Lord Roberts of Llandudno

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

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

The Lord Roberts of Llandudno

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

05 February 2021

Dear Lord Roberts,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people were employed in the agricultural sector in Wales in (1) 1991, (2) 2000, (3) 2010, and (4) 2019 (HL12843).

Agricultural employment estimates are produced using a combination of DEFRA surveys and Office for National Statistics (ONS) employment surveys. Employment estimates by year, industry and geographic location are available to download on the employment surveys datasets area of NOMIS[1].

Table 1 below shows agricultural employment in Wales in 1991, 2000, 2010 and 2019.

Table 1: Agricultural employment in Wales[2]

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1] https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/select/getdatasetbytheme.asp?opt=3&theme=&subgrp=

[2] Numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand

[3] ONS source is the Annual Employment Survey

[4] ONS source is the Annual Business Inquiry

[5] ONS source is the Business Register Employment Survey

We have received representations from Parliamentarians on this issue, and we are currently considering the matter.

We will keep Parliament updated on the election preparations, will engage with political parties and will publish detailed guidance in due course.

The Government believes that leaving the EU will lead to long-term benefits for the UK economy. Whilst many businesses would have been preparing for the end of the Transition Period since last year, we recognise the impact COVID-19 will have had on their ability to plan and prepare.

We have a number of support schemes available including loans, grants, income support schemes and tax deferrals to support businesses through this period. Details are available on GOV.UK.

The Government was elected on a manifesto which made clear our plans to exit the EU, that the transition period will end on 31 December 2020, and that we will have recovered our economic and political independence.

Many millions of people welcome this outcome and will mark it in their own private ways. A ceremony is not appropriate at a time of COVID restrictions.

The Government is working with the electoral administrators and Public Health England to identify and resolve challenges involved in delivering the May 2021 elections, including ensuring polling stations are safe and covid-secure places to vote. People will be able participate in the polls safely, and in a way of their choice, whether by post, proxy or in-person.

This was outlined in the Minister for the Constitution and Devolution’s letter to Electoral Returning Officers, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-chloe-smith-mp-to-returning-officers

For the devolved administrations to hold a referendum in relation to any reserved matter, an order under the Scotland Act 1998 or Government of Wales Act 2006, or Westminster primary legislation, would be required.

The Government has been working closely with key electoral stakeholders, as well as Public Health England and representatives of political parties, regarding local and mayoral elections in England and the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales in May 2021.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the statutory responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers for their areas. The Government is committed to encouraging democratic engagement amongst all electors, including young people, and we want to build upon recent record levels of individuals registering to vote for elections. Our Register to Vote website is widely used by young people, with almost 8 million online applications submitted by 16-24 year olds since the service was introduced in 2014.

The Government has been working closely with key electoral stakeholders, as well as Public Health England and representatives of political parties, regarding local and mayoral elections in England and the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales in May 2021.

The Government has been working closely with key electoral stakeholders, as well as Public Health England and representatives of political parties, regarding local and mayoral elections in England and the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales in May 2021.

As has been the case under successive administrations, appointments to the House of Lords are a matter for the Prime Minister. Members of the House of Lords are appointed from a wide range of backgrounds to ensure the House is able to carry out its scrutiny work effectively.

The UK’s approach to implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol was set out in the Government’s Command Paper on The UK's Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol, published on 20 May. As the document made clear, there will be no new physical customs infrastructure in Northern Ireland.

We have however, always been clear that some process will be required on agri-food goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain, in order to respect the pre-existing status of the island of Ireland as a single epidemiological unit.

On 13 July, the Government announced a £705 million funding package in 2020/21 for border infrastructure, staffing and IT to ensure GB border systems are fully operational when the UK takes back control of its border after the end of the transition period. The £705 million will be split between £470 million for port and inland infrastructure and £235 million for new staff and IT systems.

As Ministers have previously set out, a breakdown will be provided, port by port and region by region, in due course.

Our priority is to ensure that patients continue to have access to medicines and medical products that they need. We are working closely with industry, the NHS and others in the supply chain to ensure that precautions are in place.

The Government continues to hold stockpiles of medicines to cope with a range of scenarios, and robust contingency planning continues to ensure that the country is prepared for the end of the transition period.

There are no plans. At the second meeting of the WAJC on 12 June, the UK formally notified the EU that it will neither accept nor seek any extension to the Transition Period.

The deadline for extension has now passed.

The UK will regain its economic and political independence on 31 December at the end of the transition period and uphold a key demand of the British people.

Ministers are accountable to Parliament for the policies, decisions and actions of their departments and agencies, as set out in the Ministerial Code. As has long been the case, advisers advise but ministers decide and are accountable for those decisions.

The Government always strives to give accurate and timely responses to both oral and written questions, with guidance on both set out in its Guide to Parliamentary Work.

We are at a stage of the epidemic where the number of infections has come down considerably from its peak and the virus is broadly under control in the majority of the UK. The Government keeps the situation under constant review and remains ready to take further action if required. We have made regulations in response to local outbreaks. We have also amended the border restrictions on various occasions in response to changes in the spread of the virus in other countries. As is always the case, decisions on health and other such measures are made on the basis of official advice, informed by expert scientific advisers.

The Security and Intelligence Agencies produce and contribute to regular assessments of the threat posed by Hostile State Activity. We keep such assessments under review and, where necessary, update them in response to new intelligence. It is, and will always be, an absolute priority to protect our democracy and elections. In July 2019 we announced the Defending Democracy programme to bring together government, civil society and private sector organisations to ensure our democracy stays open, vibrant and transparent.

I refer the noble Lord to the oral statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 13 July in the Other Place about the publication of a detailed Border Operating Model, which I repeated in this House on 15 July 2020. This will allow Welsh border industry and traders to prepare for the end of the transition period.

None. At the second meeting of the WAJC on 12 June, the UK formally notified the EU that it will neither accept nor seek any extension to the Transition Period.

The deadline for extension has now passed.

The UK will regain its economic and political independence on 1 January 2021 at the end of the transition period and uphold a key demand of the British people.

Last week the UK completed its fourth round of negotiations. Negotiations covered the full range of issues and were mostly constructive and positive in tone, including on the most difficult issues such as fisheries, governance, and the so called “level playing field” where our differences are the most acute.

We believe it still would be straightforward to agree a suite of agreements with a Free Trade Agreement at the core, like those the EU has agreed with other close partners around the world, and that this could be done quickly.

A Written Ministerial Statement (HLWS267) was made on 8 June to update the House on the progress of negotiations.

I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to PQ HL3150 on 28 April 2020.

I refer the noble Lord to the Prime Minister’s address to the nation given on Friday 31 January 2020.

The commemorations for this historic day included the release into circulation of a new 50p coin, and a light display at Downing Street, alongside a special address by the Prime Minister. Union Jack flags also lined Parliament Square and the Mall on 31 January and the public saw government buildings in Whitehall lit up throughout the evening. The costs of these events were drawn from existing budgets.

It is for each business to carry out its own risk assessment, in consultation with their workers, to inform the actions they should take to reduce the risks of COVID-19.

The Government has published guidance – specifically, section 3.1 ‘Protecting people who are at higher risk’ – to help ensure workplaces are as safe as possible during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. These guides cover a range of working environments and are available on the Government’s website.

Nothing in this guidance affects employers’ existing responsibilities under employment and equalities legislation. Employers therefore need to bear in mind the particular needs of different groups or individuals, and make sure that the steps they take to address the risk of COVID-19 do not unjustifiably impact on some groups compared with others.

The safer workplaces guidance provides information to employers on how best to meet these responsibilities in the context of COVID-19.

The Government has made available a wide range of schemes to companies in order to help them avoid making redundancies in response to the covid-19 pandemic. These include the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme; deferral of VAT and self-assessment payments; business rates relief; the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS); the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS); the Coronavirus Future Fund; the Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan; the COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility; the Coronavirus Small Business Grant Fund; the Coronavirus Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund; and the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund.

The Government has published details of all these schemes on the GOV.UK website.

On 26 March, the Chancellor announced a world-leading scheme to support the UK’s self-employed, affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The Self-employment Income Support Scheme will support self-employed individuals, including members of partnerships, whose income has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. The scheme will provide a grant to self-employed individuals or partnerships, worth 80% of their profits up to a cap of £2,500 per month.

All businesses and self-employed people in financial distress and with outstanding tax liabilities may be eligible to receive support with their tax affairs through HMRC’s ‘Time To Pay’ service. These arrangements are agreed on a case-by-case basis and are tailored to individual circumstances and liabilities. If self-employed people have missed - or are worried about missing - their next tax payment due to COVID-19, they can call the HMRC helpline for advice on 0800 024 1222.

All details of Government support for businesses during the COVID-19 outbreak can be found on the dedicated business support webpage at gov.uk.

Sports and physical activity facilities play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active. Swimming pools, indoor gyms and leisure centres (including sports halls) should now be able to reopen. These facilities will be able to offer on-site services to customers, provided they are COVID-secure and follow Government guidance.

Sport England have announced a £195 million package of support to help community clubs through this crisis. It recently boosted its Community Emergency Fund by a further £15 million to meet the demand, taking the total up to £210 million.

The income scheme announced on Thursday 2 July by the Secretary of State for Local Government, aims to support local authorities who have incurred irrecoverable loss of income from sales, fees and charge which they had reasonably budgeted for. Further guidance will follow on the principle of the scheme.

The Government is providing local authorities with an unprecedented package of support, allocating £4.3bn of support for?spending?pressures, including £3.7bn of un-ringfenced grants and the £600m Infection Control Fund.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) continues to work closely alongside the Charity Commission, and sector representative bodies in supporting the charity sector to enhance their cyber resilience. During this period of increased online reliance and activity, the NCSC has produced sector neutral guidance for organisations on remote working, and has briefed the Charities Against Fraud Group, hosted by the Charity Commission, on the current threat landscape and support available.

The Charity Commission updated its alert in May to include advice from the NCSC on how to report suspicious emails and how to use video conferencing safely, as well as a recorded webinar with The Fraud Advisory Panel and sector partners, including the City of London Police, to help charities spot Covid-19 related fraud. The Charity Commission has supported the Digital Code for Charities Steering Group which has developed a COVID-19 digital checklist for charity trustees and leaders to help them make the right decisions about digital during the crisis, which has been published online: https://charitydigitalcode.org/covid19/trustees-checklist-covid19/.

In conjunction with Small Charities week (15-19th June) NCSC will be hosting a series of cyber security workshops to help charities understand what steps they can take to protect their IT infrastructure.

Both sport and healthcare are devolved, and each of the Devolved Authorities will have its own approach to these facilities. Changes in use of such facilities will be made on a location by location basis as a result of discussions between the local parties, depending on local need at the time.

In England, six NHS Nightingale hospitals have been opened of the seven being built across the country, as part of actions taken to ensure the NHS has sufficient hospital capacity to care for COVID-19 patients. This includes the Nightingale hospitals in London (London ExCel) and Birmingham (Birmingham National Exhibition Centre).

Surge capacity is holding up well in NHS hospitals across the country. As such, both the London ExCel and Birmingham National Exhibition Centre have now been placed on standby and will not be accepting patients. It is possible the NHS Nightingale hospitals will be needed in the months ahead, and the Government will maintain that extra capacity until there is more certainty.

Culture is classed as a devolved competency and organisations should look at the support being provided by the relevant Government in the Devolved Authorities. In addition to the support provided by the UK Government, the Welsh Government has announced almost £2 billion of support for businesses in Wales (https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/). The Arts Council of Wales has also established the Arts Resilience Fund which provides financial support to artists and cultural organisations so they may survive this crisis and to find ways of getting back on their feet (https://arts.wales/funding/coronavirus).

The £750 million funding package announced on 8 April will support front line charities providing vital services and helping vulnerable people affected by Covid-19.

DCMS has been supporting the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government alongside the hotel sector, to provide an offer of accommodation for rough sleepers that will allow them to socially distance. A centrally-coordinated process across government has been set up for block booking hotels.

More than 5,400?rough?sleepers?– over 90% of those on the streets?at the beginning of the crisis?known to local authorities have now been made offers of safe accommodation – ensuring some of the most vulnerable in society are protected from the pandemic.

We will continue to work with external partners to support the homeless during the pandemic. For example we have established a connection between Unilever and NHS England, through which Unilever have already offered 30,000 units of toothpaste and deodorant for homeless people being sheltered.

Following the independent review of S4C conducted by Euryn Ogwen Williams, the government accepted the recommendation for S4C to be fully licence fee funded from April 2022.

The government will assess the amount of public money required to run S4C’s television channel and other services during the discussions on the licence fee settlement due to take effect from April 2022.

S4C’s licence fee funding is guaranteed to remain at £74.5 million until 2021/22.

The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of the Government and as such the Government is not involved in the funding of BBC Orchestras.

According to the BBC's 2018/9 Annual Report, the BBC spent £29million in 2019 on 'Orchestras and performing groups'.

In the past five years, Arts Council England (ACE) has invested over £107 million in orchestras and related classical music organisations in its National Portfolio. As culture is a devolved matter, this figure excludes funding decisions taken by the devolved administrations in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

Orchestras have also benefited from the Government’s introduction of the Orchestras Tax Relief (OTR), which is helping to support the increase of productions, especially via touring. Since the introduction of the OTR in 2016, £23 million has been paid out relating to 170 claims and 770 productions.

The department issued tender opportunities for the procurement of devices to all suppliers present under the Crown Commercial Services Framework, under Technology Products and Associated Services (TePAS) Lot 2: Hardware and Associated Services. A list of all suppliers present under Lot 2 of the TePAS framework can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6068.

The only exception to the above is the very first procurement, which was a Direct Award to Computacenter made under Procurement Policy Note 01/20: Responding to COVID-19, details of which are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0120-responding-to-covid-19. We awarded this contract directly because of the urgency at the start of COVID-19 outbreak of providing devices for disadvantaged children and care leavers to support access to remote education and social care.

The Government is investing over £400 million to support access to remote education and online social care services, including securing 1.3 million laptops and tablets for disadvantaged children and young people.

As of Monday 01 February 2021, over 927,000 laptops and tablets had been delivered to schools, academy trusts and local authorities by the Department to support children to access remote education during the COVID-19 outbreak. Numbers of devices delivered to date by the programme is published regularly at https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/laptops-and-tablets-data/2021-week-5.

For supplying devices to schools, the Department has signed contracts with Computacentre and XMA to supply a variety of device types according to the needs of schools and end users. Unit costs of specific devices distributed by the programme are not published as these are commercially sensitive.

In October 2018, 1,205,000 pupils in England were eligible and claiming free school meals, which is 14.7% of all pupils in state-funded schools. The department plans to publish the information relating to October 2020 in due course.

Where pupils become newly entitled to free school meals, local authorities and schools are able to quickly verify their eligibility using the department’s electronic Eligibility Checking System to ensure that this vital support is available immediately.

We have introduced a number of immediate measures, including the launch of the National Voucher Scheme, to ensure that children who usually receive benefits-related free school meals still had access to this support during the period that schools were previously restricted from opening to the majority of pupils. Schools received, and continue to receive, their funding for free school meals as normal.

Building on the significant support given to the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 outbreak, a new £170 million Covid Winter Grant Scheme has been launched by the Department for Work and Pensions, and will be run by councils in England. A link to the scheme is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-winter-grant-scheme.

As part of the government’s Plan for Jobs, apprenticeships will be more important than ever in helping businesses to recruit the right people and develop the skills they need to recover post COVID-19. Apprenticeships also present excellent opportunities to young people seeking to start and build careers.

We recognise that employers, at the moment, face increased challenges with hiring new apprentices and so we will introduce a new payment of £2,000 to employers in England for each new apprentice they hire aged under 25, and a £1,500 payment for each new apprentice they hire aged 25 and over, from 1 August 2020 to 31 January 2021. We will also ensure that there is sufficient funding to support small businesses wanting to take on an apprentice this year. In addition, we have increased the number of reservations that small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) can now make through the apprenticeship service, from 3 to 10, enabling them to recruit more apprentices.

Details can be found at the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/a-plan-for-jobs-2020.

We continue to listen to the views of businesses and are working closely with employers to help them make the most of our apprenticeship reforms and funding support offer.

Skills training and education is devolved and therefore any training delivered in Wales to support employment opportunities in Wales are matters for the Welsh Government.

In England we want to make the skills systems more responsive to employer skill needs both locally and nationally and we have been working with employers to jointly design and deliver policies and programmes to do this.

This includes key reforms to apprenticeships, making them longer, better, with more off-the job training and proper assessment at the end. With employers in control of developing standards, they can be assured that apprentices will get the skills employers need.

We are also making technical education more responsive to the needs of communities and employers, with the introduction of T levels this September, proposals to reform higher technical education and investment in Institutes of Technology.

The Withdrawal Agreement Act 2020 ensures that students, young people, and learners will be able to participate fully in the remainder of the current Erasmus+ programme and organisations should continue to bid for the Erasmus+ programme to the end of 2020.

As stated in the Political Declaration, the UK is open to participation in certain EU programmes, such as the next Erasmus+ programme (2021-27), if it is in our interest to do so.

The proposed regulations for the next 2021-27 Erasmus+ programme are still being discussed in the EU and have yet to be finalised. Future participation in EU programmes will be a subject of our negotiations on the future UK-EU relationship.

The following estimated amounts to support agriculture were paid by the Welsh Office Agriculture Department / Welsh Government under Common Agricultural Policy schemes in the years shown:

- 1991 £42.757 million;

- 2000 £175.620 million;

- 2010 £321.185 million;

- 2019 £318.311 million.

The above figures exclude market measures paid for the whole of the UK by the Intervention Board / Rural Payments Agency.

The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. Our retailers already have highly resilient supply chains and they are working around the clock to ensure people have the food and products they need. The industry has adapted quickly to changes in demand, and food supply into and across the UK is resilient.

To help the industry, the Government has already introduced new measures to keep food supply flowing. We have temporarily relaxed elements of competition law to enable supermarkets to work more closely together to ensure people can access the products they need. Food retailers are now able to share data on their stock levels, cooperate to keep stores open and share staff, distribution depots and delivery vehicles. This is helping keep shops open and staffed and better able to meet high demand. Guidance has been issued to local authorities to show flexibility to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets to ensure shelves can be replenished more quickly. The Transport Secretary has also announced a temporary and limited relaxation of the drivers’ hours rules so that more goods can be delivered to every store every day. We welcome the actions that the industry is taking, including hiring more staff, and prioritising delivery slots for those that need them most.

Representatives of our leading supermarkets have asked customers to shop considerately and we echo their call. Retailers have provided reassurance that there is plenty of stock available if people shop considerately and buy only what they need.

We are grateful for the extensive support and positive collaboration that the industry has shown. We should be proud of all those across the country who are working tirelessly to make sure people have the food they need.

This is not the case. All treaties that require ratification are subject to the scrutiny procedures laid out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.

Further, the constitutional arrangements of the United Kingdom mean international treaties cannot themselves amend domestic legislation. Should any changes to our law be needed to implement a future Free Trade Agreement, legislation will need to be scrutinised and passed by Parliament in the usual way.

Trade is vital for the NHS, which relies heavily on crucial goods and services that come wholly, or in part, from suppliers based overseas. Trade enables the NHS to buy the best possible medicines and medical devices that industry – here and overseas – has to offer.

At the same time, Britain’s international public procurement commitments do not apply to the procurement of British healthcare services. In fact, Britain’s public services are protected by specific exclusions, exceptions and reservations in the trade agreements to which we are party, and HM Government will continue to make sure that the same rigorous protections are included in future trade agreements.

Arms exports require an export licence. As outlined in my response to the Noble Lord on 22 June, UIN:HL5414, HM Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) about export licences granted, refused and revoked to all destinations on GOV.UK, including those for exports to the Middle East. These reports contain information including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences.

The Government is keen to attract companies to set up manufacturing facilities in the UK across the Life Sciences sector. However, we have not had any discussions with companies in Denmark and Germany about setting up manufacturing bases for insulin in the UK as we are not aware of any companies from these countries who have such plans.

My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and I have been sorry to see the violence that has taken place in the United States of America.

All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and our diplomatic missions. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the impact of exporting any equipment. These are not decisions my Department takes lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.

All countries are under continual review, in line with the Consolidated Criteria, and my Department is able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require.

We do not hold complete records based on shipments of items exported to the United States or any country, although we do hold some information based on the value of licences granted for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs). The Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) about export licences granted, refused and revoked to all destinations on GOV.UK. These reports contain information including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. This information is available at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data.

The most recent publication was in April 2020, on licences issued until the end of December 2019. Quarterly reports are available from 2008 onwards.

Records from 1997–2007 are available in the United Kingdom Strategic Export Controls Annual Report, laid each year and placed within the libraries of the House.

My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and I have been sorry to see the violence that has taken place in the United States of America.

All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and our diplomatic missions. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the impact of exporting any equipment. These are not decisions my Department takes lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.

All countries are under continual review, in line with the Consolidated Criteria, and my Department is able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require.

We do not hold complete records based on shipments of items exported to the United States or any country, although we do hold some information based on the value of licences granted for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs). The Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) about export licences granted, refused and revoked to all destinations on GOV.UK. These reports contain information including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. This information is available at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data.

The most recent publication was in April 2020, on licences issued until the end of December 2019. Quarterly reports are available from 2008 onwards.

Records from 1997–2007 are available in the United Kingdom Strategic Export Controls Annual Report, laid each year and placed within the libraries of the House.

My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and I have been sorry to see the violence that has taken place in the United States of America.

All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and our diplomatic missions. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the impact of exporting any equipment. These are not decisions my Department takes lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.

All countries are under continual review, in line with the Consolidated Criteria, and my Department is able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require.

We do not hold complete records based on shipments of items exported to the United States or any country, although we do hold some information based on the value of licences granted for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs). The Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) about export licences granted, refused and revoked to all destinations on GOV.UK. These reports contain information including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. This information is available at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data.

The most recent publication was in April 2020, on licences issued until the end of December 2019. Quarterly reports are available from 2008 onwards.

Records from 1997–2007 are available in the United Kingdom Strategic Export Controls Annual Report, laid each year and placed within the libraries of the House.

My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and I have been sorry to see the violence that has taken place in the United States of America.

All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and our diplomatic missions. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the impact of exporting any equipment. These are not decisions my Department takes lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.

All countries are under continual review, in line with the Consolidated Criteria, and my Department is able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require.

We do not hold complete records based on shipments of items exported to the United States or any country, although we do hold some information based on the value of licences granted for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs). The Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) about export licences granted, refused and revoked to all destinations on GOV.UK. These reports contain information including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. This information is available at: www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data.

The most recent publication was in April 2020, on licences issued until the end of December 2019. Quarterly reports are available from 2008 onwards.

Records from 1997–2007 are available in the United Kingdom Strategic Export Controls Annual Report, laid each year and placed within the libraries of the House.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is very proud of its independence from HM Government, that its lifeboat service is provided through volunteers and supported through public donations and subscriptions. The RNLI has not sought assistance from HM Government to support its lifeboat services.

During the current pandemic the RNLI have drawn on both the Furlough (UK) and Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (Ireland) allowing them to claim most of the staff costs for people whose activities have paused. In addition, the RNLI have also applied for business grant applications for their shops.

The RNLI works closely with HM Coastguard who are the tasking authority for maritime and coastal search and rescue. They have a long association of working together to provide assistance to persons in distress around the coast of the UK.

The UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement delivers for the whole of the United Kingdom and provides for streamlined customs arrangements to support the smooth flow of goods at the border. We will continue to work closely with traders to ensure that exporters understand the requirements they need to meet to continue trading with the EU. There is a period of adjustment for some businesses and whilst that occurs this may account for any initial reductions to freight flows on these and other UK routes, already affected by Covid19 restrictions. There are no plans for compensation for any ports as a result of this.

Welsh ports, and Holyhead in particular, will continue to be critical routes to and from the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe irrespective of direct links for haulage between Ireland and France. The land bridge route has significant advantages for hauliers over maritime routes and the Government is confident that Welsh ports will continue to thrive as we build on the opportunities provided by being an independent trading nation.

Government continues to monitor traffic on ferry routes into and out of the UK, including Wales – Ireland routes. There have been changes to traffic, including some initial reductions on these routes compared to prior year figures. However, freight movements and businesses involved in international trade are early in the period of adjustment to a new customs and border regime, which may have impacted on volumes in the short term, but it is too early to identify any longer term trends.

Welsh ports, and Holyhead in particular, will continue to be critical routes to and from the Republic of Ireland and continental Europe, irrespective of direct links for haulage between Ireland and France. The land bridge route has significant advantages for hauliers over maritime routes and the Government is confident that Welsh ports will continue to thrive as we build on the opportunities provided by being an independent trading nation.

The Secretary of State for Transport’s Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Driving and Diabetes provides advice on the medical standards in regard to diabetes and safe driving. There are no current plans to change the medical standards for driving with diabetes which would require a change to regulations.

The Department is aware of the sharp drop in ferry passengers resulting from the Covid-19 lockdowns. Currently, there are no plans in place to respond to Stena Line's cancellation of Irish Sea sailings. Generally, ferry operators adjust their schedules in response to demand and Stena Line has acted accordingly in this case. The demand is being kept under review and we expect the sailing to be reinstated when demand increases again.

The Department for Transport is providing catering, toilet and medical facilities for hauliers who are directed to the Manston and Sevington sites. In the event of significant disruption on the M20, the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) may take the decision to activate their Driver Welfare Plan, which includes the proportionate distribution of welfare at the roadside. Both the Department and the KRF monitor the situation closely and have the capability to increase the provision of welfare depending on the scale of demand. This was demonstrated in the response to the extreme traffic disruption that occurred over the Christmas period due to the closure of the French border.

We have worked with Local Resilience Forums across the UK to help them prepare for the end of the Transition Period. In particular the Kent Resilience Forum have a Driver Welfare plan, which is for both freight and non-freight traffic.

Transport policy is devolved and is a matter for the Welsh Government. The Department for Transport is working closely with and supporting the Cabinet Office’s Border and Protocol Delivery Group on delivering the required preparations for the end of the transition period. The Government has committed to spending £470m on new border infrastructure to support ports in building extra capacity to meet the new control requirements where there is space to do so, and, if necessary, to build additional inland sites across the country where checks can take place. The Port Infrastructure Fund will support ports in preparing for any potential disruptions that may occur at the end of the transition period. All ports which submitted bids for the PIF have been informed of the outcome. Holyhead will be served by an HMG-provided inland border controls area.

Ferry services between Ireland and the ports of Holyhead and Fishguard are a matter for the respective Irish and Welsh governments. There have been no direct discussions with Irish Ferries concerning services between Ireland and Pembroke Dock which is part of the Port of Milford Haven. Milford Haven is a reserved major Trust Port.

However, the Department has had regular engagement with the full breath of the maritime sector including ferry operators and Trade Unions. Any operational decisions that could cause potential job losses are regrettable and the Department will continue to engage relevant parties. However, the impact of the global pandemic has created significant challenges and the Department recognises that operators have to make difficult commercial decisions.

Consumers who are shielding due to underlying health conditions should discuss options for a refund or a credit note with their travel provider, or consider a claim through their travel insurance. Government have urged businesses to act fairly in this unprecedented situation. The CAA as the regulator actively monitors airline performance on protecting consumer rights and takes appropriate action where that is not satisfactory.

Vessels will continue to be able to sail between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, or on any other shipping route, after the end of the transition period. No additional steps need to be taken and vessels will therefore continue to have access to the ports of Fishguard and Holyhead as currently.

As of 30th July, there have been 7,372 QWAs tabled this session in comparison, a total of 6,266 QWAs were tabled in the whole of 2019. All departments have been working extremely hard in difficult and unprecedented circumstances. My office is in regular contact with departments about late responses. Additionally, I remind my ministerial colleagues of the need to provide timely answers to written questions and have received assurances that any backlogs are being worked through.

Commercial road vehicles in use on UK roads are expected to meet roadworthiness standards, be suitably loaded and have their drivers’ hours controlled to ensure road safety standards are maintained. We will continue to enforce these standards in a non-discriminatory way with regard to UK/non-UK operators and expect that European Union Member States will continue to act in a similar manner. Discussions are continuing towards a future UK/EU free trade agreement, including international commercial road transport.

Commercial road vehicles in use on UK roads are expected to meet roadworthiness standards, be suitably loaded and have their drivers’ hours controlled to ensure road safety standards are maintained. We will continue to enforce these standards in a non-discriminatory way with regard to UK/non-UK operators and expect that European Union Member States will continue to act in a similar manner. Discussions are continuing towards a future UK/EU free trade agreement, including international commercial road transport.

Commercial road vehicles in use on UK roads are expected to meet roadworthiness standards, be suitably loaded and have their drivers’ hours controlled to ensure road safety standards are maintained. We will continue to enforce these standards in a non-discriminatory way with regard to UK/non-UK operators and expect that European Union Member States will continue to act in a similar manner. Discussions are continuing towards a future UK/EU free trade agreement, including international commercial road transport.

The Department has not made such estimates, and in any case, roads are a devolved matter. Changes in traffic volumes on the road network in Wales (including on the A55) is a matter for the Welsh Government.

There has been, and there will continue to be, frequent liaison between Government Departments, the Welsh Government and other interested parties regarding access to Ireland and access to other EU Member States.

This Government’s current focus is on supporting people whose finances have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, including through income protection schemes, mortgage holidays and additional support for renters.

For those most in need, we have injected more than £6.5 billion into the welfare system, increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by over £1,000 for this financial year. We have also increased Local Housing Allowance rates - putting an average of £600 into people’s pockets.

Non-UK nationals and family members who are issued with a residence permit with a No Recourse to Public Funds condition are not eligible to access taxpayer-funded benefits such as Universal Credit, Child Benefit or housing assistance for the duration of their leave. Public funds do not include contributions-based benefits and the State Pension. The Department has no powers to award taxpayer-funded benefits to an individual whose Home Office immigration status specifies no recourse to public funds. The Home Office determine whether persons granted leave to enter or remain in the UK are eligible to access public funds.

However, as part of its response to COVID-19, the Government announced in the Budget on 11 March that it would provide local authorities in England with £500 million of new grant funding to support economically vulnerable people and households in their local area.

We know this is a worrying time for people and we stand ready to support anyone impacted by job loss. In response to COVID-19 we have established an alternative service to our usual face-to-face offer. People will be able to access redundancy help and job search advice on the Department’s new Job Help campaign website (www.jobhelp.dwp.gov.uk). There is also information on gov.uk and updated information packs provided to employers to help them signpost employees to the support that is available. The support includes:

• connecting people to jobs in the labour market;
• helping with job search including CV writing, interview skills, where to find jobs and how to apply for them;
• helping to identify transferable skills and skills gaps (linked to the local labour market); and
• advising what benefits they may get and how to claim.

The Rapid Response Service is co-ordinated nationally by the National Employer and Partnership Team and managed by Jobcentre Plus. Delivery partners include the National Careers Service, local training providers, employers, HM Revenue & Customs, Money Advice Service and the skills bodies in England.

These services are offered by equivalents in the Devolved Administrations: PACE (Scotland) and ReAct (Wales). Redundancy support in Northern Ireland is devolved with separate funding and delivery arrangements where no partner support is available

Households receiving Universal Credit and tax credits will benefit straight away from the increase of £20 a week in the standard allowances which was announced on 20 March, meaning claimants will be up to £1040 better off. New claimants who have either become unemployed, or whose earnings or work hours have decreased because of the outbreak, will benefit too; subject to their eligibility.

We have also made a number of changes to legacy and other working age benefits in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including increasing certain entitlements, such as Local Housing Allowance, lifting rates to the 30^th percentile from April 2020 which will increase the housing support available and reduce shortfalls for those renting in the private rented sector. Up-to-date information about the employment and benefits support available, including Universal Credit, Statutory Sick Pay, New style Jobseeker’s Allowance, and Employment and Support Allowance, can be found here: https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/employment-and-benefits-support/

The Government is committed to supporting people through this unprecedented time. We have introduced a number of measures, including the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), as well as ensuring Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is payable from day 1, to ensure people are supported.

Unemployed people who are not eligible for SSP or CJRS, may be able to claim Universal Credit (UC), ‘new style’ Jobseeker’s Allowance, or ‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance, and this will include those people who are self-isolating in accordance with government guidelines.

People on zero hour contracts who are already claiming UC do not need to take any actions, as UC will auto adjust to represent the income received within that assessment period.

More information about the support available during the Covid-19 outbreak is available at: www.gov.uk/coronavirus.

The National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) is used as the national register for COVID-19 vaccinations. At the point a COVID-19 vaccine is given, the vaccinating team record this information onto NIMS and a patient’s general practitioner (GP) record. NIMS sends daily updates to GP systems to update their local record and monitor progress for their patients.

Work is ongoing to transfer data between devolved health administrations to ensure that vaccinations which occur outside of the patient’s ‘home’ nation are delivered to their patient record.

Information on general practitioner (GP) practice ownership is not held centrally. It is for local commissioners to arrange the provision of appropriate services, by contracting with providers, in order to best serve the needs of their patient population.

Legislation sets out which individuals and companies are eligible to hold contracts to provide primary medical services. Eligibility varies slightly between contract type but there is no distinction in the eligibility criteria between companies registered in the United Kingdom and those registered overseas.

All contract holders and providers of National Health Service core primary medical services are subject to the same requirements, regulation, and standards. Patients should receive high-quality NHS care when they need it, that is free at the point of use.

Information on general practitioner (GP) practice ownership is not held centrally. It is for local commissioners to arrange the provision of appropriate services, by contracting with providers, in order to best serve the needs of their patient population.

Legislation sets out which individuals and companies are eligible to hold contracts to provide primary medical services. Eligibility varies slightly between contract type but there is no distinction in the eligibility criteria between companies registered in the United Kingdom and those registered overseas.

All contract holders and providers of National Health Service core primary medical services are subject to the same requirements, regulation, and standards. Patients should receive high-quality NHS care when they need it, that is free at the point of use.

Legislation sets out which individuals and companies are eligible to hold contracts to provide primary medical services. Eligibility varies slightly between contract type but there is no distinction in the eligibility criteria between companies registered in the United Kingdom and those registered overseas. All contract holders and providers of National Health Service core primary medical services are subject to the same requirements, regulation, and standards. Patients should receive high-quality NHS care when they need it, that is free at the point of use.

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

We have published support and advice regarding social distancing for blind and visually impaired people in an online only format. The guidance explains how to minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19 while in unfamiliar settings, communicating with others, shopping and exercise. This guidance has been developed to permit support, including guiding, to be given whilst mitigating the risk of transmission as far as possible, informed by the available clinical evidence.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is offered to every adult living in the United Kingdom free of charge, regardless of immigration status. For the first phase of the vaccination programme, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation have advised that the vaccine be given to care home residents and staff, as well as frontline health and social care workers. This includes foreign National Health Service frontline healthcare workers.

National Health Service regional teams are working with appropriate local systems to reach out to unregistered people so as to ensure that all their health needs are met and that they are offered the COVID-19 vaccine in line with Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s priorities. NHS England and NHS Improvement recently launched a general practitioner (GP) registration campaign alongside the voluntary sector. To support this, NHS England and NHS Improvement are providing materials, such as training for practice staff and access cards which support the message that everyone is entitled to register with a GP and give the NHS England and NHS Improvement Customer Contact Centre number for people to use if they have been refused registration.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are the independent experts who advise the Government on which vaccine/s the United Kingdom should use and provide advice on prioritisation at a population level. The JCVI identified that the vaccination of frontline healthcare workers should be a priority for the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Frontline staff are at high risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection but also of transmitting that infection to multiple persons who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 as well as to other staff in a healthcare environment.

Crematorium operations may involve handling the deceased and therefore present a risk of exposure to COVID-19. However, these functions do not necessitate entering or accessing a healthcare setting so there is a low risk of transmitting infection to multiple vulnerable persons or other staff in a healthcare environment.

The General Medical Council (GMC) has taken a number of steps to ensure that doctors’ registration is not delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The GMC has prioritised applications from people who are able to provide the required evidence, which can be assessed more quickly, and will expedite the application of those who already have a job offer subject to the evidence requirements around safe practice.

Requirements for registration ensure that anyone joining the medical register has the necessary medical knowledge and skills to practise safely in the United Kingdom.

The new ‘Skilled Worker’ route will mean roles such as senior care worker and registered manager that meet the skills and/or salary requirements will be eligible for a sponsored Skilled Worker visa. However, we recognise that occupations such as direct care roles which do not meet the skills and salary threshold will not be eligible. The flow of European Union workers into the sector annually is small comparable to the size of the workforce – fewer than 5% of all workers joining the sector in a direct care role in 2019/20 had arrived from the EU in the previous 12 months. Therefore, we expect employers will be able to recruit domestically to outnumber any decreased flow of workers from the EU and we are taking action to support this.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) consists of independent experts who advise the Government on which vaccine/s the United Kingdom should use and provide advice on prioritisation at a population level. The JCVI has advised that the first priorities for any COVID-19 vaccination programme should be the prevention of COVID-19 mortality and the protection of health and social care staff and systems.

Therefore, in line with the recommendations of the JCVI, the vaccine will be initially rolled out to the priority groups including care home residents and staff, people over 80 years old and health and care workers,. The vaccine will then be prioritised amongst the rest of the population in order of age and risk, including those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and all individuals aged 16-64 years old with underlying health conditions such as diabetes.

The General Medical Council took steps to ensure that doctors’ registration was not delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone who submitted an application to register at the start of the pandemic, or who subsequently became eligible and applied, has had their application processed as normal.

The Department does not hold information on whether those whose applications were approved have been allowed to come to the United Kingdom.

The Department has noted the findings from this study. The Therapeutics Taskforce is continuing to monitor any new, high quality evidence on COVID-19 therapeutics.

The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.

The net cost of catering has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic caused by a reduction in revenue because there have been limited catering outlets open (due to fewer Members and staff on site each day) and no banqueting events have taken place since March. The largest cost which impacts the subsidy is payroll and the Administration has continued to pay staff in full each month. Arrangements have been made for variable hours staff to receive pay averaging that which would have been expected prior to the pandemic. Catering management have reviewed the catering operations in view of the continuing effects of COVID-19 and have put mitigations in place, including:

• Stopping the recruitment process to fill current vacancies and any leavers;
• Reducing the items available in the outlets currently open without detriment to quality. This means reducing food costs, production time, and food waste;
• Curtailing expenditure on trading overheads where possible;
• Ensuring the staffing rotas are managed effectively to offer resilience in the COVID-secure workplace.

The financial impact of the pandemic on catering services will remain under review.

It is not possible to concretely identify where infection occurs in individual positive cases of COVID-19. Where someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 has recently travelled on a flight, contact tracing will be carried out by a public health specialist. Priority is given to contact-tracing close contacts and co-travellers, since these persons face a higher risk than other passengers.

All medicines require a licence approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. This includes information about the sites where the medicine may be manufactured and where components may be sourced. There may be multiple sites associated with each licence, which is gives manufacturers resilience in their supply chains, but means that it is not possible for the Department to determine accurately the proportion of medicines manufactured in any one country at any particular time. In addition, any information of this nature that suppliers do share with the Department is commercially confidential.

All medicines require a licence approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. This includes information about the sites where the medicine may be manufactured and where components may be sourced. There may be multiple sites associated with each licence, which is gives manufacturers resilience in their supply chains, but means that it is not possible for the Department to determine accurately the proportion of medicines manufactured in any one country at any particular time. In addition, any information of this nature that suppliers do share with the Department is commercially confidential.

One of the biggest innovations is the pioneering of mass home-testing. Home testing is an innovative solution to provide the best possible access to testing to anyone, anywhere in the country.

Home testing enables anyone who cannot get to a testing site, such as those who are shielding, self-isolating, have mobility issues, live in very rural areas or are waiting for elective surgery, to take a test in their own home. We are continuously improving the testing service so that testing is accessible to all.

We are taking early action, at the beginning of autumn and as infections are starting to rise. By taking this action now we hope we can control the virus so as we get into winter, we will not have to take more drastic action.

Christmas is three months away and we keep all aspects of our response to COVID-19 under review and responsive to the changing number and composition of cases in the country.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published a Medtech Innovation Briefing (MIB) on the Noctura 400 Sleep Mask for diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema in April 2018 [reference number MIB144]. MIBs provide information to National Health Service and care commissioners and staff who are considering using new medical devices and other medical or diagnostic technologies.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have put extra measures in place during the COVID-19 pandemic so that people living with diabetes can continue to receive care. Diabetic Eye Screening (DES) services have not been paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the availability of screening facilities, and in some cases the need to redeploy staff, has led to rescheduling of DES appointments.

DES providers are now working to restore full screening services, prioritising those most at risk of sight loss, followed by those who attended their last screening invitation and for whom there were no signs of eye damage.

The United Kingdom left the European Union on 31 January and is now in a Transition Period until 31 December 2020. During this time, it remains our objective to negotiate a future relationship with the EU and in our respective published negotiating documents, we have both stated objectives to reach an agreement on trade in goods. The UK’s published approach sets out how we want to facilitate trade in medicinal products and support high levels of patient safety.

The Government, pharmaceutical industry and National Health Service will always work closely together to help ensure patients continue to have access, to the medicines and treatments they need, including insulin, under all scenarios.

The Department has well-established procedures to deal with medicine shortages and is working closely with industry, the NHS and others in the supply chain to reduce the likelihood of future shortages resulting from any cause.

The United Kingdom left the European Union on 31 January and is now in a Transition Period until 31 December 2020. During this time, it remains our objective to negotiate a future relationship with the EU and in our respective published negotiating documents, we have both stated objectives to reach an agreement on trade in goods. The UK’s published approach sets out how we want to facilitate trade in medicinal products and support high levels of patient safety.

The Government, pharmaceutical industry and National Health Service will always work closely together to help ensure patients continue to have access, to the medicines and treatments they need, including insulin, under all scenarios.

The Department has well-established procedures to deal with medicine shortages and is working closely with industry, the NHS and others in the supply chain to reduce the likelihood of future shortages resulting from any cause.

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

As part of our concerted national efforts, we will continue doing everything we can to ensure patients continue to access safe and effective medicines in all scenarios.

It remains the Government’s objective to negotiate a future relationship with the European Union before the end of the Transition Period and to make sure that patients reap the rewards. Both the United Kingdom and EU, in their published negotiating documents, have stated objectives to reach an agreement on trade in goods. The UK’s published approach sets out how we want to facilitate trade in medicinal products such as diabetic medicines and medical radioisotopes and support high levels of patient safety.

The Department will continue to work closely with the pharmaceutical industry, the National Health Service and others in the supply chain to help ensure patients can access the medicines they need, and precautions are in place to reduce the likelihood of future shortages.

As part of our concerted national efforts, we will continue doing everything we can to ensure patients continue to access safe and effective medicines in all scenarios.

It remains the Government’s objective to negotiate a future relationship with the European Union before the end of the Transition Period and to make sure that patients reap the rewards. Both the United Kingdom and EU, in their published negotiating documents, have stated objectives to reach an agreement on trade in goods. The UK’s published approach sets out how we want to facilitate trade in medicinal products such as diabetic medicines and medical radioisotopes and support high levels of patient safety.

The Department will continue to work closely with the pharmaceutical industry, the National Health Service and others in the supply chain to help ensure patients can access the medicines they need, and precautions are in place to reduce the likelihood of future shortages.

As part of our concerted national efforts, we will continue doing everything we can to ensure patients continue to access safe and effective medicines in all scenarios.

It remains the Government’s objective to negotiate a future relationship with the European Union before the end of the Transition Period and to make sure that patients reap the rewards. Both the United Kingdom and EU, in their published negotiating documents, have stated objectives to reach an agreement on trade in goods. The UK’s published approach sets out how we want to facilitate trade in medicinal products such as diabetic medicines and medical radioisotopes and support high levels of patient safety.

The Department will continue to work closely with the pharmaceutical industry, the National Health Service and others in the supply chain to help ensure patients can access the medicines they need, and precautions are in place to reduce the likelihood of future shortages.

We have not made a formal assessment of the contribution of National Health Service chaplains during the COVID-19 pandemic. NHS England and NHS Improvement recognise the importance of chaplains, and leaders of all faiths, in the delivery of high-quality palliative and end of life care. The significant role they play in spiritual, emotional and psychological care is recognised in our clinical guides for palliative care in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic and for compassionate visiting arrangements.

On 21 April the Government published guidance for doctors completing Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs) in England and Wales which advised that, in an emergency period, any doctor can complete the MCCD, when it is impractical for the attending doctor to do so. This may, for example, be when the attending doctor is self-isolating, unwell, or has pressure to attend patients. In these circumstances, it may be practical to allow a medical examiner or recently retired doctor returning to work to complete the MCCD. There is no clear legal definition of ‘attended’, but it is generally accepted to mean a doctor who has cared for the patient during the illness that led to death and so is familiar with the patient’s medical history, investigations and treatment.

The safety and well-being of staff and members is at the forefront of the Administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are a range of interventions which have been put in place to support staff during the pandemic, and these are regularly updated and communicated to staff, including on a dedicated section of the parliamentary intranet. The guidance is informed by advice from Public Health England.

The Government have consistently made it clear over the course of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak, and during debates in both Houses on the recent Coronavirus Act 2020, that we will take all measures necessary to protect the public’s health, and that in doing so we will act proportionately and with due regard for the rights of the individual. These measures are therefore intended to be temporary, and the legislation contains many safeguards to ensure that its provisions are in force for only as long as they need to be.

Some measures, for example indemnities for National Health Service employees, will of necessity remain in force after the outbreak is over, but wherever possible we will ensure that we remove any burdens on individuals and on society as soon as the science tell us that we can.

The Government is working closely with the General Medical Council (GMC), which is responsible for registering medical practitioners in the United Kingdom.

Requirements for registration are at a high standard to ensure that anyone joining the medical register has the necessary medical knowledge and skills to practise safely in the UK.

The GMC has prioritised applications from people who are be able to provide the required evidence, which can be assessed more quickly.

The GMC has also written to all final year medical students across the UK to invite them to apply for provisional registration. The GMC will follow its usual policies and procedures to ensure that students joining the medical register are fit to practise.

Infectious diseases such as COVID-19 do not respect borders and we are working closely with the European Union, European countries and global partners to tackle this global pandemic.

As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU Member State, we do not attend EU Health Ministers’ meetings. However, we are engaging constructively with the EU to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. The UK continues to attend EU Health Security Committee meetings related to COVID-19 and shares information through the EU’s Early Warning and Response System. The UK has also confirmed that it will participate in the EU’s latest Joint Procurement round relating to therapeutics and attends meetings of the Joint Procurement Steering Committee.

In addition, we have engaged bilaterally with the European Commission on our respective responses to COVID-19, including on the issue of personal protective equipment and procurement.

Our responses will continue to benefit from this international cooperation, and we are committed to continuing this as we move into future stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups, but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.

The latest data shows that, on a headcount basis, as at December 2019 there were:

- 35,204 non-United Kingdom national doctors, that is 29% of all doctors (excluding unknowns); and

- 56,805 non-UK national nurses and health visitors, that is 18% of all nurses and health visitors (excluding unknowns).

In March 2020 a new, dedicated unit was set up to focus on securing supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE). This unit identified PPE suppliers from across the globe to meet the increasing demand for a growing list of PPE products. We have now contracted with over 150 suppliers able to deliver at the scale and pace the United Kingdom requires.

The central database system for these new PPE contracts, implemented by Cabinet Office colleagues, does not identify non-UK suppliers by individual country; and many of the UK-based suppliers also import supplies from other countries for which the information is not held centrally. It is therefore not possible to supply complete information on how much PPE has been received or purchased from non-UK countries. Procurement Regulations require the publication of Contract Award Notices in the Official Journal of the European Union and certain information will be published on Contracts Finder about the contracts awarded.

The Department has noted the findings from this study. The Therapeutics Taskforce is continuing to monitor any new, high quality evidence on COVID-19 therapeutics.

As part of our concerted national efforts to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, we are doing everything we can to ensure patients continue to access safe and effective medicines.

The Department is working closely with the pharmaceutical industry, the National Health Service and others in the supply chain to help ensure patients can access the medicines they need, and precautions are in place to reduce the likelihood of future shortages.

The Department shares regular information about impending supply issues and management plans with the NHS via networks in primary and secondary care and will liaise with relevant patient groups about issues affecting specific medicines.

The Department is considering carefully all available evidence around the potential of different medicines for use in treating COVID-19.

Clinical trials are being developed to assess the benefits of a number of different medicines in treating COVID-19. Further medicines may be trialled should evidence indicate to the Department that this would be an appropriate course of action.

The world’s largest randomised clinical trial of potential coronavirus treatments is well underway in the United Kingdom as part of the race to find a treatment. A number of promising treatments are being tested and, if the science supports it, will be given to National Health Service patients as quickly as possible.

NHS Digital publishes Hospital and Community Health Services workforce statistics. These include staff working in hospital trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), but not staff working in primary care or in general practitioner surgeries, local authorities or other providers.

As at December 2019, the latest available data, there were 166,857 non-United Kingdom nationals (excluding unknowns) employed in National Health Service trusts and CCGs.

There are no plans to use hotels for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The National Health Service currently reports that hospital bed capacity is sufficient to manage the demand from COVID-19 patients.

The Department continues to work with the hotel sector to support the effort to tackle COVID-19 through provision of accommodation for key workers.

Although several potential drugs for COVID-19 are being trialled around the world, few results have been reported yet, and we do not know if any could help save people who are already seriously ill when diagnosed.

The World Health Organization (WHO) along with several countries in Europe, including the United Kingdom, are coordinating an international trial of the most promising drugs which include the long-used antimalarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, a new antiviral drug called remdesivir and a combination of two HIV drugs called lopinavir and ritonavir. The HIV drugs will also be tested in combination with an antiviral called interferon beta.

The trial will focus on whether any of these drugs reduce mortality or the time patients are in hospital and whether patients receiving drugs require ventilation or an intensive care unit.

On 3 April, the Government also announcement that the world’s largest randomised clinical trial of potential coronavirus treatments is well underway in the UK as part of the race to find a treatment.

Scientific and medical advisers are already developing a new vaccine against the COVID-19, as they initiated vaccine development as soon as the genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus was released.

The Government fully recognises the contribution that international professionals make to the United Kingdom and we remain committed to ensuring that this country still attracts highly skilled people to work here, including for the National Health Service. Many employers in the NHS already cover the cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge in full or as a loan to overseas recruits. The Government is working with NHS England and NHS Improvement to ensure international recruitment best practice is spread throughout the NHS. In addition, we have set out plans to introduce a new NHS visa, which will offer an attractive package for NHS staff. The details of the NHS visa will be announced in due course by the Home Secretary.

The Department is considering carefully all available evidence around the potential of different medicines for use in treating COVID-19.

Clinical trials are being developed to assess the benefits of a number of different medicines in treating COVID-19. Further medicines may be trialled should evidence indicate to the Department that this would be an appropriate course of action.

The country is well prepared to deal with any impacts of COVID-19 and we have stockpiles of generic drugs, in the event of any supply issues or significant increases in demand.

The Department is working closely with industry, the National Health Service and others in the supply chain to help ensure patients can access the medicines they need, and precautions are in place to reduce the likelihood of future shortages.

The steps being taken to protect United Kingdom supplies in response to the COVID-19 outbreak were set out in the Department’s press statement issued on 11 February 2020. These steps include asking suppliers to carry out risk assessments of the potential impacts of COVID-19 on their business and to retain any existing stockpiles of medical supplies from our previous European Union exit work. The statement also outlines that there is no need for the public or NHS to stockpile as this could aggravate problems elsewhere in the supply chain if they emerge.

French policy towards the Taliban is a matter for the French Government. The UK's long-standing policy is that we recognise states not governments. The UK and France, along with other members of the G7, are working closely together to maintain pressure on the Taliban to ensure respect for human rights, including the full access of girls to education and women to employment, to allow humanitarian access, and to sever all contact with terrorist groups.

We are committed to ensuring the delivery of critical drugs, medical supplies and immunisations to the most vulnerable in Afghanistan. We are working with the United States, the EU, Canada; and multilateral organisations including the WHO, World Bank and Global Fund to explore how we can further support primary health care provision in the country.

Supporting education for children, and particularly girls, in Afghanistan, is a priority for the government and we are working with other donors to coordinate a consistent international response. Taliban policy on girls' education remains unclear, particularly in respect of girls' secondary education. We will continue to work with the international community to use our influence to secure girls' rights, including the right to education. Before making any funding decisions we will look carefully at how we might support girls' equal access to schooling.

No funding will be provided directly to the Taliban. Our support will be delivered through partners such as the UN and international NGOs who have capability on the ground, and capacity to deliver at scale, as well as experience of delivering in Taliban controlled areas. Before funding is committed we conduct due diligence assessments on partners and implementation chains to assess risks and actions needed; and we remain in regular contact with partners to review these risks during implementation.

We are clear that all Cubans should have the right to protest peacefully and that detention must not be used as a tool to restrict freedom of expression, assembly or religion. The UK was one of the first countries on 12 July to call for the Cuban people to be allowed to express their views freely and peacefully. We have raised our concerns directly with the Cuban Government, both in London and Havana, and called for the authorities to release information on detained citizens, including their whereabouts.

The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights. The UK is fundamentally opposed to all forms of discrimination and works to uphold the rights and freedoms of LGBT+ people in all circumstances. Our Embassies and High Commissions monitor and raise human rights issues in their host countries. We urge the international community to address discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and to promote diversity and tolerance. We also work with allies and partners through the multilateral system including the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe to stand up for and defend human rights.

We continue to evolve approaches to tackle serious human rights violations and abuses around the world. For example on 6 July 2020, the Government established the Global Human Rights sanctions regime which gives the UK a powerful new tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses.

The UK operates one of the most robust export licensing systems in the world. We publish quarterly and annual statistics on all our export licensing decisions, including details of export licences granted, refused and revoked. Data on licences issued since 2008, including end user destinations, are published as official statistics on GOV.UK.

Her Majesty's Government takes its strategic export control responsibilities very seriously. We will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, including respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.

The UK remains committed to rapid, equitable access to safe and effective vaccines, treatments and tests globally. We have already contributed £548m to the COVAX Advanced Market Commitment, a mechanism to support access for over 100 countries. The Prime Minister confirmed that the UK will share the majority of any surplus vaccines that the UK might have with COVAX and this multilateral mechanism, set up to support international co-operation on vaccines, remains the best way to ensure global equitable access to vaccines.

The Prime Minister has confirmed that the UK will share the majority of any surplus vaccines with COVAX. This multilateral mechanism, set up to support international co-operation on vaccines, remains the best way to ensure global equitable access to vaccines. The UK is committed to rapid, equitable access to safe and effective vaccines, treatments and tests globally.

On 1 March, the Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa announced an extra £87 million in UK aid over the course of financial year 2021/22. We have committed over £1 billion in funding to the humanitarian crisis since the conflict began in 2015. The new UK aid pledge will feed an additional 240,000 of the most vulnerable Yemenis every month, support 400 healthcare clinics and provide clean water for 1.6 million people. We will also provide one-off cash support to 1.5 million of Yemen's poorest households to help them buy food and basic supplies.

The Foreign Secretary has set out seven core priorities for the UK's aid budget in the overarching pursuit of poverty reduction: climate and biodiversity; Covid and global health security; girls' education; science and research; defending open societies and resolving conflict; humanitarian assistance; and promoting trade and economic growth. We are working through our internal business planning process which will allocate the ODA budget across these priorities and geographies.

No final decisions have yet been made on budget allocations for 2021/22.

Details relating to the proposed visit of President Biden to the G7 conference in June will be set out in due course.

President Biden has been invited to the G7 meeting in Cornwall in June. We also hope that he will attend COP26 in Glasgow in November. Any other visits will be set out in due course.

The UK is committed to driving down malaria deaths. This is closely linked to our manifesto commitment to end the preventable deaths of mothers, newborns and children. In 2019, under five-year olds accounted for 67% of all malaria deaths globally.

The UK continues to be one of the most generous donors in the world on malaria. UK investments are broad and lead to significant impact. For example, our support to the Medicines for Malaria ventures has led to the development of the world's first child - friendly antimalarial drug, which has been distributed in more than 50 countries. The UK's current £1.4 billion pledge to the Global Fund is the largest to date and will help to distribute 92 million bednets. The UK's support to countries to strengthen health systems will help to protect the most vulnerable, including children, through sustained malaria prevention and control programmes.

Due to the severe impact that the pandemic has had on our economy, we are taking the tough decision to spend 0.5 per cent of our national income next year on Official Development Assistance, rather than the usual 0.7 per cent. Despite these fiscal pressures, we remain firmly committed to helping the world's poorest people and we will retain our position as a leader in the global fight against poverty. The government intends to return to the 0.7 per cent target when the fiscal situation allows.

UK-funded humanitarian partners with existing presence in Tigray (UN's World Food Programme (WFP), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) Ethiopian Humanitarian Fund) are continuing to provide assistance, where possible and in very challenging circumstances. We are in close contact with them to understand humanitarian needs and establish the status of on-going activities, such as life-saving nutrition support to children, child protection and the installation of water infrastructure in schools. We are also working to secure humanitarian access to deliver further assistance.

Arrangements for the inauguration of the next President of the United States have not yet been announced. However, it is customary for the UK to be represented by our Ambassador in Washington DC at such events.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions we have not contracted election monitors, so will not be sending observers this year. However, we have every confidence that the US election will be free and fair.

As stated in DFID's publicly available Annual Reports and Accounts, the final UK bilateral funding allocation to Yemen was £203 million for the 2017/18 financial year and £238 million for the 2019/20 financial year. This financial year (2020/21) we have committed to spend at least £200 million in aid to Yemen, the same amount we pledged last year, bringing the total UK commitment to over £1 billion since the conflict began in 2015.

The UK is responding to requests by the Greek Government to provide specific humanitarian goods and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is urgently making plans for the delivery of these goods.

We have a close and constructive relationship with the Government of Ireland including on transport matters. During the Covid-19 crisis we were pleased to issue a statement with Ireland and France of our joint commitment to support the vital supply routes between our nations and to share information on our supports to freight routes. The introduction of new shipping routes between Ireland and mainland Europe are a matter for the Irish Government and the commercial operators of those routes.

The House of Lords Administration staff are responsible for self-declaring their nationality or citizenship. As at 27 February 2020, the House of Lords Administration employs staff who identify as nationals or citizens of the following 26 countries and nations:

• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Colombia
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• India
• Ireland
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Lithuania
• Morocco
• Nigeria
• Poland
• Portugal
• Sierra Leone
• Spain
• Tunisia
• Ukraine
• United Arab Emirates
• United States of America

As part of the work to support the Special Development Order submissions to enable the use of Warrington inland border facility, we are carrying out traffic modelling to analyse the potential for congestion of traffic moving from Holyhead to Warrington. We are also carefully considering environmental matters including noise and air quality to minimise any potential impacts.

Recent discussions with Stena Line and Port of Holyhead have also identified an option for conducting Office of Transit at the port temporarily until the enduring facility is available. This is due to the recent availability of extra space at the port and will limit the amount of traffic which is required to use Inland Border Facilities.

Warrington and Birmingham inland border facilities will provide interim support for Common Transit Convention movements through Holyhead for January 2021 ahead of a long term site being developed. Due to the nature of the road networks these locations are along the route that ‘land bridge’ traffic from Holyhead will be likely to take.

In addition, there will be some facilities in Holyhead from January 2021. The small facility at Roadking in Holyhead, which was prepared last year, will remain for drivers seeking to complete their ATA Carnet paperwork. A very limited service will also be provided to start and end transit movements there.

No land has yet been purchased. Two potential sites have been identified in partnership with the Welsh Government and commercial discussions are under way.

The small facility at Roadking in Holyhead, which was prepared last year, will remain for drivers seeking to complete their ATA Carnet paperwork. This will require traders to book in advance with Border Force who will attend to endorse the Carnets.

HMRC will be engaging with Stena and Border Force to explore whether there is any capacity for the port to accommodate other checks.

Traffic management and rest areas are devolved to Welsh ministers but HM Government through HMRC and DfT are developing potential solutions.

The Government is reviewing potential sites to support Holyhead. It is estimated that approximately 14.8 acres of land will be needed to meet the Government’s requirements.

The Government is in continual dialogue with the insurance sector to understand and influence its response to this unprecedented situation. The Government is encouraging insurers to do all they can to support customers during this difficult period.

The independent conduct regulator for the insurance industry – the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has published guidance for firms handling consumer claims, including travel insurance claims, during the COVID-19 crisis.

The FCA’s rules require insurers to handle claims fairly and promptly; provide reasonable guidance to help a policyholder make a claim; not reject a claim unreasonably; and settle claims swiftly once settlement terms are agreed. In addition to this, the FCA has stated that, in light of the COVID-19 crisis, insurers must carefully consider the needs of their customers and show flexibility in their treatment of them. The Government is working closely with the FCA to ensure that these rules are being upheld, and supports the regulator in its role.

HMRC have not purchased any land near the Port of Holyhead for new HGV parking spaces. A number of HGV spaces were leased at the nearby Roadking site to support the processing of ATA Carnets ahead of the UK’s exit from the EU in January 2020. Planning permission for this was granted on 4 October 2019.

The Government is committed to a fair tax system in which those with the most contribute the most. The income tax system consists of three progressive rates of tax, which sit above an internationally high personal allowance. This creates a highly progressive income tax system, with the top 1% of income taxpayers projected to pay over 29% of all income tax in 2019-20.

The Government is proud of its record of reducing tax for working people. The personal allowance has increased by more than 90% in less than a decade, which means that a typical basic rate taxpayer pays over £1,200 less income tax compared to 2010-11.

The Government keeps all aspects of the tax system under review; as the UK exits the current crisis, the Government will take stock of the economy and public finances and make further decisions at that point.

The Government recognizes the challenges faced by households as a result of COVID-19. This is why the Government has announced unprecedented support for public services, business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency.

Budget 2020 announced Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rates would be uprated in line with inflation only so VED liabilities have not increased in real terms since 2010.

In addition, Budget announced a freeze in fuel duty rates for the tenth successive year, which by April 2021, will have saved the average car driver £1,200 compared with pre-2010 plans.

Approximately 1 million coins were minted in October to mark the UK’s exit from the European Union.

Coins bearing this date are to be recycled and the value from the materials will be recouped by the Exchequer. The value gained from recycling these coins is commercially sensitive.

This tragic incident, in which at least 27 people lost their lives, occurred in French waters. Whilst the UK assisted in the immediate search and rescue operation and has offered support to the French authorities in their follow up operation, it remains a French-led criminal investigation. As such, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further except to refer the Noble Lord to the information which the French authorities have already put into the public domain.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the 'Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release', which can be found on gov.uk. Data on the initial decisions made on asylum applications are published in table ASY_D02 of the 'asylum and resettlement detailed datasets' which can be found in the attached Annex. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data cover up to the end of September 2021. Additionally, the Home Office publishes a high-level overview of the data in the 'summary tables'. The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on asylum and resettlement.

The data show in the 6 months from April to September 2021, 246 Afghans (including dependants) were offered protection in the form of asylum, alternative forms of leave, or resettlement in the UK. Of these, 199 were granted asylum, 26 resettlement, and 37 were granted alternative forms of leave (such as humanitarian protection, discretionary leave).

Please note these statistics do not include the resettlement of those under the Afghanistan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) or similar Afghan schemes for locally engaged civilians, or those brought to the UK as part of Operation Pitting.

The UK evacuated around 15,000 individuals to the UK from Kabul during Operation Pitting. This is in addition to circa 2000 arrivals under ARAP between the end of June 2021 and when the evacuation began on 14 August.

Data on the ACRS and other schemes will be included in future statistical releases.

The Office for National Statistics publishes estimates of immigration, emigration and net migration on their website:

International migration - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

Provisional long-term international migration estimates - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

ONS estimates of Emigration from the UK

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

The available Home Office data relate to grants and refusals of applications for settlement. These are published in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’ on GOV.UK:

The latest available data relates to the year ending June 2021. Data for Q3 2021 will be published on 25 November 2021.

Grants and refusals of Settlement in the UK

The Government’s New Plan for Immigration is delivering the most comprehensive reform of the asylum system in decades. An essential element of the Plan is the Nationality and Borders Bill.

A public consultation on the Plan was held earlier this year, with a wide variety of stakeholders from different sections of our society taking part. The Government published its response to the consultation in July, and this can be found on the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-plan-for-immigration.

The Government regularly engages with individuals and groups with an interest in migration, including religious groups, as we take forward the Bill and deliver the New Plan for Immigration.

The responsibility for asylum seekers and refugees lies with the authorities of the country in which they are present in accordance with their international obligations. France has a fully functioning asylum system and is party to both the ECHR and the Refugee Convention.

The Home Office publishes information on asylum in the Immigration statistics quarterly release. Section 2.2 of the ‘How many people do we grant asylum or protection to?’ chapter includes international comparisons on the number of people applying for asylum in the UK and in the EU+ (as published by Eurostat).

There were 37,235 people (applicants and their dependants) who applied for asylum in the UK in the year ending June 2021 (the latest comparable statistics available). This is less than France (87,180) and Spain (67,425), but higher than Italy (24,885) and Greece (24,275). When looking at the EU+ and UK together, the UK received the 4th largest number of applicants, or 8% of the total asylum applicants across the EU+ and UK combined over that period (France and Spain received the second and third largest).

Asylum applications in the UK and the EU have declined in the latest year, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the fall in applications seen by the EU+ (the EU, EEA and Switzerland) (-21%) was steeper than the decline in applications to the UK (-9%).

The number of applications to the UK has remained fairly stable in the last 5 years in comparison with the EU, where application numbers have fluctuated more.

The UK is in discussions regarding the returns of asylum seekers to European Member States; it would not be appropriate to provide a running commentary on these negotiations.

Whilst we are working to secure appropriate new return agreements with safe, third countries, we continue to return people on a case-by-case basis.

Our inadmissibility provisions in the Immigration Rules give us the legal basis to declare an asylum claim as inadmissible where a person has a connection to or has passed through a safe country. The first returns on inadmissible grounds have been successfully carried out.

The latest statistics which were published in August 2021, can be found on gov.uk. The next set of data is due to be published in November 2021.

The UK is in discussions regarding the returns of asylum seekers to European Member States; it would not be appropriate to provide a running commentary on these negotiations.

Whilst we are working to secure appropriate new return agreements with safe, third countries, we continue to return people on a case-by-case basis.

Our inadmissibility provisions in the Immigration Rules give us the legal basis to declare an asylum claim as inadmissible where a person has a connection to or has passed through a safe country. The first returns on inadmissible grounds have been successfully carried out.

The latest statistics which were published in August 2021, can be found on gov.uk. The next set of data is due to be published in November 2021.

At no stage has the Government claimed that the majority of migrants crossing the English Channel are part of criminal gangs. What has been said is that the majority of crossings are judged to be facilitated by criminal gangs.

These crossings are dangerous and unnecessary – France is a safe country with a fully-functioning asylum system, and those in need of refuge have no need to make these hazardous journeys. Those who attempt to cross are endangering themselves and those who have to rescue them. And those who facilitate them are risking the lives of others in the selfish pursuit of profit. Tragically, we have seen further deaths in the last few weeks of people trying to cross the Channel in small boats. We make no apology therefore for going after the evil people smuggling gangs who facilitate the majority of these crossings.

We must ensure that those involved in people smuggling are punished with the severity it rightly deserves. The Nationality and Borders Bill will enable this and will also act as a much stronger deterrent for those tempted to pursue that despicable path. These long overdue reforms will break the business model of the criminal trafficking networks and make their activities unviable.

The Government has committed to welcoming around 5,000 people in the first year of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) - and up to 20,000 over the coming years. The ACRS will be partly modelled on the successful Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), which resettled over 20,000 refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict, over a seven-year period from 2014 to 2021. Further information on the eligibility, prioritisation and referral of people for the ACRS is set out under the Afghanistan resettlement and immigration policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September

The VPRS is now closed. The selection criteria used for the VPRS is replicated for the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), this information is available on gov.uk.

Evaluation of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), and also the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS), is ongoing. The UK Government’s strategy for evaluating the delivery and effectiveness of the VPRS and VCRS is outlined on gov.uk.

The VPRS was also twice inspected by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, in 2018 and 2020, with a number of recommendations accepted and implemented. Details of the inspections, and report overviews can also be found on gov.uk.

The Government has committed to welcoming around 5,000 people in the first year of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) - and up to 20,000 over the coming years. The ACRS will be partly modelled on the successful Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), which resettled over 20,000 refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict, over a seven-year period from 2014 to 2021. Further information on the eligibility, prioritisation and referral of people for the ACRS is set out under the Afghanistan resettlement and immigration policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September

The VPRS is now closed. The selection criteria used for the VPRS is replicated for the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), this information is available on gov.uk.

Evaluation of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), and also the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS), is ongoing. The UK Government’s strategy for evaluating the delivery and effectiveness of the VPRS and VCRS is outlined on gov.uk.

The VPRS was also twice inspected by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, in 2018 and 2020, with a number of recommendations accepted and implemented. Details of the inspections, and report overviews can also be found on gov.uk.

The Government has committed to welcoming around 5,000 people in the first year of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) - and up to 20,000 over the coming years. The ACRS will be partly modelled on the successful Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), which resettled over 20,000 refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict, over a seven-year period from 2014 to 2021. Further information on the eligibility, prioritisation and referral of people for the ACRS is set out under the Afghanistan resettlement and immigration policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September

The VPRS is now closed. The selection criteria used for the VPRS is replicated for the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), this information is available on gov.uk.

Evaluation of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), and also the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS), is ongoing. The UK Government’s strategy for evaluating the delivery and effectiveness of the VPRS and VCRS is outlined on gov.uk.

The VPRS was also twice inspected by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, in 2018 and 2020, with a number of recommendations accepted and implemented. Details of the inspections, and report overviews can also be found on gov.uk.

The latest police recorded crime figures, published by ONS in July 2021 for the year ending March 2021, show that there was a 15% fall in offences involving knives or sharp instruments recorded by the police to 44,286 compared with the year ending March 2020. This was driven by substantial decreases in periods coinciding with national lockdowns. Figures from 2016 to 2021 show a 19% increase in total offences involving the use of a knife.

Tackling knife crime is a priority and the Government is determined to crack down on the scourge of violence devastating our communities.

We are clear about the inherent seriousness of offences involving knives and are determined to do all we can to protect communities and see that knife crime offenders are brought to justice. The Government remains extremely concerned by knife crime, and the corresponding increase in the number of victims of violent crime. This is why we have committed £176.5 million over two years to prevent serious violence in local communities and bolstering police capacity to respond to serious violent crimes when they do occur.

The UK continues to recognise Afghanistan as a state and as such we continue to accept their passports.

The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) is not yet open. Officials are working urgently to stand up the remaining elements of the scheme, amid the complex and changing picture.

The Government will continue to work closely with other government departments, non-governmental organisations, charities, local authorities and other partners and relevant organisations in the development and implementation of the ACRS.

The Government has warmly welcomed hundreds of Afghan nationals to this country who have worked alongside our Armed Forces and diplomats in Afghanistan. There is a significant cross-government effort underway to ensure Afghans arriving in the UK receive the vital support they need to rebuild their lives, find work, pursue education and integrate into their local communities. To do so we are working closely with local authorities, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) and the commercial sector.

In response to the Afghan crisis, a number of NGOs offered their services to the Home Office including Greater Good Global who are helping to provide wraparound services to Afghans accommodated temporarily in hotels, ensuring that they have access to essential living items and services until they are relocated into more permanent accommodation.

In support of increasing the number of initial asylum decisions, the Home Office has recruitment strategies in place to increase staffing to more appropriate levels.

We are working to almost double the number of decision makers to c.1000 by March 2022.

Through the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) the UK will relocate up to 20,000 people at risk, including women and girls and minority groups, so they can rebuild their lives in safety.

On 13^th September, further details on this scheme were set out in a statement made in the House of Commons and published on gov.uk. Through these statements, the Government confirmed that the ACRS will prioritise those who have assisted the UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for the values we share such as democracy, women’s rights and freedom of speech and the rule of law, as well as other vulnerable people, including women, girls and members of minority groups at risk (including ethnic and religious minorities and LGBT+).

To help identify those most at risk and vulnerable, the government will work closely with the UN’s Refugee Agency, UNHCR, to identify and resettle refugees who have fled Afghanistan based on their protection and humanitarian need. The government will also work with international partners and NGOs in the region to implement a referral process for people inside Afghanistan, where safe passage can be arranged, and for those that have recently fled to other countries in the region.

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) launched on 1 April 2021, offering relocation to former Locally Employed Staff in Afghanistan who have been assessed to be at serious risk as a result of their work. Work is underway across the whole of Government to ensure the Afghans who stood side by side with us in conflict, their families and those at highest risk who have been evacuated, are supported as they now rebuild their lives in the UK.

All those brought to the UK under the ARAP scheme will have the right to work, access to education and healthcare, and will be able to apply for public funds. The support provided to them will be similar to that received by those who came on the Syrian Resettlement Programme, ensuring that those who risked their lives by working closely with the British military and UK Government in Afghanistan get access to the vital healthcare, education, accommodation and support into employment they need to fully integrate into society.

Border Security is a reserved matter. Consequently, discussions on this subject have not taken place with the devolved administrations, and there are no plans to do so.

The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK in each quarter in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly release’.

The latest data on returns of Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) are published in Ret_02 and Ret_02q of the returns summary tables. Data on enforced returns (of which ‘deportations’ is a subset), by destination and nationality can be found in Ret_D02 of the returns detailed dataset.

The latest data relate to Q4 2020. Data for Q1 2021 are due to be published on 26 August within the Immigration statistics, year ending June 2021.

The term 'deportations' refers to a legally-defined subset of returns, which are enforced either following a criminal conviction, or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. The published statistics refer to enforced returns which include deportations, as well as cases where a person has breached UK immigration laws and those removed under other administrative and illegal entry powers that have declined to leave voluntarily. Figures on deportations, which are a subset of enforced returns, are not separately available.

The Home Office seeks to return people who do not have any legal right to stay in the UK, which includes people who:

• enter, or attempt to enter, the UK illegally (including people entering clandestinely and by means of deception on entry);
• overstay their period of legal right to remain in the UK;
• breach their conditions of leave;
• are subject to deportation action; for example, due to a serious criminal conviction and
• have been refused asylum.

In September 2020, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons carried out an unannounced inspection of the detention of migrants arriving in Dover in small boats. The report was published in October 2020, and the government’s response to the report was published at the same time.

The report made 20 recommendations of which the government accepted 19. At the time of publishing the government’s response to the report, all the accepted recommendations had been either completed or partially completed.

The Government has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and other support whilst their application for asylum is being considered. Whilst there is no direct assistance to local authorities for asylum dispersal our accommodation providers pay council tax on the properties they procure for asylum accommodation.

For unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC), local authorities receive funding through the Local Government Finance Settlement for all ‘looked-after children’, and in addition the Home Office pays a ‘top up’ tariff directly to local authorities for UASC and former UASC care leavers.

As part of vital updates to the National Transfer Scheme, we announced more than £20m of new funding. The new tariff is £114 per UASC per day, rising to £143 if the local authority is over the 0.07% threshold, or accepts responsibility of a UASC from a higher rate receiving authority, and £270 per UASC care leaver per week. In addition, we have established a new exceptions cost fund of £3m, to support local authorities facing particular high costs for individual children. Further changes include a new national voluntary rota and increased support with age assessment.

We recognise the longstanding role that Kent County Council has played in supporting these vulnerable young people and are extremely grateful for their significant contribution. We have provided substantial operational support to Kent to help alleviate the significant pressures on their children’s services, caused by small boat arrivals on the south coast.

We do not provide accommodation or support for those in the UK illegally.

No, this charter flight is part of our standard operational activity to remove Foreign National Offenders.

Returning Foreign National Offenders to Zimbabwe is also not a new development and recommenced in 2018.

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and their family members who were resident in the UK by the end of the transition period had until 30 June 2021 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. Yet we have made clear where a person eligible for status under the scheme has reasonable grounds for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline, they will be given a further opportunity to apply.

We have published non-exhaustive guidance on what may constitute such reasonable grounds, which underpins a flexible and pragmatic approach to considering late applications under the scheme based on the circumstances of each case.

All applications are decided fairly based on the Immigration Rules.

We currently have 1,500 UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) European Casework staff in post working on applications made to the EUSS.

Our aim is to process all applications to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) as quickly as possible. The majority of applications have been concluded within 5 working days, but cases may take longer dependent on the circumstances of the case, for example if the applicant is facing an impending prosecution or has a criminal record.

The following link lists the expected processing times for EU Settlement Scheme applications, based upon current performance:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-application-processing-times/eu-settlement-scheme-pilot-current-expected-processing-times-for-applications

Fully functioning and tested Aspen cards have been distributed to all service users. The vast majority have activated it and have been using it successfully since the service went live on Monday 24th May 2021.

Where replacement cards have been requested, they are being actioned swiftly and are being dispatched to service users accordingly.

Those experiencing issues with their Aspen card were, and still are, entitled to Emergency Cash Payments (ECPs) if in need. Due to this, all support-entitled asylum seekers were able to receive their benefits, either through an Aspen card or cash payments.

The vast majority of service users have now received and activated their new Aspen card since the service went live on Monday 24th May 2021. These cards are working and being used successfully to make purchases or withdraw funds (dependent on asylum seeker support type).

Fully functioning and tested Aspen cards have been distributed to all service users. The vast majority have activated it and have been using it successfully since the service went live on Monday 24th May 2021.

Where replacement cards have been requested, they are being actioned swiftly and are being dispatched to service users accordingly.

Those experiencing issues with their Aspen card were, and still are, entitled to Emergency Cash Payments (ECPs) if in need. Due to this, all support-entitled asylum seekers were able to receive their benefits, either through an Aspen card or cash payments.

The vast majority of service users have now received and activated their new Aspen card since the service went live on Monday 24th May 2021. These cards are working and being used successfully to make purchases or withdraw funds (dependent on asylum seeker support type).

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of asylum seekers supported by the UK Government.

These statistics are published on a quarterly basis, with the latest information published 27 May 2021 and can be found at: (please see attached table)

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support

The Operation Esparto 11 returns charter flight departed on 12 August 2020. Fourteen people in total were returned under the Dublin Regulation to Germany and France on this flight.

The Government’s efforts to facilitate entirely legitimate and legal returns of people who have entered the U.K. through illegal routes are too often frustrated by last minute challenges submitted hours before a scheduled flight. These claims are very often baseless and entirely without merit, but are given full legal consideration, leading to removal being rescheduled.

This Government’s priority is keeping the people of this country safe, and we make no apology for seeking to remove dangerous foreign criminals and other immigration offenders.

The Penally site was last used to accommodate asylum seekers on 19 March 2021.

The site was handed back to the MOD on 13 May 2021

There is currently nobody housed at Napier Barracks who has tested positive for COVID 19. The previous outbreak was declared over on 6 March 2021.

We have sought Public Health England advice on how we can make best use of this accommodation, working within the constraints of the configuration, whilst minimising risks from COVID-19.

We are using dormitories as shared rooms, but limiting occupancy ensuring a minimum distance between beds of at least 2 metres. This is complemented by a range of additional safety measures including increased cleaning of surfaces, availability of hand sanitisers, a track and trace system, three weekly lateral flow tests for residents and staff and lateral flow tests on arrival for visitors. We also communicate with residents around COVID-19 control measures.

We continue to work with health and public health bodies to ensure an acceptable level of risk in relation to Covid-19.

No-one is detained at Napier Barracks as service users accommodated there are free to come and go as they please.

Asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute can obtain support from the Home Office. The support package usually consists of free, furnished accommodation (with utility bills and council tax paid) and a weekly cash allowance to meet other essential living needs.

The standard weekly cash allowance for a single adult asylum seeker over the past 10 years is set out in the table below.

The PrePaid Financial Services (PFS) solution is a well-established Mastercard pre-paid card that is used by organisations across the UK as well as abroad and has undergone over 5 months of rigorous testing to integrate with Home Office systems.

Service users were notified of the transition in advance and a significant majority of service users have received their Aspen card and successfully activated it. For those who have done this the service is functioning as expected. The cards are fully working, withdrawals and purchases are being made and the automated IVR activation line is operating well.

Transitions of this nature are complex, and plans to mitigate anticipated issues were, and remain, in place. Cash payments were made available in emergencies. We will continue to work with the remainder of service users to activate their cards and ensure they are supported throughout.

As part of our management of service contracts continuous improvement assessments will be factored in throughout the contract term and implemented accordingly.

EU citizens are our friends and neighbours and we want them to stay in the UK, which is why we launched our ground-breaking EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), and for those who do not have status under the EUSS, they can enter the UK for up to six months as visitors, visa free.

Separate to the Immigration Rules any travel to the UK at this time is also subject to requirements relating to the global pandemic. Until 17 May, it was not generally permissible to travel the UK simply for a visit under health regulations set by the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations. Those claiming to be entering for work or study in relation to these regulations must prove they meet our entry requirements, including holding the correct immigration status, for the purpose stated for their journey in relation to the border health regulations.

Individuals, including EU Citizens, may be refused permission to enter the UK if they do not meet COVID19 related health or immigration requirements. COVID19 testing requirements set by EU and other nations, combined with a lack of flights, has meant some cannot be returned as quickly and easily as normal.

We will accept nothing but the highest standards from both Home Office staff and the companies employed to provide detention and escorting services on our behalf. Home office staff have a duty to act professionally and only use detention when it is proportionate, reasonable, and justified in the circumstances. We have issued instructions to staff to reinforce the principle, in all cases there exists a presumption in favour of bail.

In detention, the rights of all detained individuals are protected by the Detention Centre Rules 2001 (DCR), published Operating Standards for immigration removal centres (IRCs) and individuals under escort and Detention Services Orders (DSO).

Published guidance, and the training received by Border Force and Detainee Custody Officers makes it clear physical force and restraint equipment should only be used after a thorough assessment of risk, and in consideration of each individual’s personal circumstances. Where restraints are used, they are removed at the earliest opportunity.

The Home Office and our escorting provider regularly review procedures to reduce the amount of time detained individuals spend on board escorting vehicles. Officers are instructed to process individuals as quickly as practically possible, whilst ensuring they still have a full and proper induction and ultimately maintain the safety and security of all detained individuals and staff involved.

All IRCs have dedicated health facilities run by doctors and nurses which are managed by the NHS or appropriate providers. Detained individuals arriving at IRCs are medically assessed by a nurse within two hours of their arrival and offered an appointment with a doctor within 24 hours. Those carrying prescribed medication, have this medication checked and re-issued by healthcare teams at the earliest possible opportunity. Individuals continue have access to medical assistance, including medication, throughout their time in an IRC.

The use of Penally Training Camp as contingency asylum accommodation ceased on 19 March 2021, with all asylum seekers relocated to alternative accommodation. The site is was handed back to the Ministry of Defence on 13 May 2021.

The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration inspection is ongoing, and the timing of a final inspection report on Contingency Asylum Accommodation is a matter for the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration.

The use of Penally Training Camp as contingency asylum accommodation ceased on 19 March 2021, with all asylum seekers relocated to alternative accommodation. The site is was handed back to the Ministry of Defence on 13 May 2021.

The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration inspection is ongoing, and the timing of a final inspection report on Contingency Asylum Accommodation is a matter for the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration.

The immigration removal estate is kept under ongoing review to ensure that the Home Office has sufficient resilience, geographical footprint and capacity for the men and women it proves necessary to detain for the purposes of removal, while providing value for money.

As part of our plans to manage the closure and return of the Morton Hall immigration removal centre (IRC) to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, the Home Office considered a number of options to maintain necessary capacity in the estate, including the opening of a new IRC.

Given the timescales and value for money considerations, acquiring the vacant Hassockfield site to open as an IRC for women was considered the most cost-effective option for maintaining immigration detention capacity.

Napier is providing safe, coronavirus (COVID-19)-compliant conditions, in line with the law and Public Health England (PHE) guidance on social distancing requirements, including recommendations when using dormitories. The accommodation has been adapted to ensure social distancing can be maintained and occupancy in dormitories is limited to ensure a minimum distance between beds of at least two metres.

This is complemented by a range of additional safety measures including increased cleaning, availability of personal cleaning products and hand sanitisers, twice weekly lateral flow tests for all residents, staff and visitors and a track and trace system. Our service providers have robust plans in place to minimise the risk of an outbreak of COVID-19 and an action plan should a COVID-19 outbreak occur.

We have established links to the appropriate leads from the local authority, PHE and statutory bodies and are committed to working with them to support the people who we accommodate and the communities where they live. Regular Multi-Agency Forums are held to ensure concerns are understood, so issues are managed and resolved accordingly.

The Home Office is supporting policing to build its digital capability and maximise the use of technologies to ensure it can respond effectively to crime and protect the public, including women.

The Single Online Home (SOH) is a national platform that provides a digital front counter and online services for the public. SOH launched a pilot domestic abuse reporting service in October 2020 across five forces following heightened risks of hidden harms during the pandemic. Designed in consultation with forces, the NPCC Domestic Abuse Lead, and external charities, the service is very much victim focused and provides victims with a discrete reporting mechanism to access the support they need. The service has received a total of 1168 reports and is being used to inform a national roll out.

In light of the recent and tragic death of Sarah Everard, we have more than doubled the size of the Safer Streets Fund, which will bring funding for these local projects to £45 million in the 2021/22 financial year. Through the Safer Streets Fund, we will work with Police and Crime Commissioners and Local Authorities to deploy measures such as CCTV and improved street lighting that improve the safety of public spaces, with a focus on increasing the safety of women and girls.

Through our landmark Domestic Abuse Bill we will also strengthen our response to perpetrators and improve our support to victims. The Bill will introduce mandatory polygraph examinations of high-risk domestic abuse offenders on licence.

We intend to publish two strategies this year focussed on tackling Violence Against Women and Girls and Domestic Abuse, which will ensure a cross-government response to ensuring and increasing the safety of women and girls.

We have published the Full Government Response to the Online Harms White Paper, which includes specific measures to work with private companies and ensure that they are held to account for tackling illegal activity and content, such as hate crime, harassment, and cyber-stalking, as well as activity and content which may not be illegal but is nonetheless highly damaging to individuals (legal but harmful). The Full Government Response will be followed by legislation, which we are working on at pace, and will be ready this year.

The current global pandemic has presented us with significant challenges when it comes to the provision of asylum accommodation, including sourcing sufficient suitable accommodation to meet demand.

The use of hotels and wider government facilities as contingency accommodation are a short-term measure. We are working to move people to longer-term dispersal accommodation as soon as it becomes available.

This Government is committed to recruiting an additional 20,000 police officers by March 2023.

We are providing £700 million this year to help with the recruitment of 6,000 additional officers by the end of March 2021.

I am pleased to say that as at 31 December 2020, 6,620 additional officers have been recruited as a result of the Police Uplift Programme.

I am extremely grateful to those brave men and women who have signed up to join the police and keep our communities safe.

The Government is committed to reducing serious violence and putting an end to the tragedies afflicting our communities. It is important that we work across government, statutory, private, and voluntary sectors to deliver change.

We have announced we are investing a further £25m into the Safer Streets Fund this year, focused on ensuring people feel safe in public spaces and building on the £45m we have already committed. This investment will be launched in May once the pre-election period attached to local council and Police and Crime Commissioner elections has ended.

The Fund will deliver physical crime prevention measures, such as improved street lighting or increased CCTV coverage. There is strong evidence to show that simple solutions like these helps prevent crimes before they happen, empowering communities and individuals, including women and girls, to feel truly safe.

Violence Reduction Units are a key component of the Government’s investment to tackle violence at a local level. They bring together local partners in the 18 areas most affected by serious violence to deliver an effective, joined up approach to tackling violent crime and its drivers. The Home Office has invested £70m funding over two years (19/20 – 20/21) for Violence Reduction Units (VRUs). On 8 February, we announced a further £35m of funding for VRUs for 2021/22.

We are committed to tackling all forms of abuse against women and girls. The previous VAWG Strategy included sexual harassment for the first time in recognition of the disproportionate impact that it has on women and girls.

The Government takes all forms of harassment extremely seriously. Whether it is in the workplace, on the street, or as part of domestic or sexual abuse – sexual harassment, in any situation, is unacceptable.

We will be publishing a new Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy in 2021 which will help to better target perpetrators and support victims of these crimes and increase our ability to tackle emerging forms of VAWG such as ‘upskirting’ and revenge porn.

To inform the new strategy, we launched a Call for Evidence on 10 December, inviting responses from the public, victims, their friends, family and colleagues as well as victim support organisations, frontline professionals, and academics.

Following the tragic case of Sarah Everard and subsequent outpouring of stories and experiences of women who have faced violence or harassment, the Home Secretary decided to re-open the Government’s Call for Evidence on Friday 12 March, for a 2-week period, to inform the new strategies to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls. So far there have been over 147,000 responses to the call for evidence.

The Government is committed to reducing serious violence and putting an end to the tragedies afflicting our communities. It is important that we work across government, statutory, private, and voluntary sectors to deliver change.

We have announced we are investing a further £25m into the Safer Streets Fund this year, focused on ensuring people feel safe in public spaces and building on the £45m we have already committed. This investment will be launched in May once the pre-election period attached to local council and Police and Crime Commissioner elections has ended.

The Fund will deliver physical crime prevention measures, such as improved street lighting or increased CCTV coverage. There is strong evidence to show that simple solutions like these helps prevent crimes before they happen, empowering communities and individuals, including women and girls, to feel truly safe.

Violence Reduction Units are a key component of the Government’s investment to tackle violence at a local level. They bring together local partners in the 18 areas most affected by serious violence to deliver an effective, joined up approach to tackling violent crime and its drivers. The Home Office has invested £70m funding over two years (19/20 – 20/21) for Violence Reduction Units (VRUs). On 8 February, we announced a further £35m of funding for VRUs for 2021/22.

We are committed to tackling all forms of abuse against women and girls. The previous VAWG Strategy included sexual harassment for the first time in recognition of the disproportionate impact that it has on women and girls.

The Government takes all forms of harassment extremely seriously. Whether it is in the workplace, on the street, or as part of domestic or sexual abuse – sexual harassment, in any situation, is unacceptable.

We will be publishing a new Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy in 2021 which will help to better target perpetrators and support victims of these crimes and increase our ability to tackle emerging forms of VAWG such as ‘upskirting’ and revenge porn.

To inform the new strategy, we launched a Call for Evidence on 10 December, inviting responses from the public, victims, their friends, family and colleagues as well as victim support organisations, frontline professionals, and academics.

Following the tragic case of Sarah Everard and subsequent outpouring of stories and experiences of women who have faced violence or harassment, the Home Secretary decided to re-open the Government’s Call for Evidence on Friday 12 March, for a 2-week period, to inform the new strategies to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls. So far there have been over 147,000 responses to the call for evidence.

The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration announced an inspection of contingency asylum accommodation on 25 January 2021.

The department acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish on 8 March the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally.

The ICIBI’s inspection continues and a full inspection report will follow.

The duration of the inspection is a matter for the ICIBI and upon its conclusion, following standard procedure set out in the UK Borders Act 2007, the Department will issue a formal response alongside the inspection report as it is laid before Parliament and published on Gov.UK.

197 people accommodated at Napier tested positive for coronavirus earlier this year. There have been no recorded cases at Penally.

The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration announced an inspection of contingency asylum accommodation on 25 January 2021.

The department acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish on 8 March the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally.

The ICIBI’s inspection continues and a full inspection report will follow.

The duration of the inspection is a matter for the ICIBI and upon its conclusion, following standard procedure set out in the UK Borders Act 2007, the Department will issue a formal response alongside the inspection report as it is laid before Parliament and published on Gov.UK.

197 people accommodated at Napier tested positive for coronavirus earlier this year. There have been no recorded cases at Penally.

Napier and Penally have been used to accommodate destitute asylum seekers. On 1 December 2020, 403 asylum seekers were accommodated at Napier and 148 at Penally. On 1 March 2021, these figures were 55 and 65 respectively.

The department acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish on 8 March 2021 the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally. The ICIBI’s inspection report will be laid before Parliament in the usual way after the inspection has concluded. The Department will issue a formal response alongside the report as it is published on Gov.UK.

It is not known when the final inspection report will be received as this is a matter for the ICIBI.

Napier and Penally have been used to accommodate destitute asylum seekers. On 1 December 2020, 403 asylum seekers were accommodated at Napier and 148 at Penally. On 1 March 2021, these figures were 55 and 65 respectively.

The department acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish on 8 March 2021 the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally. The ICIBI’s inspection report will be laid before Parliament in the usual way after the inspection has concluded. The Department will issue a formal response alongside the report as it is published on Gov.UK.

It is not known when the final inspection report will be received as this is a matter for the ICIBI.

Asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute are provided with accommodation and a weekly allowance to cover their other essential living needs.

The level of the standard allowance is reviewed each year and adjusted where necessary. As a result of this year’s review the allowance has been raised from £37.75 per week to £39.63 per week. The £39.63 rate took effect from 22 February 2021, although an earlier exceptional temporary increase to £39.60 was implemented from 15 June 2020 pending the outcome of the full review.

The allowance is reduced if the asylum seeker is accommodated in full-board facilities where some of their essential living needs, for example food and toiletries, are provided in kind.

The Home Office publishes data on asylum applications in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of asylum applications that had an age dispute raised are published in table Asy_D05 of the asylum and resettlement detailed datasets. The table below is given from the published data.

Age disputes raised for asylum applicants between 2006 and 2020

Notes:

1. An age dispute case refers to an applicant who does not have credible documentary or other persuasive evidence to demonstrate their age claimed,

2. 'Age disputes raised' relates to the number of age assessment requests raised for a main asylum applicant in a year. Figures to the period when the age dispute was raised, which may differ from the period the asylum application was received.

3. Age dispute figures for years before 2010 can be found in as_10 of the old format asylum data tables volume 3.

Data on age disputes prior to 2006 is not readily available.

Information on how to use dataset Asy_D05 can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relate up to December 2020. Additionally, the Home Office publishes a high-level overview of the data in the ‘summary tables’. The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on asylum and resettlement.

Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’.

As required by law, we provide asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute with accommodation which is safe, secure and fit-for-purpose, paid for by the taxpayer.

We welcome independent scrutiny of our sites, processes and procedures; and routinely facilitate inspections from relevant bodies to assure ourselves of the ongoing safety and suitability of the accommodation and services we provide.

The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration announced an inspection of contingency asylum accommodation on 25 January 2021.

The department acknowledges the ICIBI’s decision to publish on 8 March the initial findings from site visits to Napier Barracks and Penally.

The ICIBI’s inspection report will be laid before Parliament in the usual way after the inspection has concluded. The Department will issue a formal response alongside the report as it is published on Gov.UK. It is not known when the final inspection report will be received but this is a matter for the ICIBI.

An independent rapid review was also recently conducted to assure ourselves of the extensive COVID-19 protocols in place to safeguard the health and safety of asylum seekers during the pandemic. The Home Office is currently reviewing and acting upon the recommendations of the review.

We continue to work closely with our provider and partners to identify opportunities for improvement, as we do across our entire accommodation estate.

Due to pressures on the asylum system caused by the pandemic and high intake, the Home Office had to identify available contingency accommodation and put it to use quickly to ensure we could met our statutory duty to provide accommodation to any asylum seeker who would otherwise be destitute.

Following a review of available government property, the Ministry of Defence agreed to temporarily hand over two of their sites: the Penally Training Camp in Pembrokeshire and the Napier Barracks in Kent. These sites were both suitable and immediately available to be used to house asylum seekers. The accommodation, which until recently was used by the MOD is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped in line with existing asylum accommodation standards contractual requirements.

We have appropriate health care provision at both sites, having worked closely with the Local Health Board in Pembrokeshire and Clinical Commissioning Group in Kent. At Napier Barracks, asylum seekers have access to a prescribing nurse on site, who is linked to the local GP surgery where the asylum seekers are all registered. Transportation is made available, where necessary, to take asylum seekers to any in person medical appointments required.

Our accommodation providers have worked closely with Public Health England and Wales to ensure that all Covid-19 regulations are met and social distancing can be adhered to, including while transporting asylum seekers to and from accommodation sites, this includes the deep cleaning of vehicles and restrictions on the number of people being transported at any one time.

We do not publish figures on the number of asylum seekers accommodated in initial accommodation (including temporary) sites, however the numbers of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support.

We also do not publish figures on the numbers of asylum seekers who have tested positive for, or have passed away, from Covid-19.

Due to pressures on the asylum system caused by the pandemic and high intake, the Home Office had to identify available contingency accommodation and put it to use quickly to ensure we could met our statutory duty to provide accommodation to any asylum seeker who would otherwise be destitute.

Following a review of available government property, the Ministry of Defence agreed to temporarily hand over two of their sites: the Penally Training Camp in Pembrokeshire and the Napier Barracks in Kent. These sites were both suitable and immediately available to be used to house asylum seekers. The accommodation, which until recently was used by the MOD is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped in line with existing asylum accommodation standards contractual requirements.

We have appropriate health care provision at both sites, having worked closely with the Local Health Board in Pembrokeshire and Clinical Commissioning Group in Kent. At Napier Barracks, asylum seekers have access to a prescribing nurse on site, who is linked to the local GP surgery where the asylum seekers are all registered. Transportation is made available, where necessary, to take asylum seekers to any in person medical appointments required.

Our accommodation providers have worked closely with Public Health England and Wales to ensure that all Covid-19 regulations are met and social distancing can be adhered to, including while transporting asylum seekers to and from accommodation sites, this includes the deep cleaning of vehicles and restrictions on the number of people being transported at any one time.

We do not publish figures on the number of asylum seekers accommodated in initial accommodation (including temporary) sites, however the numbers of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support.

We also do not publish figures on the numbers of asylum seekers who have tested positive for, or have passed away, from Covid-19.

Due to pressures on the asylum system caused by the pandemic and high intake, the Home Office had to identify available contingency accommodation and put it to use quickly to ensure we could met our statutory duty to provide accommodation to any asylum seeker who would otherwise be destitute.

Following a review of available government property, the Ministry of Defence agreed to temporarily hand over two of their sites: the Penally Training Camp in Pembrokeshire and the Napier Barracks in Kent. These sites were both suitable and immediately available to be used to house asylum seekers. The accommodation, which until recently was used by the MOD is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped in line with existing asylum accommodation standards contractual requirements.

We have appropriate health care provision at both sites, having worked closely with the Local Health Board in Pembrokeshire and Clinical Commissioning Group in Kent. At Napier Barracks, asylum seekers have access to a prescribing nurse on site, who is linked to the local GP surgery where the asylum seekers are all registered. Transportation is made available, where necessary, to take asylum seekers to any in person medical appointments required.

Our accommodation providers have worked closely with Public Health England and Wales to ensure that all Covid-19 regulations are met and social distancing can be adhered to, including while transporting asylum seekers to and from accommodation sites, this includes the deep cleaning of vehicles and restrictions on the number of people being transported at any one time.

We do not publish figures on the number of asylum seekers accommodated in initial accommodation (including temporary) sites, however the numbers of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support.

We also do not publish figures on the numbers of asylum seekers who have tested positive for, or have passed away, from Covid-19.

Due to pressures on the asylum system caused by the pandemic and high intake, the Home Office had to identify available contingency accommodation and put it to use quickly to ensure we could met our statutory duty to provide accommodation to any asylum seeker who would otherwise be destitute.

Following a review of available government property, the Ministry of Defence agreed to temporarily hand over two of their sites: the Penally Training Camp in Pembrokeshire and the Napier Barracks in Kent. These sites were both suitable and immediately available to be used to house asylum seekers. The accommodation, which until recently was used by the MOD is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped in line with existing asylum accommodation standards contractual requirements.

We have appropriate health care provision at both sites, having worked closely with the Local Health Board in Pembrokeshire and Clinical Commissioning Group in Kent. At Napier Barracks, asylum seekers have access to a prescribing nurse on site, who is linked to the local GP surgery where the asylum seekers are all registered. Transportation is made available, where necessary, to take asylum seekers to any in person medical appointments required.

Our accommodation providers have worked closely with Public Health England and Wales to ensure that all Covid-19 regulations are met and social distancing can be adhered to, including while transporting asylum seekers to and from accommodation sites, this includes the deep cleaning of vehicles and restrictions on the number of people being transported at any one time.

We do not publish figures on the number of asylum seekers accommodated in initial accommodation (including temporary) sites, however the numbers of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support.

We also do not publish figures on the numbers of asylum seekers who have tested positive for, or have passed away, from Covid-19.

Due to pressures on the asylum system caused by the pandemic and high intake, the Home Office had to identify available contingency accommodation and put it to use quickly to ensure we could met our statutory duty to provide accommodation to any asylum seeker who would otherwise be destitute.

Following a review of available government property, the Ministry of Defence agreed to temporarily hand over two of their sites: the Penally Training Camp in Pembrokeshire and the Napier Barracks in Kent. These sites were both suitable and immediately available to be used to house asylum seekers. The accommodation, which until recently was used by the MOD is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped in line with existing asylum accommodation standards contractual requirements.

We have appropriate health care provision at both sites, having worked closely with the Local Health Board in Pembrokeshire and Clinical Commissioning Group in Kent. At Napier Barracks, asylum seekers have access to a prescribing nurse on site, who is linked to the local GP surgery where the asylum seekers are all registered. Transportation is made available, where necessary, to take asylum seekers to any in person medical appointments required.

Our accommodation providers have worked closely with Public Health England and Wales to ensure that all Covid-19 regulations are met and social distancing can be adhered to, including while transporting asylum seekers to and from accommodation sites, this includes the deep cleaning of vehicles and restrictions on the number of people being transported at any one time.

We do not publish figures on the number of asylum seekers accommodated in initial accommodation (including temporary) sites, however the numbers of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support.

We also do not publish figures on the numbers of asylum seekers who have tested positive for, or have passed away, from Covid-19.

An answer to the question by the Noble Lord cannot be obtained as to do so would be at a disproportionate cost to the Department.

We would in any event be unable to confirm with certainty what representations were received in the last 30 years, as it is possible that such representations would have been destroyed in accordance with information retention and disposal schedules.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the asylum system has faced significant pressures and it has become necessary to use additional temporary accommodation to ensure the Home Office can continue to meet all of its statutory obligations.

Penally Training Camp is temporary, contingency accommodation whilst we continue to address the issues putting pressure on the asylum system. The site was previously used by our armed forces and provides safe, suitable and warm accommodation in line with existing contractual requirements for asylum accommodation.

Most recently we asked an independent health and safety consultancy, Human Applications to carry out a rapid review of a number of asylum accommodation sites including Penally. The Home Office is reviewing the recommendations of the review and will seek to publish a summary of the recommendations. We will also hold round tables with stakeholders to discuss the recommendations, actions taken and proposed next steps.

We continue to work closely with our provider and partners to identify opportunities for enhancement, as we do across our entire accommodation estate.

For the first phase of the vaccine rollout, the Government is prioritising the elderly and clinically vulnerable, alongside the front-line healthcare workers who are directly treating and caring for them. Those over 50, and all adults in an exposure risk group, will then also be eligible for vaccination in the early phase of the programme. This already includes many police officers and police staff.

The Government recognise the vital work of the police and we continue to reemphasise that in discussions on the next phase of the vaccine prioritisation.

The Government takes the wellbeing of asylum seekers extremely seriously. We provide asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute with safe, warm and secure accommodation, where they receive three meals a day, whilst their claims are being processed.

Those we are accommodating are not detained and are free to come and go. We have a robust complaints process in place where those we support (or those representing them) can raise concerns through the 24/7 helpline operated by Migrant Help.

In response to the protests held at Napier, officials arranged a call with some of the residents to listen to their concerns. Reassurances were provided that moves out of the camp will shortly recommence, with vulnerability, time spent in the asylum process and overall length of stay in intial accommodation as a key considerations in this process. Weekly Home Office-led forums with residents will also be held going forward and surveys in relation to food and living standards at the site will be undertaken.

The Home Office will continue to review the operation of the site and will make any improvements necessary. We continue to work closely with our provider and partners to identify opportunities for improvement, as we do across our entire accommodation estate.

The Home Office’s immigration departments have a legal duty under section 55 of the 2009 Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the discharge of its functions.

Where the child of a foreign national offender is not being deported and remains with their other parent or guardian whose asylum claim in the UK is outstanding or being appealed, support may be provided under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 in the provision of accommodation or cash subsistence in circumstances where the family would otherwise face destitution.

In the event that the asylum-seeking parent or guardian is appeal rights exhausted and their dependents are 18 or over, they may qualify for ongoing support under section 4 of the Act if they face a practical barrier to leaving the UK.

Where an asylum-seeking family have received refugee status, they would be eligible to apply for mainstream social security benefits and accommodation.

As required by law, we provide asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute with accommodation. In Penally, we also provide asylum seekers with free meals. This support is paid for by the taxpayer.

We are in regular contact with accommodation providers and the meals provided are high quality and in line with NHS Eatwell guidelines.

We are aware of an incident on Sunday, 20 December 2020, where a group attempted to share items on site. Whilst food is not permitted due to safety reasons, any other item must also comply with our safety and coronavirus measures before being distributed. All items that did not meet these guidelines were returned.

During these unprecedented times we have worked with local authorities and other partners to provide asylum seekers, who would otherwise be destitute, with suitable accommodation – as we are required to do by law.

As part of this work we are looking at using a site on Ministry of Defence land in Barton Stacey to accommodate those awaiting a decision on their claim.

If the plans go ahead, we will be using emergency planning powers. This is lawful because the area is Crown land.

This Government has made it clear that we are embarking on an ambitious programme to fix our broken asylum system to make it firm and fair. As the Home Secretary said in her Conservative Party Conference speech, we will seek to stop abuse of the system while ensuring it is compassionate towards those who need our help, welcoming people through safe and legal routes.

Section 3 of the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2020 (the Act) sets out a statutory obligation to review the ways in which protection claimants, including unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC), who are in an EU member state are able to enter the United Kingdom lawfully. As a part of this review, the statutory obligation includes a public consultation on legal routes for UASC in the EU seeking to join family in the UK.

The Act includes a requirement to lay a statement before Parliament by 10 February 2021 providing further details of the review and consultation.

The Government has also made a commitment, in the event of a non-negotiated outcome with the EU, to seek to pursue new bilateral negotiations on post-transition migration issues with key countries of mutual interest, including on new arrangements for the family reunion of unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

The charter flight to Jamaica departed the UK on 2 December 2020 carrying 13 foreign national offenders (FNOs) convicted of serious offences including murder, attempted rape, aggravated burglary and supplying Class A drugs. They were sentenced to a combined total of over 100 years, which included one life sentence.

There were 23 FNOs who were sentenced to a combined total of 156 years plus one life sentence who were not deported on the charter, including a murderer and rapists.

We are unable to comment on individual cases and therefore cannot provide the detailed reasons why those removed from the flight were not deported; however, the majority were due to last minute legal challenges. We are progressing these cases as a priority.

This Government takes seriously its obligation under the UK Borders Act 2007 to deport any FNO who has served a custodial sentence of at least 12 months; and we will continue to seek to remove dangerous criminals and protect our communities.

Extensive cooperation was provided to HMG’s returns charter flight by the Jamaican government and its agencies. Representatives from the Jamaican Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Passport and Immigration Agency and the Jamaican Constabulary Force facilitated arrangements for receiving travellers, conducting COVID19 tests and transfers to pre-arranged hotel accommodation to quarantine, pending test results.

Following quarantine people will be placed into the care of friends or family, with additional support offered by charities Open Arms and the National Organisation for Deported Migrants (NODM). These charities offer on-arrival assistance, including transport to new places of residence, guidance on reintegration to Jamaican society and access to the Open Arms Development Centre, which can provide accommodation and vocational training.

The Home Office welcomes any analysis of the effectiveness of police tactics.

The police tell us that stop and search is a vital tool which helps them tackle serious violence and protect communities. We remain clear that no one should be stopped based on protected characteristics, including race and age. Safeguards exist to ensure this, including Code A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 which sets out the statutory requirements for conducting a search, the use of body worn video to increase accountability, and HMICFRS inspections where force level disparities are examined. The Home Office also publishes extensive data on police powers, including the use of stop and search, which allows Police and Crime Commissioners and others to hold forces to account. The latest publication is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales-year-ending-31-march-2020.

The causes of disparities in stop and search are complex. This Government has committed to tackling racial disparities and broader structural inequalities as part of the Prime Minister’s Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities.

All operational decisions on how stop and search is carried out in London are a matter for the Metropolitan Police Service and City of London Police.

One of this Government’s key objectives is to protect the public by removing foreign national offenders who commit criminal offences and have no right to remain in the UK. Since January 2019, 6,450 foreign criminals have been deported.

We are unable to comment on individual cases and therefore cannot provide you with the reasons for deportation of those due to be on board this flight or the details of any appeals made. However, those due to be removed on the flight include people convicted of murder, rape, manslaughter, violent crime, firearms offences, burglary and the appalling scourge of dealing Class-A drugs. These are serious offences which have a very real and lasting impact on the victims and the communities in which we all live.

Those being deported are provided with the opportunity to raise reasons why they should not be deported, prior to deportation. All issues raised will be fully considered and decided before deportation. The UK only ever returns those who the Home Office and, where applicable, the courts are satisfied do not need our protection and have no legal basis to remain in the UK.

All asylum seekers have access at all times to Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE), a single, integrated service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help.

The AIRE service provides advice and guidance to asylum seekers on the asylum process, their rights and signposts different services.

This includes information on the availability of legal advice and representation, including legal aid, upon induction into temporary accommodation.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area, which includes those in hotel and wider government facilities. These statistics can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support.

There is no secrecy about our use of Napier and Penally as accommodation, but privacy of individuals must be maintained. The accommodation itself is entirely adequate for its purpose, with the same standards applied as for other asylum accommodation. We are taking great care to ensure that we provide safe, secure accommodation and that everyone has access to the support they need. This includes providing asylum seekers with privacy and confidentiality as would be expected for those seeking sanctuary in the UK where it would be damaging for their identities to be revealed.

All asylum seekers have access at all times to Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE), a single, integrated service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help.

The AIRE service provides advice and guidance to asylum seekers on the asylum process, their rights and signposts different services.

This includes information on the availability of legal advice and representation, including legal aid, upon induction into temporary accommodation.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area, which includes those in hotel and wider government facilities. These statistics can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support.

There is no secrecy about our use of Napier and Penally as accommodation, but privacy of individuals must be maintained. The accommodation itself is entirely adequate for its purpose, with the same standards applied as for other asylum accommodation. We are taking great care to ensure that we provide safe, secure accommodation and that everyone has access to the support they need. This includes providing asylum seekers with privacy and confidentiality as would be expected for those seeking sanctuary in the UK where it would be damaging for their identities to be revealed.

All asylum seekers have access at all times to Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE), a single, integrated service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help.

The AIRE service provides advice and guidance to asylum seekers on the asylum process, their rights and signposts different services.

This includes information on the availability of legal advice and representation, including legal aid, upon induction into temporary accommodation.

The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of asylum seekers accommodated in each local authority area, which includes those in hotel and wider government facilities. These statistics can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-support.

There is no secrecy about our use of Napier and Penally as accommodation, but privacy of individuals must be maintained. The accommodation itself is entirely adequate for its purpose, with the same standards applied as for other asylum accommodation. We are taking great care to ensure that we provide safe, secure accommodation and that everyone has access to the support they need. This includes providing asylum seekers with privacy and confidentiality as would be expected for those seeking sanctuary in the UK where it would be damaging for their identities to be revealed.

The Government demands the highest standards from contractors and their accommodation and monitor them closely to ensure this is maintained. All accommodation provided is required to be safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped, and to comply with relevant national or local housing legislation. These standards apply to all accommodation used by the Home Office including the Ministry of Defence sites in Pembrokeshire and Folkestone.

Both Penally and Napier Barracks have been inspected during November, neither inspection found any contractual failings. There are no plans to publish the inspection reports.

The Home Office is committed to publishing data in an orderly way as part of the regular quarterly Immigration Statistics, in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. These can be found at

www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics

To access the number of refugees resettled since 2010, access the latest statistical release using the link above, then “data tables”, “asylum and resettlement” and select either the summary or detailed resettlement tables. The next set of figures will be in the quarterly release on 26 November 2020.(see attached)

Information on the amount in total that has been paid to claimants under the Windrush Compensation Scheme and the total amount of claimants that have received payments to date is available to view on GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-data-october-2020. There inevitably is a high degree of uncertainty around estimated costs and volumes and the Home Office will continue to review estimates as more payments are made. However, there is no cap on the amount of compensation that the Home Office will pay out.

A total of 196 claimants have received payment up to the end of September 2020. We are processing claims and awarding compensation as quickly as possible. The first payment was made just four months after the scheme was launched and we are making interim payments where parts of a claim can be resolved more easily than others.

An offer must be accepted by a claimant before it can be paid, and claimants have a right of review. Overall, the value of all payments made through the scheme was over £1.6m. A further £1.2m had been offered to individuals, awaiting acceptance or pending review. https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2020/08/27/windrush-factsheet-august-2020/. The published figures also show that 80 claims have been rejected on eligibility grounds and 81 claims had a zero award under entitlement.

Information on the amount in total that has been paid to claimants under the Windrush Compensation Scheme and the total amount of claimants that have received payments to date is available to view on GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-data-october-2020. There inevitably is a high degree of uncertainty around estimated costs and volumes and the Home Office will continue to review estimates as more payments are made. However, there is no cap on the amount of compensation that the Home Office will pay out.

A total of 196 claimants have received payment up to the end of September 2020. We are processing claims and awarding compensation as quickly as possible. The first payment was made just four months after the scheme was launched and we are making interim payments where parts of a claim can be resolved more easily than others.

An offer must be accepted by a claimant before it can be paid, and claimants have a right of review. Overall, the value of all payments made through the scheme was over £1.6m. A further £1.2m had been offered to individuals, awaiting acceptance or pending review. https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2020/08/27/windrush-factsheet-august-2020/. The published figures also show that 80 claims have been rejected on eligibility grounds and 81 claims had a zero award under entitlement.

Information on the total number of claims paid and the overall amount paid out by the scheme is available to view on GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-data-october-2020.

In relation to estimated costs these are referred to in the Home Office’s Impact Assessment IA No: HO 0329 dated 29/1/20. The Home Office has secured funding from HM Treasury for the scheme, and there is no cap on the amount of compensation an individual can receive.

This week’s tragic event highlights the danger to life from channel crossings and the need to stop callous criminals exploiting vulnerable people.

Safe and legal routes are a core part of our proposed reforms to the asylum system to ensure it is both firm and fair. As Baroness Williams has previously made clear in Lords, as an integral part of that work the Government will conduct a review of safe and legal routes to the UK for asylum seekers, refugees and their families. This government intends to bring forward legislation next year that will deliver some of our much-needed reforms.

The UK already provides safe and legal routes for people to join family members in the UK through existing Immigration Rules and have a proud record of providing safety to those who need it through our world-leading resettlement schemes.

The UK does not have any specific arrangements in place with the government of Algeria ‘to address any issues with asylum seekers from either the UK or Algeria’.

Asylum policy applies to all nationalities, including of course Algerians.

The Government demands the highest standards from contractors and their accommodation and monitor them closely to ensure this is maintained.

All accommodation provided is required to be safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped, and to comply with relevant national or local housing legislation.

These standards apply to all accommodation used by the Home Office including the Ministry of Defence sites in Pembrokeshire and Folkestone

The Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility (AIRE) service, operated by Migrant Help is a single integrated and national service for asylum seekers.

The AIRE service will provide advice and guidance to service users on the asylum process, their rights and signposting different services.

It will also provide asylum seekers with a single point of contact, independent from the accommodation providers and the Home Office, to report issues.

AIRE are contracted to provide information on the availability of legal advice and representation and signposting of Service User’s to the Legal Aid Agency, where appropriate upon induction into temporary accommodation.

We take the welfare of the asylum seekers we accommodate very seriously. The people who we accommodate in Penally and Folkestone can call on an onsite nurse for assistance, we also work closely with our service providers, local health teams and the voluntary sector to ensure that support is provided to vulnerable asylum seekers.

Additionally, asylum seekers are able to contact Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility service, operated by Migrant Help 24 hours a day, 365 days a year if they need help, advice or guidance, that includes raising issues relating to safeguarding.

In 2016, and again in 2019, the British people voted to take back control of our borders and introduce a new points-based immigration system that will work for the whole UK.

The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Exit) Bill delivers on these votes by ending the automatic right to live and work in UK for EU migrants and, when the Transition period with the EU ends, we will have control of our immigration system for the first time in decades.

We will be free to implement the changes we need to restore trust in the immigration system and deliver our new fairer, firmer, skills-led system from 1 January 2021.

We will continue to review the system and the underpinning Rules.

Asylum Operations has been exploring several options to get the system moving again following the outbreak of COVID-19 earlier in the year. There are plans to speed up asylum interviews and decision making with steps being taken to improve efficiency, focusing on process improvements, better quality decisions and transformation.

We are also seeking to put in place temporarily, resource from within the Home Office and other government departments to assist with outstanding claims, along with other alternatives as a short-term measure.

We are determined to fix our broken asylum system. An asylum system should provide safe haven to those fleeing persecution, oppression or tyranny. But right now, ours enables organised criminals to elbow the most vulnerable to the side.

Which is why the new system will be fairer and firmer. It will be compassionate towards those who need our help, welcoming people through safe and legal routes. And it will stop the exploitation of the broken system by those who come here illegally and often make unfounded or meritless claims to remain.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service publish appeal outcomes data on a quarterly basis. A link to the data for the last quarter of 2019 is provided here;

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunal-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2019

The table in FIA­_3 contains the information requested.

The comments were made in the context of a trend whereby individuals submit last-minute appeals on the basis of human rights claims that we would have expected to have been made far earlier in proceedings and which often transpire to be unmeritorious.

Concerns have been relayed about the behaviour of certain NGOs in France in how they are supporting migrants. We take any information of organised criminality seriously and will investigate appropriately.

Accommodation costs are considered to be commercially confidential, so we do not provide this information.

However total asylum spends are published as part of transparency data https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data

Data is published on a quarterly basis with the latest information covering until 30 June 2020. The next quarterly figures are due to be released in November 2020.

The UK has a long and proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with our international obligations. Tens of thousands of people have rebuilt their lives in the UK and we will continue to provide safe and legal routes for the vulnerable to do so in the future.

Meanwhile, we have seen unprecedented numbers of journeys to the UK by small boat in 2020, which are both dangerous and facilitated by criminals, and so we are determined to render these journeys unviable.

The Department has been developing plans to reform our illegal migration and asylum policies to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it whilst preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it. As part of this, we have explored likeminded states’ responses to similar situations in order to consider the various options that exist for deterring people from undertaking these dangerous journeys, exploring a range of options, including those that have been employed by other countries in similar situations. No decisions have been made by Ministers and we continue to work to find the right approach for the UK.

We maintain regular dialogue with a variety of resettlement stakeholders, including local authorities, Strategic Migration Partnerships and other support providers. To date, our resettlement schemes have been supported by over 300 local authorities across the UK, and we are extremely grateful for this support.

Additionally, the successful Community Sponsorship Scheme puts in place the Government’s commitment to develop a scheme to allow community groups, charities and faith groups to support refugees directly.

Due to coronavirus (COVID-19) related restrictions and pressures, both overseas and in the UK, it is not currently possible to undertake any refugee resettlement activity. We continue to evaluate how to respond given these restrictions and pressures, but we expect to resume refugee resettlement activity when safe to do so.

We maintain regular dialogue with a variety of resettlement stakeholders, including local authorities, Strategic Migration Partnerships and other support providers. To date, our resettlement schemes have been supported by over 300 local authorities across the UK, and we are extremely grateful for this support.

Additionally, the successful Community Sponsorship Scheme puts in place the Government’s commitment to develop a scheme to allow community groups, charities and faith groups to support refugees directly.

Due to coronavirus (COVID-19) related restrictions and pressures, both overseas and in the UK, it is not currently possible to undertake any refugee resettlement activity. We continue to evaluate how to respond given these restrictions and pressures, but we expect to resume refugee resettlement activity when safe to do so.

Adult asylum seekers and their children who would otherwise be destitute are supported by the Home Office under arrangements set out in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are supported under arrangements provided for in the Children Act 1989, or equivalent legislation in the devolved administrations. As the support arrangements are provided for in domestic legislation there is no need to make changes to them as a result of our departure from the EU.

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The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, for as long as it is needed, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Whilst we sympathise with people in difficult situations, we are not bound to consider asylum claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety. France is one such safe country – with a fully functioning asylum system and over 100,000 asylum claims lodged last year

The UK’s resettlement schemes have provided safe and legal routes for tens of thousands of people, who have been given the chance to start new lives in safety. We purposefully resettle those in greatest need of protection, including those who require urgent medical treatment, survivors of violence and torture, and women and children at risk. . We resettle more refugees than any other country in Europe and are in the top five countries worldwide. Since 2015, we have resettled more than 25,000 refugees.

While resettlement arrivals are currently suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will resume them as soon as conditions allow, and meet our full commitment to those fleeing the Syrian conflict.

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