total income for the UK higher education sector, although this figure varies across providers.

The government has announced a range of measures to protect students and the higher education sector from the impact of coronavirus, bringing together collective action from the government and sector organisations. Details are on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-support-package-for-universities-and-students.

The government recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing very significant financial challenges to the higher education (HE) sector and we have been working closely with the sector to monitor the likely impacts.

On 4 May 2020, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced a package of measures to ensure sustainability in HE at a time of unprecedented uncertainty.

We will stabilise the admissions system and reprofile tuition fee payments, expected to be worth £2.6 billion, for providers so that they receive more cash in the first term of the 2020/21 academic year. This will have no impact on students but will allow providers to better manage financial risks over the autumn. This will be available to all providers across the UK. In reprofiling these payments, we are clear in our expectation that providers should use the cashflow benefits appropriately, taking significant steps to improve efficiencies and manage their finances in order to avoid cashflow problems in the future. Reprofiling in this way is a one-off intervention for the autumn term only, to help providers take all necessary steps now to prepare for the future.

In England, we will also be bringing forward £100 million of quality-related research funding for providers to the current academic year to help to address some of the immediate pressures faced by university research activities.

We are reminding providers, as part of existing programmes and using established procedures, that the department will consider purchasing land and buildings where they can be used for new or expanding schools and colleges in England. This financial year (across purchases from all suitable vendors, including but not limited to HE providers), we have budgeted up to £100 million to acquire sites for planned projects in England. Details are available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-support-package-for-universities-and-students.

We expect that access to the business support schemes, reprofiling of public funding and student number controls should be sufficient to help stabilise most providers’ finances and that this should be the first port of call for providers.

Should that not be sufficient, such that a HE provider finds themselves at risk of closure, we will only intervene further where we believe there is a case to do so and only where we believe intervention is possible and appropriate and as a last resort.

In such instances, we will work with providers to review their circumstances and assess the need for structured transformation solutions and any attached conditions. The department will be working with HM Treasury and other government departments to develop this restructuring regime, as well as with the devolved administrations, to ensure that it aligns with their respective approaches.

In the 2018/19 academic year, tuition fees from international students at UK higher education providers accounted for around £6.9 billion of sector income. The government recognises that the COVID-19 outbreak will have an unparalleled impact on all elements of the global and UK economy. The higher education sector, including student recruitment, is no exception. We have been working closely with the sector to monitor the likely impacts of COVID-19, on international student numbers, including restrictions on travel. We understand the coronavirus outbreak and a possible reduction in the number of international students poses significant challenges and stand ready to help the sector with various mitigations.

The government is working to ensure existing rules and regulations, including visa regulations, are as flexible as possible for international students under these unprecedented circumstances. Higher education providers will also be flexible in accommodating applicants’ circumstances where possible, including if they are unable to travel to the UK in time for the start of the academic year.

On 4 May, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced the package of measures to stabilise university admissions this autumn and ensure sustainability in higher education at a time of unprecedented uncertainty. My hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, wrote to all Honourable Members on 4 May, with full details of the package, which have also been published on GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/government/news/government-support-package-for-universities-and-students.

The new graduate route, due to be launched in summer 2021, provides an opportunity for international students who have been awarded their degree to stay and work in the UK at any skill level for two years. This represents a significant improvement in our offer to international students and will help ensure our world-leading higher education sector remains competitive internationally.

The International Education Strategy,?published in March 2019,?by the Department for Education and the Department for International Trade, set out a commitment to review progress following its publication.??The review? will? ensure the International Education Strategy?responds to this new context and the challenges that are ?posed.

The Department for Education publishes figures for the number of pupils taking a free school meal on the day of the January census in schools in England. The figures from 2014/15 to 2018/19 are shown in the table below. All infant pupils are eligible for free school meals (FSM) under the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) policy. Meals delivered under the universal eligibility are presented separately in the table. ‘FSM eligible meals taken’ includes those infant pupils who would already have been eligible for FSM under the income-related criteria.

Free school meals provision in Wales and the associated data is the responsibility of the administration in Wales.

Schools pay for benefits-related free school meals from their core funding. The department includes a factor value in the national funding formula (£440 per pupil), but both local authorities and schools have the freedom and flexibility to apply their own local formulae. Last year, around 1.3 million children benefitted from this important provision.

For universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), schools receive funding through a separate grant. The department spends around £600 million each year ensuring 1.4 million infants receive a free meal through this programme.

UIFSM allocations since 2015, can be found at the following links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-funding-allocations-2015-to-2016.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-funding-allocations-2016-to-2017.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-funding-allocations-2017-to-2018.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-funding-allocations-2018-to-2019.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-uifsm-2019-to-2020.

We announced on 28 May 2019 guarantees on student finance for EU nationals. EU nationals (and their family members) who start a course in England in the 2020/21 academic year or before will continue to be eligible for ‘home fee’ status and student finance support from Student Finance England for the duration of their course, provided they meet the residency requirement.

Applications for courses starting in the academic year 2021/22 do not open until September 2020. We will provide sufficient notice for prospective EU students on fee arrangements ahead of the 2021/22 academic year.

We announced on 28 May 2019 guarantees on student finance for EU nationals. EU nationals (and their family members) who start a course in England in the 2020/21 academic year or before will continue to be eligible for ‘home fee’ status and student finance support from Student Finance England for the duration of their course, provided they meet the residency requirement.

Applications for courses starting in the academic year 2021/22 do not open until September 2020. We will provide sufficient notice for prospective EU students on fee arrangements ahead of the 2021/22 academic year.

The apprenticeship levy underpins our reforms to raise apprenticeship quality and supports employers to make long-term, sustainable investments in the skills they need to grow. Income from the levy is used to fund apprenticeships in all employers, both those who pay the levy and those who do not.

We value the employer-led element of apprenticeships and are receptive to their concerns of businesses about the apprenticeship levy. We are committed to ensuring the apprenticeship programme continues to provide opportunities for people of all backgrounds, whilst meeting the needs of employers of all sizes and delivering for the economy more broadly.

In response to employers we have already introduced the flexibility for levy-payers to transfer up to 25 per cent of their funds, enabling them to support apprenticeship starts in their supply chains or to meet local skills needs. In January, we extended the use of transfers to cover the full cost of training for 16 to 18-year-olds and eligible 19 to 24-year-olds in employers with fewer than 50 employees.

?Philip Augar and his independent panel have made thoughtful recommendations on tuition fee levels and loan repayment, the balance of funding between universities, further education, apprenticeships and adult learning, and we will consider all these recommendations carefully.

We are considering the report carefully but have not yet taken decisions with regard to the recommendations put forward.

As my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation announced on 20 January at education oral questions, the government will conclude the review alongside the next Spending Review, providing the sector with clarity about the future of post 18 education and funding.

We want to ensure we have a joined-up education system that is accessible to all and encourages the development of the skills we need as a country.

?Philip Augar and his independent panel have made thoughtful recommendations on tuition fee levels and loan repayment, the balance of funding between universities, further education, apprenticeships and adult learning, and we will consider all these recommendations carefully.

We are considering the report carefully but have not yet taken decisions with regard to the recommendations put forward.

As my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation announced on 20 January at education oral questions, the government will conclude the review alongside the next Spending Review, providing the sector with clarity about the future of post 18 education and funding.

We want to ensure we have a joined-up education system that is accessible to all and encourages the development of the skills we need as a country.

The Sutton Trust Mobility Manifesto 2019 makes 10 recommendations across the areas of Higher and Further Education, Early Years, Schools and Internships. The department continues to engage with a range of stakeholders in order to understand what children and young people need, so that they can express their talents and make the most of their lives.

For example, the department is working with the Early Intervention Foundation and Local Government Association to deliver a programme of early years social mobility peer reviews, focused on early language outcomes.

We have signed a joint understanding with the Independent Schools Council; through which we are working to increase the number of disadvantaged pupils who benefit from targeted bursaries and other forms of assistance offered voluntarily by independent schools.

We have endorsed a proposal to use the Office for Students’ (OfS) review of the admissions system to consider the pros and cons of potential models of Post Qualification Application. The OfS has also encouraged the use of contextual admissions and we support such initiatives.

Universities are independent, autonomous bodies. As such, they are responsible for their own admissions decisions.

We are aware that many universities already adopt contextual admissions practices, to widen access of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Office for Students has encouraged the use of contextual admissions and the Government supports such initiatives.

Universities are independent, autonomous bodies. As such, they are responsible for their own admissions decisions.

The Office for Students is conducting a review of the admissions system and have committed to keeping Ministers and officials regularly informed of the emerging views and any recommendations from this work. The review is due to report later this year.

The Government has endorsed the proposal to use the review to consider the pros and cons of potential models of Post Qualification Application.

The Political Declaration states the UK is open to participation in certain EU programmes, such as the next Erasmus+ programme (2021-27), if it is in our interest to do so. The proposed regulations for the next 2021-27 Erasmus+ programme are still being discussed in the EU and have yet to be finalised. Our future participation will be subject to negotiations on the UK-EU relationship. Decisions on future budget provisions are a matter for the Comprehensive Spending Review.

The UK Government wants to ensure that UK and European students can continue to benefit from each other’s world-leading education systems. We are considering a wide range of options with regards to the future of international exchange and collaboration in education and training, including potential domestic alternatives.

The Department is inviting MPs to work with local authorities and community groups to come forward with proposals to explore restoring railway lines and stations closed in the cuts in the 1960s and 1970s, using the £500m we have made available. Should the Uckfield – Lewes line be put forward as a proposal with appropriate local support, we will consider the case for funding a study.

The volume of railway lines and stations that will be re-opened through the £500m investment being made during this Government will depend on the costs and value or money of qualifying schemes. The Secretary of State is inviting MPs to work with local authorities and community groups to come forward with proposals to explore.

The restoration of passenger services on the Ashington Blyth Tyne Line is being developed. The Department for Transport funding contribution announced on 28 January will enable completion of an Outline Business Case and a decision soon on proposals for the next ‘Design‘ stage.

Fleetwood is in the early stages and the funding will be used to look at a range of options to reintroduce passenger services. The detail of this study and the completion date is still being determined.

NHS Test and Trace was launched on 28 May across England. The service helps identify, contain and control COVID-19, reducing its spread and saving lives.

Given the speed at which NHS Test and Trace was set up we do not have data by month as during the formulative months the organisation was reliant on secondees from across Government and movement was high. The current full time equivalent head count of NHS Test and Trace is 3,760. Due to the continuing need for flexible resourcing in the programme, this number includes contingent workers, which includes some contractors and employment agency staff.

The following table shows the NHS Test and Trace Executive Committee. The committee is comprised of existing civil servants and the public and private sector.

The information is not held in the format requested.

The cost of sending tests to German laboratories as part of the REACT-1 study is variable subject to the volume of tests being completed per round. The testing process for this study has been expedient with it playing a vital role in supporting NHS Test and Trace with important surveillance information.

The tests for REACT-1 are processed in Germany by Eurofins Biomnis whose services have been procured in accordance with relevant legislation and guidance. The impact of using laboratory services within the European Union has been and continues to be considered. No undue impact has been identified of any future trade deal on the future of the REACT-1 study.

As part of the £300 million announced for accident and emergency (A&E) department upgrades on 11 August, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust has been awarded £3.7 million, of which Royal Sussex County Hospital will be receiving an £1.85 million for its A&E and same day emergency care capacity project.

The information is not collected in the format requested.

The Government publishes testing data in an online-only format at GOV.UK. These statistics cover tests?, cases and deaths to lower tier local authority level, as well as weekly NHS Test and Trace statistics on those reached by the system, how many have been contact traced and testing/tracing turnaround time.

This includes data on how many people received test results within 24 hours and those who were identified as contacts who were reached within 24 hours for non-complex cases. However, data on the number of people who tested positive who were reached within 24 hours for non-complex cases is not specifically collected in the format requested.

The Contact Tracing Advisory Service is undertaking work to evaluate valid postcodes gathered through the service and are broken down across a range of trends to cover social, economic, and demographic factors, including includes analysis of valid and non-valid postcodes.

The service conducts research across different communities, including those hard to reach and areas of multiple deprivation; in order to understand the customer experience and difficulties encountered when engaging with it to continually improve the service.

A large number of other countries have launched apps and we have been in close contact with a number of these countries to share what we are learning. We have been working in collaboration with other app development teams across the world - including Ireland, Germany, Italy, Denmark, and New Zealand to exchange ideas. This includes sharing information on download rates and other information on how apps are being used as tools in the response to COVID-19.

Like the United Kingdom, many countries are working on solutions that best support local systems while taking into account cultural and societal differences, and ultimately each country will have to adapt its approach to digital contact tracing to its own local context, including integration with its own test and trace programme.

The success of a contact tracing app will depend on a multitude of factors, including public trust, the reproduction number (R) of the country, and societal context.

Guidance has already been issued to the National Health Service on the process of starting to restore urgent non-COVID-19 services. NHS England and NHS Improvement also continue to work with the Royal Colleges and other key stakeholders to ensure that this is done as quickly and as safely as possible within the available capacity.

The Government changed the law. Specialist doctors can prescribe medicinal cannabis where clinically appropriate and in the best interests of patients.

The clinical guidelines, developed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, demonstrate a clear need for more evidence to support routine prescribing and funding decisions of unlicensed cannabis-based medicines for rare forms of treatment-resistant epilepsy.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have been clear that guidance is just that and decisions on the treatment of individual patients are for the treating clinicians. The Chief Medical Officer and NHS England and NHS Improvement have written to clinicians to clarify the procedure for prescribing and supplying these products and signposted further support material.

The Government launched the NHS Test and Trace service on 28 May 2020.

Since its introduction, NHS Test and Trace have traced the contacts of thousands of positive cases, using both online services and over the phone, and we are encouraged by the progress so far and user feedback.

We are asking anyone who has been told to self-isolate to follow the advice given and we are confident that the vast majority will do so in order to play their part in reducing the spread of the virus to keep themselves, their families and communities safe and to protect the National Health Service. However, if we find that people are not complying with isolation instructions, we will not hesitate to introduce tougher measures.

The Government launched its NHS Test and Trace service on 28 May 2020 to control the rate of reproduction (R), reduce the spread of the virus and save lives.

The contact tracing process starts as soon as NHS Test and Trace receive notification that someone has tested positive for COVID-19. The NHS Test and Trace service contacts people by text message, email or phone, including sending reminder messages and calls. We are reaching the close contacts of thousands of positive cases, where their contact details are known by the positive index case, and we are encouraged by the progress so far and user feedback.

Data published on 9 July shows that since 28 May, 75.7% (23,796) of people who tested positive (and had their case transferred to NHS Test and Trace) were reached and asked to provide contact details of recent, close contacts. Of the contacts identified through NHS Test and Trace, 85.1% (144,501) were reached and advised to self-isolate. Work is ongoing to understand, evaluate and continuously improve the test and trace programme and its effectiveness.

The Government launched its NHS Test and Trace service on 28 May 2020 to control the rate of reproduction (R), reduce the spread of the virus and save lives.

The contact tracing process starts as soon as NHS Test and Trace receive notification that someone has tested positive for COVID-19. We are reaching the close contacts of thousands of positive cases and we are encouraged by the progress so far and user feedback.

NHS Test and Trace statistics published on 9 July show that since 28 May 90.3% (17,322) of people who tested positive for COVID-19 were successfully reached and asked to provide details about close contacts within 48 hours (for non-complex cases only). Additionally, 83.4% (22,574) of people identified as recent close contacts were reached and advised to self-isolate within 24 hours of being identified (for non-complex cases only).

Currently we only have timings for each part of the process rather than the end to end journey, so we can say how many people received test results within 24 hours, how many people who tested positive were reached within 24 hours (for non-complex cases only) and how many people who were identified as contacts were reached within 24 hours (for non-complex cases only).

There is a range of support available for individuals who are told to self-isolate by National Health Service Test and Trace, either because they have tested positive for COVID-19 or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive. This includes Statutory Sick Pay, subject to meeting eligibility requirements, and since 28 September a Test and Trace Support Payment of £500, introduced to support people on low incomes who are unable to work from home if they are told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and will lose income as a result.

Individuals are informed about local support networks if they need practical, social or emotional support. As part of the information available during the application process for the Test and Trace Support Payment, either on the online form or telephone application, local authorities are also encouraged to reference any other local support that is available for people who are self-isolating, such as food packages.

The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and is the largest public funder of health research in the United Kingdom.

As part of the NIHR-UK Research and Innovation rolling call for rapid research proposals, two highlight notices were issued in May inviting COVID-19 research proposals on transmission, and priority groups – transmission, risk factors and seroprevalence.

These highlight notices have been issued following advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies and to help address gaps in knowledge about transmission of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Applications are being considered for funding, including on the quality of the science proposed and its relevance to the highlight notices. Successful proposals will be announced as soon as possible.

To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library

To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library

To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library

To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library

In May 2020, 66,648 tests were sent to the United States after an operational issue temporarily held back our laboratory network, which impacted the total number of samples that could be processed. We worked hard to resolve these issues and capacity was restored.

The Real-time Assessment of Community Transmission (REACT-1) national surveillance study currently sends 150,000 tests per month to Germany for processing as part their agreement with the testing provider.

To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library

Public Health England has updated channels such as Change4Life, Start4Life and One You, to make them consistent with the wider COVID-19 advice and advice on healthier eating.

Change4Life is supporting families with children with a range of simple healthy recipes, 10 Minute Shake Up indoor games and healthy snacking tips and ideas. This material and more is available online at Change4Life, newsletters and social media.

To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Testing – note for House of Lords which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library

As of 16 June, 3% of home test kits have been returned void. We continue to work with our partners to ensure home testing kits are of the highest standard, user friendly and easy to return back for processing.

Data on the number of people tracked and traced as part of the NHS Test and Trace programme are not available in the format requested.

The Department publishes weekly experimental statistics from the NHS Test and Trace service in England. Figures include contact tracing undertaken online, by local health protection teams and by contact tracing staff.

The data shows that between 28 May and 10 June 2020 14,045 people who tested positive for COVID-19 had their case transferred to the contact tracing system, of whom 10,192 were asked to provide details of recent contacts. 96,746 contacts were identified and of these 87,639 were reached and advised to self-isolate.

A copy of Experimental Statistics Weekly NHS Test and Trace bulletin, England: 28 May – 10 June 2020 is attached.

The Government launched its new NHS Test and Trace service on 28 May 2020. Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 is eligible for a free test and should book one as soon as their symptoms start. The contact tracing process starts as soon as NHS Test and Trace receive notification that someone has tested positive for COVID-19. People identified as having been in close contact with someone who has had a positive test will be contacted and told to stay at home for 14 days, even if they do not have symptoms, to minimise the risk that they unknowingly spread the virus.

The majority of tests at Regional Testing Centres and Mobile Testing Units are returned within 24 hours, with 90% returned within 48 hours. Other than postal tests and other insuperable problems, all tests will be turned around within 24 hours by the end of June.

We are tracing the contacts of thousands of positive cases, using both online services and over the phone, and we are encouraged by the progress so far. In total, since 28 May to 10 June 2020, 72.6% (10,192) of the people who tested positive for COVID-19 were reached by our contact tracers and asked to share details of their close contacts. 90.6% (87,639) of close contacts were reached and advised to self-isolate.

There is extraordinary effort taking place in the United Kingdom and internationally to accelerate the research and development of a vaccine as soon as possible, with the Government making over £130 million available to fund the front-runners University of Oxford and Imperial College London teams, on top of the £250 million we have pledged to the international effort to find a vaccine – the largest international contribution of any country.

Given that a COVID-19 vaccine may not be found, we are also working on identifying safe and effective treatments for COVID-19. There are multiple clinical trials underway, including the ACCORD phase II trial platform that identifies and tests newer therapeutics, and phase III trials including PRINCIPLE, RECOVERY and REMAP-CAP, that are trialling repurposed drugs in primary, acute and intensive care settings respectively.

Total eradication of COVID-19 globally is unlikely (unless there is some unexpected biological change in the virus). Elimination nationally (i.e. bringing the number of locally acquired cases to zero) may be possible transiently but is highly unlikely to be possible permanently. Though other countries appear to have eliminated the virus locally, it is still early in the epidemic and the virus is very likely to reappear in these countries. Instead of eradication/elimination, a realistic public health goal would be to have very good control of transmission so that the number of new cases, and therefore the disease burden, is very low.

The incubation period for COVID-19 is one–14 days (the median incubation period is five days). As set out by the First Secretary of State (Rt. Hon. Dominic Raab MP) on 16 April, there are five tests which underpin Government decisions on adjusting measures to control the virus. These include confidence that changes will not lead to a second peak of infections. As the Government adjusts the lockdown measures, it will closely monitor key indicators, including the rate of infection and local outbreaks, and will react accordingly.

The incubation period for COVID-19 is one–14 days (the median incubation period is five days). As set out by the First Secretary of State (Rt. Hon. Dominic Raab MP) on 16 April, there are five tests which underpin Government decisions on adjusting measures to control the virus. These include confidence that changes will not lead to a second peak of infections. As the Government adjusts the lockdown measures, it will closely monitor key indicators, including the rate of infection and local outbreaks, and will react accordingly.

We are currently considering multiple options for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in the mid- to long-term, including the implementation of tailoring Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions to the regional and local level. Any decisions on how to approach the mid- to long-term strategy to address the pandemic will be led by the science and build on the Government’s track and trace strategy.

Home testing has been expanded over several weeks from the initial piloting phase, through to the large-scale ramp up where thousands of home tests are available on a daily basis. As at 8 May over 134,000 home tests have been dispatched and more than 105,000 completed samples have been collected and this number increases daily.

The Government stockpiled medicines and consumables including personal protective equipment (PPE) for the National Health Service and social care for a reasonable worst-case influenza pandemic as outlined in the UK Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Strategy 2011. COVID-19 is a different disease with a higher hospitalisation rate.

Forecasts for the need for PPE to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak have been continuously updated in line with modelling based on the prevalence and impact of the virus and the guidance on how PPE should be used. This guidance has itself been updated to reflect emerging scientific evidence about transmission routes and appropriate methods to prevent transmission and the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community.

The Department is leading the sourcing of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the National Health Service, social care and the wider public sector from both existing and new suppliers. We have set up a cross-Government PPE sourcing unit to secure new supply lines from across the world and published rigorous standards against which we will buy.

The Department is leading the sourcing of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the National Health Service, social care and the wider public sector from both existing and new suppliers. We have set up a cross-Government PPE sourcing unit to secure new supply lines from across the world and published rigorous standards against which we will buy.

We have set up a cross-Government personal protective equipment (PPE) sourcing unit to secure new supply lines from across the world and published rigorous standards against which we will buy.

Expert procurement professionals from the NHS Supply Chain have been seconded into this dedicated new unit to work with a cross-Government team of over 400 staff from the Government Commercial Function. This unit is identifying PPE suppliers from across the globe to meet the increasing demand for a growing list of PPE products.

Data on arrests made by the Metropolitan Police Service for offences relating to football disorder relevant for the purposes of Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989 at each England match during the Euro2020 tournament is shown in the table below: -

Police investigations into football disorder offences committed in connection with Euro 2020 matches and the resultant legal proceedings are ongoing. The Home Office does not hold data on the charging of these offences.

Data on convictions related to disorder, and racist offences, at football matches in each of the last five years is not held centrally.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on the number of football banning orders issued each year. These can be found on gov.uk.

Data on arrests made by the Metropolitan Police Service for offences relating to football disorder relevant for the purposes of Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989 at each England match during the Euro2020 tournament is shown in the table below: -

Police investigations into football disorder offences committed in connection with Euro 2020 matches and the resultant legal proceedings are ongoing. The Home Office does not hold data on the charging of these offences.

Data on convictions related to disorder, and racist offences, at football matches in each of the last five years is not held centrally.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on the number of football banning orders issued each year. These can be found on gov.uk.

Free movement will cease at the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020.

EEA nationals intending to study within the UK from January 2021 will need to apply for and meet the requirements of the Student route under the UK’s Points Based Immigration system.

The Home Office does not collate or publish the breakdown of Immigration Health Surcharge income collected from foreign nationals working in the health and social care sector.

Income data for the Immigration Health Surcharge is published annually in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Please see page137 of the Home Office 2018-19 Annual Report and Accounts for the most recent disclosure of Immigration Health Surcharge income:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/807126/6.5571_HO_Annual_Report_201920_WEB.PDF

The Government will soon require all international arrivals not on a short list of exemptions to self-isolate in their accommodation for fourteen days on arrival into the UK. The General Aircraft Declaration (GAD) process will now be required for all flights coming to the UK, requiring crew to identify symptomatic passengers before arrival, with a similar process being implemented for maritime and international rail. This will contribute to keeping the overall number of Covid-19 transmissions in the UK as low as possible.

Further details, and guidance, will be set out shortly, and the measures and list of exemptions kept under regular review.

The Home Office does not hold this information, although individual police forces may have this information for their force area.

As mentioned in my previous response, racist chanting or abuse may be an offence under section 3 of the Football (Offences) Act 1991 or sections 4, 4A or 5 of the Public Order Act 1986. Offences under sections 4 and 4A of the 1986 Act carry a maximum penalty of six months’ imprisonment and are capable of being charged as a racially or religiously aggravated offence.

In addition, the court must impose a preventative Football Banning Order following conviction for a relevant offence it reasonably believes that making an order would help to prevent violence or disorder at, or in, connection with any regulated football matches. Football Banning Orders prohibit the subject from attending regulated football matches for a period of two to ten years, depending on the nature of the offence.

The Law Commission is carrying out a full review of the coverage and approach of current hate crime legislative provisions, including in the context of football.

The 2019 Conservative manifesto commits to creating the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a programme of investment to bind together the whole of the United Kingdom, tackling inequality and deprivation in each of our four nations.

The Government has been engaging with key stakeholders on the design and priorities of the fund since 2016, including holding a series of engagement events. Our engagement events have taken place across the UK including in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Over 500 stakeholders attended these events across a variety of sectors including; businesses, public bodies (such as Local Enterprise Partnerships, Mayoral Combined Authorities, local governments), higher education institutions, voluntary and charity sector and rural partnership groups.

Final decisions on the allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will be taken after a cross-government Spending Review.

The Government understands the importance of local growth funding to places and people and is committed to creating the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to succeed European structural funds, providing vital investment in local economies, cutting out bureaucracy and levelling up those parts of the UK whose economies are furthest behind.

The 2019 Conservative Manifesto committed to targeting the UK Shared Prosperity Fund at the UK’s specific needs, at a minimum matching the size of European structural funds in each nation. This builds upon previous commitments to create a fund which tackles inequalities between communities by raising productivity, especially in those parts of the UK whose economies are furthest behind.

Final decisions on the design and operation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will need to be made following a cross-Government Spending Review.

The Government understands the importance of local growth funding to places and people and is committed to creating the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to succeed European structural funds, providing vital investment in local economies, cutting out bureaucracy and levelling up those parts of the UK whose economies are furthest behind.

The 2019 Conservative Manifesto committed to targeting the UK Shared Prosperity Fund at the UK’s specific needs, at a minimum matching the size of European structural funds in each nation. This builds upon previous commitments to create a fund which tackles inequalities between communities by raising productivity, especially in those parts of the UK whose economies are furthest behind.

Final decisions on the design and operation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will need to be made following a cross-Government Spending Review.

We have already provided local authorities with an unprecedented package of support.

Local authorities have been allocated £4.3bn of support which can be used for expenditure pressures, including £3.7bn of unringfenced grants and the £600m Infection Control Fund.

We have also introduced a co-payment scheme for relevant, irrecoverable income losses in 2020-21, where councils will bear the first 5% of income losses but the Government will cover 75p in every pound beyond this.

On tax we have announced that the repayment of collection fund deficits arising this year will be spread over the next three years rather than the usual one. This support will give councils considerable breathing room when setting budgets for next year before we make a fuller announcement at the Spending Review.

In response to the recent storms, Government activated the Bellwin Scheme of emergency financial assistance on 10 February and extended this to more areas on 17 February. Ministers also activated the Flood Recovery Framework on 18 February, with support being provided to eligible local authorities to help local residents and businesses affected by the storms. Government has also announced the Property Flood Resilience Scheme to help homes and businesses become more resilient to flooding. Government is working with local authorities to assess the full extent of the flooding impacts and will release the funding to eligible local authorities in due course.

Government has made Government Liaison Officers available to support affected areas during response and to support ongoing recovery.

The Government is aware of issues affecting the professional indemnity cover of some fire and building safety consultants. We are engaging with the construction industry to understand the scale of the problem, and also with the insurance industry to better understand their approach to risk.

The Government is aware that concerns about building safety are leading to delays in valuing some properties for mortgage finance. The Government is engaged with the mortgage industry and is supporting their work in addressing the delays.

The management and maintenance of local authority burial grounds is subject to a comprehensive framework of regulation and guidance, and we anticipate that those operating private burial grounds (many of which are, in any event, regulated by bespoke legislation) will apply the same standards and principles.

Graves and monuments of historical significance can be listed in the National Heritage List for England or scheduled in accordance with the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. Any changes to listed or scheduled monuments or graves require consent from the Historic England.

The Law Commission’s forthcoming Programme of Law Reform includes a project to consider modernising and streamlining the law governing the disposal of human remains, with a view to putting forward a legal framework for the future.