Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

The Roads Investment Strategy 2 reflects this Government’s commitment to upgrading the A303/A358 corridor as a priority for improving connections between the South-West and London and the South-East. The delivery of the corridor is a part of a long-term aim to improve inter- and intra-regional connectivity, by providing a second reliable high-performing connection between the South-West and the South-East, in addition to the M4/M5.

Following an Order of the High Court made on 30 July 2021, the Secretary of State's decision dated 12 November 2020 to grant development consent for the application by Highways England for the proposed A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down (Stonehenge) scheme has been quashed. The Secretary of State must now re-determine that application.

As a live planning case, it would not be appropriate for the Department to comment further on the scheme at this time.

Section 41(1A) of the Highways Act 1980 places a duty on local authorities to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow or ice. It is the local authority’s responsibility to ensure that there are adequate drivers available to carry out gritting.

Alongside the interventions that Government has made to mitigate any possible HGV driver shortage, the DfT is working closely with local authorities and stakeholder bodies such as ADEPT and will be monitoring the capacity of local authorities with respect to driver numbers over the winter period.

No specific discussions have taken place with the devolved administrations specifically concerning provision of lorry parks. Lorry parking is a matter for the devolved administrations.

The Department for Transport has regular discussions with the road haulage industry. We are working together to address the current HGV driver shortage, which is an issue affecting many countries worldwide.

The Government has already taken firm action to bring new drivers into the industry as soon as possible. This includes funding apprenticeships and making an additional incentive payment available, training for jobseekers, and support for drivers to return to the sector, and doubling the number of vocational driving tests available.

Further measures have been announced, including eliminating the need for car drivers to take an additional test to tow a trailer, delegating the HGV test reversing exercise and uncoupling and recoupling to a third party and making it quicker to get a licence to drive an articulated vehicle (Cat C+E), without first having to get a licence for a smaller vehicle (Cat C). These should increase lorry driver testing capacity by a further 50,000 tests a year.

The Department carried out a public consultation on possible solutions to the complex pavement parking problem, which ran from 31 August 2020 to 22 November 2020. Members of the public, including many who identified as having mobility or vision impairments, and organisations including those representing people with disabilities, participated. The consultation received over 15,000 responses. The Department has been carefully analysing the consultation responses and will publish the findings as soon as possible.

The Department carried out a public consultation on possible solutions to the complex pavement parking problem, which ran from 31 August 2020 to 22 November 2020. Members of the public, including many who identified as having mobility or vision impairments, and organisations including those representing people with disabilities, participated. The consultation received over 15,000 responses. The Department has been carefully analysing the consultation responses and will publish the findings as soon as possible.

We are continuing to ensure we maintain reliable levels of service and the Department, with operators, is supporting passenger safety though enhanced cleaning, providing hand sanitiser and supporting ventilation where possible, alongside positive communications and messaging including the rail campaign ‘Getting Back on Track’ and the TfL campaign ‘Welcome Back London.’

The Department has also issued safer travel guidance for passengers and operators which provides advice to passengers about how to travel safety during the pandemic to support a return to the network.

The Government has issued clear guidance for both passengers and operators, with airports encouraged to introduce clear signage and one-way passenger flows where appropriate. Arrangements may vary depending on the airport and guidance is available to support operators to manage flows in a COVID-secure way.

We continue to improve processes which maintain the checks we need to carry out to keep the public safe, while minimising disruption, and passengers can support this process by ensuring they have completed the necessary requirements to enter the UK. The Government continues to engage with the aviation sector to ensure it is supported in implementing best practices.

Direct flight bans apply to most countries on the ‘Red List’, and operators must only deliver passengers who have travelled indirectly from a ‘Red List’ country in the previous 10 days to a designated port.

Passengers who have been in a country or territory on the red list in the 10 days prior to their arrival will only be allowed to enter the UK if they are a British or Irish National, or have residence rights in the UK. Alongside the requirements to take a pre-departure test and complete the Passenger Locator Form, most people who are allowed to enter England from a country on the red list will be required to quarantine for 10 days in a government-approved managed quarantine hotel with Covid-19 tests on days 2 and 8.

Direct flight bans were not introduced for countries added to the ‘Red List’ on 9 and 23 April, which had regular scheduled services to England (Pakistan, Bangladesh and India), on a trial basis. Passengers on direct flights were still subject to measures such as quarantine in a government-approved managed quarantine hotel.

We continually assess the data to understand the efficacy of measures such as managed hotel quarantine, entry bans and testing to ensure public health is protected.

The Secretary of State for Transport announced on 8 January that the Government will introduce a requirement for all international arrivals to have received a negative result for a coronavirus test taken no more than three days prior to their departure to England from 4am 18 January.

Children under the age of 11 and those unable to take a test for medical reasons will be exempt. There will also be a limited number of exemptions for those whom taking a test within three days of departure and receiving a result on time would be impossible, such as hauliers and international transport crew.

All other existing measures remain in place, including the need to self-isolate for 10 days (or 5 days if you choose to opt into Test to Release scheme) after leaving a place not on the Travel Corridor list.

The Government is committed to enhancing the railway where a business case can be made for doing so. We have set a £10.4bn budget for rail enhancements in England and Wales in Control Period 6 (2019-2024), £500m of which is available for Restoring Your Railway schemes.

Limiting the spread of COVID-19 at all points of international entry is of paramount importance to the Government. The Department for Transport has engaged extensively with stakeholders on measures to help prevent the spread of the virus, including the provision of advice and guidance to passengers and staff.

The Secretary of State for Transport confirmed in the House of Commons on 2 July that we are considering all options which might provide reassurance to passengers.

Local authorities already have legal powers to restrict pavement parking. The Government intends to carry out a public consultation later in the year, on further possible options to help local authorities tackle pavement parking. The consultation will fill evidence gaps, seek views on specific options that were raised by the Transport Select Committee and call for alternative ideas. Ministers will take decisions on next steps in the light of the consultation responses.

From Monday 15 June passengers must wear a face covering when travelling on public transport in England by bus, coach, tram, ferry, hovercraft, cable car, aircraft and domestic and international train.

Government has published updated Safer Transport guidance for passengers and for operators which sets out the requirements. The guidance sets out steps that operators can take to ensure passenger compliance with the face covering regulations, as well as making clear that specific exemptions apply, including for health, equality or age reasons.

The Government does not currently advise virus testing for asymptomatic people, apart from in certain settings, such as hospitals, care homes, and prisons.

The pandemic is having a profound impact on the lives of everyone in the country and the Government’s focus has been on managing the immediate situation. As part of this, the Government continues to monitor behaviour in terms of working patterns, transport use and social distancing measures, and will continue to do so as the situation develops in the coming weeks.

Given the scale of this pandemic, it is likely that we will see some changes in the way people do things in the longer term and the Government is working to understand this. For example, to help understand future demand on transport, we are commissioning research to understand how the pandemic has impacted on people’s transport behaviours and the factors that will influence their behaviour as restrictions are lifted.

Budget 2017 included a commitment to “electrify 25% of cars in central Government department fleets by 2022” and, as part of the Road to Zero Strategy published in July 2018, the Government announced a further commitment to make 100% of the central Government car fleet ultra-low emission vehicles (zero emission or plug in hybrid) by 2030. Public sector organisations must use the product specifications set out in the Government Buying Standards (GBS) when procuring goods or services. For all vehicles the default is zero or ultra-low emission at the tailpipe. As a minimum, vehicles should meet Euro 6 emission standards.

We are investing nearly £2.5 billion?, with grants available for plug in cars, vans, lorries, buses, taxis and motorcycles, as well schemes to support charge point infrastructure at homes, workplaces and on residential streets. This includes extra funding announced at Budget 2020 of £532 million for consumer incentives for ultra-low emission vehicles, made up of £403 million for the plug-in car grant (PICG), extending it to 2022-23; and £129.5 million to extend the plug-in grants for vans, taxis and motorcycles to 2022-23. Central Government and the wider public sector are able to take advantage of these schemes.

On the 4 February the Prime Minister announced a consultation on bringing forward the end to the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible. The consultation was published on 20 February.

This follows our manifesto commitment and reflects the independent Committee on Climate Change advice that the phase out date should be 2035 or ideally 2030, and that only battery electric or other zero emission vehicles should be permitted to be sold after this point.

As part of this consultation, we are asking what the accompanying package of support will need to be to enable the transition and to minimise the impacts on businesses and consumers across the UK, building on the significant demand and supply side measures already in place. We are already engaging with stakeholders on this issue and plan to conclude the consultation in the summer.

Figures for new chargepoints for electric vehicles that have been introduced in the UK in each of the last three years are available in the table below:

We will invest £1 billion in charging infrastructure, ensuring that everyone is within 30 miles of a rapid charging station. Our jointly funded £400 million Chargepoint Infrastructure Investment Fund’s first investment round, worth a total of £70 million, will ensure the delivery of a further 3,000 rapid charging devices by 2024, more than doubling the current number of rapid charging devices. Last year work commenced to determine a vision for a core rapid charger network on England’s Strategic Road Network and we aim to report on this in Spring 2020.

The Government is carefully considering the stakeholders responses we have received to the recent consultation on this matter and will respond in due course.

We are investing nearly £1.5bn? between April 2015 and March 2021, with grants available for plug in cars, vans, lorries, buses, taxis and motorcycles, and schemes to support charge point infrastructure at homes, workplaces and on residential streets. This adds up to one of the most comprehensive support packages in the world for the transition to zero emission vehicles.

On 4 February, the Prime Minister announced our intention to consult on bringing forward ending the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040 to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible, as well as including hybrids for the first time. We will be asking what the accompanying package of support will need to be to enable the transition to zero emission motoring while minimising the impacts on businesses and consumers across the UK, and building on the significant demand and supply side measures already in place.

The Government is committed to improving the safety of all road users. Reducing the numbers of those needlessly killed and injured on our roads is a key priority for the Department. Our recent publication of the Road Safety Statement – ‘A Lifetime of Road Safety’ describes in some detail the Department’s intention to undertake a set of actions in the coming years aimed at improving road safety.

The effectiveness of these measures will be kept under review.

The Road to Zero strategy, published in July 2018, set out the Government’s mission to put the UK at the forefront of the design and manufacturing of zero emission vehicles, and for all new cars and vans to be effectively zero emission by 2040. Going beyond this, we will now consult on the earliest date we can phase out the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars, while minimising the impact on drivers and businesses.

We are investing nearly £1.5bn? between April 2015 and March 2021, with grants available for plug in cars, vans, lorries, buses, taxis and motorcycles. We also operate schemes to support charge point infrastructure at homes and workplaces and on residential streets. Our grant schemes and our £400m public-private Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund will see thousands more electric vehicle chargepoints installed across the UK. Along with the private sector Government will invest £1 billion in charging infrastructure – making sure that everyone is within 30 miles of a rapid charging station for electric vehicles.

We have consulted on proposals for chargepoints to be installed with all newly built homes in England, where appropriate, and will set out a vision in early 2020 for a core network of rapid and high powered chargepoints along England’s key road network. We have also consulted on the introduction of Green Number Plates for ultra low emission vehicles to raise awareness and help normalise cleaner vehicles and increase their uptake. The Go Ultra Low comms campaign is now into its fifth year. This joint government-industry campaign aims to inform vehicle purchasers about the benefits of ULEVs and to dispel widespread myths.

Government and industry have supported the installation of over 17,000 devices, providing over 24,000 publicly available chargepoints, of which over 2,400 are rapid chargepoints. We will invest £1 billion in completing a fast-charging network to ensure that everyone is within 30 miles of a rapid electric vehicle charging station. We will set out a vision by Spring 2020 for a core rapid charger network on England’s strategic road network. We will also consult on the earliest date we can phase out the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars, while minimising the impact on drivers and businesses. As detailed in our Manifesto last year, this Government’s first Budget will prioritise the environment, including electric vehicle infrastructure.

Our various grant schemes and the £400m Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund will see the installation of thousands more public chargepoints, with the first £70 million of investment adding 3,000 additional rapid chargepoints by 2024. On 21 January, we announced that Government has doubled the value of the On-street Residential Charging Scheme for 2020-2021 to £10 million to support the provision of up to 3,600 chargepoints for those that don’t have off-street parking.

We are confident that the grid will be able to cope with increased demand from electric vehicles. The electricity market is already set up to bring forward investment in generation capacity to meet demand. Ofgem, the independent energy regulator, ensures – through the RIIO regulatory framework – that there is sufficient investment in electricity networks to deliver our net zero target and enable the transition to electric vehicles. This is alongside numerous measures to ensure a smarter, more flexible energy system, to help increase the efficiency of the system to prepare for new sources of demand, including electric vehicles. For example, Government consulted last year on mandating that all chargepoints sold or installed in the UK have smart functionality. Smart charging during off-peak periods, when electricity demand is low, can help reduce electricity network constraints.

The number of children and young people entering urgent treatment for an eating disorder increased by 73% in 2020/21, compared to 2019/20. The Health Survey England 2019 showed that 16% of adults aged over 16 years old screened positive for a possible eating disorder.

We are investing approximately £1 billion in community mental health care for adults with severe mental illness by 2023/24. This will allow 370,000 adults with severe mental illnesses, including eating disorders, greater choice and control over their care and support them to live well in their communities.

Since 2016, investment in children and young people's community eating disorder services has increased each year, with an additional £53 million per year from 2021/22. This will enhance the capacity of the 70 new or improved community eating disorder teams. Additional funding has been provided this year for adult and children and young people’s eating disorder services through the £500 million Mental Health Recovery Action Plan.

No specific assessment has been made, as there is currently no COVID-19 vaccine authorised in the United Kingdom for usage in children in this age group.

Should the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency authorise a COVID-19 vaccine for use in the UK in children aged under five years old, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation may be asked for its clinical and scientific advice on prioritisation and deployment at a population level.

Manufacturers and retailers should have autonomy to set pricing for the sale of lateral flow device (LFD) tests, as well as pack sizes. However, the Government will ensure that private testing is a properly regulated market, as with any other healthcare product, including ensuring that the price of tests is not inappropriately high for consumers.

We are confident there will continue to be sufficient tests available through the National Health Service from 1 April 2022. We will provide further details on eligible groups in due course. The Government is engaging with retailers to support the development of a strong private market for testing to ensure that tests are widely available for the public to buy.

On 7 January 2022 the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advised that the priority for the COVID-19 booster programme remains to increase coverage of the first booster dose across the adult population, particularly in older adults and those in clinical risk groups. A second booster dose was not advised at this time as there is evidence of continued high vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation due to the Omicron variant following a first booster dose.

The JCVI continues to consider the latest available data and will review the booster programme, particularly in relation to the timing and value of any second booster doses for the most vulnerable.

No specific assessment has been made. However, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities found that there was a rise in consumption of alcohol for increasing and higher risk drinkers (individuals that consume more than 14 units a week) during periods of lockdown, compared to when no restrictions were in place. The Adult substance misuse treatment statistics 2020 to 2021: report showed a 2.8% increase in those in treatment for alcohol only compared to 2019/20. A copy of the report is attached.

As part of the NHS Long Term Plan, we are investing in a programme to establish specialist alcohol care teams in hospitals with the highest rates of alcohol-dependence-related admissions. In late 2021, a second wave of hospital sites across England were selected to receive funding. We are also spending £533 million over three years in local authority commissioned substance misuse treatment services in England.

Improving bystander use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) was assessed as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. The Plan sets out that a national network of community first responders and AEDs could save up to 4,000 lives each year by 2028. With growing public awareness and acceptance of AEDs, many community defibrillators have since been provided in public locations such as shopping centres, through national lottery funding, community fundraising schemes, workplace funding or by charities.

The following table shows the mean average ambulance response times in hours, minutes and seconds England in November 2021 for Category 1, 2, 3 and 4 incidents.

Analysis by the Office for National Statistics shows that between 21 July to 15 August 2021, 17% of adults surveyed experienced some form of depression. This is a decrease since the survey of 27 January to 7 March 2021 at 21% but above pre-pandemic levels of 10%.

For children and young people, NHS Digital report that rates of probable mental disorders, including depression, have increased since 2017. For 6 to 16 year olds rates have increased from 11.6% to 17.4% and in 17 to 19 year olds from 10.1% to 17.4%. Rates in both age groups remained similar between 2020 and 2021.

We have allocated an additional £500 million through the Mental Health Recovery Action Plan for 2021/22, to ensure the right support is in place, including for people with depression. Of this funding, £110 million will be used to expand adult mental health services including psychological therapies and £79 million to significantly expand children’s mental health services. We are also investing an additional £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24 to enable a further two million people to access mental health services.

A national ‘BOOST your immunity this winter’ communications campaign was launched in mid-October. This sets out the importance of those eligible receiving their COVID-19 booster vaccination. We are sponsoring information articles in more than 600 newspaper titles, including multicultural newspapers in multiple languages. The COVID-19 vaccination leaflets produced by UK Health Security Agency have also been translated into 27 languages including Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Panjabi and Urdu. This is supported by Ministers, scientists and clinicians and community and faith leaders, alongside social media messaging.

There are more clinics in England delivering COVID-19 vaccines, including pharmacies, general practitioner (GP) practices and other community sites. Hundreds of walk-in sites are offering booster vaccines without an appointment. In addition, COVID-19 booster vaccinations have been delivered or scheduled in nine out of ten care homes in England. The National Booking Service has also been updated to allow those eligible for a booster vaccine to pre-book their appointment five months after their second dose.

We have engaged with Governments in countries where certification has been introduced to determine the compatibility with the United Kingdom’s COVID 19 vaccination records and entry requirements. In addition, following discussions with the European Union, the UK’s certification solution has now been linked with the EU Digital COVID Certificate.

The Government plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to tackle elective waiting lists. We are working closely with NHS England and NHS Improvement to develop a plan for how that funding will be used, including workforce requirements.

In response to public consultation, the Government has set out its view that COVID-19 vaccination requirements are important in protecting National Health Service staff, their colleagues and the patients they care for. The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 will implement vaccination as a condition of deployment for health and wider social care services.

The Government has published Ventilation of indoor spaces to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in an online only format. This guidance stresses the importance of practical steps such as opening windows and doors; making sure small vents or grilles are open and not blocked; and ensuring that any mechanical ventilation system is working and maintained in line with manufacturers’ instructions. Ventilation systems should bring fresh air in and not recirculate indoor air. In workplaces and non-domestic settings, ventilation should be considered alongside other control measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19.

The national ‘Get Boosted Now’ campaign was launched on 12 December 2021 in both national and local media, highlighting the importance of those eligible receiving a booster dose. Ministers, scientists, clinicians and celebrities have shared messaging, supported by a large-scale marketing campaign, including TV, radio, press partnerships, and digital and social media.

There is also ongoing local engagement with stakeholders, community groups and faith leaders to reinforce the booster vaccination campaign with ethnic minority communities, patient groups and disproportionately impacted communities. We are also sponsoring information articles in more than 600 newspaper titles, including multicultural newspapers in multiple languages. The COVID-19 vaccination leaflets produced by the UK Health Security Agency have been translated into 28 languages including Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Panjabi and Urdu.

The wearing of face coverings in indoor settings is no longer a mandatory requirement in England. However, to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Government expects and recommends that everyone continues to wear face coverings in situations when they are likely to come into contact with people they do not normally meet, particularly in enclosed, crowded or poorly ventilated spaces.

Over 13 million people have already received their COVID-19 booster vaccination or third dose. We continue to review the effectiveness of the programme in order to maximise the COVID-19 booster vaccination campaign.

There are more clinics in England delivering COVID-19 vaccines, including pharmacies, general practitioner practices and other community sites. There are hundreds of walk-in sites offering booster vaccines without an appointment. In addition, COVID-19 booster vaccines have been delivered or scheduled in nine out of ten care homes in England.

Initiatives to promote the programme have included bespoke social media communications and the ‘Boost your immunity this winter’ launched in mid-October, encouraging all those eligible to take up the booster vaccine when offered. The advertising is forecast to reach 99% of all adults throughout the nine week period of the campaign.

All school-aged children between 12 to 15 years old are being offered their COVID-19 vaccination in their schools. The vaccination programme has been expanded to enable parents or guardians to choose whether their child receives their dose in school or at a vaccination centre. An increasing number of vaccination sites will begin offering appointments to 12 to 15 year olds in the coming weeks, including general practitioner practices and community pharmacies.

The National Health Service national booking service will provide an additional way for parents to book a COVID-19 vaccine for their child, alongside the existing schools programme. Parents and guardians will be given the option to book a vaccine appointment online or by calling 119. School Age Immunisation Service providers have alternative plans for those who are home schooled, in further education colleges, secure services or specialist mental health settings.

In 2021/22 the Department forecasts it will spend approximately £6 million on the promotion of vaccinations. The forthcoming Spending Review will set out the Government’s spending plans for future years.

In March 2021, we published COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan: Our plan to prevent, mitigate and respond to the mental health impacts of the pandemic during 2021 to 2022, funded by an additional £500 million for 2021-22 to address waiting times for services. The plan aims to respond to the pandemic by specifically targeting groups which have been most impacted, including those with severe mental illness, young people and frontline staff. A copy of the plan is attached.

The National Health Service will be launching a booster programme to protect individuals who received vaccination in phase one of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in priority groups one to nine.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advise that the booster vaccine dose is offered no earlier than six months after completion of the primary vaccine course and that the booster programme should as far as possible be deployed in the same order as during phase one. The first booster vaccine was administered on 16 September and the NHS plans to begin offering booster vaccines at scale to the most vulnerable from the week commencing 20 September 2021.

We are not currently seeing the shortage of Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers in the United Kingdom impact the delivery of medicines nor are we seeing it impact the delivery of flu vaccinations. The majority of deliveries are still being made to schedule with on-time delivery performance currently at 98%. However, the issue has been raised by a growing number of suppliers, including National Health Service trusts.

The number of National Supply Disruption Responses relating to medicine shortages in August 2021 is similar to the level in March 2021. This has remained stable and is unrelated to HGV driver shortages. Whilst no formal assessment has been made, we are reviewing broad trends are obtained through the Department’s freight desk, through organisations such as NHS Supply Chain, industry and NHS trusts. The Government’s Express Freight Service remains available to support suppliers if their existing supply chains are disrupted.

The Government is aware of concerns and are taking steps to support businesses and stakeholders, including streamlining the process for new HGV drivers, increasing the number of driving tests, improved pay, working conditions and diversity.

In England, life expectancy for men is 9.4 years lower for those in the most deprived areas compared to those in the least deprived areas. For women, it is 7.7 years lower for those in the most deprived areas compared to those in the least deprived areas.

To improve life expectancy and reduce disparities, we have undertaken prevention measures such as an updated obesity strategy, NHS Health Checks, a tobacco control plan and a diabetes prevention programme. The National Health Service also delivers national vaccination and screening programmes. Delivery of public health services is devolved to local authorities where resources are needed for their communities.

The Department works closely with manufacturers to assess the impact of any HGV driver shortages on the delivery of flu vaccinations. Due to the nature of seasonal flu vaccine manufacturing, short delays in production and delivery of the flu vaccine are common and factored into delivery timescales.

We are working with international partners to ensure a safe return to international travel, utilising mutual recognition and verification of COVID certification solutions. To facilitate international travel, we are supporting United Kingdom (UK) residents to demonstrate their vaccination status using the ‘NHS COVID PASS’ which can be used for their outbound travel. Since 19 July, passengers arriving from amber countries (except France) who have been fully vaccinated through the UK vaccination programme do not have to quarantine when entering England or take a polymerase chain reaction test on or after day 8 post arrival. From 2 August passengers who are fully vaccinated in many European countries with vaccines authorised by the European Medicines Agency or Swissmedic and can show an EU Digital COVID Certificate, or who have been fully vaccinated in the United States of America (US) with vaccines authorised by the Food and Drug Administration and can show a CDC card and proof of US residency, will be able to travel to England from amber list countries (except France) without having to quarantine or take a day 8 test on arrival.

The Government and NHS England and NHS Improvement have been working closely with local vaccination providers and system partners to put arrangements in place to help support Muslims to receive their vaccination, particularly if they are invited during Ramadan.

We have ensured through key messaging from scholarly leaders and the British Islamic Medical Association that it is permissible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine while fasting during Ramadan. We have provided advice and reassurances on questions and concerns around vaccination and Ramadan and we are working closely with local authorities, charities, faith and community groups to ensure these messages are disseminated widely. Effort has been made to promote key messages in faith-based radio stations, TV channels and multi-lingual messages developed by clinical and faith leaders.

We have issued guidance to our local partners on actions they should consider with reference to the needs of their local Muslim population during Ramadan which includes:

- Extending vaccination sites opening hours during twilight hours in places with high Muslim populations;

- Supporting pop-up/roving/temporary vaccination sites in areas with a high Muslim population;

- Allowing greater flexibility in booking schedules for later appointments;

- Outreach into homes to support those who are housebound and for women; and

- Flexibility to vaccinate where needed across Muslim groups, such as vaccinating members of multi-generational households on single visits.

We have been working closely with our system partners to support these actions and many are already being implemented. Additionally, we have also been supporting the organisation of women’s only vaccine clinics.

The Government and NHS England and NHS Improvement have been working closely with local vaccination providers and system partners to put arrangements in place to help support Muslims to receive their vaccination, particularly if they are invited during Ramadan.

We have ensured through key messaging from scholarly leaders and the British Islamic Medical Association that it is permissible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine while fasting during Ramadan. We have provided advice and reassurances on questions and concerns around vaccination and Ramadan and we are working closely with local authorities, charities, faith and community groups to ensure these messages are disseminated widely. Effort has been made to promote key messages in faith-based radio stations, TV channels and multi-lingual messages developed by clinical and faith leaders.

We have issued guidance to our local partners on actions they should consider with reference to the needs of their local Muslim population during Ramadan which includes:

- Extending vaccination sites opening hours during twilight hours in places with high Muslim populations;

- Supporting pop-up/roving/temporary vaccination sites in areas with a high Muslim population;

- Allowing greater flexibility in booking schedules for later appointments;

- Outreach into homes to support those who are housebound and for women; and

- Flexibility to vaccinate where needed across Muslim groups, such as vaccinating members of multi-generational households on single visits.

We have been working closely with our system partners to support these actions and many are already being implemented. Additionally, we have also been supporting the organisation of women’s only vaccine clinics.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

In summer 2020 Public Health England launched the ‘Better Health’ programme with a television, radio and digital campaign to support the nation to take simple steps to look after their physical and mental health and wellbeing. Better Health is focused on a number of health behaviours including weight loss, physical activity, mental health and quitting smoking. It is targeted at those most at risk. The Better Health programme directs people to evidence-based online apps and tools to support them make and sustain changes to improve their health. This includes the National Health Service 12-week Weight Loss app, Couch to 5K, Mind Plan and Active 10.

Public Health England (PHE) oversees the voluntary sugar reduction programme on behalf of the Government. The programme challenges retailers, manufacturers and the eating out, takeaway and delivery sector to reduce the amount of sugar in foods that contribute the most to children’s intake by 20% by 2020.

PHE supports industry to achieve sugar reduction through a continued programme of engagement and provides regular reports on its progress. PHE will publish the fourth report on industry’s progress on sugar reduction later in 2021 and will provide further expert advice on measures to address excess sugar consumption to the Government so it can consider next steps.

The Government has launched ambitious plans to boost cycling and walking, with the aim that half of all journeys in towns and cities are cycled or walked by 2030. There are various programmes to encourage people to walk more, including the Walk to School initiative and Bikeability training available to all school children. Last year, the Government launched the Better Health campaign to encourage a healthier lifestyle, including a free walking app designed to encourage adults to go for a brisk 10-minute walk.

Nearly £4.5 million is being invested in social prescribing which allows general practitioners to refer patients to various activities including working on allotments and dancing classes.

Public Health England (PHE) promotes a healthy balanced diet based on the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide, through a variety of online channels. PHE has three public-facing campaigns that promote healthy eating: Better Health, Change4Life and Start4Life.

In summer 2020, PHE launched the Better Health marketing campaign. The campaign directs millions of people to a range of free evidence-based tools and advice on how to take simple steps to adopt healthier eating habits and lose weight. For example, the NHS 12 Week Weight Loss Plan app helps people to develop healthier eating habits, get more active and lose weight. The Change4Life and Start4Life campaigns support families with simple healthy eating messaging including recipes and healthy snacks.

Plans are on track to establish the National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP) in spring 2021, with staff and systems moving into the new organisation over the following months. The recruitment process for the NIHP Chief Executive and Chair are ongoing and the outcomes will be announced in due course.

We frequently engage with local authorities, faith leaders and black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) organisations to provide advice and information about COVID-19 vaccines and how they will be made available. Our communications include targeted information and advice via TV, radio and social media. This has been translated into 13 languages. Print and online material, including interviews and practical advice has appeared in hundreds of national, local and specialist titles including BAME media outlets. In addition, since February a number of mosques and other places of worship have been hosting pop-up COVID-19 vaccination centres.

Working with local community partners, it is for local systems to determine the appropriate vaccine delivery model for their populations. However, NHS England and NHS Improvement have been clear that they should consider pop-ups in community venues and mobile facilities. They have also highlighted the need for in-reach mobile delivery to hostels and hotels providing accommodation for people experiencing homelessness, as well as outreach delivery where clinically safe, to people who remain living on the streets and mobile delivery connected to places people access and feel safe including foodbanks and other community-based support. To support this, NHS England has developed COVID-19 vaccination programme: JCVI Cohort 6 - Homelessness and rough sleeping Mobilisation support pack. A copy is attached.

The Government committed to explore whether and how COVID-19 status certification might be used to reopen the economy, reduce restrictions on social contact and improve safety. COVID-19 status certification aims to provide reassurance that an individual is at reduced risk of transmission. This could allow some freedoms to be restored more safely, for example by allowing mass events to admit more participants, increased passenger numbers and reduced border restrictions for travellers and social distancing rules to be relaxed.

The Government believes that COVID-19 status certification could have an important role to play both domestically and internationally, as a temporary measure. Equally, we want to be sure that the benefits of any such approach is rigorously tested, along with analysis of the potential economic impacts that COVID-status certification would have across different settings. We will continue to gather evidence on the extent to which COVID-19 status certification is an effective measure to control the epidemic and reduce hospitalisations and deaths and continue to explore the equity and ethical concerns. The Government will set out its conclusions from the COVID-status certification review in advance of 21 June in order to inform the safe reopening of society and the economy.

Due to the increased risk of new variants entering the United Kingdom, we are introducing Managed Quarantine Facilities for those arriving from high-risk countries in order to safeguard public health and our vaccine programme.

As we have done throughout this global health emergency, we will continue to take all steps necessary to protect the public and help prevent the spread of the virus. We will keep all our measures under constant review.

We published Staying mentally well this winter in November 2020, in an online only format. This sets out the support being made available for people in the winter months. This plan includes advice on wellbeing, information on accessing mental health services, support in communities and support for frontline health and social care workers.

Talking therapies will continue to be made available remotely so people can access help safely from home and the National Health Service will work to ensure the option of face to face support is provided where it is clinically safe to do so. For those with severe needs or in crisis, all NHS mental health providers have established 24 hours a day, seven days a week urgent mental health helplines.

We have not made a formal assessment. However, the Department continues to monitor vaccine deployment programmes across the world, including Israel, to share learning and collaborate internationally on the role of deploying safe, effective vaccines in the response to COVID-19.

We are working with the Royal Voluntary Service and St John Ambulance to recruit and train thousands more volunteer vaccinators, who will have all the relevant clinical training, as well as supervision, to ensure they can vaccinate in a way that is safe for patients and for themselves. This includes drawing on the skills of those who have volunteered through the NHS Bring Back Scheme, considering the use of a wider range of medical professionals as well as those currently working outside of the National Health Service.

Ongoing recruitment for both the clinical and non-clinical volunteering roles is via the NHS Volunteer Responder GoodSAM app. Requests for volunteer support for the COVID-19 vaccination programme are being directed through the lead provider in each area.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Nottinghamshire's Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have been piloting 24 hours a day vaccination services since 20 January.  NHS England will continue to test extended opening hours, including 24 hours a day provision and findings will be kept under review.

We are running a proactive communications campaign on face coverings to alert the public to the places where they now are required to wear a face covering, how to wear one correctly, and who is exempt from wearing one - exemptions for children under the age of 11 and those unable to wear a face covering, due to health, age, equality or disability reasons apply.

While the Government expects the vast majority of people will comply with the rules, as they have done throughout the pandemic, police and Transport for London officers have been given the powers they need to ensure the public comply with the regulations.

The police have been clear that they will follow the four-step escalation principles of engaging, explaining, encouraging, and enforcing, only issuing a fine as a last resort.

The National Health Service is working with Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise partners, inclusion health providers and others to develop an accessible model for delivery of the vaccine to people from communities such as Gypsy, Roma and Traveller. Through the Community Champions Scheme councils and voluntary organisations are delivering a wide range of measures to protect those most at risk - including communicating accurate health information. Champions have been drawn from these communities themselves to share accurate health information with their neighbours, networks and wider community.

Local vaccination services are playing a vital role in reaching vulnerable groups including those who are in the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. These services mobilise general practice, working together in groups of Primary Care Networks plus large and small community pharmacy sites. These services provide the largest number of locations and are well placed to support our highest risk individuals, many of whom already have a trusted relationship with their local health services. They also coordinate and deliver vaccination to people who are unable to attend a vaccination site.

Guidance for businesses and other interested parties was published on 17 November online at GOV.UK setting out the practical effect of the changes to domestic and European Union legislation relating to nutrition-related labelling, composition and standards made by the Nutrition (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020.

Officials developed the guidance in consultation with industry representatives and trade bodies via the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Business Expert Group to ensure it addressed all necessary aspects of the legislation.

The Department has heeded requests from industry to provide updates on this area at more frequent intervals. Officials meet with industry representatives on a more ad hoc basis providing updates on progress relevant to the Nutrition (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, in addition to sharing written updates with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Group in between the scheduled quarterly sessions.

A rapid review by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), published in June 2020, concluded there was no evidence to support taking vitamin D supplements, such as Calcifediol (a form of vitamin D), to reduce the risk or severity of COVID-19.

In addition, a rapid review by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), published in June 2020, concluded that evidence currently does not support vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections in the general population of the United Kingdom.

Both NICE and SACN reviews emphasised the existing advice that vitamin D is essential for musculoskeletal health.

In September 2020, NICE published a Medicines Evidence Commentary on the clinical trial of Calcifediol in the treatment of COVID-19 by Castillo et al (2020). The Commentary concluded that “the study has many confounders so the results should be interpreted with caution. The clinical management of patients with COVID-19 should not be changed based on the results of this study.” The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has asked NICE and Public Health England to re-review the evidence on vitamin D and COVID-19, due to be published mid-December 2020.

A rapid review by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), published in June 2020, concluded there was no evidence to support taking vitamin D supplements, such as Calcifediol (a form of vitamin D), to reduce the risk or severity of COVID-19.

In addition, a rapid review by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), published in June 2020, concluded that evidence currently does not support vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections in the general population of the United Kingdom.

Both NICE and SACN reviews emphasised the existing advice that vitamin D is essential for musculoskeletal health.

In September 2020, NICE published a Medicines Evidence Commentary on the clinical trial of Calcifediol in the treatment of COVID-19 by Castillo et al (2020). The Commentary concluded that “the study has many confounders so the results should be interpreted with caution. The clinical management of patients with COVID-19 should not be changed based on the results of this study.” The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has asked NICE and Public Health England to re-review the evidence on vitamin D and COVID-19, due to be published mid-December 2020.

The following table shows the number of tests processed on each day between 7 to 14 October 2020:

The following table shows the median time for pillar 2 testing from test to notification from 1 to 14 October 2020:

Since 28 September in England, those who test positive for COVID-19 – or who are identified by NHS Test and Trace or local public health teams as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 – have a legal duty to self-isolate. A fixed penalty notice may be issued to a person who contravenes this requirement without reasonable excuse.

Fixed penalty notices can be issued by police constables or police community support officers. Regulations permit fixed penalty notices to be issued by officers designated by local authorities or by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, but there is no current intention for the Secretary of State or local authorities to make any designations for this purpose.

We have been focused on improving test turnaround times alongside expanding capacity and these are getting significantly better. Three out of five people who were tested in-person received their test result the very next day. Between 29 October and 4 November, the median time taken to receive a test result for regional test sites decreased to 27 hours from 31 hours in the previous week. Similarly, the median time decreased for local test sites to 29 hours from 33 hours and for mobile testing units to 25 hours from 29 hours during the same period.

We know we need to do more and are committed to improve this even further. We are validating use of robotics and improving technology used in the supply chain to speed up the flow of samples from test sites to labs and uploading of results, as well as making improvements to our logistics. We are also trialling new rapid tests that will give results on the spot and allow us to test whole cities.

Obesity rates are far too high which represents a huge cost to the health and wellbeing of the individual, the National Health Service and the wider economy.

We published Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives in July. The strategy demonstrates an overarching campaign to reduce obesity, takes forward actions from previous chapters of the childhood obesity plan and sets our measures to get the nation fit and healthy, protect against COVID-19 and protect the NHS.

In addition, Public Health England launched the Better Health campaign, which calls on people to embrace a healthier lifestyle and to lose weight if they need to, supported by a range of evidence-based tools and apps providing advice on how to reduce the waistline.

A copy of Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives is attached.

The NHS Counter Fraud Authority’s current strategy covers the period of 2017-20. The NHS Counter Fraud Authority will be publishing its new strategy later this year.

Lord Deighton is leading the Government’s effort to unleash the potential of British industry to manufacture personal protective equipment (PPE) for the health and social care sectors. This will maximise opportunities for United Kingdom-based companies to fulfil orders of PPE.

We are building up UK manufacturing with signed contracts to manufacture and supply over three billion items of PPE through UK-based manufacturers, including facemasks, visors, gowns and aprons.

The Government wants people to remain fit and active at all times. The Chief Medical Officer is clear that being physically active is very important to long-term health and crucial for keeping people healthy during the ongoing pandemic. Evidence suggests that regular physical activity can promote good physical health and help manage stress and anxiety.

Individuals were and are able to go outside for a walk, run, cycle or any other independent way they normally get active outside. The Government has published detailed guidance, in an online only format, for members of the public on how they can exercise outside and for outdoor facilities on re-opening, should they wish to do so.

Those who are identified as vulnerable, older people and those with existing health conditions, should make every effort to stay active. There are many things people can do indoors. People who recovering from feeling unwell with potential COVID-19 should avoid strenuous activity as they recover.

Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) are an exciting technology with new therapies being developed all the time. Current ATMPs use tissues and cells taken from living donors. However, it is also becoming possible to use material from deceased donors. Such ATMPs would be novel and the Government wants to ensure that under the new deemed consent arrangements for organ donation, donation of cells for ATMPs cannot happen without express consent being in place.

The list of organs, tissues and cells excluded from deemed consent are set out in the Human Tissue (Permitted Material: Exceptions) (England) Regulations 2020. Any changes to the regulations would need to balance evidence, public acceptability and clinical need. Before making any changes, the Government will be guided by recommendations from NHS Blood and Transplant’s Research and Innovation in Transplant Advisory Group with advice from the Human Tissue Authority.

In April 2019, NHS Blood and Transplant started a two-year publicity campaign to highlight the change of law. The campaign has been using a number of platforms to raise awareness, including television and radio adverts, media and press releases, social media, partner and stakeholder communications channels and posters in public and community places such as general practitioner surgeries. The campaign also targets people with different backgrounds, faith and beliefs. NHS Blood and Transplant is also planning a further burst of communications activity later this year.

NHS Blood and Transplant works closely with each devolved administration to ensure there are fair and transparent allocation policies governing all types of organ transplant across the United Kingdom. These are based on factors such as clinical need and guaranteeing the best match between donor and recipient to help ensure the longest possible survival of the transplant. These arrangements will continue.

We have been in close contact with Gypsy and Traveller Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations and are working hard to support these communities through the pandemic. VCS organisations have used existing Public Health England (PHE) guidance as a basis for producing targeted guidance and videos to inform and advise communities.

In collaboration with the Local Government Association, Association of Directors of Public Health and NHS England and NHS Improvement, PHE has collated a suite of resources ‘COVID-19: Place-based approach to reducing health inequalities’ to complement existing work being led at a local level.

On 11 April the Minister of State for Home Affairs and Housing, Communities and Local Government, the noble Lord Greenhalgh, wrote to all local authority chief executives to highlight that some Gypsies and Travellers may need specific support to enable them to access to essential basic amenities such as water, sanitation and waste disposal facilities. A copy of the letter is attached.

The Department is regularly in discussions with other countries on a wide range of issues of issues relating to COVID-19, including Germany, New Zealand and South Korea.

COVID-19 presents a global challenge which requires a collaborative response. The Department will continue to work with other countries throughout the crisis and beyond.

We are incredibly proud of all National Health Service staff and we are working hard to ensure that staff feel supported and safe to continue the fight against COVID-19 and their extraordinary commitment is recognised.

Pay for over one million Agenda for Change (AfC) staff is already set for 2020/21 as part of the agreed three year pay and contract reform deal and for doctors and dentists in training following a four-year pay and contract reform deal agreed in June 2019 (2019/20 – 2022/23).

The Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration will make pay recommendations for 2020/21 as usual for consultants and speciality doctors. Next year it will be for the NHS Pay Review Body to make recommendations for the pay of staff on AfC contracts from April 2021.

We want to ensure that the NHS employment offer continues to attract, retain and reward staff and this offer continues to be kept under review.

In December 2019, the Government announced that from September 2020, pre-registration nursing, midwifery and most allied health profession students studying at English universities would benefit from a new, non-repayable, training grant of at least £5,000 per academic year in addition to the funding available already through the Learning Support Fund.

The ‘We are the NHS’ campaign’ returned in September 2019 with a new televised advert and campaign to inspire the next generation of National Health Service nurses in England. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased interest in healthcare careers and the Department is working to make the most of this, for instance, looking to maximise the number of new nursing students starting degrees this autumn.

The Government’s Action Plan for Adult Social Care published last month sets out our aim to increase the social care workforce. This includes a national recruitment campaign in England, launched on 23 April, highlighting the vital role of the social care workforce during this pandemic and the longer-term opportunities for working in care.

We are also developing a new online recruitment platform which will give people wanting to work in social care the opportunity to be considered for multiple job opportunities and help employers to recruit people quickly. This includes access to free online induction training with training providers endorsed by Skills for Care and a fast-tracked Disclosure and Barring Service check to help accelerate the recruitment process.

Social care staff have played, and continue to play, a vital role in the national effort to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. We value the contribution of the workforce on the frontline, alongside their National Heath Service colleagues.

The Department continues to work at pace to develop measures to ensure the workforce gets the recognition and parity of esteem it deserves. For example, we have recently introduced a £600 million Infection Prevention Fund. This helps providers pay for additional staff and/or maintain the normal wages of staff who are self-isolating or have reduced the number of hours they work to stop the spread of infection. This follows a previous £1.6 billion of financial support, which was also able to cover pay costs.

The Government has recently announced an additional £5 million grant to Mind and the Mental Health Consortia to administer a COVID-19 mental health response fund to mental health voluntary and community sector organisations across England. The aim is to promote mental health and wellbeing support, which complements National Health Service services, to those struggling with their mental health and will include peer support, telephone and online support.

We are also working to protect vital mental health services and support people with mental health issues particularly those shielding or self-isolating. We have published official guidance for the public on mental health and wellbeing and for parents and carers about supporting their children’s mental health and wellbeing and are promoting this through trusted online channels like GOV.UK and Every Mind Matters.

The Government takes the welfare of all our citizens seriously and we are working hard to ensure people who need help to do so are identified, supported and enabled to take necessary measures to reduce the spread of the virus.

All the latest information and guidance for the public is available on the GOV.UK website. The current general advice is that everyone should stay at home except in very limited circumstances, practise social distancing and follow handwashing guidance.

We are constantly evaluating what more we can do to support different groups in society that have particular needs or face particular challenges.

COVID-19 health guidance for members of Gypsy, Traveller and Boater communities is currently in development for dissemination in a range of formats.

Public Health England (PHE) promotes a healthy balanced diet based on the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide, which underpins national policy relating to nutrition. The Eatwell Guide applies to most people from the age of five years.

The Eatwell Guide principles are communicated through a variety of channels, including the Government’s 5 A Day campaign, PHE’s healthier catering guidance and PHE social marketing campaigns including Change4Life and One You. Government dietary advice is also communicated online via NHS.uk. The Eatwell Guide, the 5 A Day logo licensing guidelines and Healthier and more sustainable catering: A toolkit for serving food to adults are attached.

PHE’s flagship social marketing campaign, Change4Life was launched in 2009 with the aim of inspiring a social movement, through which the Government, the National Health Service, local authorities, businesses, charities, schools, families and community leaders could all play a part in improving children’s diets and activity levels.

PHE also continues to work closely with local authorities to encourage use of our tools and resources on nutrition, as part of local initiatives.

Public Health England (PHE) has produced a range of evidence and guidance materials to promote the benefits of walking. PHE’s One You campaign launched the free Active 10 brisk walking app designed to encourage adults to undertake more physical activity by simply going for a brisk 10-minute walk. The app was relaunched in December 2019 to align with the new United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines that every minute of physical activity counts and provides health benefits.

The Government has been working to improve outcomes for Gyspy, Roma and Traveller communities especially improving access to primary care. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government will also lead development of a cross-Government strategy to improve outcomes for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, covering access to important services but also the wider determinants of health.

The UK has now committed £395 million in aid to the current crisis. This includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance which will be used to save lives, protect vulnerable people inside Ukraine and in neighbouring countries. This funding will help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation by providing access to basic necessities and medical supplies. UK Government humanitarian experts have also deployed to the region to support those fleeing the violence in Ukraine.

The UK has matched pound for pound the public's first £25 million for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, which has now surpassed £100 million. Donating will help DEC charities provide food, water, shelter and healthcare to refugees and displaced families.

The UK has now committed £395 million in aid to the current crisis. This includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance which will be used to save lives, protect vulnerable people inside Ukraine and in neighbouring countries. This funding will help aid agencies respond to the deteriorating humanitarian situation by providing access to basic necessities and medical supplies. UK Government humanitarian experts have also deployed to the region to support those fleeing the violence in Ukraine.

We welcome the announcement by the US of the imposition of a number of restrictive measures on individuals and an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Sanctions are an important part of the UK toolkit for the Western Balkans, in response to corruption and destabilising activities. We are actively discussing this issue with partners, including the US. However, it would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions targets as to do so could reduce their impact.

We welcome the announcement by the US of the imposition of a number of restrictive measures on individuals and an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Sanctions are an important part of the UK toolkit for the Western Balkans, in response to corruption and destabilising activities. We are actively discussing this issue with partners, including the US. However, it would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions targets as to do so could reduce their impact.

The UK takes very seriously talk of secession and other threats to undo the progress of the last twenty-six years in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and remains committed to helping BiH maintain lasting peace and stability. The EU stabilisation force, EUFOR, plays a vital role in safeguarding peace and security. Although the UK no longer participates in EUFOR following our withdrawal from the European Union, we liaise closely with Commander EUFOR and his team. We also support the NATO HQ in Sarajevo including though the secondment of UK staff officers, who are building the capacity of the BiH Armed Forces. At the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Riga, the Foreign Secretary called on Allies to enhance NATO's engagement on BiH. The UK will continue to support BiH in implementing domestic reforms and tackling challenges to peace and security.

Afghanistan needs inclusive politics that reflects the country's diversity and represents all its communities, including women. Under the previous government, women held over a quarter of the seats in Afghanistan's parliament. We are deeply concerned about human rights in Afghanistan, including violence and discrimination towards religious minorities, and the rights of women and girls.

We have made inclusivity and human rights central to our contact with the Taliban to date, including the visit to Kabul on 5 October by the Prime Minister's Special Representative for Afghanistan Transition, Sir Simon Gass. The UK remains committed to supporting Afghanistan on its path to a more peaceful future. We will continue to work with international partners to call for freedom of religion, and the rights of women and girls to be respected. For international acceptance, the Taliban must ensure safe passage for those who wish to leave the country, respect the rights of women and girls and prevent Afghanistan from again becoming a place where terrorism flourishes. Alongside human rights, we have prioritised the importance of good governance to help reduce the impact of terrorism, migration and corruption, as well as supporting regional stability.

The UK works closely with the USA, Germany, France, Italy and other NATO Allies and EU Member States to support the integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) as a single, sovereign state, comprising two entities. In the UN Security Council in recent weeks, we helped to renew the stabilisation force's (EUFOR's) mandate for a further 12 months, and support the High Representative. We also support the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, including through the secondment of UK staff officers, whose work includes building the capacity of the BiH Armed Forces. The UK will continue to support BiH in implementing domestic reforms and tackling challenges to peace and security. Further discussions of how to support stability in BiH will take place at the upcoming NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Riga, which the Foreign Secretary will attend.

The High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Christian Schmidt, has the UK's full support, including for the use of his executive powers should the situation require it. Our Embassy in Sarajevo maintains close contact with Mr Schmidt and his Office (OHR). The High Representative is visiting London in early December, where he will meet UK Ministers and other high level contacts.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council authorised the renewal of the mandate of the stabilisation force (EUFOR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) for a further 12 months. Although the UK no longer participates in EUFOR following our withdrawal from the European Union, we liaise closely with Commander EUFOR and his team. We also support the NATO HQ in Sarajevo including though the secondment of UK staff officers, who are playing an important role including in supporting capacity building of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Armed Forces.

The UK is monitoring international developments in missile technology. We will continue to push for all countries to act responsibly in the international system. The UK engages regularly with Chinese officials and civil society on arms control issues, including through our annual dialogue on Counter Proliferation and discussions with the Chinese Arms Control and Disarmament Association. We further these discussions with China through the P5 Process.

As a signatory of the General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP), which ended the conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in the 1990s, and a member of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), the UK is fully committed to upholding the GFAP and the international architecture it created. This includes the Office of the High Representative (OHR), and the EU's stabilisation force (EUFOR), which have helped to maintain peace and stability in BiH for the last 26 years. We recognise that the political situation in BiH holds real prospect of further division, which makes the presence of EUFOR and the OHR as important as ever. In the UN Security Council in recent weeks, we helped to renew EUFOR's mandate for a further 12 months, and supported the High Representative.

The UK remains committed to ensuring peace, and upholding international law in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In the UN Security Council in recent weeks, we helped renew the EU's stabilisation force's (EUFOR's) mandate for a further 12 months, and supported the High Representative. The High Representative has an essential role in securing and maintaining lasting peace in BiH, and has the UK's full support, including for the use of executive powers should the situation require. The UK liaises closely with the EUFOR commander and his team on their vital work to ensure a safe and secure environment in BiH. We also support the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, including though the secondment of UK staff officers, who are building the capacity of the BiH Armed Forces. The UK rejects efforts to undermine BiH's stability, and will continue to support BiH in implementing domestic reforms and tackling challenges to peace and security. Further discussions of how to support stability in BiH will take place at the upcoming NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Riga, which the Foreign Secretary will attend.

Iran's decision to proceed with these baseless charges against Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is an appalling continuation of the cruel ordeal she is going through. Instead of threatening to return Nazanin to prison Iran must release her permanently so she can return home. The Foreign Secretary discussed Nazanin's case with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on 22 September at the UN. The Foreign Secretary has also taken every opportunity to discuss the situation with other key players in the region and more widely and will continue to do so. The Foreign Secretary has spoken to Nazanin twice since taking up her role and met Nazanin's family most recently on 28 October to reiterate our commitment to securing her release. In addition, ministers hold regular meetings with officials to direct activity across the FCDO to secure her release. Our Ambassador in Tehran has regularly raised the cases of our detainees with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We will not stop working until those dual British nationals being arbitrarily detained by Iran are released.

The UK Government views the threats issued by France as unjustified and Ministers have raised our strong concerns with both the European Commission and French Government. The French Ambassador was summoned by Minister Morton on 29 October and the Prime Minister discussed this issue with President Macron on Sunday 31 October, where the PM reiterated his deep concern over the rhetoric emanating from the French Government in recent days. We continue to engage with the European Commission and French Government regarding this issue.

The UK takes very seriously talk of secession and other threats to undo the progress of the last twenty-six years in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). We have called on those responsible to cease this destabilising and divisive rhetoric. As a UN Security Council and Peace Implementation Council Steering Board member, the UK is committed to upholding the Dayton Agreement in BiH. The UK, along with our Allies, is offering visible and practical support to BiH's territorial integrity and to maintain the EU military mission (EUFOR) and the Office of the High Representative in BiH. We continue to help the people of BiH build a better future in a stable and prosperous State with strong, functioning institutions. Ultimately, the authorities in BiH themselves must make necessary reforms for the good of all citizens, and we call on them to meet their obligations to those who elected them.

The UK remembers all victims and pays its respects to the survivors of the genocide. The UK continues to fight for justice and to end impunity: this year Radovan Karadžić, convicted in part for his role in the Srebrenica genocide, was transferred to the UK to serve his life sentence. We continue to support the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals' work. The FCDO Minister for the European Neighbourhood, Wendy Morton MP, visited the Memorial Centre at Potočari in July this year and the FCDO has funded the Centre's work on genocide prevention.

As a member of the UN Security Council and of the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board, the UK works to uphold the GFAP's implementation. We worked with likeminded states to prevent Russian and Chinese attempts in the Security Council to close the Office of the High Representative, which oversees implementation of the civilian aspects of the GFAP, and we support the new High Representative in his work. The UK remains committed to supporting BiH's security, democracy and prosperity, underpinned as necessary by limited constitutional reform. It is essential that the authorities in BiH themselves make reforms based on broad consensus and for the greater good of all citizens.

The UK has had no high level engagement with the military regime in Myanmar since the 1 February coup. Nevertheless, we have publicly called for the removal of restrictions that withhold citizenship from individuals who are not from a community recognised by the Myanmar authorities as a 'national race', such as the Rohingya, including through the UN Human Rights Council. The UK has supported the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission's to reform the 1982 Citizenship Law and is clear that Myanmar must fully implement them. Minister Adams raised Myanmar's discriminatory citizenship laws with his counterpart in the civilian National League for Democracy (NLD) government last year.

HMG continues to galvanise the international community, and bring together the widest possible group of influential countries, to deliver on UK strategic priorities and exercise the maximum moderating influence on the Taliban that we possibly can. This has included calls and meetings between the Prime Minister and his counterpart in Pakistan, and between Ministers and their counterparts in Pakistan and China. The UK drove the adoption of Security Council resolution 2593 alongside France; we are pressing for further discussions amongst the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council and we plan to host an event at the UN General Assembly later this month.

The UK Government has led international efforts to hold China to account for its human rights violations in Xinjiang. On 22 June, a global UK diplomatic effort helped deliver the support of 44 countries for a statement on Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet at the UN Human Rights Council. This followed a statement by 39 countries at the UN General Assembly Third Committee in October 2020. The UK led the first two statements on Xinjiang at the UN, in 2019 and 2020 respectively, and the FCDO has utilised its diplomatic network to raise the issue up the international agenda. The Foreign Secretary urged China to grant urgent and unfettered access to Xinjiang for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights or another independent fact-finding expert in a personal address to the UN Human Rights Council on 22 February. We will continue to work closely with our partners and take every opportunity to hold China to account for its human rights violations at the UN.

2021 marks 26 years since the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which saw more than 8,000 mostly Muslim men and boys murdered, and over 20,000 women and children forcibly expelled from their homes. The UK remembers all victims and pays its respects to the survivors. The UK continues to fight for justice and an end to impunity: this year Radovan Karadzic, convicted in part for his role in the Srebrenica genocide, was transferred to the UK to serve his life sentence. HMG's commemorative activities include a video message from the Foreign Secretary, to be shown online as part of Remembering Srebrenica's programme of events, and a statement commemorating the anniversary. The FCDO hopes to host Remembering Srebrenica's in-person commemoration when COVID-19 restrictions allow. The British Embassy in Sarajevo, alongside its project funding for the Srebrenica Memorial Centre, will join commemorations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Government has made a number of political commitments to respond to alleged genocide and other atrocities. Where there is a risk of atrocities, we use diplomacy to highlight our concerns, including through the United Nations. As a party to the Convention on the Crime of Genocide, the UK is fully committed to the prevention and punishment of genocide as appropriate under the convention. We have co-sponsored resolutions on the Prevention of Genocide and on commemorating the fifteenth anniversary of the Responsibility to Protect populations from genocide and other mass atrocities at the 43rd and 44th sessions of the UN Human Rights Council.

Since the majority of mass atrocities occur in and around conflict, the government believes a focus on conflict prevention is the best means to prevent most mass atrocities. Her Majesty's Government takes a consolidated, whole-of-government approach, using our diplomatic, development, defence, and law enforcement capabilities, to help pursue global peace and stability. We support work that seeks to address the root causes of conflict and drivers of instability, through tackling corruption, promoting good governance, improving access to security and justice, and furthering inclusive economic development. This approach aims to foster peaceful societies where atrocities are less likely to take place.

600,000 Rohingya remain in Rakhine, including 128,000 who have been confined to camps since 2012. These communities face significant discrimination, including restrictions on freedom of movement and access to healthcare. The Foreign Secretary and Minister Adams both raised the use of discriminatory laws to disenfranchise the Rohingya with Myanmar's government prior to their elections in November 2020. The Prime Minister called State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi after the elections and reiterated the UK's concern at the plight faced by the Rohingya. We have urged the Government of Myanmar to comply with the International Court of Justice's provisional measures ruling which would ensure that the Rohingya are protected from further atrocities. The UK has provided over £44 million to all communities in Rakhine since 2017, including over £25 million for the Rohingya. We are the largest donor to water, hygiene and sanitation in the camps and displacement sites.

On 31 December the UK, working side by side with the Governments of Gibraltar and Spain, reached agreement on a political framework to form the basis of a separate treaty between the UK and the EU regarding Gibraltar. This covers issues of key importance to Gibraltar and the surrounding region, and the Governments of both the UK and Gibraltar judge that it provides a firm basis to safeguard Gibraltar's interests. We remain steadfast in our support for Gibraltar and its sovereignty.

The UK is 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. We welcome the UN Secretary General's commitment to explore convening an informal five-plus-UN meeting with the parties.

We continue to discuss the Settlement process with the parties, including the leaders of the Cypriot communities and the Guarantor Powers as well as with the UN. On 27 October, the Prime Minister spoke to President Anastasiades and emphasised the UK's willingness to play a more active, supportive role in the settlement process. He also discussed the Cyprus Settlement with President Erdogan on 28 September and Prime Minister Mitsotakis on 20 October. The Foreign Secretary also discussed the Settlement process with Foreign Minister Christodoulides on 7 October and Foreign Minister Cavusoglu on 19 October. We continue to encourage all sides to engage constructively and demonstrate they are committed to making progress towards a settlement. Ultimately, it is for the sides to agree on the details of any final deal; this will require the agreement of the two Cypriot leaders, their respective communities and the support of Greece and Turkey.

The UK is 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. We welcome the UN Secretary General's commitment to explore convening an informal five-plus-UN meeting with the parties.

We continue to discuss the Settlement process with the parties, including the leaders of the Cypriot communities and the Guarantor Powers as well as with the UN. On 27 October, the Prime Minister spoke to President Anastasiades and emphasised the UK's willingness to play a more active, supportive role in the settlement process. He also discussed the Cyprus Settlement with President Erdogan on 28 September and Prime Minister Mitsotakis on 20 October. The Foreign Secretary also discussed the Settlement process with Foreign Minister Christodoulides on 7 October and Foreign Minister Cavusoglu on 19 October. We continue to encourage all sides to engage constructively and demonstrate they are committed to making progress towards a settlement. Ultimately, it is for the sides to agree on the details of any final deal; this will require the agreement of the two Cypriot leaders, their respective communities and the support of Greece and Turkey.

The UK has followed closely policy measures taken by other countries over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In particular, given the global nature of the pandemic, the International Comparators Joint Unit (ICJU) was established in April 2020 as a joint unit between the FCDO and the Cabinet Office. The ICJU works closely with the FCDO's overseas network to understand how other countries, including New Zealand and Germany, are responding to the Covid-19 pandemic to identify possible lessons learned and to help inform UK policy decisions. ICJU includes analysts, data scientists, economists, and social researchers. Analysis by the ICJU is shared widely across government departments making decisions on the UK's Covid-19 response as well as the Devolved Administrations.

We have also engaged with counterparts in New Zealand and Germany on a wide range of Covid-19 issues. The Foreign Secretary worked with German Foreign Minister Maas to help shape a strong G7 response to the initial Covid outbreak. Both the Foreign and the Health Secretaries have been in contact with their German counterparts throughout the Covid crisis. There have been virtual meetings between both countries' health ministries and there continue to be regular official level interactions with state health ministries and local public health authorities, as well as a regular exchange between the Robert-Koch-Institute and Public Health England. The Foreign Secretary has also spoken to New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Peters to discuss our Covid-19 response.

Confucius Institutes are affiliated to the Chinese Ministry of Education, and the programme is overseen by the Office of Chinese Language Council International (referred to as Hanban), which is a Chinese Government entity. Their stated aim is to promote Chinese language and culture and promote cultural exchanges internationally. Concerns have been raised in a number of countries about the impact of Confucius Institutes on academic freedom at host institutions.

UK higher education providers that host Confucius Institutes are responsible for ensuring their partnerships are managed appropriately with the right due diligence in place. The Government will continue to support the sector to promote mutually beneficial international partnerships in line with UK values. As the Minister for Asia, Nigel Adams MP, made clear in a Westminster Hall Debate on 7 October, we will not tolerate any attempts to interfere with academic freedom or freedom of speech and encourage any institutions concerned about their international collaborations to contact the Government.

The FCO remains committed to the British Council, who are a key driver of our soft power overseas and a precious part of the FCO family. In order to help stabilise their immediate financial position following the impact of Covid-19 on their ability to operate, we agreed to provide the British Council with £26m of additional funding for the 2019-20 financial year. We have also provided some of their 2020-21 Grant-in-Aid funding upfront this month to further alleviate pressures.

The FCO have also supported the British Council in accessing wider government relief available through the COVID-19 Job Retention Scheme and similar schemes in other countries. This will help them support many of their workforce, and those employed through its partners, funded through the commercial side of their business. We will continue to work closely with the British Council in the coming days and weeks to seek to address the impact of COVID-19 on their ability to operate.

The UK is leading with partners and allies to: support an effective and co-ordinated global health response led by the World Health Organisation, reinforce the resilience of vulnerable countries, pursue a vaccine, support the global economy, and enable travelling nationals to return home where necessary. The UK is working together with international partners to achieve these objectives, including with the G7, G20 and European countries, and with the UN and other multilateral institutions, in order to galvanise a stronger global effort. The Prime Minister last spoke to the UN Secretary-General on 20 March and officials in Geneva and New York, are in regular contact with the UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes on their contributions to the crisis response. The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and other Cabinet Ministers are speaking regularly to their counterparts in Europe to discuss domestic and international actions.

The UK is leading with partners and allies to: support an effective and co-ordinated global health response led by the World Health Organisation, reinforce the resilience of vulnerable countries, pursue a vaccine, support the global economy, and enable travelling nationals to return home where necessary. The UK is working together with international partners to achieve these objectives, including with the G7, G20 and European countries, and with the UN and other multilateral institutions, in order to galvanise a stronger global effort. The Prime Minister last spoke to the UN Secretary-General on 20 March and officials in Geneva and New York, are in regular contact with the UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes on their contributions to the crisis response. The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and other Cabinet Ministers are speaking regularly to their counterparts in Europe to discuss domestic and international actions.

The Foreign Secretary announced on 30 March a new partnership between the Government and airlines to fly home more stranded British travelers, where commercial routes do not exist. The Government will provide up to £75 million financial support to enable special charter flights to priority countries, operated by airlines including Virgin, Easyjet, Jet 2, Titan and British Airways. This service has already begun, with flights from Peru, Senegal, UAE, Ecuador, Bolivia, Ghana, Algeria and Tunisia as of 6th April.

The British Government is working around the clock to support British Nationals as we respond to this global pandemic. The British High Commission in Wellington has established an online registration system, allowing High Commission staff to track and directly communicate with British Nationals in need of assistance, in particular the most vulnerable. This includes regular updates through email and on social media platforms. There has been an extensive drawdown of commercial flights out of New Zealand to regional hubs, reducing significantly the options for British Nationals to depart New Zealand. We are engaging commercial airlines and international governments, encouraging them to keep commercial routes open, in particular in transit hubs.

We have welcomed the International Court of Justice's decision on provisional measures, which was clear that Myanmar must do more to protect the Rohingya. On the 4 February, at the request of the UK and partners, the UN Security Council met to discuss the decision. In our statement to the Council, we urged Myanmar to abide by the provisional measures.

​Through our Embassy in Sarajevo, the British Government is in close touch with the different organisations and levels of government involved in commemorating the 25^th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide. Their plans are not confirmed at this stage, but we will ensure an active and prominent role for the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom remains committed to helping the region overcome the legacy of past conflict and build a more peaceful, prosperous and stable future for all.

In the United Kingdom, we are working closely with the group Remembering Srebrenica to commemorate and raise awareness of the Srebrenica genocide.

​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been working closely with the British Council to ensure that all recommendations from the 2019 Tailored Review are implemented by summer 2020.

The UK Government is committed to levelling up all regions and nations of the UK. We regularly work and engage with representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the devolved administrations on a wide range of topics, including the levelling up agenda.

All passengers who have been in a red list country in the 10 days before travel to the UK must take a pre-departure test (PDT), complete a passenger locator form (PLF), book tests to be taken on days 2 & 8 after arrival and quarantine for 10 days in an approved hotel. Passengers who have declared travel from or through red list countries, and who do not qualify for a work-related exemption, cannot complete a PLF without providing confirmation of a booking in managed quarantine.

Carriers are required to check passengers travelling to the UK have completed a PLF and taken a PDT.

Border Force continue to work with DfT and DHSC to identify passengers who are attempting to circumvent the MQS requirements, but it would not be appropriate to comment publicly on the detail of the operations concerned.

Illegal indoor social gatherings are unsafe and the police will continue to take the approach they have throughout the pandemic, which is to engage, explain, encourage and enforce against breaches where appropriate.

The Government fully supports the police in taking swift action against egregious breaches and fixed penalty notices can be issued ranging from £200 to £6,400 to those gathering illegally in indoor premises contrary to existing regulations.

The UK is regarded as a world-leader for its response to modern slavery. The UK response is underpinned by the Modern Slavery Strategy 2014 and the Modern Slavery Act 2015, the first legislation of its kind.

In July 2018, the Government commissioned an Independent Review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 led by Baroness Butler-Sloss, the then Rt. Hon. Frank Field and the Rt. Hon. Maria Miller MP. The Review considered where the Act is working well and where implementation can be strengthened. The final Review made 80 recommendations across four themes:

• The Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner;
• Transparency in Supply Chains;
• Independent Child Trafficking Guardians (renamed from Independent Child Trafficking Advocates in line with the recommendations of the Independent Review);
• Legal application of the Modern Slavery Act.

The Government response to the Independent Review was published on 9 July 2019, accepting or partially accepting the majority of the Review’s recommendations.

Key work that we have taken forward in response to the Independent Review includes:

• In October 2019 we appointed a HMG Modern Slavery and Migration Envoy to drive forward global progress.
• Following a public consultation, the Government committed on 22 September 2020 to taking forward an ambitious package of changes to strengthen and future-proof the Modern Slavery Act’s transparency legislation including extending the reporting requirement to public bodies with a budget of £36 million or more.
• In January 2021, the Government announced plans to introduce financial penalties for organisations who fail to meet their statutory obligations to publish annual modern slavery statements under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. These measures require legislative change and will be introduced when parliamentary time allows.
• Creating a free online central reporting service for businesses’ modern slavery statements, to make it easier for consumers, NGOs and investors to scrutinise the action that businesses are taking to prevent modern slavery in their supply chains. We are at the final stages of work to launch this service.
• Work to further roll out Independent Child Trafficking Guardians which will continue to be informed by the Independent Review recommendations.
• We have put in place a MoU between the Home Office and the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner to clarify roles and responsibilities.

The UK Border Force issued 16 fines up to the 14^th October, to travellers who had failed to provide contact details at the border.

These figures do not include fines issued by the police. The National Police Chiefs’ Council regularly publishes data on the number of fines issued by police forces in England and Wales only under the new emergency health regulations including those issued under the International Travel Regulations.

These statistics are available here: https://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/.

We are determined to crack down on the county lines gangs who are exploiting our children and have a devastating impact on our communities.

That is why we are delivering a £25m programme of investment to surge our activity against these ruthless gangs. Our overall package, launched in October last year includes:

• expanding the National County Lines Co-ordination Centre;

• increased disruption on the rail networks by the British Transport Police’s County Lines Taskforce;

• targeted operational activity against high harm lines in the three major exporting force areas (Met Police, Merseyside, West Midlands);

• investment in new technology including Automatic Number Plate Recognition;

• increased support for victims.

In respect of property guardians, local authorities have strong enforcement powers and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published consolidated enforcement guidance for local authorities in April 2019 which sets out their duties when dealing with property guardian properties, including those on a licence agreement. This was accompanied by guidance for renters. MHCLG has also published a property guardian factsheet to help potential or current property guardians to understand their rights.

Additionally we are aware that Housing Associations are using their local knowledge to spot early signs of abuse and exploitation that could be linked to county lines.

The Government is committed to tackling modern slavery and bringing perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice.

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 gives law enforcement the tools and powers to tackle modern slavery, including a maximum life sentences for perpetrators and enhanced protection for victims. There has been a significant increase in operational law enforcement activity to tackle modern slavery over the last few years. The number of live police operations has increased, from 188 in December 2016 to 1,640 in May 2020. We are also seeing an increase in the number of prosecutions brought and convictions secured. We continue to work closely with criminal justice partners to improve the effectiveness of modern slavery investigations to help increase the overall number of prosecutions.

The Home Office has provided a further £1.4 million this year to continue dedicated funding for the police to tackle modern slavery, under the new Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Programme. This funding will enable us to support the police to pursue and disrupt offenders and drive forward work to increase modern slavery prosecutions.

In unfortunate cases when the claimant passes away after submitting a compensation claim but before the claim is fully resolved, we work with the families to ensure the compensation payment is made to the appropriate person on the claimant’s behalf. We have had three such cases so far and are working closely with the fami-lies and legal representatives in all of these cases to determine the right person to whom the compensation can be paid.

There has been significant outreach and communication activity to publicise the Windrush Compensation Scheme. Evidence has shown the importance of face-to-face communications and prior to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, over 30 outreach events were delivered across the UK with community partners. These events have been promoted by stakeholders and on local and social media. We are now continuing events online: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/windrush-online-engagement-events. We also work with MPs, local councils and stakeholders to raise awareness, and materials on the scheme are available on Gov.uk and have been provided to community groups. In March, the Home Secretary announced a national advertising campaign to raise awareness, and a community fund to help organisations encourage applications among their communities. These will be complemented by new activity with specialist diverse media outlets and partnerships with community leaders.

To publicise the scheme overseas, we hosted an event for High Commissioners, and working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we provided materials and a briefing to British Embassies and High Commissions overseas to enable them to promote the scheme locally. Plans are in development for additional activity overseas in priority countries.

There has been significant outreach and communication activity to publicise the Windrush Compensation Scheme. Evidence has shown the importance of face-to-face communications and prior to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, over 30 outreach events were delivered across the UK with community partners. These events have been promoted by stakeholders and on local and social media. We are now continuing events online: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/windrush-online-engagement-events. We also work with MPs, local councils and stakeholders to raise awareness, and materials on the scheme are available on Gov.uk and have been provided to community groups. In March, the Home Secretary announced a national advertising campaign to raise awareness, and a community fund to help organisations encourage applications among their communities. These will be complemented by new activity with specialist diverse media outlets and partnerships with community leaders.

To publicise the scheme overseas, we hosted an event for High Commissioners, and working with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we provided materials and a briefing to British Embassies and High Commissions overseas to enable them to promote the scheme locally. Plans are in development for additional activity overseas in priority countries.

The Government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery and bringing those individuals responsible both in the UK and overseas to justice. There has been a significant increase in operational law enforcement activity to tackle modern slavery over the last few years and we are seeing an increase in the number of prosecutions brought and convictions secured.

However as modern slavery is a complex and multi-faceted crime, some modern slavery offenders may be prosecuted for offences that are not specifically modern slavery offences. We continue to work closely with criminal justice partners to improve the effectiveness of modern slavery investigations to help increase the overall number of prosecutions.

The UK also participates in Joint Investigation Teams which bring together judicial and law enforcement partners in relevant countries, where possible, to investigate and prosecute modern slavery cases.

The Government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery and bringing those individuals responsible both in the UK and overseas to justice. There has been a significant increase in operational law enforcement activity to tackle modern slavery over the last few years and we are seeing an increase in the number of prosecutions brought and convictions secured.

However as modern slavery is a complex and multi-faceted crime, some modern slavery offenders may be prosecuted for offences that are not specifically modern slavery offences. We continue to work closely with criminal justice partners to improve the effectiveness of modern slavery investigations to help increase the overall number of prosecutions.

The UK also participates in Joint Investigation Teams which bring together judicial and law enforcement partners in relevant countries, where possible, to investigate and prosecute modern slavery cases.

The Government is clear that all forms of hate crime are unacceptable. The Government’s Hate Crime Action Plan 2016, and the refresh in 2018, contains a number of commitments to tackle hate crime on public transport. These include:

• The Department for Transport committing, in the July 2018 Inclusive Transport Strategy, to run a public awareness raising campaign to increase disability awareness amongst all transport passengers; and
• Working with local transport providers to ensure that bus drivers across England and Wales are fully equipped to challenge hate, including new guidance to support them.

The 2018 Hate Crime Action Plan refresh also includes a number of broader actions addressing all forms of hate crime, including hate crime on public transport. These include:

• A review by the Law Commission into the coverage and approach of current hate crime legislation; and
• A wide-ranging national hate crime communications campaign to publicly address hate crime and make clear that it is unacceptable to target people on the basis of their identity.

More widely, the British Transport Police (BTP) provides a policing service that meets the needs of all passengers and people who use or work on the railways. BTP has a firm commitment to responding to all reports of hate crime and it actively works with train operating companies and Network Rail to improve awareness, vigilance and reporting of information on hate crime incidents.

Levelling up all areas of the country remains at the centre of the Government’s agenda and this requires collective action across Government as a whole. We remain committed to levelling up opportunity across the UK so that people feel that they can succeed in their local area. The Spending Review established a set of provisional priority outcomes and metrics across all Departments and policy areas which have been published (attached) here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-review-2020-documents.

We are committed to levelling up opportunities across the UK to spread opportunity and investment so that people feel that they can succeed in their local area. UK Government officials have met with their counterparts in the devolved administrations on multiple occasions to discuss the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and the future of local growth funding. This includes regular meetings to discuss any updates, concerns or queries. The UK Government has also held 16 engagement events across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to discuss the UKSPF and local priorities. These were attended by representatives from a breadth of sectors, including officials from the devolved administrations.

Levelling up all areas of the country remains at the centre of the Government’s agenda, empowering our regions by devolving money, resources and control away from Westminster. Government has worked with local leaders throughout the pandemic to ensure every region, city and town will recover from Covid-19 and ultimately level up. Government will continue to engage with mayors to discuss the economic opportunities across our major cities whilst also engaging with local partners who represent the different types of places across the country.

The Devolution and Local Recovery White Paper will cover how the UK Government will partner with places across the UK to build a sustainable economic recovery and set out our plans for future devolution arrangements. Ministers and officials have regular conversations with partners in local government, working together to progress and shape the levelling up agenda.

The Government are holding regular discussions with representatives from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities to understand the issues they are facing. We have written to local authority Chief Executives highlighting the need to mitigate potential impacts of COVID-19 amongst Gypsy and Traveller communities and published online guidance for those leading a nomadic way of life. In addition we have announced funding for GRT children and young people to get extra educational support and launched the £25 million Community Champions scheme, which will fund local authorities and community organisations to improve the reach of official public health guidance about the virus into specific places and groups most at risk from COVID-19.

The Government is determined to ensure everyone gets the support they need to look after themselves and their families during this pandemic.

The Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme has dual objectives. It provides an affordable route into Home Ownership by enabling customers to purchase a home with a deposit from as little as 5 per cent, at the same time focusing the scheme on newbuild homes ensures the demand it creates drives up new housing supply. The scheme has been extremely successful in supporting both would-be purchasers and boosting supply.

There are no plans to widen the scheme to include non-newbuilds as this would not deliver the same supply benefits. However the Government does have a range of other policies that support people into homeownership within the wider housing market, such as the Help to Buy ISA (no longer open but can be used for purchases until 2029), the Lifetime ISA and Help to Buy Shared Ownership.

My Department has been supporting the co-ordination of cross Government work in response to the impact of Covid-19 on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, to ensure their needs are reflected in response and recovery planning.

I recently wrote to?all local?authority Chief Executives about support some Gypsy and Traveller families may need during the national restrictions?to find?a?safe place to stop?and?access?basic?amenities, including water, sanitation and waste disposal facilities.

Government also published Covid-19?guidance?for people living?a?nomadic lifestyle on traveller sites, in vehicles and canal boats.

Whilst it is for local authorities to determine how best to support vulnerable groups, in line with their public health responsibilities, I intend to continue to work closely with them to ensure that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities needs are met.

Since the start of the?COVID-19?pandemic, we have ensured that nearly 15,000 vulnerable people experiencing or at risk of rough sleeping have been housed in emergency accommodation.?We must now ensure that as few individuals as possible return to the streets following this initial period of accommodation.

The Next Steps Accommodation Programme makes available the financial resources needed to support local authorities and their partners to prevent these people from returning to the streets. £161 million will deliver 3,300 units of?longer-term move-on accommodation?in 2020/2021; and £91.5 million?has been allocated to pay for immediate support and interim accommodation.

Every year we honour the memory of the Roma and Sinti population murdered by the Nazi's at the annual Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations on 27 January. The 2nd of August marks the liquidation of the Gypsy Family camp' at Auschwitz-Birkenau and this year due to the restrictions on gatherings brought about by the Covid -19 pandemic we will be honouring the memory of the Roma and Sinti men, women and children murdered by the Nazi's on social media.

Property guardians are typically offered licences to occupy rather than tenancies. Anyone entering into such an arrangement should be aware that their rights may be more limited than on a standard tenancy agreement. We have published a property guardian factsheet to enable potential or current property guardians to understand their rights.

If a property guardian is concerned about the condition of their property, they should contact their local authority, which has a duty to take action if serious hazards are present.

A local authority can inspect a property even when they haven’t been contacted by tenants, if they think that there may be serious risks to the health and safety of those living in a guardian property - whether or not it is let on an tenancy or a licence. The Housing Act 2004 gives local authorities powers of entry in these cases.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) applies across all tenures; it can be used to assess hazards in all residential premises including those let to property guardians and applies to all parts of a building that are occupied as a dwelling. If a local authority identifies a serious ‘category 1’ hazard, they have a duty to take action.

In regards to protections during COVID 19, all tenants and licensees who benefit from protection from eviction anyway under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 will be protected from possession proceedings by the suspension of ongoing proceedings until 23 August 2020. If property guardians do not know whether they have a licence or a tenancy they should seek independent advice.

The Government has put in place an unprecedented support package to help prevent people getting into financial hardship or rent arrears and property guardian licence agreements are a valid proof of housing costs for entitlement to the housing element of Universal Credit.

All property guardians, whether they are on a tenancy or licence agreement, should contact their local authority if they are concerned about property conditions, unlawful eviction or harassment. In some cases, property guardians may in fact have a tenancy even when the agreement is labelled as a licence. If property guardians do not know whether they have a licence or a tenancy they should seek independent advice.

If a local authority thinks that there may be serious risks to the health and safety of those living in a guardian property, they can inspect a property even when they haven’t been contacted by tenants - whether or not it is let on an a tenancy or a licence. The Housing Act 2004 gives local authorities powers of entry in these cases.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) applies across all tenures; it can be used to assess hazards in all residential premises including those let to property guardians and applies to all parts of a building that are occupied as a dwelling. If a local authority identifies a serious ‘category 1’ hazard, they have a duty to take action.

Local authorities have strong enforcement powers and the Department published consolidated enforcement guidance for local authorities in April 2019 which sets out their duties when dealing with property guardian properties, including those on a licence agreement. This was accompanied by guidance for renters. We have also published a property guardian factsheet to help potential or current property guardians to understand their rights.

For the removal of unsafe ACM cladding from high-rise residential buildings the Government has provided £600 million in funding. We have made progress, and as a result of our action, across all sectors, 209 buildings have either completed remediation or have had their ACM cladding systems removed. It is our ambition that all remaining building owners have works on site by the end of 2020, with completion of remedial works by the end of 2021.

The Government has committed £1.6 billion to fund the remediation of high rise residential buildings with unsafe cladding. This includes the removal of aluminium composite material (ACM). In these cases the work is guaranteed and leaseholders are protected from costs.

In cases where there is a costed plan, a timetable to deliver and mitigating measures in place in the meantime, there should be little barrier to mortgage valuations and lending.

The Government’s top priority over recent months has been to respond to the unprecedented challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

My department?has been supporting?the?co-ordination of?cross Government work in?response to the impact of Covid-19 on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller?communities, to ensure their needs are reflected in response and recovery planning.

We?expect to?shortly resume?our?scoping?work on?the?Government's June 2019?commitment to develop a?GRT Strategy?to tackle inequalities in these communities.

Building safety is the responsibility of the building owner. Where a building is found to have unsafe ACM cladding, the building owner should inform all leaseholders and residents of this. Building owners should also inform leaseholders and residents of the nature of the remedial works they intend to carry out, and provide regular updates on progress.

The Government has worked closely with local authorities and Fire and Rescue Services to ensure that interim safety measures, where needed, are in place in all buildings until the cladding is replaced. The Responsible Person for the building, who may be building owner or managing agent, should inform residents of these measures.

Working with the Home Office, the Local Government Association and the National Fire Chiefs Council, government has established a Protection Board to provide greater assurance to central government of Fire and Rescue Service protection activity. This work included ensuring that the interim measures in place in ACM-clad high-rise residential buildings are well-maintained and providing assurance that fire safety risks are being managed effectively.

The Department has been clear that some buildings are being remediated too slowly. To maintain the pace of remediation the department publishes the names of corporate entities which do not yet have a plan to remediate dangerous ACM.

We have written to the relevant local authorities, making sure they are aware of insufficient progress. The Joint Inspection Team, a team set up and funded by Government and hosted by the Local Government Association, is providing support to local authorities to take enforcement action under the Housing Act 2004. Action is currently being taken by a local authority for one of these buildings, and enforcement action has previously been taken by a Fire and Rescue Service for another of the buildings.

I would like to reflect on the success of Windrush Day, which was marked on June 22. This was the second annual National Windrush Day, and the third year that Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has supported celebrations since the 70th anniversary. I would like to thank my Noble friend for his role in initiating these earlier celebrations.

The day was well recognised in national and international media, with hundreds of broadcast features, including a piece on BBC’s The One Show and CNN broadcasting live from Brixton. There were tens of thousands of tweets, instagram and facebook posts shared to celebrate the Windrush Generation and their descendants. This was illustrative of the way in which communities and individuals led the way in marking the day.Supportive messages were delivered by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, His Excellency the Jamaican High Commissioner and the Most Reverend Primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In the midst of challenging circumstances, most of the 49 organisations which received funding from MHCLG’s Windrush Day Grant have demonstrated admirable willingness, aptitude and innovation to deliver their events through online or virtual means. Celebrations were mostly digital, but there were still plenty of them taking place across the country. From Bristol to Birmingham and Leicester to Leeds, grant recipients hosted online exhibitions, radio documentaries and educational workshops and lectures over zoom.

I was pleased to take part in the day myself by being hosted on a tour of Reading Museum's online exhibition The Enigma of Arrival . The exhibition was part-funded by MHCLG's Windrush Day Grant and was developed in partnership with the University of the West Indies as well as the Barbados Museum and Historical Society and members of the town's Caribbean community. I was particularly moved by images of men working at the town's Huntley and Palmers Biscuit factory and took a moment to reflect upon the truly vast scope of the Windrush Generation's contribution to all aspects of our national life in the aftermath of the Second World War.

I would finally like to reiterate my gratitude to the Windrush Day Advisory Panel, originally convened by my Noble friend, in supporting the funding's delivery and helping ensure that the day is marked appropriately year-on-year.

The Department publishes data on the number of high-rise residential and publicly owned buildings in England with ACM cladding systems unlikely to meet building regulations. The latest data is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-programme-monthly-data-release-may-2020. This shows that there are 300 high-rise residential and publicly owned buildings with ACM cladding systems unlikely to meet Building Regulations yet to be remediated in England. Of these, 140 buildings have started remediation, including 54 buildings that have had their ACM cladding systems removed.

The Department has a policy of not publicly disclosing information which could reveal the identity of buildings which have failed or are inferred to have failed cladding tests. This is because there are concerns that this information could be used by those with malicious intent to attack or otherwise compromise the safety of these buildings and their residents.

However, in February 2020, the Department published a list of corporate entities that have indicated that they are taking on the responsibility for the remediation of unsafe ACM cladding, but where at least one of their buildings does not yet have a plan in place. This can be (attached) found here , and the list will be updated periodically. Entities are excluded from this list if it would lead to the identification of a specific building with unsafe ACM cladding .

We have been in close contact with Gypsy and Traveller Voluntary and Community Sector organisations and are doing everything we can to support them through the pandemic.

We have provided £3.2 billion to local authorities to help them respond to the immediate impact of COVID-19. It is for local authorities to determine how best to support vulnerable groups, in line with their public health responsibilities. To enable compliance with COVID-19 public health guidance, access to basic amenities, including water, sanitation and waste disposal facilities is essential.

On 11 April I wrote to all local authority chief executives to highlight that some Gypsies and Travellers may need specific support, including access to basic services such as water, sanitation and waste disposal (attached): https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-mitigating-impacts-on-gypsy-and-traveller-communities.

The Government is determined to ensure everyone gets the support they need to look after themselves and their families during the COVID-19 outbreak and are enabled to take the necessary measures to reduce the spread of the virus. We are holding regular discussions with representatives from Gypsy and Traveller communities to understand the issues they are facing, including what guidance and support is needed locally.

Faith leaders and communities have a critical role to play during the Covid-19 response and we recognise their contribution, as well as the significant importance of respecting different faith groups, religious practices and personal preference. As the Department responsible for Faith, MHCLG has played a facilitative role in ensuring Government understands the needs of faith communities and the challenges they are facing due to the pandemic. We have consulted widely with key faith and belief stakeholders through ministerial and official level engagement.

We are committed to ensuring faith and belief communities have access to the latest public health advice to support them to adapt their practices to meet the governments Covid-19 guidance. We will continue to engage with national and local faith and belief communities to ensure that any needs arising are understood.

We worked closely with faith and belief groups throughout the passage of the Coronavirus Act to ensure that the religious practices of the deceased are taken into account by local authorities as far as possible. Local authorities are now under an obligation to have regard to the deceased’s wishes, religion and belief, as to their final committal, where known, in accordance with Section 58 and Schedule 28 to the Coronavirus Act 2020.