Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

On 26 May 2022, the Government announced a £15 billion package of cost of living support. This is in addition to the over £22 billion announced previously for the cost of living now totalling over £37 billion this year. This means almost eight million of the most vulnerable households will get £1,200 of one-off support in total this year, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400.

The Government is providing a range of support to help small and medium-sized businesses with rising costs. The Government has cut fuel duty for 12 months, raised the Employment Allowance to £5,000, and is zero-rating VAT on energy-saving materials. This builds on existing support, including business rates relief worth £7 billion over five years.

In addition, the Help to Grow programmes enable small and medium-sized businesses to mitigate the effects of rising costs by improving their productivity. Help to Grow Digital will support up to 100,000 SMEs by providing financial discounts covering half the costs of approved digital technologies, up to a value of £5000, to help them boost their performance. Help to Grow Management, meanwhile, is an intensive national training programme designed to improve leadership and management skills. Delivered by leading business schools across the UK, the programme is 90% subsidised by the Government, with participants contributing £750. It will support up to 30,000 SME business leaders to increase productivity, seize investment opportunities and grow their businesses, developing skills in areas such as financial management, innovation and staff engagement.

The Energy Security Strategy was published on Thursday 7^th April on GOV.UK.

The Department’s analysis shows that retail prices of petroleum products such as petrol and diesel are primarily driven by the underlying price in the global market of crude oil and by exchange rates. Departmental analysis shows that changes to the price of crude oil feed through to retail prices over the course of 6-7 weeks.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has written to the Insolvency Service asking them to urgently undertake a thorough review into the actions of P&O Ferries. This will include any scope to take action against the company’s directors. While I do not wish to prejudge the outcome, and it is important due process is followed, we will not hesitate to take further action if appropriate to do so.

As set out in Public Health England’s (PHE) evidence review of gambling-related harms, the most commonly used screening tools - the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) - categorise gambling-related harm as either low-risk, moderate-risk, or problem gambling, with problem gambling defined as gambling with negative consequences and a possible lack of control. PHE’s review found the problem gambling rate for England was estimated as 0.5% in 2018, and has been relatively stable since 2012. The 2016 Combined Health survey reported an overall rate of problem gambling for adults in Great Britain of 0.7%.

To supplement the Health Surveys, the Gambling Commission carries out a quarterly survey by telephone which uses a short-form PGSI screening to define problem gambling status. For the year to December 2021, this estimated a problem gambling rate of 0.3%.

The Gambling Commission’s ‘Young People and Gambling’ report has measured gambling behaviour in children since 2014, including problem gambling using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition Adapted for Juveniles. In 2019, the most recent year for which the survey has been based on complete data, the rate for 11-16 year olds in England, Scotland and Wales was 1.7%.

All gambling operators providing facilities to British customers must comply with the conditions of their Gambling Commission licences, including measures to protect children and vulnerable people. It is an offence to allow children to participate in most forms of commercial gambling and there are strict requirements to verify age. All operators advertising in the UK must also abide by the advertising codes issued by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) in which a wide range of provisions are designed to protect children. CAP has consulted on tightening these rules further.

As part of the statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum in England, young people are taught about the risks relating to gambling, including the accumulation of debt. To support teachers to deliver these topics safely and with confidence, the Department for Education has also developed a series of training modules, one of which has a specific section on gambling. Other curriculum subjects, such as citizenship, mathematics and computing, can also help develop young people’s financial literacy and highlight the risks associated with gambling.

As part of its broad scope, the Gambling Act Review is looking at the effectiveness of existing measures to ensure the protection of young and vulnerable people from the risks associated with all types of gambling. We are considering the evidence carefully and will publish a white paper outlining conclusions and next steps in due course.

The Government remains deeply disappointed with the BBC's decision to restrict the licence fee concession for people over the age of 75 to only those in receipt of pension credit. We recognise the value of free TV licences for people over the age of 75 and believe they should be funded by the BBC.

The Digital Economy Act 2017 provides that the future of the concession is the responsibility of the BBC, not of the Government. This reform was subject to public discussion and debated extensively during the passage of the Act through Parliament. The BBC must ensure that it supports those affected by its decision, and it must look at how it uses its substantial licence fee income to support older people.

The Government is introducing new laws which will require companies to improve user safety online, particularly to tackle illegal content and protect children online. The biggest social media companies will need to set clear standards for content that could cause significant physical or psychological harm to adults and enforce them consistently. This will help ensure adult users are empowered to manage their own online safety.

The Government is committed to protecting free speech online, including the right to express controversial opinions that some may consider offensive. Companies and Ofcom will have duties that ensure freedom of expression is protected.

Ofcom will have a suite of enforcement powers to use against companies who fail to fulfil their duties, including substantial fines. There is also a deferred power to bring in new criminal offences for senior managers who fail to ensure their company provides full information to Ofcom. We are looking at how we can bring these sanctions into force faster.

Under the Gambling Act 2005, it is a criminal offence to invite or allow a child to take part in most forms of commercial gambling, and protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling is one of the licensing objectives which guide the work of the Gambling Commission. Operators must abide by strict requirements for the protection of children and are subject to sanction by the Commission if they breach these rules.

All gambling advertising, wherever it appears, is subject to strict controls on content and placement. Gambling operators advertising in the UK must abide by the advertising codes issued by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) and the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) in which a wide range of provisions are designed to protect children. For example, gambling adverts must not be targeted at children or feature content which appeals particularly to them. CAP and BCAP have also recently consulted on strengthening the codes to reduce potential appeal to children. The Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising requires that operators ensure their logos do not appear on commercial merchandise (such as replica football kit) which is designed for children, and includes a ‘whistle-to-whistle’ ban on gambling adverts during live broadcast sport before 9pm.

The government launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 with the publication of a Call for Evidence which closed on 31 March and received approximately 16,000 submissions from a broad range of interested organisations and individuals. We are considering the evidence carefully and intend to publish a White Paper by the end of the year.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response will outline the information for England only.

The department is committed to ensuring that all pupils can reach their potential and receive excellent support from their teachers. Published on 28 March 2022, the Schools White Paper sets the foundations to support the aims and ambitions of the SEND Review.

The department’s reformed initial teacher training (ITT) core content framework and the new Early Career Framework (ECF), both developed with sector experts, will equip teachers with a clear understanding of the needs of children with SEND.

All teachers are teachers of SEND. ITT courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level. This includes the requirement that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

Consideration of SEND underpins both the ITT core content framework and ECF. The ECF is designed to support all pupils to succeed and seeks to widen access for all.

Once teachers qualify and are employed in schools, headteachers use their professional judgement to identify any further training. This includes specific specialisms for and relevant to individual staff, the school, and its pupils.

The department has funded the creation of a suite of condition specific videos to provide helpful pointers, techniques, and advice on inclusive teaching strategies for newly qualified teachers. The videos cover dyslexia and dyspraxia amongst a range of specific learning needs.

The government is investing £300 million to transform family help services in 75 local authorities. This includes funding for Family Hubs, parenting programmes and Start for Life services. We announced the 75 eligible local authorities on the 2 April 2022. The 75 local authorities, and the methodology used to select them can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/family-hubs-and-start-for-life-package-methodology-for-pre-selecting-local-authorities.

The government is committed to ensuring affordable access to childcare. Our current range of childcare offers includes 15 hours free early education for all three and four-year-olds, regardless of parental income or working status. This helps children to develop social skills and prepare them for school, regardless of their background.

In 2013, this offer was extended to the most disadvantaged two-year-olds, providing a developmental boost to disadvantaged children who are less likely to use formal childcare, but who stand to benefit from it the most.

In 2017, we introduced 30 hours free childcare for working parents of three and four-year-olds. To be eligible for this, a lone parent must earn from just over £7,400 a year, and a couple, where both parents are working, must earn from just over £14,800 per year, to access 30 hours. This can save parents over £6,000 per year.

The department has also introduced tax-free childcare, which is available for working parents of children aged 0-11 (or up to 16 if their child is disabled), with the same income thresholds as 30 hours free childcare. This scheme can save parents up to £2,000 per year (or up to £4,000 if their child is disabled) and can be used alongside 30 hours free childcare.

Working parents on Universal Credit may also be eligible for help with up to 85% of their childcare costs through the childcare element of Universal Credit. This is subject to a monthly limit of £646 for one child or £1,108 for two or more children aged 0-16.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response will outline the information for England only. We have the same high ambitions for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as we do for every child, and we know that they benefit from excellent teaching that allows them to fulfil their potential. The Schools White Paper, published Monday 28 March, sets the foundations to support the aims and ambitions of the SEND Review. We want to make our system even better for all children, especially those in need of extra support.

Our reformed Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (ITT CCF) and the new Early Career Framework (ECF), both developed with sector experts, will equip teachers with a clear understanding of the needs of children with SEND.

All teachers are teachers of SEND. ITT courses must be designed so that trainee teachers can demonstrate that they meet the Teachers’ Standards at the appropriate level, which includes the requirement that all teachers must have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.

Consideration of SEND underpins both the ITT CCF and ECF, which were both produced with the support of sector experts. The ECF is designed to support all pupils to succeed and seeks to widen access for all.

Furthermore, as part of the SEND and Alternative Provision Green Paper, we will consult on introducing a leadership level SENCO National Professional Qualification to replace the National Award in SEN Coordination (NASENCO) as the mandatory qualification for SENCOs. We have set out further detail in the SEND Review.

This will better align SENCO qualifications with our reformed teacher development system and ensure that these professionals are fully supported to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.

It is a legal requirement for qualified teachers of classes of pupils with sensory impairments to hold the relevant mandatory qualification, known as MQSI. The department’s aim is to ensure a steady supply of teachers for children with visual, hearing, and multi-sensory impairment, in both specialist and mainstream education providers.

The department is committed to supporting those fleeing from Ukraine.

It is generally in the best interests of a child to be reunited with family members when possible. The Ukrainian government has also been clear that children should not be taken into care without their agreement.

The department takes the welfare of all unaccompanied children extremely seriously and is committed to ensuring they are properly safeguarded. Statutory duties placed on the local authority in respect of unaccompanied children will apply to any unaccompanied or orphaned Ukrainian children arriving in the UK.

In England, section 17 of the Children Act 1989 imposes a general duty on local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need in their area, and to accommodate them if they meet the relevant criteria.

Generally, once a child has been accommodated by a local authority continuously for more than 24 hours, they become a looked after child and should be safeguarded. Their welfare should be promoted in the same way as any other looked after child, taking account of their particular needs.

The department collects data on the number of children looked after in local authority care in England. Local authorities have a legal duty to provide appropriate accommodation for all children that are looked after. This data is collected on the annual SSD903 'children looked after by local authorities in England' statistical return, and the latest figures relate to the collection year ending 31 March 2021.

These figures on the number of children looked after by their placement type were published on the 18 November 2021 in Table A5 of the annual statistical release at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions. This is the first release of data covering the time period of the COVID-19 outbreak.

We are very aware of the significant turbulence in international commodity markets following Russian’s invasion of Ukraine and are closely monitoring the market situation.

Agricultural commodity prices have always been strongly correlated to the price of energy. Farmers face the challenge of rising inputs costs, particularly fertiliser costs, due to the sharp increase in the price of gas. The solution will require us to pioneer new technologies to manufacture more organic based fertiliser products, and to rediscover traditional, more established techniques such as using nitrogen fixing legumes and clovers as an alternative to fertiliser.

The Government has recently announced steps to assist farmers with the availability of fertilisers for the coming growing season to help address uncertainty amongst growers and keep costs down for farmers. These include delays to changes to the use of urea; revised and improved statutory guidance on the use of slurry; and the publication of further details of the Sustainable Farming Incentive. The Government has announced that it will pay farmers to help with the costs of sowing nitrogen fixing plants and green manures to reduce dependence on manufactured fertilisers, and that farmers will be further supported through new slurry storage grants.

We recognise that fertiliser pressures on the livestock and arable sectors may differ, particularly over the farming seasons. On the 31 March, Minister Prentis hosted the first meeting of the Fertiliser Roundtable with key industry bodies to discuss potential mitigations to the challenges which global supply pressures are causing. Ministers will continue to meet with key industry bodies for further fertiliser round-table sessions in the coming months, to help identify and mitigate potential risks

Further support in the form of guidance from fertiliser suppliers and agricultural organisations such as National Farmers Union can be found from various public sources. Defra is aware that AHDB have published many helpful public pieces of guidance, advice and webinar recordings on mitigating high fertiliser prices. They can be found on the AHDB website.

We are also seeing high costs for red diesel and we are working with the industry to identify where mitigations are available. We continue to keep the market situation under review through UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group, which monitors UK agricultural markets including price, supply, inputs, trade and recent developments. We are increasing our engagement with industry to supplement our analysis with real time intelligence.

Agricultural commodities are closely correlated to global gas prices. Farmers are facing increased input costs, including fuel and fertiliser prices. We continue to monitor the situation, including through the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group. Defra is in regular contact with key industry figures including the National Farmers Union, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and key sector representatives.

The Government announced on the 30 March a number of actions to address current fertiliser issues. These included changes to statutory guidance to the Environment Agency on how they should implement the "Farming Rules for Water" to provide clarity to farmers on how they can use slurry and other manures during autumn and winter to meet agronomic needs; increased grants funding to help farmers and growers boost research and development; and a delay to changes to the use of urea by at least a year. When the urea restrictions are introduced, they will be related to the use of ammonia inhibitors rather than a complete ban.

We recognise that fertiliser pressures on the livestock and arable sectors may differ, particularly over the farming seasons. On the 31, Minister Prentis hosted the first meeting of the Fertiliser Roundtable with key industry bodies to discuss potential mitigations to the challenges which global supply pressures are causing. Ministers will continue to meet with key industry bodies for further fertiliser round-table sessions in the coming months, to help identify and mitigate potential risks.

The Government monitors consumer food prices using the Consumer Prices Index (including Housing Costs) CPIH. The latest published statistics show annual food and drink inflation as 0.8 per cent in the year to September 2021, up from 0.3 per cent in the year to August 2021. The CPIH month-on-month food and drink inflation rate was -0.2 per cent between August 2021 and September 2021, down from 1.1 per cent between July 2021 and August 2021. The month-on-month rate is generally more variable than the annual rate.

This small increase in the annual rate will have been driven by a number of factors. Our research shows that the main drivers of consumer food prices are domestic farmgate prices; domestic manufacturing costs; domestic labour costs, import prices and currency exchange rates. Transport and distribution costs are a relatively small factor in influencing consumer food prices, so the shortage of lorry drivers and any consequential increase in the pay of lorry drivers alone, would not be expected to significantly increase food prices.

Most food sectors are accustomed to fluctuations in supply chain costs from these factors and food retailers also compete on price so these increases in supply chain costs do not necessarily translate into consumer price rises.

Our 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy for England sets out our ambitions of doubling resource productivity and eliminating avoidable waste by 2050. To help us achieve this we are working with the devolved administrations to jointly reform the packaging producer responsibility regulations and introduce a UK-wide extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging.

Our second consultation on Packaging EPR closed on the 4 June. This will see packaging producers paying for the management of the packaging that they place on the market, including at end of life. This will ensure producers think carefully about the necessity of any packaging they use. Producer’s fees would also be varied to account for certain criteria, including recyclability, so that producers who use easily recyclable packaging will pay less than those who use packaging that is not. Producers will also be required to achieve ambitious recycling targets for packaging obligated under the scheme. This will include plastic packaging. In addition, the consultation sought views on the introduction of obligations to encourage the use of re-useable and re-fillable packaging

Aside from Packaging EPR, we have seen progress in the reduction in the use of single-use carrier bags. Their use by the main supermarket retailers in England has reduced by 95% since the introduction of the 5p charge. To drive further progress we have increased this charge to 10p and extended to all retailers on 21 May 2021.

The Government is also working with retailers and Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to encourage efforts to reduce waste and to explore the introduction of plastic-free supermarket initiatives in which fresh food is sold loose, giving consumers the choice.

The UK Plastics Pact is jointly founded between WRAP and the Ellen McArthur Foundation and is supported by the Government. The Pact brings together organisations from across the plastics supply chain with four key targets for 2025 that aim to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated. Our proposed reforms will support The Pact in achieving these targets.

The agreement includes a range of measures to safeguard UK agriculture. Tariff liberalisation for sensitive products will be staged over time and tariff rate quotas and product specific safeguards for sensitive agricultural products such as beef, lamb, butter and cheese will limit the level of annual tariff-free imports from New Zealand and last for up to 15 years.

The agreement also includes a general bilateral safeguard mechanism, which will provide a safety net for all sectors should they face serious injury – or threat of serious injury – from increased imports as a result of this Free Trade Agreement.

We are supporting apprenticeships, including to train lorry drivers. A revised standard will be available from 1 August 2021 attracting £7,000 in apprenticeship levy funding. There is also an incentive payment of £3,000 available for new apprentices of any age with an employment start date of 1 April 2021 to 30 September 2021.

The Department for Work and Pensions is developing a scheme to train jobseekers in HGV driving. The Flexible Support Fund is available to help the unemployed or those in receipt of Universal Credit renew their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC).

The Department has provided a grant for the non-profit initiative Road to Logistics to train military service leavers, ex-offenders and the long term unemployed to move into jobs in the logistics sector, including lorry driving.

Travel from the UK to the US is restricted under Presidential Executive Order and regulations 212(f). These measures have now been in place for over 400 days and meaningful travel cannot begin in earnest until the US lifts these restrictions.

The Prime Minster and President Biden have made clear the importance of bringing about the return of safe trans-Atlantic travel as soon as possible. The newly formed joint UK-US Experts’ Working Group is now underway, and we are working closely with our US partners on delivering this important goal.

There are a range of DWP initiatives that support disabled people and people with health conditions to live independent lives and start, stay and succeed in employment. These include the Intensive Personalised Employment Support programme, Access to Work, Disability Confident and support in partnership with the health system, including Employment Advisers in NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services.

The Green Paper explored how the benefits system can better meet the needs of claimants now and in the future, by improving claimant experience of our services, enabling independent living, and improving employment outcomes. We remain committed to responding to this Green Paper consultation with a White Paper later this year.

Universal Credit has provided a vital safety net for six million people during the pandemic, and we announced the temporary uplift as part of a £400 billion package of measures put in place that will last well beyond the end of the roadmap. Our focus now is on our multi-billion Plan for Jobs, which will support people in the long-term by helping them learn new skills and increase their hours or find new work.

Departmental officials have regular discussions with the devolved administrations to share best practice and information related to general practitioner provision in the United Kingdom.

Obesity is the single greatest risk factor to developing type 2 diabetes, which can lead to associated conditions such as diabetic foot ulcers and diabetic retinopathy. The Better Health adult obesity campaign was launched in July 2020, highlighting the harms of excess weight and providing motivation to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.  The campaign directs the public to a range of free online tools and support, including the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, the National Health Service weight loss plan app, local authority healthy lifestyle services and discounted offers from healthy weight partners. Primary care providers also support individuals in accessing weight management programmes, including the Diabetes Prevention Programme, depending on their risk factors.

We have no plans to provide free tests for international travel. Free National Health Service tests cannot be used for travel in order to preserve testing capacity and protect public health. We are committed to working with private testing providers to reduce the cost of testing. Since international travel testing requirements were introduced, the average cost of a day two polymerase chain reaction test has decreased to £45.

We have also reduced the cost of NHS Test and Trace tests for international arrivals from £88 to £68 for fully vaccinated arrivals and from £170 to £136 for two tests for arrivals who are not fully vaccinated. For United Kingdom residents or individuals with residency rights who would suffer severe financial hardship by paying the full cost of their managed quarantine or testing fees before they travel, hardship arrangements may be available.

The new £86,000 cap, in combination with the new higher capital limits, will mean that more people will be able to preserve more of their assets if they need care. The value of a person’s home is taken into consideration when determining how much they should pay for social care when they enter residential care and where a spouse or other eligible adult is no longer living in their home.

No-one will be forced to sell their home to pay for their care in their lifetime. Where people do need to access housing wealth to pay for care, individuals are able to take out a deferred agreement so that payments can be deducted from their estate after their care journey has ended.

On 21 October 2021, the Department announced a new £162.5 million Workforce Recruitment and Retention fund to support local authorities working with providers to recruit and retain social care staff this winter.

We are urgently working with the UN, the G7 and the international community to explore the best solutions to extract the 25 million tons of grain currently stuck in Ukraine. We continue to work with the Ukrainians and other international partners to find ways to resume the export of grain from Ukraine and to the countries that desperately need it.

The UK also joined 44 others in launching the OSCE Moscow Mechanism fact-finding mission. This investigated human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law by Russia in Ukraine, covering the period 24 February to 1 April, and drew on reporting from open sources as well as interviews with civil society, journalists, refugees and other actors on the ground.

The report, published on 13 April, is the first independent expert report into these issues. It found credible evidence of Russian war crimes, from the torture, rape and killing of innocent civilians to the forced deportation of over 500,000. The UK is determined to hold to account those responsible for these atrocities so this can never happen again.

The UK Government is concerned by insecurity across Nigeria; this violence is having a devastating impact on affected communities of all faiths and ethnicities. We assess that the principal causes of violence are complex and multifaceted and are often linked to criminality and competition over resources. We continue to urge and support the Nigerian Government to take action to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence and ensure the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief for all.

The Minister for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean regularly raises insecurity in Nigeria with the Nigerian Government, including during her visit to Nigeria in February, where she discussed this issue with Foreign Minister Onyeama. During her visit, the Minister held detailed discussions with regional governors, community leaders and religious leaders about the causes of violence. Additionally, on 1 February, the Minister also discussed insecurity with Nigerian National Security Adviser Monguno during the inaugural dialogue of the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership.

We will continue to make clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, and human rights for all.

The UK engages regularly with China on counter-proliferation issues and there is considerable scope for constructive engagement and cooperation. The UK encourages all States Party to the Treaty on the Non Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to abide by their obligations and commitments under that treaty, and in particular for nuclear weapon states to take their special responsibilities seriously.

The UK is at the forefront of diplomatic, economic, humanitarian and defensive support to Ukraine, in response to Russia's unprovoked assault. As the Prime Minister has made clear, the UK will continue to provide Ukraine with the weapons it needs to defend its homeland. We, with our allies and partners, will continue to impose the most punishing sanctions to inflict maximum and lasting pain on Russia. And we will continue to employ every method - diplomatic, humanitarian and economic - until Russia fails in its disastrous venture.

The Government regularly monitors trends in household debt levels in order to inform its policy making to help people manage their money well and access support if they need to get their finances back on track. It does so by working closely with the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and engages regularly with a range of other stakeholders on their research and findings.

The latest findings from the FCA’s biennial Financial Lives Survey were published in February 2021 and showed that between March and October 2020, the number of people with low financial resilience increased by 3.5 million, from 10.7 million to 14.2 million. MaPS monitors financial difficulty through the Debt Need Survey of approximately 22,000 people, with data on regional levels of over-indebtedness last published in 2018. MaPS will publish the results of the 2021 Debt Need Survey early next year.

The Government is strongly committed to supporting the financial wellbeing of the most vulnerable in society, and to tackling problem debt. This is why the Government put in place an unprecedent package of support to help people during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the Government recognises that the full impact of the pandemic on people’s personal finances is still unfolding and that some require extra support at this challenging time. To help people in problem debt get their finances back on track, the Government agreed to maintain record levels of funding for free-to-consumer debt advice in England in 2021-22, bringing this year’s debt advice budget for MaPS to £94.6 million. This is a more than 70% increase since 2019-20 to help more people who are struggling with their finances during the pandemic.

In addition to this, the Breathing Space scheme launched in England and Wales, offering people in problem debt a pause of up to 60 days on most enforcement action, interest, fees and charges, and encouraging them to seek professional debt advice.

The Government has also changed the existing monetary eligibility limits for a Debt Relief Order in England and Wales; increasing the value of assets that a debtor can hold, the level of surplus income received and the total debt allowable. This will give more people with low levels of assets and low income who are in problem debt access to a suitable and proportionate solution.

The Government works closely with industry to close down the vulnerabilities that fraudsters exploit and ensure members of the public have the information they need to spot a scam and stand up to fraudsters. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requires banks to maintain effective systems and controls to prevent the risk that they might be used to further financial crime. This includes controls to prevent fraud.

The Government is committed to tackling fraud within payments networks. With regards to Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud, the Government considers rules within Faster Payments as the best solution for ensuring that victims are reimbursed.

The Government recognises the actions taken to-date by the financial services industry to help tackle fraud, including through investment in anti-fraud capabilities, the creation of a voluntary reimbursement Code, and the implementation of initiatives such as Confirmation of Payee. While the Government welcomes these initiatives, it is clear that more needs to be done both to prevent these scams, and to ensure that victims are not left paying for fraud through no fault of their own.

The Government is engaging with the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) and industry on what further actions are needed to better protect customers, and welcomed the PSR’s recent consultation on APP scams, which set out various potential measures that could improve scam prevention and outcomes, including proposals to introduce mandatory requirements to reimburse victims. The Government has confirmed it intends to legislate to address any barriers to regulatory action regarding mandatory reimbursement when parliamentary time allows.

The government takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and has published the Net Zero Strategy on how the UK will deliver on its commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

The government has also published the Net Zero Review exploring the key issues and trade-offs as the UK decarbonises. As the Net Zero Review stated, if there is to be additional public spending, the government may need to consider changes to existing taxes and new sources of revenue during the transition in order to deliver net zero sustainably, and consistently with the government’s fiscal principles.

The government keeps all taxes under review, and any changes are made in the round at fiscal events.

The Equitable Life Payment Scheme closed to claims in 2015. There are no plans to reopen the Payment Scheme or review the £1.5 billion funding allocation previously made to it.

The Government is committed to tackling tax evasion at all levels. The Government has introduced over 100 measures to tackle tax evasion, avoidance and other forms of non-compliance since 2010. Together with HMRC’s compliance work, the government has secured and protected an additional £200 billion in tax revenue which would otherwise have gone unpaid.

This success demonstrates the Government’s continued efforts to address tax evasion, avoidance and non-compliance in all its forms.

HM Revenue and Customs strategic approach is to use the most appropriate, cost-effective, and highest-impact way to encourage and support all taxpayers in complying with their obligations.