Lord Taylor of Warwick

There is no place for racism or any other illegal discrimination in sport. Anyone found guilty of using racist slurs at football matches can be charged with a Football Banning Order under the Football Spectators Act 1989, and more severe sentences can be imposed. Further charges may be applicable under the Football (Offences) Act 1991 or the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

In addition to these statutory protections, we are working to increase diversity in sporting organisations and to help the sport sector be more inclusive and welcoming to its spectators and participants, and to the people in its workforce. We are working with bodies including Sport England and UK Sport in this, as well as to strengthen the handling of issues such as discrimination and racism in sport.

There is growing evidence to show that when salary information is not transparent, it has an impact on how people, particularly women and those from ethnic minorities, negotiate pay. This can ultimately result in lower starting salaries and smaller pay rises.

On International Women’s Day this year, we called on all employers to provide salary information in all of their job adverts, and to stop asking about previous salary during recruitment.

In order to encourage and assist employers in taking these steps, we will build the evidence base on the impact of transparency, through a pilot study with businesses. We will also work with employers to develop a methodology to support them to adopt these measures.

There is growing evidence to show that, when pay is negotiable, asking applicants to disclose previous earnings and not including salary information in the advert increases the risk that historic disparities will be replicated.

On International Women’s Day this year, we called on all employers to provide salary information in all of their job adverts, and to stop asking about previous salary during recruitment.

We recognise that some employers may find it challenging to take these steps, due to historic pay decisions and lack of clarity in pay processes. That is why we also announced that we will work with employers to develop and pilot a methodology to support them to adopt these measures.

I welcome the Vodafone report and the work of others to highlight the barriers some carers and parents face when balancing their care and work responsibilities. I met with female employees from Vodafone in May to hear about which initiatives have worked to support them, especially through the pandemic, and what challenges remain.

The Government recognises the vital role unpaid carers and parents play and has put a range of measures in place to help. In our manifesto we committed to extending the entitlement to leave for unpaid carers to one week. The Government has also funded 25 ‘returner programmes’ to support those with caring responsibilities back to work.

As we look to Build Back Better, increasing the take up of remote and flexible working will give more freedom and opportunity to people with caring responsibilities. In April the Government reconvened the Flexible Working Taskforce, tasking them to help employers build on the lessons we have learned through the pandemic to embed more flexible ways of working.

Strong digital connectivity is crucial in supporting more flexible working. This Government’s delivery of national gigabit connectivity means that today, over two in five premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just one in ten in November 2019. By the end of the year, 60% will have access, and by 2025 the Government is targeting a minimum of 85% gigabit-capable coverage. In rural areas we are investing £5bn to ensure those living in hard-to-reach areas get the gigabit connectivity they deserve.

The Government recognises the challenges of COVID-19 for all groups in society, including the most vulnerable. That is why we announced an unprecedented package of support – including boosts to Universal Credit, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and the Kick-start Scheme – helping to protect incomes, jobs, and support those most in need.

HM Treasury’s distributional analysis as of the end of May 2020, shows that these interventions, along with the existing tax and welfare system, have helped reduce income losses faced by working households by up to two-thirds, with the poorest working households protected most (as a proportion of income).

The Treasury, along with other relevant departments, carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics, including at Budgets and other fiscal events, in line with both its legal obligations and with its strong commitment to promoting fairness.

This Government is committed to tackling racism and racial prejudice in all its forms. That is why the Prime Minister appointed the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities in July, to examine all aspects of continuing racial and ethnic disparities in Britain. The Commission aims to set out a new, positive agenda for change - balancing the needs of individuals, communities and society, maximising opportunities and ensuring fairness for all. It aims to report by the end of the year.

The Minister for Equalities is working with the Race Disparity Unit and the Department for Health and Social Care to carry forward work to identify and fill the gaps in PHE’s review; and work across government to take appropriate steps to mitigate disparities identified. The terms of reference for this work, which include quarterly updates to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on progress, were published on GOV.UK on 4 June. The timeframe will be announced in due course.

Ministers and officials regularly meet other Ministerial and departmental colleagues to discuss a range of issues, including those relating to the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union.

Taking into account the financial settlement with the EU, an additional £14.6 billion of spending by 2024-25 has been allocated to the United Kingdom’s domestic priorities, rather than being sent in contributions to the EU. This spending was incorporated into the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/autumn-budget-and-spending-review-2021-documents.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question: PQ HL4040 is attached.

We are committed to protecting government accounts on social media. Public sector organisations are responsible for securing their own services, including social media accounts. The Cabinet Office, with the support of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), regularly provides advice and guidance to organisations on how best to secure social media accounts from hacks and cyber attacks.

The Government does not plan to implement air raid sirens to provide an early warning signal for nuclear attack. Since April 1969, the Royal Navy has maintained continuous at sea deterrence, with at least one nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine patrolling the seas undetected at all times, ready to respond to the most extreme threats to the UK, should they materialise.

The Government is committed to ensuring the public receive advice about the risks to them and the actions they can take. As part of broad emergency response capabilities, arrangements are in place to warn and inform the public that an emergency has, or is about to, occur and the steps they should take in response. This is a locally based approach, supported as necessary, by national messaging from central government using a range of channels, including social and broadcast media. The Government has announced its intention to augment these existing arrangements with the launch of a mobile phone based emergency alerting system later this year.

The proportion of ethnic minority groups overall being appointed to the Civil Service Fast Stream in 2021 was 23.3%, this aligns with the 2019/20 Higher Education Statistics Agency graduate population level of 23.7% for ethnicity.

Steps to ensure that students from minority ethnic backgrounds are successful in their application to the Civil Service Fast Stream start with outreach, attraction and marketing activity, which is designed to encourage applications from individuals from all backgrounds and locations. This is undertaken via early stage schools, college and apprenticeship engagement, along with industrial and internship placements. We have developed an inclusive website, social media strategy, and refreshed the target university list for outreach.

Further to this, the Cabinet Office is:

• expanding the range of internships we offer,

• undertaking cultural bias reviews of our selection processes,

• increasing assessor diversity, and

• improving our fair and inclusive selection processes by incorporating more regional/virtual assessment.

The Government has already secured unfettered access for Northern Ireland firms for goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain through the legislative protections we have provided, notably enshrining in the UK Internal Market Act 2020 full unfettered access for qualifying Northern Ireland goods to all parts of the UK market.

For movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, we have set out proposals that would largely eliminate checks on goods remaining within the UK. We would prefer to secure this reduction through negotiations with the EU. However, the Article 16 safeguards within the Protocol remain on the table if that should be the only way to secure our position.

The revised timetable for import controls set out in my written statement of 14 September 2021 allows businesses more time to adjust to new processes as they recover from the pandemic which has impacted supply chains across Europe. The nature of the border import controls for which businesses are preparing has not changed, and therefore any time or resource spent by businesses preparing for them will still be of value. The additional time will be used to further businesses' readiness for the introduction of these new requirements.

The Government also continues to support businesses trading with the EU in all sectors of industry, including putting in place additional staffing, comprehensive guidance for businesses and funding infrastructure to ease border processes.

There has been a step change in veterans’ mental health provision, driven by significant investment. This year £17.8M has been allocated to the Veterans Mental Health Service Op COURAGE and £10M to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust to help deliver charitable initiatives supporting veterans’ mental health needs across the United Kingdom. However, we recognise that recent events may have caused distress to some veterans. That is why, last week, an Armed Forces Mental Health summit was held by the Defence and Health Secretaries, bringing together experts to discuss support for those who served and their families. Following the summit, a further £2.7M has been made available to Op Courage to expand services to support those experiencing complex mental and/or physical trauma, or alcohol and substance misuse.

The Government has also engaged members of the Armed Forces community to reinforce that the mission in Afghanistan was of value. Veterans should be in no doubt of the remarkable role they played in serving their country and keeping it safe. They should feel immensely proud of their service. The PM published an open letter to the entire Armed Forces community on 29 August echoing this sentiment.

On 13 April, the Office for National Statistics released the latest statistics on EU-UK trade which show a welcome growth in the value of trade with the EU, with goods exports close to the average 2020 level.

The vast majority of traders and hauliers have adapted well, and our focus now is on making sure that any business that is still facing challenges gets the support they need to trade effectively with the EU. We are continuing to monitor and assess the situation, including any potential change in trade patterns.

As the Office for National Statistics notes, it is premature to make any firm judgments on the long term impacts of our new trading relationship with the EU, especially with the pandemic still ongoing.

The nature of our new relationship with the EU - outside the Single Market and Customs Union - does mean that there are practical and procedural changes that businesses need to adjust to.

We continue to work closely with sectors across the economy and all parts of the UK to support businesses in adapting to our new trading relationship with the EU and to continue to successfully compete on the global stage. The Government is providing £20 million to support small and medium businesses in adjusting to new customs, rules of origin, and VAT rules when trading with the EU. Ministers across government have been speaking directly to hundreds of businesses large and small across the country, including through the Business Brexit Task Force to develop a shared vision and plan for the future.

The precise range of activities and documentation that will be needed after the transition period will be subject to negotiations with the EU. But any agreement will be without prejudice to the UK’s future points-based immigration system.

The Government is committed to ensuring that businesses and workers have all the information they need to get ready for 1 January 2021. We will continue to review and update the guidance we have published to help ensure businesses are as prepared as possible for the changes and opportunities the end of the year will bring.

Now is the time for businesses to get ready. They should go to www.GOV.UK/TRANSITION for more details.

This Government is working to support all people through COVID-19, including BAME women. Guided by medical and scientific expertise, we have implemented specific measures to reduce the spread of the virus in all communities for everyone including women from BAME backgrounds.

This Government has taken unprecedented steps to support lives and livelihoods, including increasing the generosity of Universal Credit, introducing the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and made changes to ensure women do not miss out on parental leave and childcare support. In addition, Equality Hub officials regularly meet with organisations representing women and BAME communities and continue to do so. We are also working to alert and encourage relevant grassroots charities to apply for funding that has been made available including through the National Lottery Community Fund.

Public Health England has now completed its review into ‘Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19’, which confirms that COVID-19 has replicated, and in some cases increased, existing health inequalities related to risk factors, including age, gender, ethnicity and geography. The Minister for Equalities is working with the Race Disparity Unit and the Department for Health and Social Care to carry forward work to address the disparities outlined in the Public Health England report.

Throughout the period since the Government imposed restrictions due to Coronavirus, people have been encouraged to exercise outdoors, alone or with members of their households. The Government's advice was to limit this to once a day during the early phases.

The Government has developed specific guidance to mitigate transmission risks and communicated that guidance on 11 May, giving people time to understand and prepare for the changes to the regulations and guidance before the measures were implemented on 13 May. We will keep all of these measures under review, as required by the law.

The Government has no plans to introduce identity cards.

The Government currently has no plans to review the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019, which will commence on 8 April 2020.

Given the latest coronavirus developments, Round 2 of negotiations did not formally start on the 18th March.

We remain in regular contact with the European Commission to explore alternative ways to continue discussions, and will be guided by scientific advice.

The Government has an aspiration that all parts of the United Kingdom should feel connected to politics and indeed to politicians.

We are looking at options to further that objective.

The rules agreed in the Trade and Co-operation Agreement were designed to reflect industry capabilities, whilst encouraging onshoring of battery supply chains. Due to unforeseen and shared external shocks, carmakers across Europe have said they cannot meet the TCA’s rules from 2024 and could face tariffs. This is a shared problem and HMG is determined to work with the EU to fix the specific issue faced in 2024. Government continues to support the UK automotive industry through the Automotive Transformation Fund, facilitating the creation of an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK.

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

While there are no official forecasts of the number of businesses expected to close, the latest statistics show that, on average, 305,000 businesses closed per year between 2016-2020, with 327,000 businesses closing in 2021. However, business births have exceeded closures over this period.

The Government regularly engages with small businesses and representative organisations in many ways, including roundtables, bilaterals and visits to understand the specific issues they face in relation to the current economic climate. We are committed to ensuring small business views are heard in policy making as we work together to understand the barriers and consider practical solutions.

Source: Business Demography, UK: 2021, ONS Statistics (November 2022)

We are continuing to negotiate with India to secure a comprehensive and ambitious trade deal.

The thirteenth round of negotiations began on 18 September. Talks are now focused on complex issues including goods, services, and investment.

We are working at pace, but we are not committing ourselves to a deadline. The Secretary of State will only sign when we have a deal that is fair and in the best interests of the British people and the economy.

The latest ONS statistics present marginal monthly declines in the number of pay-rolled manufacturing employees[1] in July and August 2023 following modest increases throughout the rest of 2023. Overall, the number of pay-rolled employees in the sector has increased by 0.3% in the year to August.

ONS Index of Production data[2] indicates that manufacturing output had a monthly decline of 0.7% in July 2023 following a 3.9% increase in the year to June.

Overall, the latest data shows manufacturing output is estimated to have increased by 3.2% in the year to July.

[1] ONS PAYE Real Time Information https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/datasets/realtimeinformationstatisticsreferencetablenonseasonallyadjusted

[2] ONS Index of Production https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/datasets/outputoftheproductionindustries

The Government is aware that late payment remains a significant problem for small businesses across the country. That is why at the beginning of 2023 the Government launched a review of Cash flow and Prompt Payment, alongside a public consultation on the Payment Performance Regulations. The findings of the review, alongside the consultation response, will be published later in 2023.

The Government will use the findings of this review to improve payment culture in the UK and to reduce late payments and its impact on SMEs.

Engagement with Irish traders and business representative bodies has been ongoing since the publication of the draft Border Target Operating model in April 2023. Following the publication of the final model on 29th August 2023, additional communications has occurred including a specific webinar for Irish companies taking place on 21st September led by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement means the UK can now regulate in a way that suits our economy and SMEs, doing things in a more innovative and effective way, without being bound by EU rules. UK SMEs can contact the Export Support Service if they have any questions on how to export to the EU. The UK tax system continues to be internationally competitive – with a lower tax burden than Germany, France and Italy and the lowest headline rate of Corporation Tax in the G7. Where businesses are operating overseas, they will of course need to consider and meet their tax liabilities in those countries.

The Government is aware that late payment remains a significant problem for small businesses across the country. That is why at the beginning of 2023 the Government launched a review of Cash flow and Prompt Payment, alongside a public consultation on the Payment Performance Regulations. The findings of the review, alongside the consultation response, will be published later in 2023.

The Government will use the findings of this review to improve the Payment Performance Regulations, the Small Business Commissioner, and the Prompt Payment Code to improve payment culture in the UK, to reduce late payments and its impact on SMEs.

The Government is ensuring the UK remains the best place to establish and grow a manufacturing business. The UK has the 8th largest global manufacturing economy and we are and will continue to be a major manufacturing nation.[1]

We are investing in the sectors future through the Advanced Propulsion Centre, the Aerospace Technology Initiative, and Made Smarter, the manufacturing digitalisation programme. This month we announced a further £50 million for automotive research projects.

We remain one of the World’s manufacturing nations, with Jaguar Land Rover, building the UKs first gigafactory, and Stellantis, Nissan, Boeing and most recently BWM announcing significant commitments to UK based manufacturing.

Our plan for Advanced Manufacturing will continue to target and augment our support.

[1] https://unctad.org/statistics

The Government refreshed its National AI strategy in December 2022 setting out its ten-year plan to make Britain a global AI superpower. This builds on investment of over £2.3 billion into AI since 2014 in a range of initiatives supporting the UK’s transition to an AI-enabled economy. This is encouraging innovation, and investment across sectors, from financial services to advanced manufacturing.

For example, Made Smarter is an industrial digitalisation programme funded by the Government in five English regions, which supports SMEs to adopt technologies including AI. Working in partnership with industry Made Smarter helps boost manufacturing sector growth and competitiveness.

The U.S. is our largest trading partner, with trade reaching over £290 billion in the 12 months to March 2023, and our most important trading partner in data-enabled exports. The UK exported over £75 billion worth of digitally delivered services to the U.S. in 2021.

Ministers and officials regularly engage with a wide range of stakeholders including business groups, civil society and SMEs in both the UK and the U.S. on a range of digital trade and wider trade matters.

While I cannot comment on ongoing negotiations, student visas are not part of FTA negotiations. Only business mobility would be negotiated in an FTA and negotiations could only ever cover temporary business travel. Any FTA commitments are for limited, temporary, and specific purposes.

Any agreement would be consistent with the points-based immigration system.

The Government is clear that everyone deserves to be treated fairly at work and rewarded for their contribution to the economy.

The gig economy offers individuals flexibility and can provide opportunities for those unable to work in more conventional ways. Those who qualify as workers under existing employment law, including those who work in the gig economy, are entitled to core employment rights. Last year, the Government published guidance to give individuals and businesses a better understanding of which employment status is relevant to them, and the rights that go with it.

The UK’s 5.4 million SMEs are at the centre of our ambition to reach £1 trillion in exports annually by 2030. The Export Support Service International Markets (ESS IM) provides in-market support for UK SMEs and for SMEs ready to export, our overseas teams can provide insight, guidance, 1:1 consultations and trusted referrals in all regions of the world, working together with other Department for Business and Trade (DBT) teams overseas. In addition, we are continuing to negotiate towards a UK-India Free Trade Agreement and we have provisionally agreed a chapter which aims to ensure that SME's can understand, navigate, and benefit from the whole FTA.

Government recognises the pressures faced by food and drink manufacturing businesses, which account for nearly 20% of UK manufacturing. The Autumn Statement 2022 announced a package of changes to business rates worth £13.6bn over the next 5 years.

Government also works with the British Business Bank to help SMEs access finance. For example, the Recovery Loan Scheme helps smaller businesses, including those in the food and beverage sector, access loans and other kinds of finance up to £2 million per business group so they can grow and invest.

SMEs can access a range of guidance via the free Business Support Helpline and network of Growth Hubs across England.

Finally, the Brexit Pubs Guarantee announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Budget secures the pledge that pubs will always pay less alcohol duty than supermarkets going forwards.

The Government provides extensive support to businesses through our Help to Grow Management, Business Support Helpline and Growth Hubs. Businesses can also access government-backed financial support from the British Business Bank. The Start Up Loans Company provides loans and support to new entrepreneurs, including a year of free business mentoring for successful applicants. Since the Start Up Loans programme was launched in 2012, over 105,000 loans have been delivered with an aggregate value of more than £1bn (average loan size of £9,547), as of June 2023.

Government provides extensive support to SMEs and places them at the heart of policy making. When developing policies, departments should consider whether micro, small and medium-sized businesses can be exempt from proposed regulations. To test that this is being done, the Better Regulation Framework requires a Small and Micro Business Assessment (SaMBA) in department’s impact assessments. The Department continues to engage with SMEs and representative organisations, for example through the SME Action Group chaired by Minister Hollinrake, to ensure business voices are heard, and to help create the right conditions for businesses to scale up both domestically and internationally.

The Government has made clear that we will not compromise on the UK's environmental protections in our Free Trade Agreements.

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) includes an extensive environment chapter which recognises Parties' sovereign right to regulate for their own levels of domestic environmental protection.

We are currently undertaking a Payment and Cash Flow review, examining how Government and others can continue to improve payment culture in the UK and ensure we are supporting small businesses effectively on late payments. The review included a public consultation of the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017 and the Limited Liability Partnerships (Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance) Regulations 2017 (the Regulations). Responses to the review and publication will be published later this year.

By their nature, so-called "zombie" companies do not present as such at the point of incorporation. It is primarily for banks and other lending institutions to consider the risks in lending to companies whose ability to repay debt may be in doubt. The UK maintains a robust regulatory regime over lending as well as a transparent company register framework which helps facilitate the flow of capital towards productive companies.

In March to May 2023 (the latest data available from the Office for National Statistics), the UK employment rate increased to 76%. The government continues to support small businesses through the Help to Grow: Management programme; Start Up Loans; Business Support Helpline; and Growth Hubs across England. Employers and training providers could be eligible for £1,000 each if they hire an eligible apprentice. The Employment Allowance also allows eligible employers to reduce their annual National Insurance liability by up to £5,000.

The Government has no plans to negotiate a free trade agreement with China.

The United States is not negotiating traditional FTAs with any country. On the 8th of June, the Prime Minister and the President announced a first-of-its-kind economic partnership. The Atlantic Declaration and accompanying Action Plan cover the full spectrum of our economic, technological, commercial and trade relations, and will explore ways to expand our bilateral trade, already worth £279 billion per year.

As part of the Declaration, we announced the immediate launch of negotiations on a Critical Minerals Agreement to ensure UK access to the US market for a strategically important sector of the UK economy and bolster vital supply chains.

Saudi Arabia is an important trading partner for the UK, with total bilateral trade at £18.5 billion in the four quarters to Q1 2023, and as underpinned by our joint Strategic Partnership Council.

To further promote two-way trade and investment, the UK is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including Saudi Arabia. An FTA will boost UK exports, create new opportunities and drive greater investment. It is also expected to increase UK-GCC trade by 16% and contribute an additional £600m (compared to 2019 levels) to UK workers’ annual wages in the long run.

Government is tackling the culture of late payments with measures including Payment Practices Reporting, the Small Business Commissioner and Prompt Payment Code.

We are currently undertaking a Payment and Cash Flow review which is examining how Government and others can continue to improve payment culture in the UK and ensure we are supporting small businesses effectively on late payments.

The Government is ensuring that SMEs are equipped with digital skills in various ways.

We have launched eight Local Digital Skills Partnerships across England to tackle digital skills gaps including for small businesses and set up a Digital Skills Council which is focused on increasing industry uptake of digital apprenticeships, particularly for SMEs.

The Help to Grow: Management scheme is helping SMEs improve their leadership and management capability including their ability to adopt digital technology, and the Made Smarter programme supports digital transformation, including digital leadership skills, for SME manufacturers.

Government has taken action to support small and medium-sized enterprises by reversing the National Insurance rise, saving small businesses £4,200 on average, as well as raising the Employment Allowance to £5,000.

Government also provides extensive support to all types of businesses including through Help to Grow: Management scheme, which helps SMEs across the UK learn new skills, reach more customers and boost profits.

Furthermore, businesses can access financial support provided through the British Business Bank. Our network of Growth Hubs across UK provides SMEs access to information and advice alongside our free Business Support Helpline.

The Government recognises the opportunities bricks and mortar businesses can create by developing online services and supports the workforce by offering extensive skills and employment support for individuals who might be affected. The Retail Sector Council has identified skills and employment as two of their priority areas of work and government continues to work closely with the Council to consider the future needs of the sector.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics[1] show that the proportion of total retail sales made online peaked at 37.8% in January 2021, before falling back. The proportion of sales made online has remained broadly consistent at around 26% since February 2023.

[1] ONS, Internet sales as a percentage of total retail sales (ratio) (%), June 2023.

The Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) aims to support the creation of an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK. The government continues to work with industry via the ATF to unlock strategic investments in gigafactories, motors and drives, power electronics, and fuel cell systems.

In the coming months, after engagement with industry, the government will build on the ATF and the long-term Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programme to take decisive action to ensure future investment in the manufacturing of zero emission vehicles.

The value of equity investment grew sharply in late 2020 and throughout 2021, as reported in the British Business Bank’s Small Business Equity Tracker report 2023. It is not surprising that there has been a decline from these unprecedented levels, returning to the values last seen in early 2020. Comparisons of figures from one quarter to the next are unlikely to be meaningful given underlying volatility. The report also notes that “the UK now has a broader, deeper equity finance market that will support its future recovery.”

The Green Finance Strategy (March 2023) set out the Government’s ambition for the UK to become the world's first Net Zero-aligned Financial Centre. We committed to consult on requirements for the UK’s largest companies to disclose their climate transition plans.

The International Sustainability Disclosure Standards, being developed by the International Sustainability Standards Board, also include requirements for companies to disclose progress against their transition plans. We will introduce reporting against these standards in the UK, subject to an assessment and endorsement process.

These measures will support investors and other stakeholders in holding companies to account for their commitments.

This Government is working to break down trade barriers around the world, which my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business and Trade has set out publicly as one of our top priorities. We are leading a whole of Government effort to remove a hit list of 100 barriers, which could open up opportunities to UK exporters worth more than £20 billion. This includes barriers arising in Europe and within the EU. In the year to March 2023, we resolved 45 market access barriers in Europe, a 10% increase year on year.

The fund managers of the Investment Fund for Northern Ireland will have a mandate to ensure equal access to the fund for all Northern Ireland businesses, both new and established, and to publicise the fund widely. Loans and investments will be based on the merits of the applications received.

New, small businesses might be less likely to have viable proposals for debt or equity finance than existing more established businesses. For these new businesses, the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme may be more suitable. Since 2012, 1,625 Start Up Loans have been awarded in Northern Ireland with a total value of £14,254,228.

The U.S.-UK bilateral investment relationship is the largest in the world, with £1.14 trillion in FDI stock supporting more than 2.7 million jobs in both countries.

On the 8th of June, the Prime Minister and the President announced a first-of-its-kind economic partnership. The Atlantic Declaration and accompanying Action Plan cover the full spectrum of our economic, technological, commercial and trade relations. On the same day, the PM announced more than £14bn of new investment in the UK by US companies.

More widely, the Government is investing £26 billion in the UK economy designed to unlock £90billion of private sector investment, both domestic and international, by 2030.

Round 10 of negotiations concluded on 09 June. The next round is due to take place in the coming month.

Both nations have come to the table with an ambitious set of asks and a willingness to work together towards a mutually beneficial deal. We are continuing to negotiate and the Secretary of State will only sign when we have a deal that is fair, reciprocal, and ultimately in the best interests of the British people and the economy.

The Government is clear that any form of bullying and harassment is unacceptable and has no place in today’s workplace.

The Government has published guidance that sets out the steps that employees can take if they are experiencing bullying or harassment at work, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/workplace-bullying-and-harassment.

Acas provides free and impartial advice for employers and employees and has published guidance on how to deal with bullying in the workplace. This is available at: https://www.acas.org.uk/if-youre-treated-unfairly-at-work/being-bullied.

This government remains committed to tackling all areas of disparities in this country, including in employment. It is crucial that everyone is treated fairly in the workplace, so that they can thrive and reach their full potential and we want to ensure that everyone has access to the same employment opportunities.

Ethnicity pay gap reporting is just one type of tool to assist employers in doing this and it may not always be the most appropriate mechanism for some types of organisations. Therefore, as set out in the “Inclusive Britain” report, which was published in March 2022, the Government will not be legislating to make ethnicity pay reporting mandatory at this stage. Instead, we committed to producing guidance to support those who wish to report voluntarily. This was published in April 2023.

The United States is not negotiating traditional FTAs with any country. On the 8^th of June, the Prime Minister and the President announced a first-of-its-kind economic partnership. The Atlantic Declaration and accompanying Action Plan cover the full spectrum of our economic, technological, commercial and trade relations, and will explore ways to expand our bilateral trade, already worth £279 billion per year.

As part of the Declaration, we announced the immediate launch of negotiations on a Critical Minerals Agreement which will guarantee market access for a strategically important sector of the UK economy and bolster vital supply chains.

The Help to Grow: Management scheme is helping small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK learn new skills, reach more customers and boost profits. Additionally, SMEs can access expert advice and guidance via the Business Support Helpline and network of Growth Hubs across England.

Eligible SMEs can access funding via the Recovery Loan Scheme to help them grow and invest. For new and early-stage UK businesses, the Start Up Loan scheme provides access to affordable finance and mentoring support.

Businesses can find government support and advice for growing, starting and exporting through the Help to Grow website: https://helptogrow.campaign.gov.uk/

Businesses wanting to export can find support via the General Export Facility (GEF) and the Export Development Guarantee (EDG).

The current merger regime delivers economic openness and drives inward investment as well as offering predictability, transparency and stability. The CMA has powers to block mergers that lead to a Substantial Lessening of Competition. Ministers also have powers to intervene in mergers that raise public interest considerations, including media plurality, financial stability and public health emergencies. The National Security and Investment Act 2021 provides powers to review and intervene in transactions with national security implications. Meanwhile, the Takeover Code protects the interests of shareholders in takeovers of publicly listed companies.

British farming is at the heart of British trade. The Prime Minister recently set out in an open letter to farmers, six principles that clearly outline our ambitions for farming and trade. These include protecting sensitive sectors, prioritising new export opportunities, tackling barriers to UK exports, and upholding UK standards.

Underlining the Government’s commitment to supporting FTA export opportunities for producers, we recently announced an additional £2 million investment to strengthen our presence at major trade shows, an increase in the number of UK agriculture attachés, and a new £1 million programme to support our dairy sector to export.

In the UK, collective bargaining is largely a matter for individual employers, their employees and their trade unions. Most collective bargaining in the UK takes place because employers have voluntarily agreed to recognise a trade union and bargain with it.

Where an employer refuses to recognise a union voluntarily, the union can apply to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) for statutory union recognition. This will be granted so long as the union can demonstrate majority support in the workplace.

The latest Trade Union Membership Statistics publication shows that an estimated 6.4 million employees were trade union members in the United Kingdom at the end of 2021. Statistics from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings show an estimated 41% of employee jobs in the UK had their pay set with reference to a collective agreement in 2021.

The number of UK businesses decreased by 1.5% between 2021 and 2022, equivalent to 82,000 businesses.[1] This includes a significant amount of churn within the business population, with firms entering as well as closing.

The government provides extensive support and advice to businesses, including the free Business Support Helpline, 38 Growth Hubs across England and the Help to Grow: Management scheme.

Businesses can also access government-backed finance from the British Business Bank, such as via the Start Up Loans programme and Recovery Loan Scheme.

[1] Business population estimates for the UK and regions 2022, BEIS

Global economic conditions continue to be challenging for the steel industry. We are working with the sector to support its transition to a competitive, decarbonised future.

In February we announced the British Industry Supercharger – a package of decisive measures that will bring energy costs for energy intensive industries, including steel, in line with those charged across the world’s major economies.

These measures build on extensive support provided by the Government since 2013 including the Energy Bill Relief Scheme which ran until March 2023 and the Energy Bills Discount Scheme which we will continue until 31 March 2024.

The Government has also legislated for the full suite of tools permitted under the World Trade Organisation to tackle injury caused by unfair trading practices and unexpected import surges. Our actions include extending Steel Safeguard measures until June 2024 and transitioning a number of steel specific anti-dumping measures on steel goods.

Government has taken action to support small businesses by reversing the National Insurance rise, saving small businesses approximately £4,200 on average, as well as raising the Employment Allowance to £5,000.

The network of 38 Growth Hubs across England provides access to information and advice to SMEs, alongside our free Business Support Helpline. Businesses can also use the Apprenticeship Service to find out about funding to pay for apprenticeships.

Furthermore, small businesses can access the Recovery Loan Scheme which helps smaller businesses access loans and other kinds of finance up to £2 million per business group so they can grow and invest.

The Competition and Markets Authority monitors firms suspected of profiteering to challenge unjustifiable price increases and takes enforcement action where there is evidence that competition or consumer protection law has been broken.

The Government continues to monitor the operation of consumer markets and keeps all options under review to ensure good value and service for consumers.

The Government is working with the Hospitality Sector Council to promote careers in hospitality and enhance training opportunities.

We are also helping to fill vacancies through our Plan for Jobs programmes, which use work coaches to help match local talent with jobs in hospitality. Our sector-based work academy programme and flexible support fund, and various initiatives, are also encouraging jobseekers to look for opportunities in the sector. In addition, on 1 April 2023, the Government increased the National Living Wage by 9.7% to £10.42.

The Government is also supporting six Private Member’s Bills which will improve workers’ rights and encourage more people into work. The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act has now achieved Royal Assent meaning more than 2 million workers will have their tips protected when the measures come into force. This package of Bills will help new parents, unpaid carers, hospitality workers, and give employees better access to flexible working.

The Government is continuing to improve apprenticeships, making them more flexible and making it easier for employers to make greater use of their levy funds. The catering and hospitality sector serves up a host of different apprenticeships in restaurants, cafés, pubs, bars, nightclubs and hotels, including for example chef de partie.

The Government consulted on measures needed to enhance consumer protection which has led to the introduction of the Digital Market, Competition and Consumers Bill. Consumer awareness and assistance is devolved to the Scottish Government and is a matter for them to consider. The Government currently have no plans to conduct a similar consultation in England and Wales.

The government aims to make the UK the best place in the world to start, scale up and grow a business. We provide extensive business support which is accessible to all types of businesses including co-operatives.

Our Business Support Helpline and 38 Growth Hubs provide expert advice, guidance and signposting to all types of business, including pre-start-ups, voluntary, community and social enterprises. Businesses may also be eligible for financial support by the British Business Bank.

Grant funding and leadership training is also available to SMEs to help them adopt industrial and management skills for growing businesses, which could include co-operative businesses being run on a commercial basis.

The Government has set an ambition to increase the number of female entrepreneurs by half by 2030, equivalent to 600,000 new entrepreneurs. The Department is achieving this target by delivering recommendations in the Alison Rose Review, which found that if women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men, this could add £250 billion to the UK economy. Over 150,000 new all-women led companies were founded in 2022 – more than ever before, and a fifth of new incorporations (20.5%) last year were all-female led, a figure that has risen from 16% in 2018. Since 2012, 40% of Start Up Loans have gone to women, worth over £355m (As of March 2023).

The Review made recommendations on access to finance; banking products; access to expertise; mentoring and networks; entrepreneurship in schools and available resources for entrepreneurs. The Government is delivering on these through initiatives such as the Investing in Women Code and Angel Investment Taskforce.

The government aims to make the UK the best place in the world to start, scale up and grow a business. We provide extensive business support which is accessible to all types of businesses including co-operatives.

Our Business Support Helpline, 38 Growth Hubs and Made Smarter programmes provide expert advice covering, guidance, funding, signposting to all types of business, including pre-start-ups and voluntary, community and social enterprises.

Grant funding and leadership training is also available to SMEs to help them adopt industrial and management skills for growing businesses, which could include for co-operative businesses being run on a commercial basis.

The law is well established in this area and the means to enforce it are widely understood. Employers can seek an injunction in the High Court if they believe a union has not followed its statutory obligations in relation to strike action.

Made Smarter, the UK industrial digitalisation programme, helps manufacturers capitalise on new digital technologies, slash carbon emissions and drive-up productivity. This includes a £24m adoption programme supporting SMEs in 5 key manufacturing regions, and a £147m innovation programme to develop new technology. A competition launched in January will invest £6m late-stage robotics and automation innovation in manufacturing.

Budget 2023 introduced Full Expensing, allowing 100% deduction of the cost of qualifying plant and machinery from profits before tax, and a first-year allowance, allowing 50% deduction of the cost of other machinery, from profits during the year of purchase.

Businesses of all sizes can access government-backed finance from the British Business Bank. The Start Up Loans Company provides loans and pre- and post-application support to new entrepreneurs, including a year of free business mentoring for successful applicants. The Recovery Loan Scheme helps smaller businesses access loans and other kinds of finance up to £2 million per business group so they can grow and invest. Additionally, SMEs seeking to grow through exports can access the Export Academy and UK Export Finance.

The newly-launched Help to Grow website contains links to the full range of government funding available to small businesses.

The Spring Budget 2023 announced a £63m fund for public swimming pool providers to help with immediate cost pressures and make facilities more energy efficient. It has also been announced that there will be an increase in Draught Relief from 1 August to 9.2% to freeze the duty charged on a typical pint of beer in the pub and ensure this will always be lower than in the supermarket.

The Autumn Statement 2022 announced a package of changes to business rates worth £13.6bn over the next 5 years in lower bills. This includes a freeze to the multiplier, scrapping the downward revaluation cap and extending and increasing the generosity of the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief from 50% to 75% in 2023-24, up to £110,000 per business.

This is in addition to the Energy Bills Relief Scheme, which discounts businesses’ energy bills until 31 March 2023; the new Energy Bills Discount Scheme; the increased Employment Allowance of £5,000, which takes the smallest 40% of businesses out of paying any National Insurance at all; and setting the Annual Investment Allowance at £1 million permanently.

Government has announced £13.6 billion of support for businesses over the next five years, including those in rural communities. This includes freezing the business rates multiplier for another year and protection for small businesses who lose eligibility for either Small Business or Rural Rate Relief through a more generous Supporting Small Business scheme worth over £500 million

Government has also reversed the National Insurance rise, introduced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme and announced the Energy Bills Discount Scheme, cut fuel duty for 12 months, raised the Employment Allowance to £5,000 and exempted small and micro businesses from regulations where possible.

All businesses – irrespective of their size or business sector – are responsible for paying the correct National Living Wage (NLW) /National Minimum Wage (NMW) to their staff. The Government is making available up to £7.5 billion in additional funding over two years to support adult social care and discharge - with up to £2.8 billion available in 2023/24 and £4.7 billion in 2024/25. This funding boost will put the adult social care system on a stronger financial footing and help Local Authorities address waiting lists, low fee rates, and workforce pressures in the sector.

If any care worker is concerned that they are being underpaid, we strongly urge them to call the Acas helpline (0300 123 1100) for free, impartial and confidential advice about their rights and entitlements. Acas officers will pass on cases to HM Revenue and Customs for further consideration where appropriate.

The Government is reforming the skills system to better support people to get the skills our economy needs, which is essential to addressing labour shortages.

The Government is supporting employers in all sectors to develop the skilled workforces they need by investing £3.8 billion more in further education and skills over the Parliament, offering flexible training through Skills Bootcamps, and increased investment in apprenticeships.

In December 2022, the Government published its response to the consultation “making flexible working the default”. This committed to make changes to the Right to Request Flexible Working to boost availability, several of which are being taken forward through the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill.

Additionally, the Department for Work and Pensions are reviewing workforce participation and how we can attract and retain workers, particularly older workers. This will work to address labour shortages in both the short and long term.

Protecting and enhancing workers’ rights whilst supporting business to grow remains a priority for this government. On 1 April 2023, the Government will increase the National Living Wage (NLW) for workers aged 23 years and over by 9.7% to £10.42. This keeps the Government on track to achieve its manifesto commitment for the NLW to equal two-thirds of median earnings by 2024, providing economic conditions allow. The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill, sponsored by my Hon. Friend the Member for Ynys Môn, will ensure that all tips go to staff, and allows staff to bring a claim to an Employment Tribunal if businesses do not fairly distribute well-earned service charges.

Other than ensuring compliance with NMW requirements, rates of pay in the private sector are determined by negotiations between business and workers.

The Department has made no such assessment.

The Government awaits the publication of the National Infrastructure Assessment. The Government will work with stakeholders including Ofgem and industry counterparts to evaluate all pathways for gas networks in the transition to net zero. The gas system will play a vital role in the UK's energy mix out to 2050, supporting renewables and contributing towards security of supply. The resilience of infrastructure, and appropriate investment in gas networks, is a priority.

The Government is clear that, whilst we welcome investment in sectors including civil nuclear, this can never be at the expense of national security.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 18^th September, should any investor’s shareholding in the Sizewell C project reach the relevant statutory thresholds, the investor will be required to pass through the process set out in the National Security and Investment Act 2021, allowing scrutiny of any risks posed with respect to this legislation.

In addition, as a condition of the Secretary of State’s designation of Sizewell C Limited in accordance with section 2(1) of the Nuclear Energy (Financing) Act 2022, the Secretary of State must have the ability to take a special share in the company. The rights attached to the special share are subject to approval by the Secretary of State but will likely be limited to protecting national security interests with respect to the project and complementary to the provisions of the National Security and Investment Act 2021, alongside other, related matters.

National Grid Electricity System Operator’s (ESO) Power Responsive campaign is one of the principal stakeholder forums that promotes a more flexible approach to electricity consumption (known as demand side response), which can help to drive decarbonisation, bolster our energy security and create savings for consumers.

The Government will continue to work with ESO, Ofgem and industry to support Power Responsive in its work to remove barriers to increased participation in demand side response.

The Government has brought together senior business and finance leaders on the Net Zero Council. The Council addresses the appetite from the business and finance communities to create a partnership with UK government to deliver net zero and capture the benefits of this transition in the UK. The Government has relaunched the UK Business Climate Hub, which provides free, detailed advice on how SMEs can reduce their emissions and signposts funding opportunities. The £500m Industrial Energy Transformation Fund supports energy intensive industries to decarbonise and the Department is piloting a Business Energy Advice Service to support SMEs.

The Department is leading the delivery of the target to decarbonise the electricity sector fully by 2035, subject to security of supply. A priority area of energy production for reducing emissions is North Sea oil and gas extraction.

Through the North Sea Transition Deal, the sector committed to reducing emissions by 50% from 2018 to 2030, through measures including ending routine flaring and venting and delivering platform electrification. The North Sea Transition Authority estimates that UK upstream greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3% year-on-year in 2022, representing an overall reduction of 23% from 2018.

The Government has relaunched the UK Business Climate Hub, which provides free, detailed advice on how SMEs can reduce their emissions and signposts funding opportunities.

The Hub will soon be complemented by a new Energy Advice Service, providing SMEs with trusted advice on energy efficiency.

Alongside local support schemes, businesses can access the Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, Workplace Charging Scheme and Cycle to Work scheme.

The Net Zero Council has established a working group to champion the needs of SMEs.

The Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) delivered a £400 non-repayable government discount on electricity bills to help 28 million households across the UK in winter 2022/23. Since then, the government welcomes recent reductions to household energy bills but is continuing to closely monitor energy prices and keeping energy support schemes under review.

To protect the most vulnerable, the government is providing a cost-of-living payment of £900 paid across three instalments through 2023/24 with an additional £300 for pensioner households and £150 for those on an eligible disability benefit. This is an increase from the £650 cost-of-living payment the government provided in 2022-23.

The Government supports new renewable electricity deployment through the Contracts for Difference scheme, which has awarded contracts across a range of technologies and helped to diversify renewable energy sources. For example, floating offshore wind and tidal flow schemes were successful in the 2022 allocation round. Companies wishing to develop novel technologies can also apply to the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund for innovation and development grant funding.

The 2023 Green Finance Strategy set out several actions the Government is taking to support sustainable investment practices. These include a commitment to consult on a UK Green Taxonomy later this year; setting out next steps for transition planning disclosure requirements for the largest UK companies; and providing further detail on the Government's response to using International Sustainability Standards in the UK.

The Government will continue to work closely with Ofgem, the gas and electricity system operators and all relevant stakeholders to ensure we have the maximum tools available to secure our energy supply for winter 23/24. For example, the T-1 Capacity Market auction has secured 5.8GW of electricity capacity for the delivery year 2023/24, bringing the total to 53.8GW.

The REMA programme will assess options for delivering an enduring market framework that works for our businesses, industry, and households. The government is committed to ensuring that the costs of the UK's energy transition are fair and affordable for all consumers. The Energy Bills Discount Scheme will continue to provide energy support to businesses until March 2024.

Ofgem are acting to reduce the risk of energy suppliers failing, including quarterly stress testing to identify unsuitable business models and through new (proposed) capital adequacy requirements. These capital adequacy proposals would require domestic suppliers to hold a capital buffer to ensure that they are able to bear risks, improving the financial stability of the retail energy market.

Ofgem are also acting to reduce the costs which are mutualised when suppliers do fail, for example, requiring domestic suppliers to ringfence an environmental levy called the Renewables Obligation.

The Energy Price Guarantee will remain in place until March 2024 as a safety net, only reducing the costs of domestic energy if prices were to increase significantly during this period.

The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this Parliament on clean heat and improving energy efficiency in buildings, through schemes including the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant. Additionally, this summer we will launch the £1bn Great British Insulation Scheme.

The Industrial Energy Transformation Fund offers a total of £500m of grant funding to help businesses to reduce energy bills and emissions. A further phase of the scheme was announced in March.

Government has committed a further £6bn of funding for energy efficiency and low carbon heating from 2025 to 2028.

The Government tabled amendments to the Energy Bill on 16 May 2023 to provide the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) with powers to require carbon storage licensees to retain and report information and samples gathered as part of activities associated with the geological storage of carbon dioxide. These powers will enable the NSTA to publicly disclose this information after a suitable confidentiality period. They will ensure valuable information collected by storage licensees is appropriately preserved and, in due course, made available for the benefit of the sector more broadly.

As announced in the Spring Budget, the Energy Price Guarantee has been extended at £2,500 for an additional three months from April to the end of June. Current projections expect Ofgem's Price Cap to fall below the Government's Energy Price Guarantee from 1st July, meaning that households will pay the lower rate set by the Price Cap.

We intend to consult in Summer 2023 on options for a new approach to consumer protection in the energy markets from April 2024 onwards.

The Government is committed to improving customer information regarding energy efficiency schemes on GOV.UK. The current digital service was launched on GOV.UK in July 2022 and is entitled ‘Find ways to save energy in your home’. The service provides tailored impartial advice supported by an expanded telephone service which launched in March 2023. Later this year, the Government will also provide funding for a series of local demonstrator projects to provide in-person advice on energy efficiency schemes. We continue to work on enhancing the digital service, and in summer 2023 we will add functionality that will help people access government schemes.

As announced in the Spring Budget, the Energy Price Guarantee has been extended at £2,500 to the end of June. By the end of June, the Energy Price Guarantee will have saved a typical household in Great Britain around £1,100 since the scheme began in October, compared to what they would have been paying under the price cap alone.

As set out in the Autumn Statement 2022, the Government is developing a new approach to consumer protection in energy markets, which will apply from April 2024 onwards.

The Government has committed to work with consumer groups and industry to consider the best approach.

The Government provided an update on the steps being taken to meet its offshore wind ambition in the Powering Up Britain: Energy Security Plan published on 30 March 2023. Actions to increase deployment include a new £160m fund for floating offshore wind and legislation to streamline the consenting process.

In Powering Up Britain, the Government launched Great British Nuclear (GBN), which is an arms-length body responsible for driving delivery of new nuclear projects, backed with funding. The first priority for GBN is to launch a competitive process to select the best Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technologies.

The Great British Insulation Scheme is expected to be established by summer 2023, with obligated energy suppliers able to deliver measures before this, from 30 March 2023, following the publication of the government response to last year’s consultation on scheme design. Yearly targets will be set including minimum levels of delivery, whilst also allowing energy suppliers to deliver more rapidly and have measures counted towards their scheme obligation overall.

The Statutory Instrument for the scheme will be laid before Parliament later in spring 2023, putting scheme targets and other requirements on a statutory footing.

The Government’s Powering Up Britain Plan published last month sets out Government policies, backed by billions of pounds of Government funding, to support companies investing in green technologies. These included announcements such as £240m of funding for the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, committing £160m for the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme, £30 million provided through the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator, and up to £20 billion to support the early development of CCUS. The Spring Budget 2023 introduced the joint most generous capital allowance regime in the OECD and a higher rate of R&D Expenditure Credit.

Wind power is a variable energy source which is why it is used alongside other forms of energy generation to create a reliable mix. Modern onshore wind turbines are able to maximise generation at times of low and high wind speeds and for longer. The Electricity System Operator monitors weather data and can plan for higher or lower power generation from wind turbines.

The Government is lowering costs through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which provides a £5000 grant towards the purchase of an air source heat pump and is available until 2028, and through zero rating VAT on air source heat pumps until 2027. This is part of a comprehensive policy package to grow the market to 600,000 installations a year by 2028 and work with industry to make heat pumps as cheap to buy and run as fossil fuel boilers. Further details are set out in the recent Powering Up Britain publications (2022) and the Heat and Buildings Strategy (2021).

The Alternative Fuel Payment (AFP) scheme provides a £200 grant payment to UK households that use alternative fuels for heating instead of mains gas. Most households received the payment automatically through their electricity supplier, who were obliged to pay customers during February. Traditional prepayment customers may receive a voucher which they can redeem within 3 months. For the small proportion of households who could not be paid automatically, the online portal to apply for the support is open on gov.uk now. A small proportion of households will need to apply for the AFP, for example because they do not have a relationship with an electricity supplier. Applications for this Alternative Fund opened on 6 March through a GOV.UK portal which includes an overview of eligibility and what steps households need to take to apply for support.

The Government is putting in place a combination of regulatory and public spending measures to achieve at least 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028.

Support for Heat Pumps is available under a range of government schemes including, the Home Upgrade Scheme, Social Housing Decarbonisation scheme and Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

The Government has announced we are extending the Boiler Upgrade Scheme until 2028, to support the installation of heat pumps, in domestic and small non-domestic buildings. This builds on £450 million of funding we have already committed between 2022 and 2025.

There is no “one-size-fits-all" approach to tackle the UK’s diverse building stock. Changes need to be sensitive to the character, appearance and specific characteristics of a listed building

Statutory guidance has been published for minimum energy efficiency standards for carrying out building work to existing homes (Part L1B of the Building Regulations), including guidance for listed buildings.

Work is currently ongoing to meet the commitment in the British Energy Security Strategy to review the planning barriers households face when installing energy efficiency measures in conservation areas and listed buildings.

There are a number of options that have the potential to play an important role in decarbonising heat alongside electrification.

Increasing the proportion of green gas in the grid is a practical, established, and cost-effective way of reducing carbon emissions. The Green Gas Support Scheme supports injection of biomethane into the gas grid.

The £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme in limited circumstances supports the installation of biomass boilers in domestic and small non-domestic buildings with grants up to £5,000.

The Government is supporting industry to deliver a neighbourhood trial by 2024 and a village scale trial of hydrogen heating by 2025 to take decisions in 2026 on the role of hydrogen in decarbonising heating, and consulting on the case for enabling or requiring hydrogen-ready boilers and broader heating system efficiencies.

Catalysing the market for accessible green finance is a priority for Government. Our Green Home Finance Innovation Fund, which completed last year, was an early step in supporting the piloting of green mortgages.

That Fund is followed by the Green Home Finance Accelerator which launched in October 2022. This programme is making £20m available to lenders to develop and pilot a wider range of green loans products, with a focus on simple, straightforward customer journeys and high-quality advice. Learnings from the pilots will be shared with the lending community in due course to inform the design of future products.

The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this Parliament on clean heat and improving energy efficiency in buildings, reducing our reliance on fossil fuel heating. In addition, £6 billion of new Government funding will be made available from 2025 to 2028.

On March 22^nd, The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1 awarded £778 million of funding to support the installation of energy performance measures in social homes in England below EPC C, improving them up to that standard.

Up to £630 million of grant funding will be awarded to local authorities for Phase 2 of the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG 2) to be delivered from April 2023 to March 2025. HUG 2 provides energy efficiency upgrades and low-carbon heating measures to low-income households living in the worst performing, off gas grid homes in England.

The most recent published national statistics on greenhouse gas emissions are for the year 2021. These show a 2% reduction in public sector emissions against a 2017 baseline. More detail on progress against Net Zero Strategy commitments will be published shortly.

We are supporting the public sector to decarbonise and improve the energy efficiency of their buildings through:

• Committing £2.5 billion between 2020/21 and 2024/25 to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which provides grants for public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures;
• Enabling the public sector to access the skills and expertise needed to plan heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects through the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund;
• Producing guidance such as that published by the Modern Energy Partners programme led by Energy Systems Catapult.

The Government primarily supports green electricity through its flagship Contracts for Difference scheme, which has so far awarded contracts totalling nearly 27GW of new low-carbon electricity capacity across all technologies. This month the Government has launched CfD Allocation Round 5, which is the first in a series of annual auctions going forward.

In the Spring Budget, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer also announced an unprecedented £20 billion investment in the early development of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), to help meet the Government’s climate commitments.

The Government is committed to supporting the upstream oil and gas industry. It established the North Sea Transition Authority in recognition of the mature nature of the UK Continental Shelf.

The North Sea Transition Deal, agreed with industry, will support workers, businesses and the supply chain by harnessing industry’s existing capabilities to exploit emerging technologies such as hydrogen, carbon capture usage and storage and offshore wind. It could support 40,000 jobs, generate investment, new business and trade.

The Government is also funding the Aberdeen Energy Transition Zone, supporting jobs and green growth.

The Government’s energy efficiency schemes, such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant, and the Energy Company Obligation, all include solar panels as an eligible measure, subject to certain requirements.

The Government is also exploring options to facilitate low-cost finance from retail lenders to help householders with the upfront costs of installation.

The Government has launched a new service to aid consumers in understanding whether a heat pump could be suitable for them. The service, ‘Check if a heat pump could be suitable for your home’, is available on GOV.UK. It provides advice and links to case studies written in plain English and designed for a non-technical audience.

Over 3,700 UK small businesses have joined the UN’s Race to Zero initiative, accounting for 70% of the current global total. This is in addition to two thirds of the FTSE 100.

The Government supports SMEs by promoting the UK Business Climate Hub, which is embedded on the SME Climate Hub, and forms part of the global Race to Zero campaign. Here businesses can access a suite of tools for measuring, reducing and reporting on their emissions. These include a carbon calculator tool developed by Google.org and Normative, and the Climate Fit modular education course.

The information requested is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The Government have funds providing financial support to heat networks to help them meet their net zero targets.

The Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) is intended to facilitate the transition towards low carbon heat generation for new and existing heat networks across England. The £288m fund opened for applications in March 2022 and will run until 2025.

The Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES) provides grants for existing heat networks and communal heating systems to part-fund the installation of targeted and cost-effective improvement measures to deliver performance improvements. HNES launched in February 2023 and will deploy up to £30m.

The Energy Company Obligation scheme is a requirement placed on larger energy suppliers and is focussed on supporting low income and vulnerable households in receiving energy efficiency measures. An additional uplift of 35% is awarded through the scheme to rural off-gas areas in Scotland and Wales in recognition of such properties tending to have higher installation costs. The Home Upgrade Grant scheme also supports rural properties in England with similar efficiency measures.

The Energy Company Obligation Plus (ECO+) scheme will provide £1bn of support the most vulnerable and those in the least efficient homes in the lower council tax bands. This includes support to consumers in rural areas. The ECO+ Government response will be published in spring and will set out specific details of support for rural consumers.

The Government is committed to supporting all households, especially low income and vulnerable households.

This winter, the Government is providing direct support to millions of households through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

This is in addition to targeted support through the cost of living support packages, announced last May for 2022-23 and November for 2023-24. Both packages target vulnerable and low income households, including those on means-tested benefits, pensioners and those with a disability.

Energy efficiency remains the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term, with support available through the Energy Company Obligation, Home Upgrade Grant, Local Authority Delivery Scheme and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

This Government is providing significant financial support to local authorities to meet the national net zero target. On top of the core funding, local authorities can access specific grant funds for net zero programmes, and the Government has ensured that local growth funding contains a Net Zero Principle to support net zero projects.

The Net Zero Strategy sets out the Government's commitments to enable local areas to deliver net zero. This includes funding five Local Net Zero Hubs in each region of England which support local authorities to develop net zero projects and attract commercial investment; and funding work to develop business models to increase private sector investment in local net zero.

Currently, over 3,700 UK small businesses have joined the UN’s Race to Zero initiative, accounting for 70% of the current global total. This is in addition to two thirds of the FTSE 100.

The Government continues to support SMEs by promoting the UK Business Climate Hub, which is embedded on the SME Climate Hub, and forms part of the global Race to Zero campaign. Here businesses can access a suite of tools for measuring, reducing and reporting on their emissions. These include a carbon calculator tool developed by Google.org and Normative, and the Climate Fit modular education course.

The Energy Price Guarantee will continue to support households from April 2023 by limiting the amount suppliers can charge per unit of energy used. Whilst the level of the EPG remains below the Ofgem price cap, the EPG will continue to save households money from their energy bills compared to the undiscounted prices that consumers would pay under Ofgem’s Price Cap. This new approach will cost the taxpayer significantly less than planned and will help to ensure fiscal sustainability, whilst targeting support to those most in need.

There are currently no plans to increase the Energy Profits Levy, announced in May 2022.

Ofgem has asked all domestic energy suppliers to take immediate action and not install prepayment meters under warrant until they have provided assurances that they are in compliance with all relevant regulations and obligations.

Ministers and officials have regular discussion with Ofgem on matters related to the energy retail market, including prepayment meters. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has written twice to Ofgem in the last 2 weeks, welcoming Ofgem’s focus on this issue and setting out expectations on the action to be taken where suppliers have not met the rules.

The Department has carried out research into infrared heating, including evidence gathering study on the options for direct electric heating in off-gas grid homes. in order to improve our understanding of the potential role of infrared heating in decarbonising heat, the Department has commenced a further programme of evidence gathering on the performance of these systems relative to other technologies. The Government will use this evidence to further consider the applicability of infrared heating in specific circumstances, including new homes and existing homes off the gas grid.

Providing breakdowns of energy efficiency allocations for every local authority for each year since 2008 could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, the most recent allocations to LAs from the Home Upgrade Grant, Green Homes Grant – Local Authority Delivery, Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Public Sector Decarbonisation schemes can be found on GOV.UK.

Local authorities are not required to account for their carbon emissions but the Government is supporting local authorities to help them reduce the carbon emissions from their areas. This is set out in the Net Zero Strategy.

The spread of AI across all sectors of society and the economy presents a huge economic opportunity for the UK, as well as posing significant challenges to the contemporary world of work, including through changing the nature of work or the automation of some tasks.

AI has the potential to be a net creator of jobs and have a positive impact on economic growth - the World Economic Forum concluded in October 2020 that while AI would likely take away 85 million jobs globally by 2025, it is also likely to generate 97 million new jobs in areas such as data, machine learning and digital marketing. More broadly, AI in the workplace has the potential to free workers from monotonous tasks like inputting data or filling out paperwork, allowing them to spend more time on creative and meaningful activities.

By increasing resilience, productivity, growth and innovation in the economy, the Government is taking action to make sure the workforce can take advantage of the potential of AI. This will be enabled through the government's focus on ensuring that the system can adapt to deliver upskilling, reskilling and the appropriate skills that learners need for the AI-enabled workplaces of the future.

For example, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology delivers a range of digital skills provision to support people to enter the tech workforce, including through the AI Conversion Course programme. The Department for Education is working with key partners and stakeholders to better understand the impact and opportunity of AI on skills requirements and education delivery and has put out a call for evidence to this effect. The Lifelong Loan Entitlement, due to launch by 2025, will ensure the UK is the first country in the world to have a fully scaled lifelong learning system, allowing for the upskilling and reskilling required by an ever changing jobs market.

Whilst we want to best harness the growth potential of AI, this should not be at the expense of employment rights and protections for workers – on which this Government has a strong record. Our AI Regulation White Paper, published in March, set out our plans to drive responsible and safe innovation. Where AI might challenge someone’s human rights in the workplace, the UK has a strong system of legislation and enforcement of these protections, using both state and individual enforcement through specialist labour tribunals.

And where people do face disruption to the sector they work within, the Department for Work and Pensions has a wide range of support available, which will complement skills provision, and provide routes for job hunters including to access the higher-skilled, higher-paid jobs that AI creates.

The Government has no plans to introduce an industry-wide social tariff for mobile and broadband services for low-income households at this time.

Low-cost broadband and mobile offers are available across 99% of the UK from 23 providers (including BT, Sky, Virgin Media, Shell, and Vodafone) from as low as £10 per month. Ofcom’s April 2023 Affordability Report noted 85% of consumers are able to switch to a social tariff with their existing provider.

The Government continues to work with Ofcom to monitor market provision.

The Government's £2.6 billion National Cyber Strategy sets out how we are building a prosperous and resilient digital UK and fuelling growth in the UK economy. This includes strengthening resilience at a national and organisational level to prepare for, respond to and recover from cyber attacks.

This Government is committed to improving the cyber resilience of businesses through tailored support, guidance and regulatory frameworks, underpinned by upstream interventions to remove risk at scale. This includes promoting the take-up of accreditations and standards such as the Cyber Essentials certification scheme, with 132,094 certificates awarded to date. We have strengthened existing guidance for business, working closely with the National Cyber Security Centre. We have also consulted recently on measures to mitigate risks in organisations’ supply chains, such as bringing Managed Service Providers in scope of existing cyber regulations and seeking views on where the Government should intervene to improve the security of software across its development and use.

Ofcom has a statutory duty to monitor ongoing household affordability in the sector and my Department meets regularly with them to discuss a range of issues relating to consumer protections.

The Government has worked closely with Ofcom and providers to ensure social tariffs are available for those on Universal Credit and other means-tested benefits. These low-cost broadband and mobile offers are available across 99% of the UK from 23 providers (including BT, Sky, Virgin Media, and Vodafone) from as low as £10 per month.

On 28 June, As part of the Government’s plan to half inflation this year, the Chancellor chaired a roundtable with sector regulators which included Ofcom. At that meeting Ofcom agreed to:

• Take action to push suppliers who have yet to introduce social tariffs (discount deals for vulnerable customers) to offer them in the broadband and mobile markets, as well as waive fees for any customers who want to switch providers to access a social tariff.

• Push suppliers to take immediate steps to raise awareness of existing social tariffs and drive consumer take-up. Ofcom will work with government and other relevant bodies to support industry efforts.

• Publish a report on its current review of in-contract prices to ensure consumers are sufficiently aware of what they are signing up to by the end of the year. This will consider whether Ofcom’s rules need to be strengthened. Ofcom will also publish an update on its full range of work to support consumers in July.

In June 2022, leaders of the UK’s largest mobile and broadband companies agreed a set of public commitments to support their customers through the cost of living including allowing those struggling with their bills to enter into payment plans or switch to cheaper deals without penalty.

We understand that this is a difficult time for households across the country who are struggling with their bills as a result of the rise in the cost of living, and price rises at this time are particularly unwelcome.

The latest ONS data suggests that prices for telephone and telefax equipment and services (e.g. telecoms equipment such as telephones, fax machines as well as services including broadband and mobile airtime contracts) in the year to May 2023 increased 9.1% and contributed 0.2 percentage points of the 8.7% annual CPI rate published in May 2023.

Ofcom is undertaking a review into the transparency of in-contract price rises and expects to report by the end of the year. We look forward to their findings.

To support low-income families, the Government has worked closely with Ofcom and the industry to bring a range of social tariffs into the market. These low-cost, high-quality broadband and mobile offers are available from a range of providers, across 99% of the UK and start from as low as £10 per month.

More broadly, last June, as a result of Government negotiations, the telecoms sector agreed a set of public commitments to support their customers struggling with their broadband or mobile bills, including allowing households to switch to cheaper tariffs or enter into payment plans without penalty. We would urge anyone concerned about their telecom bills to contact their provider to discuss the support available.

We published our AI Regulation White Paper on 29 March, which sets out five cross-cutting principles regulators should apply when considering the use of AI in their own sectors. The principles are: (i) safety, security and robustness, (ii) appropriate transparency and explainability, (iii) fairness, (iv) accountability and governance, (v) contestability and redress.

Our principles-based approach to AI regulation is focused on outcomes – rather than a more rigid, horizontal approach regulating the technology without considering context – and is designed to manage risk and enhance trust while also allowing innovation to flourish. The proposals make the provision that, dependent on the implementation of the principles, we will consider the introduction of a statutory duty on regulators in time.

The white paper also proposes a range of new central functions, including a horizon scanning function intended to support the anticipation assessment of emerging risks. This will complement the existing work undertaken by regulators and other government departments to identify and address risks arising from AI.

The Government is also investing £100 million in startup funding to a new Foundation Model Taskforce to ensure UK leadership in foundation models, such as those underpinning services such as chatGPT and Stable Diffusion, to develop UK sovereign capabilities in this technology and act as a global standard bearer for AI Safety.

Finally, on 7th June 2023, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will host the first major Global Summit on AI Safety this autumn. The Summit will consider the risks of AI, including frontier systems, and discuss how they can be mitigated through internationally coordinated action. It will also provide a platform for countries to work together on further developing a shared approach to mitigate these risks.

In March the Government published the AI Regulation White Paper, setting out a proportionate, pro-innovation approach to AI regulation. The Government will publish its response to the recently completed consultation later this year. Our approach, supported by technical standards and assurance, is deliberately designed to be outcomes-based and adaptable to new technologies, rather than a rigid approach that could impede innovation and adoption of AI by UK sectors.

In addition to our regulatory work, the Government announced £100 million funding for BridgeAI – an InnovateUK programme designed to stimulate the growth of AI in traditionally low-AI-maturity sectors, such as construction and agriculture.

The first major global summit on AI safety, hosted by the UK, will bring together key countries, as well as leading technology companies and researchers, to agree on the safety measures needed to evaluate and monitor the most significant risks emerging from the newest developments in AI technologies.

Decisions are ongoing regarding preparations for the Summit. We have received interest from multiple organisations including academia and civil society and we are currently exploring how best to ensure representation from these groups and others.

We have been actively promoting the UK AI Regulatory Model - as set out in the AI Regulation White Paper published in March 2023 - to other governments through both bilateral engagements and multilateral fora. For example, this has included presenting the white paper at the OECD’s Working Party on AI Governance meeting in Paris. In the same month, the Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy attended the G7 Digital Ministerial meeting in Japan, where the UK agreed to the G7 Digital Ministerial Declaration. Crucially, the Declaration endorses an Action Plan for promoting global interoperability between tools for trustworthy AI - a key component of the AI Regulation White Paper. Building on these efforts, on 7th June 2023, the Prime Minister announced that the UK will host the first major Global Summit on AI Safety this autumn. The Summit will consider the risks of AI, including frontier systems, and discuss how they can be mitigated through internationally coordinated action. It will also provide a platform for countries to work together on further developing a shared approach to mitigate these risks.

As examples of bilateral activity, on 8th June 2023, the UK government agreed to the Atlantic Declaration with the United States. In lockstep with the UK’s AI Regulatory Model, both the UK and U.S. have agreed to accelerate cooperation on AI with a focus on ensuring its safe and responsible development. Similarly, on 18th May 2023, the Government agreed to the Hiroshima Accord with Japan, which pledges to focus future UK-Japan AI discussions on promoting human-centric and trustworthy AI and interoperability between AI governance frameworks.

Active international engagement on AI is a key priority for the Government. We are working closely with many international partners to both learn from, and influence, regulatory and non-regulatory developments. In line with the UK’s International Tech Strategy, we will continue to shape global AI activities in line with UK values and priorities, protecting against efforts to adopt and apply AI technologies in the service of authoritarianism and repression.

Software is a key driver of growth across the UK, and a fundamental building block of the digital economy. However, this has also increased its appeal to malicious actors. The Government is committed to strengthening the resilience of UK businesses and organisations, and it is a key pillar of the 2022 National Cyber Security Strategy.

The UK is already making significant progress in the area of cybersecurity. The UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Act is raising standards of device security for consumers and organisations and the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations are being updated to ensure that critical digital service providers have thorough security practices. These complement ongoing work by the National Cyber Security Centre to provide technical advice to the Government, critical national infrastructure and organisations across the UK.

In February, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology published a call for views on software resilience and security for businesses and organisations. This sought views on the key risks and challenges around software security, and where the Government should focus on mitigating them.

The call for views closed on 1 May, and the department is currently analysing the responses. These will inform the design of a set of policies to further address risks linked to software. The Government will be setting out its next steps in the summer.

In March 2021, the Government launched Project Gigabit, its £5 billion mission to bring lightning-fast, reliable broadband to premises in rural and hard-to-reach locations across the UK. We have already made over £1.4 billion of funding available to broadband suppliers to build gigabit-capable infrastructure to premises that will not be reached by suppliers’ commercial plans alone.

Support is also available through the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which provides a subsidy of up to £4,500 for residents and businesses in rural areas towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband via local community broadband projects.

The Government is committed to working with broadband suppliers to ensure 85% of UK premises can access gigabit-capable broadband by 2025, and then for nationwide coverage by 2030. We are on track to achieve our target.

The Government is also working to ensure that very hard to reach premises that may be unable to access a gigabit-capable connection in future also see an improvement in their connectivity. In April, the Government announced an £8 million fund to provide capital grants to further promote new satellite connectivity to up to the most remote 35,000 premises, helping these premises get improved broadband where required. Further details on the value of the grants, who will be able to apply for the scheme, and how to apply, will be released in due course.

The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and continues to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) for the use of animals in scientific procedures. This is achieved through UK Research and Innovation’s funding of the National Centre for the 3Rs, which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies, and through research into the development of alternatives by Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

In the Net Zero Strategy, the Government set out its commitments to enable local areas to deliver net zero.

These include continuing the Local Net Zero Hubs Programme to support local areas with their capability and capacity to meet net zero; and funding work to develop business models to increase private sector investment in local net zero.

The policies and proposals brought forward by the 10 Point Plan, Net Zero and Energy Security Strategies will support up to 480,000 green jobs across the UK.

Through the Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme, the Government has made funding available to support investment in major port and manufacturing infrastructure.

The Government is also working closely with industry, the education sector and other key stakeholders through the Green Jobs Delivery Group. The Delivery Group looks at ways of ensuring all sectors of the economy and parts of the country can benefit from the green transition whilst growing green jobs opportunities.

Businesses will have benefitted from the Government’s reversal of the National Insurance rise, saving SMEs approximately £4,200 on average, the cut to fuel duty for 12 months and raising the Employment Allowance to £5,000.

The Energy Bill Relief and Energy Bill Discount Schemes will protect SMEs from high energy costs over the winter. The Autumn Statement announced £13.6 billion of support for businesses over the next five years, reducing the burden of business rates for SMEs.

Support is available to SMEs across the UK through the Recovery Loan Scheme and the Start-Up loan scheme. The latter has provided 100,228 SMEs with Start-Up loans to the value of £941,064,690.

The recent fall in inflation is welcome, however energy markets remain volatile and prices are still well above historical norms. Suppliers buy energy in advance of when it is delivered and Ofgem determines a maximum price suppliers can charge consumers to recover the cost of this through the price cap. The Government has introduced the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) which will save a typical household around £900 this winter, on top of a £400 discount through the Energy Bill Support Scheme.

The BEIS "Electricity Generation Costs" report shows that on a levelised cost basis, wind and solar are amongst the cheapest forms of electricity generation in the UK. More low-cost renewables like wind and solar will ensure Britain is less affected by fluctuations in volatile global gas prices.

BEIS’s "Modelling 2050 – electricity system analysis" also shows that low-cost future electricity systems require a mix of technologies to balance demand and supply. Highly renewable systems have the lowest overall costs and lowest carbon emissions.

The Government has announced unprecedented support to protect households and businesses from rising energy costs, including volatile gas prices. The Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bill Relief Scheme are supporting millions of households and businesses by reducing the amount suppliers can charge per unit of energy used.

The Government is additionally providing a £400 discount off energy bills under the Energy Bills Support Scheme to households across the UK.

The Energy Bill Discount Scheme (EBDS) will go live on 1 April 2023 with support continuing to be applied directly to eligible non-domestic energy bills through energy providers.

The Energy Investment Fund is a Scottish Government initiative. Its budget is not a matter for the UK Government.

The Government has expanded the Warm Home Discount from this year, providing rebates worth £150 to over 3 million households across Great Britain. The Government has also reformed the scheme in England and Wales, to provide more rebates automatically to households, without having to apply.

This support comes in addition to the cost-of-living support packages announced this year. Energy efficiency remains the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term, with support available through the Energy Company Obligation, Home Upgrade Grant, Local Authority Delivery scheme and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

The Government recognises the impact rising prices are having on businesses.

Businesses will have benefitted from the Government’s reversal of the National Insurance rise, saving businesses on average £4,200, cut fuel duty for 12 months and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, to protect businesses from high energy costs over the winter. The Employment Allowance was increased to £5,000 from April and we have continued to provide business rate relief worth over £7bn, freezing the business rates multiplier for a further year.

In addition, at the Autumn Statement, my Rt Hon Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £13.6 billion of support for businesses over the next five years, reducing the burden of business rates.

In March 2022, a tripartite agreement was reached between the bodies which oversee offshore wind training and qualifications – OPITO, the Global Wind Organisation, and the International Contractors Association – to align training standards to enable workforce mobility.

As part of the commitments in the North Sea Transition Deal, OPITO published an Integrated People and Skills Strategy in May 2022, highlighting the benefits of a managed energy transition and committed to create an aligned training and standards framework (Energy Skills Passport), which will enable skills transfer across the offshore energy sector. This is expected to be deployed in 2023.

On 20 July, the Business Secretary announced an extension for the Recovery Loan Scheme to help smaller businesses, including hospitality, access loans and other kinds of finance up to £2 million per business group so they can grow and invest.

The Start Up Loans Company, part of the Government-owned British Business Bank, provides loans and pre- and post-application support to new entrepreneurs, including a year of free business mentoring for successful applicants.

Since the Start Up Loans programme was launched in 2012, over 99,000 loans have been delivered with an aggregate value of more than £9342m (average loan size of £9,369), as of November 2022.

The United Kingdom became the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050. Its Net Zero Strategy will secure 480,000 well-paid jobs and unlock £100 billion in investment in 2030. The North Sea Transition Deal sets out how the Government will partner with industry to transition the UK Continental Shelf to a net zero basin by 2050.

The UK works closely with international energy partners through the G7, G20 and International Energy Agency. The Government led the way to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels in order to starve Putin’s war machine, including through energy sanctions, and maintain stable energy markets and prices. The Government will also continue to support Ukraine and has committed a total of £22 million and additional guarantees to support Ukraine’s energy sector.

While the Government recognises the importance of the right to strike, we need to balance this against the need to protect the public and keep them safe. The Government is therefore reviewing our industrial relations legal framework to ensure that it gets this balance right. More details will be given in due course.

The Energy Price Guarantee has been in place to reduce the unit cost of electricity and gas for UK households. This is automatic and applies to all households. The Energy Bills Support Scheme provides £400 off energy bills for households.

Work continues to develop comparable schemes to deliver £400 to households which are not eligible for EBSS, as well as to households in Northern Ireland. Details for both schemes will be announced shortly.

The Government has also introduced the Alternative Fuel Payment of £200, delivering support for homes using fuels such as heating oil, liquified petroleum gas, coal or biomass which will be paid as soon as possible in the new year.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has provided no financial support for trials of a four-day week. The Government has therefore made no such assessment.

The Government is committed to supporting all households, especially low income and vulnerable households.

This winter, the Government is providing direct support to millions of households through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

This is in addition to targeted support through the cost of living support packages, announced in May (2022-23) and November (2023-24). Both packages target vulnerable and low income households, including those on means-tested benefits, pensioners and those with a disability.

Energy efficiency remains the best way to tackle fuel poverty in the long term, with support available through the Energy Company Obligation, Home Upgrade Grant, Local Authority Delivery scheme and Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

Local Authorities have a combination of powers and assets which gives them autonomy to deliver net zero in ways that best suit their needs.

The Government provides a range of support which enables local areas to deliver net zero, as laid out in the Net Zero Strategy.

The Government considers the expert and independent advice of the Low Pay Commission (LPC) when setting the statutory minimum wage rates. The LPC has gained international respect for their high-quality work. The key distinction between the statutory minimum rates and rates such as the Living Wage Foundation’s Voluntary Living Wage, is that LPC calculations consider the impact on businesses and the economy. We commend employers who pay above the National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage when they can afford to do so.

The Government has made £160m available to support investment in major port and manufacturing infrastructure through the Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Support Scheme. The Government is also offering a further £31m, to be matched by industry funding, for research and development in floating offshore wind projects.

The Government has and will continue to encourage employers to pay their workers more than the National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage when they can afford to do so. In 2021, around 8 in 10 workers aged 16 to 22 earned above their age-related rate of the National Minimum Wage. However, we do recognise that the ability to pay workers more than the statutory minimum may vary across businesses and sectors.

The Government is committed to ensuring the consistency and reliability of data on the delivery and funding of energy efficiency measures.

The UK has a range of energy efficiency schemes, with different measures and delivery modes. BEIS reports against each scheme with the data aligned to the schemes’ rules and definitions. This data is then aggregated into Official Statistics publications produced against the Government Code of Practice for Statistics.

The Government has not made an assessment of the impact on small businesses of early payment schemes.

In July 2021, the Government published an independent review by Nigel Boardman into the development and use of Supply Chain Finance in government.

The Small Business Commissioner, Liz Barclay, has drawn awareness to the potential benefits of how technology can play a key role in managing cashflow and accelerating payments to small suppliers.

The labour market is strong by historical standards. The overall inactivity rate, a factor in labour shortages, remains historically low.

Where low pay is a barrier to certain sectors, the Government is supporting better pay by, for example, ensuring that all tips go to staff and increasing the National Living Wage to £10.42 an hour.

The Government is also investing £3.8bn into skills and further education over this Parliament to ensure workers can develop the skills that businesses need.

The Home Office meet regularly with a range of industry stakeholders to discuss immigration policy and the needs of each sector.

BEIS continues to work with the Department for Education, the Department for Work and Pensions, and representatives of the construction sector through the Construction Skills Delivery Group, which aims to drive increased investment in construction skills, including those relevant to the infrastructure sector. To date, the Group has made good progress in supporting a greater number of apprenticeship starts, encouraging pledges to transfer unspent Apprenticeship Levy funding, and to provide better information and easier routes into the industry for those seeking careers in construction.

The Government is safeguarding and enhancing our manufacturing base by providing substantial funding for projects in important sub-sectors such as aerospace, automotive and life sciences. We have committed nearly £1 billion to fund the High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres and the Made Smarter programme.

The Government recognises that for UK manufacturing to remain internationally competitive it must continue investing to keep the sector at the forefront of net zero innovation. We will launch a new Manufacturing Investment Prospectus to showcase UK manufacturing, the policies which demonstrate our commitment to the sector and to help promote investment in UK manufacturing.

Work is already taking place in each department to draw up plans for each piece of REUL in scope of the sunset, including an SI program.

The process of cataloguing retained EU law across government has been ongoing, and a dashboard was published on 22 June 2022, as part of the cross-Whitehall substance review of REUL.

The dashboard presents an authoritative catalogue of retained EU law, not a comprehensive list of retained EU law. We will continue to work across government to develop this catalogue where EU-derived legislation remains on our statute book and the data will be updated on a quarterly basis.

The Government is considering a number of options for increasing energy efficiency standards. For the domestic Private Rented Sector, the Government has consulted on raising the standard to EPC Band C for new tenancies from 1 April 2025, and for all tenancies by 1 April 2028. The Government has also consulted on raising the minimum energy efficiency standard of privately rented non-domestic buildings to EPC C by 1 April 2027, and EPC B by 1 April 2030.

The Department have analysed the responses, and we will publish the Government Responses in due course.

Over the past year, the Government has supported workers across the UK and in the hospitality sector to improve pay, conditions, and employment rights.

On pay and facing increasing energy costs, we have helped people and businesses with their energy bills. The Energy Bills Support Scheme is supporting millions of households with rising energy costs until April next year. We have also raised the national living wage which will be £10.42 in April 2023. This is the largest ever cash increase and will ensure the lowest paid are fairly rewarded for their contribution to the economy.

On employment rights and conditions, the Government is backing five Private Members’ Bills to support workers. This includes the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill, which will ensure that all tips go to hospitality staff and allows staff to bring a claim to an Employment Tribunal if businesses do not distribute well-earned service charges fairly.

The Government has also been working closely with the hospitality sector. The Hospitality and Tourism Skills Board is developing guidance for employers on good practice regarding working conditions and employee wellbeing and progression

Providing breakdowns of energy efficiency allocations for every local authority for each year since 2008 could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, the most recent allocations to LAs from the Home Upgrade Grant, Green Homes Grant – Local Authority Delivery, Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Public Sector Decarbonisation schemes can be found on GOV.UK.

The Accelerator Programme Grants provided by Westcott Accelerator and Incubation Programme has been devised by the Satellite Applications Catapult and is funded by the Buckinghamshire Enterprise Zone. It is a locally resourced and evaluated initiative designed to support the Westcott Space Cluster.

In March 2022, the Government published the Low Pay Commission’s remit asking them to make recommendations for minimum wage rates that should apply from April 2023. The Government will continue to consider the Low Pay Commission’s advice when setting wage floors in order to ensure that minimum wage rises are balanced between rewarding workers whilst minimising the impact on the economy and employers.

The Start Up Loans Company, part of the British Business Bank, provides loans to new businesses of between £500 and £25,000 at a fixed interest rate of 6 per cent. Since 2012, the Start Up Loans programme has delivered over 98,000 loans across the UK, with a total value of over £913 million (September 2022).

At the Spending Review in 2021, my Rt. Hon. Friend the then Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced an expansion of the scheme with funding for around 11,000 loans a year. Eligibility has also been enhanced, with access to Start Up Loans for businesses up to three years old and follow-on loans for businesses up to five years old.

The Net Zero Strategy, published in October 2021, is a cross-economy strategy which keeps the UK on the path to net zero tackling climate change and emissions.

The Government has reversed the National Insurance rise, which will save SMEs approximately £4,200 on average, cut fuel duty for 12 months and brought in the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, to protect small businesses from high energy costs over the winter.

The Business Support Helpline on 0800 998 1098 enables SMEs in England to access support of all kinds, including grants, loans and business advice. Equivalent services are available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) helps ensure that smaller businesses can access loans and other kinds of finance for working capital and investment. The current iteration of the scheme was announced on 20 July 2022 and supports finance up to £2 million per business group. RLS is available through 38 accredited lenders including banks, asset finance providers, regional and social lenders.

The National Living Wage (NLW) is part of our wider commitment to ensuring a labour market that works for everyone, both in terms of fair pay and fair working conditions. Through the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and the NLW, we protect the lowest paid within our society. We are clear that anyone entitled to be paid the minimum wage should receive it and we take robust enforcement action against employers who do not pay their staff correctly.

The costs of gas and electricity is forecast to remain high, and many small businesses are experiencing increased energy bills. The government is taking action by intervening in the energy market to support non-domestic consumers including small businesses.   The Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a price reduction to ensure that all eligible businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period.

Through the local Government core settlement, grant funding schemes, and UK growth funding, the Government is enabling local areas to tackle net zero goals in ways that best suit their needs.

Renewable electricity generation will be key to securing more low-cost homegrown energy. The Government will support investment in the sector through the UK’s flagship scheme for low carbon generation (Contracts for Difference) which from next year will move to annual auctions. This will help further accelerate the deployment of clean, low-cost generation.

The precise mechanics of the temporary Cost-Plus Revenue Limit will be subject to a consultation to be launched shortly, enabling those affected to share their views. The measure will allow generators to cover their costs and receive an appropriate revenue that reflects their operational output, investment commitment and risk profile.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) works closely with network operators, the regulator Ofgem and other stakeholders to ensure that the appropriate technical measures are able to be deployed throughout the year, to ensure the integrity of the energy system.

We are in regular dialogue with the sector and are aware of the recruitment challenges facing businesses. The Hospitality Sector Council is actively looking at this issue, including working directly with the Hospitality Rising Campaign through our Hospitality and Tourism Skills Board.

Support has been boosted by 37 50PLUS Champions covering every district across England, Wales and Scotland who will work with local employers to help them realise how their recruitment could benefit from the talent of older workers.

On 20 July, my Rt. Hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced an extension for the Recovery Loan Scheme. The Recovery Loan Scheme helps smaller businesses access loans and other kinds of finance up to £2 million per business group so they can grow and invest. The finance can be used for any legitimate business purpose, including growth and investment or working capital. Furthermore, the Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a price reduction to ensure that all eligible businesses and other non-domestic customers are protected from excessively high energy bills over the winter period.

Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and restrictions on gas supply to Europe, have emphasised the need for ‘home grown’ sources of energy to reduce our reliance on imports.

My rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on Thursday 7th September that the Government will end the pause on extracting shale gas

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) works closely with network operators, the regulator Ofgem and other stakeholders to ensure that the appropriate technical measures are able to be deployed throughout the year, to ensure the integrity of the energy system.

The business supply market benefits from greater diversity because it is less regulated than the domestic market. It is important to strike the right balance to assist businesses.

On 8th September the Prime Minister announced a new six-month scheme – the Energy Price Guarantee for Businesses (EPGB) – to protect all businesses and other non-domestic energy users from soaring energy costs. It will offer comparable support to that being provided for consumers and we expect the scheme to be available in the autumn.

The Government has announced an exceptional support package worth £37billion this year to shield consumers from the worst impacts of volatile international energy markets this coming winter. The Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS) will also deliver a £400 non-repayable grant to eligible households to help with energy bills from October.

The Government recognises that the rising cost of living has presented additional financial challenges to many consumers, reducing their spending power and impacting retail sales.

On 26th May, the Government announced a Cost of Living package, providing over £15bn of support targeted particularly at those with the greatest need. This package builds on the over £22bn already announced, bringing total government support for the Cost of Living to over £37bn this year.

The Retail Sector Council continues to work on the strategic issues facing the sector.

Studies show that improving the performance of UK SMEs to match competitor countries such as Germany, could add up to £100 billion to the economy. Help to Grow aims to close that gap by specifically targeting SMEs who will benefit in a way that impacts growth potential and productivity. There are currently no plans to introduce a Help to Grow scheme for the third sector. Businesses applying to either Help to Grow schemes (management and digital) must:

• Be registered in the UK;
• Have between 5-249 employees;
• Have been operating for at least twelve months​; and
• Not be a charity.

The Government is closely monitoring the fertiliser market. On 6 May, the Government announced steps to support farmers with cost pressures caused by demand and instability seen across the globe – Direct Payments in England will be paid in two instalments each year for the remainder of the agricultural transition period, to help farmers with their cashflow. Furthermore, we have provided more than £2 billion in relief to help Energy Intensive Industries with electricity costs since 2013 – Fertiliser plants are recipients of this support.

The current price cap on domestic default tariffs is an absolute cap, as this is the best way to ensure that households are protected from the effects of the loyalty penalty. The level of the price cap is set by Ofgem.

The Government published its first-ever Hospitality Strategy in July 2021. The Strategy set out twenty-two commitments to support the sector across a range of policy areas, grouped into three themes: Reopening, Recovery, and Resilience. This Department launched the Hospitality Sector Council to oversee the delivery of the strategy, and officials continue to work with the Council and the sector to deliver the strategy commitments. The Government engages regularly with hospitality businesses and organisations to understand the pressing issues that they face, including cost pressures and supply chain disruptions. An update on the Hospitality Strategy will be published shortly.

There is no single definition of an energy intensive industry (EII). There are currently two schemes for eligible EIIs that provide relief from high industrial electricity costs. The Compensation Scheme provides businesses with relief from a proportion of the costs of both the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and Carbon Price Support mechanism in their electricity bills. The Exemption Scheme provides a discount on the indirect costs of the Contracts for Difference, Renewables Obligation and Feed in Tariffs schemes.

In the British Energy Security Strategy the Government outlined how it will cut approval times. The Government will strengthen the National Policy Statements, establish a fast-track consenting process for priority cases, implement a new Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package, review the Habitats Regulations Assessment process and work with the Offshore Wind Acceleration Task Force on further cutting the timeline.

As of the end of March 2022, the Recovery Loan Scheme has provided over £3.4bn of finance to more than 15,000 businesses.

We are consulting with lenders and business representative organisations on how best to continue to support businesses, including on the role of a government-backed loan guarantee scheme. Any such scheme would be announced in parliament in due course.

The Government is very aware of the difficulties that consumers have experienced as a result of the rise in energy prices. On 26 May, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer announced several support measures to help households and the most vulnerable with the cost of living.

Almost eight million of the most vulnerable households will get at least £1,200 of one-off support in total this year, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400. This is in addition to the over £22 billion announced previously to support the rise in the cost of living, now totalling over £37 billion this year.

The National Minimum Wage rates, including for apprentices, are based on the independent and expert advice of the Low Pay Commission (LPC). The Government set a remit in March 2022 for the LPC to make recommendations in the Autumn for minimum wage rates to apply from April 2023. The LPC draws on economic, labour market and pay analysis, independent research, and stakeholder evidence to inform its recommendations.

Ofgem regulates network connection charges. It has decided that distribution network connection costs for renewable energy projects will be reduced from April 2023, where distribution network reinforcement is required.

Through the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, the Government secured a commitment from developers and supply chain companies to work together to increase the number of women working in offshore wind to 33% by 2030, aiming for a higher 40% if feasible. This is starting from a 2018 baseline of 16%. This work is being taken forward by the Offshore Wind Industry Council.

Through the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, the Government secured a commitment from developers and supply chain companies to work together to increase the number of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people working in offshore wind to 9% by 2030, aiming for a higher 12% if feasible. This is starting from a 2020 baseline of 5%. This work is being taken forward by the Offshore Wind Industry Council.

Last month, the Government published its response to consultation on Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance.

As part of this balanced, targeted, and proportionate package of reforms, we intend to require directors of large companies to produce a fraud statement as part of their annual report. Directors will be expected to set out the steps taken to prevent and detect material fraud; and their assessment of the risk of material fraud in the entity, highlighting the areas of the business most susceptible to material fraud.

Since 2011, the Government has supported a series of business-led independent reviews, increasing participation of women on FTSE boards via progressive targets: 25% women (Davies Review); 33% (Hampton-Alexander Review) and, to date, 40% (FTSE Women Leaders Review, published 22^nd February 2022).

Women’s representation has grown from 9.5% FTSE board members in 2011, to 37.6% to the end of 2021. The UK is ranked second only to France, compared to other nations working to gender balance public listed companies’ boards. The Government continues to commit targets, but, given the successes of the voluntary approach, has no plans to introduce mandatory quotas.

As set out in the British Energy Security Strategy, the Government recognises that UK industrial electricity prices are higher than those of other countries. The Government committed to extend the EII Compensation Scheme for a further 3 years and intend to increase the aid intensity to up to 100% (1.5% of GVA). The Government is also considering a range of other measures which might be able to support these businesses.

The Government has no plans to require companies with more than 50 employees to publish their ethnicity pay gap data. In Inclusive Britain, the Government’s response to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, we committed to publish guidance for employers on voluntary ethnicity pay reporting.

On 20^th May, the Government increased the budget available to offshore wind projects in the fourth Contracts for Difference allocation round by £10m to £210m. While there are maximum limits on how much onshore wind and solar can be successful in the auction, there are no limits on the capacity of other technologies, including offshore wind.

Through the recently published EV Infrastructure Strategy, the Government set out roles and responsibilities for local authorities and Distribution Network Operators to provide a comprehensive network of charge points.

£2.5 billion of Government funding has been committed to the EV transition since 2020, over £1.6 billion of which will be used to support charging infrastructure. This includes £500m to support local charge point provision and £950m to unlock electricity network capacity to deliver 6,000 ultra-rapid charge points at motorway service areas and major A roads by 2035.

The upcoming price control for electricity distribution will enable network companies to ready the electricity network for the increase in charge point deployment.

As outlined in the Net Zero Strategy, the Government does not believe that a new general statutory requirement is needed for Local Authorities to deliver net zero. The Government has no plans to mandate the creation of net zero-transition plans.

BEIS continues to work closely with Local Authorities to minimise the risk of fraud and error, and to take action where this does occur. Local Authorities are required to undertake assurance activity for all COVID-19 Business Grant schemes, to ensure that the recipients were eligible to receive the funds and that funds were paid correctly. Where it is identified that an award of a grant was non-compliant, funding issued will be subject to recovery and all cases of fraud will be pursued. The Assurance and Debt Recovery Guidance can be found on the COVID-19 Business Grants page at Gov.UK.

The energy price cap ensures 4.5 million prepayment meter customers pay a fair price for their energy. The Government announced a further £15 billion package of support to help with the cost of living on 26 May, on top of the £22 billion already announced this year. This means almost eight million most vulnerable households will get £1,200 of one-off support in total this year, with all domestic electricity customers receiving at least £400.

The Ability to Pay principal set by Ofgem in the supply licence requires suppliers to provide appropriate support to households which are struggling to pay their energy bills by setting up repayment plans based on a customer’s ability to pay, and by directing them to further support services.

The £1.4bn Global Britain Investment Fund will drive investment in industries where the UK has both natural strengths and geographic spread. This includes in the automotive sector, which has regional clusters in the West Midlands, North West and North East; the life sciences sector, where currently two thirds of manufacturing jobs are already located outside of London and the South East; as well as the offshore wind sector, which is generating new investment in coastal communities in the North East and East of England as well as in Scotland and Wales.

Introducing non-means-tested benefits, such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA), into the eligibility criteria would mean that many households on lower incomes and in deeper fuel poverty would be disadvantaged.

Around 62% of PIP and DLA recipients also receive one of the qualifying means-tested benefits and so would be considered low-income under the Core Group 2 criteria. Those households with high energy costs would be eligible for a rebate. Recipients of AA, a pension-age benefit, who claim Pension Credit Guarantee Credit will, in most cases, qualify for a rebate through Core Group 1.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Lord.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Lord.

The Government acknowledges the valuable contribution of hydropower to the GB energy mix over many decades. However, economic and environmental constraints mean that in practice the viable remaining resource is less than 1% of total generation capacity, and therefore hydroelectric generation will likely not be a significant contributor to the country's future generation portfolio.

The Government remains open to considering well-developed proposals for harnessing the tidal range energy in the bays and estuaries around the UK coast. Any such proposal would have to demonstrate strong evidence of value for money in the context of other low-carbon forms of generation before the Government could take a view on its potential.

The Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy sets out our long-term strategy to improve home insulation.

The Government has committed in the British Energy Security Strategy to working closely with Ofgem – the independent regulator - to speed up connections and cut down on the time it takes for new energy projects to be connected to the grid.

Gas industry representatives cooperatively developed the Demand Side Response tool which encourages Daily Metered (DM) consumers – usually large industrial users – to offer to reduce their gas demand during times of system stress, in return for payment.

This tool has the potential for DM users to protect their most critical loads, minimise costs, and may reduce the likelihood of a supply emergency.

In the recently announced Energy Security Strategy, the Government set out plans to boost Britain’s energy security and reduce dependence on power sources, exposed to volatile international prices, that the Government cannot control. This will allow greater self-sufficiency, with cheaper bills.

The UK Government no longer provides support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas as of 31 March 2021, other than in limited circumstances. The policy is set out in this guidance document (also attached).

The continued operation of Sizewell B, or any UK nuclear power station, is a decision for the operator, EdF, and the independent nuclear regulator, the ONR, based on safety and commercial considerations.

Sizewell B is currently scheduled to generate power until 2035 but is widely expected to extend its operation beyond this date. EdF is actively exploring long-term operations for Sizewell B.

There are no plans to introduce a new cap on energy prices. The Energy Price Cap is a temporary measure until competition in the market improves.

The Government announced in July last year that it would seek new legislation to enable future extensions of the price cap beyond 2023, if the conditions for effective competition are not in place.

Ofgem is required to set the energy price cap at a level that reflects the efficient cost of supplying households with gas and electricity.

The Government has a range of existing schemes and mechanisms which support rooftop solar deployment such as the Smart Export Guarantee, ensuring homes with solar panels get payment for the renewable electricity they export to the grid. In addition, the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, and The Home Upgrade Grant and the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery (LAD) Scheme, all include solar panels as an eligible measure.

There are no plans to reintroduce the Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme, which closed to new applications in March 2019.

With residential solar panels now over 50% cheaper than in 2011, and as costs fall, it is right that the Government move on from dependence on generous subsidies, that are ultimately levied onto customers. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) which came into force in January 2020, follows on from the FIT, and gives small- scale low-carbon electricity generators, such as homes with solar panels, the right to be paid for the renewable electricity they export to the grid.

The SEG is a market-driven mechanism designed to pave the way to projects being deployed without subsidies. It reflects the government’s continued commitment to ensuring that low carbon electricity, whether at household level or national level,  is central to the transition to the smart and flexible energy systems of the future.

The UK is not dependent on Russia for its gas, with no direct pipeline. In 2021, less than 4% of UK demand for gas came from Russian, via liquified natural gas (LNG).

The Government will introduce a climate compatibility checkpoint, which will be used to assess whether any future licensing rounds remain in keeping with the UK’s climate goals.

The Government has invited contributions on the design of the checkpoint with a public consultation which closed at the end of February. The Government is considering the responses to the consultation and will announce the outcome in due course.

The Government has confirmed that the UK will phase out imports of Russian oil by the end of the year. The UK is a significant producer of both crude oil and petroleum products and participates in a global market of alternative suppliers.

The Government will work with companies through a new Taskforce on Oil to support them to make use of the transitory period in finding alternative supplies. Over the course of the year the taskforce will work closely with international partners including the USA, the Netherlands, and the Gulf to ensure alternative supplies of fuel products.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister is giving Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (‘SLAPPs’) and libel reform in UK courts urgent consideration in light of reports that Russia and its allies may be funding litigation against free speech in the UK.

Urgent consideration is being given what action can be taken across government to prevent acts by domestic or hostile entities that risk damaging the reputation of our judicial and legal profession. In doing so we are committed to a robust defence of transparency, rule of law and freedom of speech.

An announcement will be made very shortly.

The Government brought forward amendments to the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill to shorten the deadline for overseas companies already owning land in England and Wales, and Scotland, to register their beneficial owners from 18 months to 6 months. This will help crack down on money laundering through UK property, whilst giving people who hold their property in overseas entities for legitimate reasons appropriate time to comply with the new requirements. The Bill has now received Royal Assent.

The vast majority of the beneficial owners of entities holding properties on the register will be entirely law-abiding. A 6-month transition period strikes a balance in allowing for the free enjoyment of property and maintaining the UK’s reputation as a stable investment environment whilst ensuring property owners register their beneficial owners.

We will give owners six months to register, because if they do not comply in time their property rights will be affected. The Government does not interfere with individuals’ rights lightly and this interference could not have reasonably been expected when such rights were acquired. It is important to remember that the majority of properties will be held via overseas entities by entirely law-abiding people.

The new register is a measure designed to inform investigatory work by the National Crime Agency and others, and will help clean up our property market in the long-term. It is not a necessary precondition of taking swift action to sanction individuals now.

If a foreign company does not comply with the new obligations relating to the Register of Overseas Entities set out in the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill, criminal sanctions are in place. These include fines or a prison sentence of up to 5 years. The company’s rights over its property will also be affected. We have also included a new provision to allow the imposition of financial penalties for non-compliance without the need for criminal prosecution.

On 1 March, the Government introduced the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill. The Bill will legislate for a new Register of Overseas Entities that will require overseas companies owning or buying property in the UK to provide information about their beneficial owners to Companies House.

Beneficial owners and managing officers of overseas entities will be required to verify their information with a UK professional who is supervised for anti-money laundering purposes, otherwise their registration will be refused. As such, information will be verified at the point of registration, annually as part of the updating duty, and at the point of removal from the register.

The Government welcomes the growing number of companies, organisations, and governments joining the international community in isolating Russia, both diplomatically and financially.

The Government has always been clear there would be massive consequences and a severe cost for any Russian military incursion into Ukraine. Russia’s assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked, premeditated and needless attack against a sovereign democratic state. The UK and our international partners stand united in condemning the Russian government’s reprehensible actions.

Decisions about the publishing of action plans are for private companies to make, and not subject to any mandatory Government requirements. However, since 2011 the Government has sponsored and supported a series of independent reviews, aimed at increasing the proportion of women in top FTSE roles. This business led approach to increasing the proportion of women on boards has involved voluntary targets, persuasive and informative information campaigns as well as active tracking of the FTSE performance.

Since 2011 the proportion of women on FTSE 350 boards has increased from 9.5% in 2011, to 37.6% at the end of 2021. The independent reviews initially set a target of 25% of board members should be women (under the Davies Review), followed by 33% (under the Hampton-Alexander Review) and, finally, 40% under the FTSE Women Leaders Review, the latest report for which was published on 22^nd February 2022.

The significant progress made in women on FTSE boards has allowed the UK to this year rank in second place, behind France, when compared internationally to other countries working to improve the gender balance on the boards of public listed companies. The UK is now ranked higher than countries who have set a statutory quota for women on boards.

The Government has no plans to reintroduce the Zero Carbon Homes policy. Instead, when it is implemented in 2025, the Future Homes Standard (FHS) will ensure new homes are zero carbon ready, with high energy efficiency and low carbon heat. Under the FHS, New homes will producing at least 75% lower CO₂ emissions compared to current standards and will require no further retrofit to become fully zero carbon as the electricity grid continues to decarbonise.

We have also recently implemented an uplift to the Building Regulations as an important stepping-stone to the FHS. When the uplift comes into force in June 2022, new homes will produce 30% less CO₂ compared to the current standard.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which is due to launch in April 2022, will provide financial support for the installation of low carbon heat technologies in homes and small non-domestic buildings in England and Wales. The BUS will provide grants of £5,000 towards the installation and capital costs of air source heat pumps and £6,000 for ground source heat pumps.

We are considering the findings of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities independent report, which included recommendations on ethnicity pay reporting, alongside feedback to our consultation on this issue and the recent Women and Equalities Select Committee Report. We will set out our approach in due course.

The Help to Grow Management programme has been designed to support businesses where we expect to see the biggest impact. There are currently no plans to change the criteria relating to the number of employees, but we will continue to keep the programme under review to ensure that it is able to effectively support businesses and deliver the intended boost to productivity.

Help to Grow: Management built on lessons from the successful Small Business Leadership Programme (SBLP), which the programme replaced. The programme is regularly kept under review and as part of this, we will continue to review the eligibility criteria to ensure it effectively supports businesses and delivers its outcomes.

I refer the noble Lord to the answer given by my hon Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for International Trade) to Question UIN 20498 (also attached).

There are no plans to introduce an energy price cap for businesses. The price cap on domestic default variable tariffs was put in place to address the loyalty penalty and prevent consumers from being overcharged. There is a greater diversity of supply arrangements for businesses compared to the domestic sector. Businesses are therefore better placed to effectively procure goods and services for their business, including energy supply.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 2^nd November 2021, the Government remains committed to establishing a new beneficial ownership register of overseas entities that own UK property. Overseas entities selling property will commit an offence if they sell their property at a time when they are in breach of the registration requirements. This register will help combat money laundering and achieve greater transparency in the UK property market. We will legislate when parliamentary time allows. Overseas entities in scope that already own land in the UK will be given 18 months to comply with the new requirements or dispose of their land.

Decisions on the fund are for Ofgem who have appointed the Energy Saving Trust as the independent Service Provider to manage and allocate funding. Funding is only available to registered charities in England Scotland and Wales, and Housing Associations that are exempted charities. The aim is to deliver energy related projects that meet the scheme’s priorities and benefit people in England, Scotland and Wales.

The Government is, and will continue to be, a champion of the needs of business and industry, including the UK manufacturing sector. This is why the principles of our Plan for Growth, and its supporting strategies will put the UK at the forefront of opportunities, give businesses the confidence to invest, boost productivity across the UK, enable our green industrial revolution, and support our vision for Global Britain.

As part of the Spending Review, my Rt hon Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the Made Smarter Adoption programme award of £24 million for the period covering 2022-25 to help manufacturing SMEs increase productivity, competitiveness and drive-up efficiency by adopting industrial digital technology. This funding is in addition to the £8 million committed to the programme for the period covering 2021-22 and builds on the success of the £20 million North West pilot.

The Government is working closely with local authorities as they are best placed to understand how to deliver home retrofits for the betterment of their local communities.

The Government has committed more than £6.6bn in this Parliament to make energy efficiency updates to homes as well as community buildings such as schools, hospitals and leisure centres. Schemes such as the Home Upgrade Grant, the Local Authority Delivery Scheme and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund are being delivered through local authorities. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published a list of participating Local Authorities in England.

The Vaccine Task Force is working closely with vaccine suppliers, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and international partners such as COVAX and UNICEF to allocate vaccines according to need, facilitate the rapid delivery of doses and maximise the shelf life available to recipients.

Our approach to the 20m recently announced for donation via COVAX at the G20 in October was also previously laid out in the answer given by my Hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State to the Hon. Member for Oxford West and Abingdon on 9th November 2021 to Question 69687.

Businesses have significant power to drive change towards achieving the UK’s domestic net zero goal. In order to underline the importance of this area, this year the Government led the Race to Zero campaign targeting small and microbusinesses across the UK. 2,362 have joined the Race to Zero to date.

Many businesses across the UK have said they want to tackle climate change, but that they are unsure how to start this process. Through the small business campaign, the Government has taken an important step towards making net zero relevant to SMEs by helping businesses access the support they need. Following COP26, the Government will continue to support UK businesses to meet their net zero commitments, including exploring a government-led digital advice service that consolidates and simplifies advice, funding, and other support on net zero.

The Government will also look to consult stakeholders on the Small Business Energy Efficiency Scheme (SBEES) later this year. The scheme will aim to remove barriers for SMEs in accessing energy efficiency measures, drive forward better buildings performance and help SMEs to meet regulatory standards.

The Government recognises the vital role that the steel sector plays in our economy and across all areas of the UK. We are keen to secure a competitive and viable future for the sector and have already provided it with extensive support, including ​more than £600 million to help with the high cost of electricity.

In order to help UK steel producers to compete internationally, the Government is providing funding for a programme of research and innovation delivered by the Materials Processing Institute, which will help the UK steel and metals sector to improve efficiencies and reduce emissions.

In addition to this, we are also providing up to £66 million in taxpayer support as part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to help key foundation industries, such as steel, to develop innovative technology to reduce energy and resource use. We have also established the £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, which aims to support businesses with high energy use to cut their bills and reduce carbon emissions.

In October 2021, we published the Net Zero Strategy, which committed to provide further support for research and innovation through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which is a £1 billion fund that aims to accelerate the commercialisation of low-carbon technologies, systems, and business models in power, buildings, and industry. Initiatives led by the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre will support the fuel switch to low carbon hydrogen on industrial sites.

Help to Grow: Management built on lessons from the successful Small Business Leadership Programme (SBLP), which the programme replaced. The programme is regularly kept under review and as part of this, we will continue to review the eligibility criteria to ensure it effectively supports businesses and delivers its outcomes.

The Help to Grow Management and Digital schemes have been designed to support business with more than five employees to increase their productivity. There are currently no plans to change the criteria relating to the number of employees, but the schemes will be regularly reviewed to ensure they effectively support businesses and deliver the intended boost to productivity.

The Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF), both announced in the 11 March 2020 Budget, have supported many thousands of small businesses through this challenging period.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) provided financial support to smaller businesses affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). This scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2021. Guidance on how to apply for this scheme was published on 23 March 2020. This guidance was withdrawn on 1 April 2021 after the scheme had closed to new applications, but is still available to read

Guidance on the above schemes, a well as guidance from 18 March 2020 on whether a business is eligible for business rates relief, is available on the GOV.UK website.

Help to Grow: Management is designed to support SMEs, so charities are not eligible.

The Government has announced more than £3.9 billion of new funding for decarbonising heat and buildings. This will fund the next 3 years of investment through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, the Home Upgrade Grant scheme, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the Heat Networks Transformation Programme, as well as reducing carbon emissions from public buildings through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

The Government has allocated £500 million funding to support energy efficiency upgrades of homes of low-income households across England through Phase 1 and 2 of the Local Authority Delivery Scheme. The Government announced a further £200m to a third phase of this scheme which will be delivered alongside an initial £150m of the Homes Upgrade Grant Scheme from early 2022 to March 2023.

The Energy Company Obligation has installed 3.3 million measures in 2.3 million homes, and we are increasing the amount energy suppliers invest in energy efficiency measures for low-income households until 2026, boosting its value from £640 million to £1 billion a year. This will help an extra 305,000 families with green measures such as insulation, with average energy bill savings of around £300 a year.

Businesses have faced a range of challenges over recent months as they recover from the global pandemic which has impacted supply chains across Europe and around the world.

The Government has acted quickly to introduce a series of measures to relieve pressure on vital supply chains, including by: streamlining the testing process for and creating skills bootcamps to train up HGV drivers, sending nearly one million letters to encourage HGV drivers who have left the industry to return, providing up to £7,000 per person funding for the Large Goods Vehicle Driver apprenticeship scheme, and deploying nearly 200 military tanker personnel to provide temporary support delivering fuel supplies across the country. The Government has also introduced short-term visas for food haulage drivers and poultry workers to ease pressures facing these supply chains.

On 8 October, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister appointed Sir David Lewis, former CEO of Tesco, as the UK Government’s supply chain adviser, bringing with him a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise to the new role. He will advise the Prime Minister and my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on both immediate improvements and any necessary long-term changes to UK supply chains for goods, and will work with government officials to quickly resolve acute, short term issues. Successful resolution of supply chain pressures will be a joint effort between industry and Government and so Sir Dave Lewis will also co-chair the new Supply Chain Advisory Group, consisting of external experts in the field, and the new Industry Taskforce, to ensure those on the ground have the opportunity to voice their concerns and advise on the most efficient resolutions.

The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain and ensuring that equality and opportunity is available for all. That is why my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister established the independent Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities which published its independent report on March 31st.

We welcome the opportunity to consider the Commission’s findings, and are looking at them in light of the work that has already taken place within government, including the consultation on ethnicity pay reporting. We will be publishing our response to the Commission’s report later this autumn.

Under UK leadership at the G7, we have put Green Recovery from COVID-19 at the top of the international agenda and secured historic commitments such as the first ever ‘net zero G7’, with all countries committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Last November, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, which brings together £12 billion of government investment to unlock three times as much private sector investment by 2030; and support up to 250,000 jobs across the UK by 2030.

The Government launched the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) to ensure that the UK’s smallest businesses could access loans of up to £50,000 to help businesses through the pandemic. Under BBLS, no repayments are due from the borrower for the first 12 months of the loan. The Government also covers the first 12 months of interest payments charged to the business by the lender.

We have always been clear that businesses are responsible for repaying any finance they take out. However, we recognise that a diverse range of businesses have taken out Bounce Back Loans and some of these will benefit from more flexibility in making their repayments. That is why the Government introduced the “Pay as You Grow” measures, which allow borrowers to tailor their repayments to their individual circumstances. “Pay as You Grow” provides borrowers with the option to:

• Extend the length of their loan from six years ten
• Make interest-only payments for six months, with the option to use this up to three times throughout the loan
• Pause repayments entirely for up to six months

Borrowers can use these options either individually or in combination with each other. In addition, they have the option to fully repay their loan early and will face no early repayment charges for doing so.

The Government is not currently considering proposals to convert outstanding Bounce Back Loans into equity.

The retail sector remains a key part of the high street and thriving high streets will continue to need a strong physical retail offering. In order to help our high streets recover and flourish, we are:

• Providing funding that has real impact for high streets across the whole country.
• Ensuring planning laws help councils to be flexible and make the most of their high streets and take control of vacant property, shops and shopping centres.
• Giving communities the power to repurpose empty shops and spaces.
• Making sure businesses are supported as landlords and tenants of high street properties.

We have always been clear that businesses are responsible for repaying any finance they take out. However, we recognise that some borrowers will benefit from additional flexibility with regards to their repayments. That is why we announced the Pay As You Grow measures last year.

Pay As You Grow is designed to provide Bounce Back Loan borrowers more time and flexibility over their repayments by giving them the option to:

• Extend the length of the loan from six years to ten.
• Make interest-only payments for six months, with the option to use this up to three times throughout the loan.
• Take up a six-month repayment holiday. This option is available once during the term of their loan.

Businesses are able to use these options either individually or in combination with each other. These are only available once a business has started making repayments on the loan. In addition, they have the option to fully repay their loan early and will face no early repayment charges for doing so.

While the Government covers the interest due on Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) facilities for the first twelve months, repayments of capital are required during this period unless the lender chooses to grant additional forbearance measures.

CBILS lenders are able to extend the repayment period for CBILS facilities where this is needed, to a maximum of 10 years. CBILS term extensions are offered at the discretion of lenders, and for forbearance purposes only.

The British Business Bank has a range of guidance and resources available to all businesses, including content on managing cashflow and a list of independent advice services. Details can be found online at the British Business Bank website.

Officials regularly engage with local leaders on a range of net zero issues, for example through the local energy contact group which last met on 8th July 2021.

Future plans for the role of local authorities in meeting net zero will be outlined in the Net Zero Strategy, which is currently under development and due to be published before COP26.

The Government is aware that the increase in remote working during the pandemic has raised issues relating to employee wellbeing. It is in the interest of both employers and employees to support wellbeing at work and prevent burnout.

The Government is working with the Flexible Working Taskforce – a partnership across business groups, trade unions, charities, and government departments – to provide advice and guidance to support employers who are considering adopting more remote or semi-remote (hybrid) working practices going forwards.

In the short-term, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) – in consultation with the Flexible Working Taskforce – has produced advice on hybrid working to help employers consider whether this could be an option for their workplace and how to fairly introduce it. The advice covers the existing legal and practical issues associated with hybrid working – and includes a section on supporting and managing staff.

In the slightly longer-term, the Flexible Working Taskforce is working on developing best practice guidance for employers, which will include supporting the work-life balance of remote workers.

The Department regularly meets with representatives from the hospitality sector to discuss how businesses can recover and build back from the pandemic, including raising the profile of skills and careers in hospitality. We welcome insight from a wide range of sources.

The Government is aware of the TUC research which found that a third (33%) of ethnic minority workers say they have been unfairly turned down for a job compared to one in 5 (19%) of white workers. The Government is clear that no one should be discriminated against because of their ethnicity and the Equality Act 2010 makes such discrimination unlawful.

The Government is committed to building a fairer Britain and ensuring that equality and opportunity is available for all. That is why my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister established the independent Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities which published its independent report on March 31st.

The report includes a specific recommendation in relation to ethnicity pay reporting. We welcome the opportunity to consider the Commission’s findings in relation to this issue,
and are looking at them in light of the work that has already taken place within government, including the consultation on ethnicity pay reporting. We will be publishing our response to the Commission’s report later this summer.

The UK has one of the best employment rights records in the world. We have made good progress in bringing forward measures that add flexibility for workers while ensuring the protection of employment rights, such as banning the use of exclusivity clauses in zero hours contracts.

Gig economy workers’ employment rights are determined by their employment status - employee, worker or self-employed. Employees are entitled to all rights (subject to qualifying periods) and have responsibilities towards their employer. So-called “limb (b) workers” are only entitled to some rights such as the National Minimum Wage but have increased flexibility and fewer obligations to their employer. The self-employed generally have no employment rights but have complete flexibility in their work. We believe our three-tiered Employment Status structure provides the right balance for the UK Labour Market.

The Government will continue to work closely with businesses, trade unions and other groups to ensure that any options to clarify Employment Status are effective, preserving the flexibility of the labour market while making it easier to understand for individuals.

The North Sea Transition Deal includes a commitment from industry to create an integrated people and skills plan, with measurable objectives, to support its transition and diversification. This will assess the industry’s future skills, training and standards requirements, and how industry will support and enable the transition of the workforce.

Furthermore, the sector has committed to work to ensure that the workforce’s skills and competencies are mutually recognised across energy sectors enabling easier job transferability. This includes promoting the uptake of relevant existing initiatives, such as the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board Connected Competence scheme and expand these as appropriate.

In order to ensure we have the skilled workforce to deliver net zero, we have launched the Green Jobs Taskforce, working in partnership with business, skills providers, and trade unions, to help us develop plans for new long-term, good quality, green jobs by 2030 and advise on what support is needed for people in transitioning industries.

In addition, the offshore wind sector set out a commitment, in the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, to develop an offshore energy passport (recognised outside the UK) to facilitate job mobility between different sectors. Discussions with training providers is ongoing.

We are powering forward with my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan, which will mobilise £12 billion of government investment to support up to 250,000 highly-skilled green jobs in the UK.

In line with the Government’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, it is vital to improve the knowledge of small businesses about energy efficiency schemes. There are a range of steps that the Government is taking to do this.

In May we launched the UK Business Climate Hub website, where small businesses can use the hub to find practical tools, resources and advice to understand their emissions and develop a plan to tackle them. The campaign will also provide small businesses with access to some of the UK’s biggest businesses and leading climate experts to support them in taking the simple and practical steps to protect the planet, and the benefits of future-proofing and growing a low carbon business. The campaign also encourages small and micro businesses to commit to cutting their emissions in half by 2030 and to net zero by 2050 or sooner.

Further, BEIS has recently delivered a comprehensive upgrade to the Energy Technology List (ETL) website making it one of the leading sources of truly independent and trustworthy energy efficiency advice available to business. The ETL is a procurement tool that encourages users to specify and procure the most energy-efficient products available on the market. Businesses can have confidence that the energy performance of products are rigorously evaluated before being allowed on the ETL. Using the ETL allows businesses to streamline purchasing decisions, ensuring that efficient options are selected to decrease energy bills and increase green credentials. Going forward, BEIS plans to develop even more SME focused ETL content on the financial and environmental benefits of selecting energy-efficient products. This content will build on the positive feedback that BEIS has received from industry about the new website as demonstrated by the growth in new users that the site is continuing to attract.

In order to increase the uptake of energy efficiency measures, the Government is also developing a new Small Business Energy Efficiency Scheme which will aim to support small and medium sized businesses implement energy efficiency upgrades in their buildings. Following a Call for Evidence on the scheme, a consultation will be published later in 2021.

In order to help SMEs overcome barriers to investing in energy efficiency we launched the Boosting Access for SMEs to Energy Efficiency innovation competition. The competition offered up to £6m to fund the development of new, innovative market solutions that can provide businesses with tailored energy efficiency advice, as well as simplifying the energy efficiency investment processes through the creation of one-stop-shop platforms.

For additional advice, small businesses may choose to access the Business Support Helpline, or may find the then Department for Energy and Climate Change’s SME guide to energy efficiency useful.

As the world starts to recover from the Coronavirus pandemic, businesses have an opportunity to recover cleaner, rebuild greener and emerge better equipped for the future. Businesses of all sizes can access free support and guidance on accessing the right finance from a range of Government-backed sources: the network of 38 Growth Hubs in England – and equivalent support in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – the Business Support Helpline and the business webpages on GOV.UK.

As part of COP26, through a campaign led by our Net Zero Business Champion my Hon. Friend the Member for Arundel and South Downs, small businesses from across the UK are invited to join the green business revolution and commit to becoming more sustainable. By November, the aim is for as many UK small businesses as possible to join the ‘Race to Zero’ – a global effort to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we all generate to zero by 2050.

The first step small businesses can take is to visit our new digital platform and sign up to the globally recognised small business climate commitment. Here small and micro businesses can also get help and advice on how to be greener and save money. The new digital platform is embedded on the existing SME Climate Hub, which is part of the global Race to Zero campaign. Signing up allows businesses to publicly commit to becoming greener, plan the steps they will take to get there, show customers they are serious about climate, and help to start a green business movement.

Taking action on climate change will help businesses to grow, seize new opportunities and adapt against the challenges of a changing planet. Reducing emissions can lower businesses’ running costs, save them money, and attract new customers who want to shop sustainably.

Building a fairer economy means ensuring the UK’s organisations reflect the nation’s diversity.

The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities published its independent report on 31 March 2021. The report is intended to be a roadmap to racial fairness in the UK and sets out 24 recommendations for further action across Government, public bodies and the private sector. This includes recommendations relating to ethnicity pay gap reporting and advancing fairness in the workplace.

We welcome the opportunity to consider the Commission’s findings on this matter, and to consider them in light of the work that has already taken place within government.

The Government is now considering the independent report in detail and assessing the next steps for future government policy.

We are aware of the report. ONS data shows fewer people working part time (7.8 million, 24% of all in employment) in the three months to April 2021, than in the three months to February 2020 (8.6 million, 26% of all in employment). Further information on full-time and part-time working can be found on the ONS website.

The Government is keen to do more to support flexible working in all its forms. In 2019 the Government committed to consult on making flexible working the default unless employers have good reasons not to. The consultation will be published in due course.

My Hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets has also reconvened the Flexible Working Taskforce – a partnership across business groups, trade unions, charities, and government departments – to help inform the Government’s thinking and support employers as we navigate the impact of Covid-19 on future ways of working. Timewise is a valued member of the Taskforce.

The Taskforce has been asked to help take forward what we have learned through the pandemic about flexible ways of working. In the immediate phase, the Taskforce will consider the essential practical and legal issues associated with a return to a workplace and an increase in hybrid working. The Taskforce will move on to provide wider advice on best practice, so that employers are better able to support all forms of flexible working – whether the flexibility relates to the amount, timing or location of work.

Building a fairer economy means ensuring the UK’s organisations reflect the nation’s diversity.

The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities published its independent report on 31 March 2021. The report is intended to be a roadmap to racial fairness in the UK and sets out 24 recommendations for further action across Government, public bodies and the private sector. This includes recommendations relating to ethnicity pay gap reporting and advancing fairness in the workplace.

We welcome the opportunity to consider the Commission’s findings on this matter, and to consider them in light of the work that has already taken place within government.

The Government is now considering the independent report in detail and assessing the next steps for future government policy.

The Government is considering the business practices, opportunities and risks associated with home and “hybrid” working, as some employers choose to embed these new ways of working into organisational business models more permanently. My Hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets has reconvened the Flexible Working Taskforce – a partnership across business groups, trade unions, charities, and government departments – to help inform the Government’s thinking and support employers as we navigate the impact of Covid-19 on future ways of working.

The Taskforce has been asked to help take forward the best of what we have learned through the pandemic about more flexible ways of working as the economy starts to fully open up.

The Taskforce will provide wider advice on best practice, so that employers are better able to support all forms of flexible working – whether the flexibility relates to the amount, timing or location of work. As part of this advice, the Taskforce will consider the issues associated with an employee’s ability to disconnect from work when working remotely and the related mental health considerations.

The Department regularly meets with representatives from across the sector to discuss how it can recover and build back from the pandemic.

We are doing everything we can to support hospitality on its road to recovery. This includes offering generous incentives to employers to recruit staff, with hundreds of young people starting work every day through the Kickstart Scheme. We are providing employers with a hiring incentive for each new apprentice they hire, helping more people across a broad range of industries. We are also investing £126 million in additional support to help create 40,000 more traineeships in England, funding high-quality work placements and training for 16-24-year olds in 2021-22.

The construction sector will be a key part of the UK’s economic recovery from Covid-19. Construction output has significantly increased since May 2020, with record monthly growth in June 2020, and strong growth continuing into 2021, with £23 billion of large construction contracts awarded for a range of infrastructure, housing and commercial projects. We expect this strong growth to continue during the rest of the year, meaning there is likely to be less of a need for Government support.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is designed to be a temporary measure to support businesses facing severely restricted demand. It has provided significant support to the construction sector, with payments made between 1 November 2020 and 31 March 2021 totalling £1,023m, with 83,000 firms using the CJRS, helping to protect over 200,000 jobs.

The Government continues to work closely with the industry to support its recovery, and to ensure that it can retain and develop the skilled workforce it needs. This includes through an accelerated pipeline of projects worth up to £37 billion, the introduction of a Talent Retention Scheme to help workers move into jobs, and work with the Construction Leadership Council and Construction Industry Training Board to ensure effective support to ensure the construction workforce is equipped with the skills that the industry needs.

The Government and regulators have concluded that to accelerate progress on climate risk disclosures, the UK will become the first country in the world to make Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)-aligned disclosures fully mandatory across the economy by 2025, with most requirements coming into force by 2023.

The UK Government recently published a consultation on Mandatory Climate-related Financial Disclosures, which closed on 5 May. The proposal covers larger companies and is consistent with the roadmap towards mandatory and climate related disclosures, and the interim report that was published in November 2020, which noted that the benefits of mandatory disclosures are likely to increase with an organisation’s size.

We will now carefully consider all of the responses to the consultation and a response will be published by the end of the year. BEIS has committed to review the case for expanding the scope of the regulations in 2023.

The £5 billion Restart Grants scheme announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer on 3 March 2021 are one-off grants to businesses in the non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure, personal care and accommodation sectors to support businesses to reopen as covid-19 restrictions are lifted in the coming months.

Throughout the pandemic, BEIS officials have worked closely with Local Authorities to ensure that grants are delivered as quickly as possible, while safeguarding public funds.   As the range of grants available has increased, officials have continued regular briefings with all 314 Local Authorities. Ministers have also held regular conversations with leaders and chief executives.

Officials continue to engage with Local Authorities to ensure compliance to both the scheme rules and wider reporting requirements. We will be releasing data on Restart Grant payments in due course.

The ONS’ Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is the most detailed and comprehensive source of earnings information available in the UK. ASHE provides a proxy measure of both the scale and nature of non-compliance with the relevant statutory minimum wage. In April 2020, we estimate that there were around 38,000 jobs paid below the applicable minimum wage rate and non-compliant with minimum wage legislation in the hospitality sector, and 3,000 in the leisure sector. This excludes individuals who were furloughed, as they would not have been working at that time.

The Government is committed to cracking down on employers who fail to pay the NMW. We are clear that everyone entitled to be paid the minimum wage should receive it. As well as investigating every worker complaint, HMRC also undertake proactive investigations (referred to as targeted enforcement) based on the identification of the risk of non-compliance, and deliver a programme of upstream ‘Promote’ work designed to promote understanding and encourage employer compliance.

We have more than doubled the budget for minimum wage enforcement and compliance, which is now over £27 million annually, up from £13.2 million in 2015/16. There are now over 400 HMRC staff involved in the enforcement of the minimum wage. In 2020/21 HMRC concluded over 2,700 minimum wage investigations, returning more than £16.7m in arrears to over 155,000 workers. Since 2015, the Government has ordered employers to repay £100 million to 1 million workers.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy continues to deliver a rolling plan of engagement with UK SMEs, webinars and other events across the spectrum of our sectors to discuss the impact of COVID-19 and the continued support Government is providing to small businesses.

Moreover, through the Growth Hubs, led and governed by Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP), business advisers can highlight potential sources of support available and increase awareness of government support for small businesses. Demand for Growth Hub services doubled in the first 6 months of COVID-19 impact. LEP’s have self-reported that in the first six months of the financial year 2020-2021 (1/4/20 to 31/10/20) alone, their Growth Hubs have engaged with over 1.63m businesses and individuals; provided direct support to over 147,000 businesses (of which an estimated 6,400 received over 12 hours of high level support); and helped an estimated 3,900 individuals start a business.

The Government’s business advice pages on GOV.UK also provide information and guidance relevant to starting, growing and maintaining a business, as well as their statutory rights and obligations. More detail on the support provided by devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland can also be found online: www.gov.uk/browse/business.

We have always been clear that businesses are responsible for repaying any finance they take out. However, we recognise that some borrowers will benefit from additional flexibility with regards to their repayments. That is why we announced the Pay As You Grow measures last year.

Pay As You Grow is designed to provide Bounce Back Loan borrowers more time and flexibility over their repayments by giving them the option to:

• Extend the length of the loan from six years to ten.
• Make interest-only payments for six months, with the option to use this up to three times throughout the loan.
• Take up a six-month repayment holiday. This option is available once during the term of their loan.

Businesses will be able to use these options either individually or in combination with each other. In addition, they have the option to fully repay their loan early and will face no early repayment charges for doing so.

While the Government covers the interest due on Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) loans for the first twelve months of the loan, repayments of capital are required during this period unless the lender chooses to grant additional forbearance measures.

CBILS lenders can extend the repayment period for CBILS facilities where this is needed, to a maximum of 10 years. CBILS term extensions are offered at the discretion of lenders, and for forbearance purposes only.

The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities recently published its independent report which included recommendations in relation to ethnicity pay gap reporting.

We welcome the opportunity to consider the Commission’s findings on this matter, and to consider them in light of the work that has already taken place within government. As well as consulting on ethnicity pay gap reporting, we have met with businesses and representative organisations to understand the barriers towards reporting and what information should be published. We have also run a methodology testing exercise with a broad range of businesses to better understand the complexities outlined in the consultation.

The Government will respond to the Commission’s report in due course.

We are in regular dialogue with the hospitality sector to understand how business operating models are affected by both leaving the EU and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to mitigate against a rise in the number of vacant units, the Government has introduced a range of measures to protect businesses that are struggling to pay their rent due to Covid-19. The moratorium on commercial landlord’s right to forfeiture for the non-payment of rent (Section 82 Coronavirus Act 2020) is extended to the end of June 2021. Landlords are also prevented from using winding up petitions and statutory demands to pursue rent debt and the use of Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) has also been suspended, both extended until 30 June 2021.

In order to help inform the Government’s strategy to exit these protections, and to gather evidence on the progress of negotiations regarding rent debt between landlords and tenants, a Call for Evidence was launched on 6 April. This closed on 4 May and the Government will make an announcement on future policy ahead of 30 June 2021.

We continue to reduce the financial burden on retailers by providing eligible retail, hospitality, and leisure properties in England with 100% business rates relief until 30 June 2021. This will be followed by 66% business rates relief for the period from 1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022, capped at £2 million per business for properties that were required to be closed on 5 January 2021, or £105,000 per business for other eligible properties.

We have introduced reforms to the use classes to enable more flexible use of existing buildings. These came into force on 1 September 2020. The use class reform creates a new ‘commercial, business and service’ use class which encompasses a wide range of uses which will attract people to high streets and town centres. This includes offices and other business uses, shops, cafes, gyms and any other uses which are suitable in a town centre. The new class also allows for mixed uses to reflect changing retail and business models. These reforms will help support high streets and town centres as they seek to recover from the economic impact of Covid-19 Businesses will have greater flexibility to change use without planning permission, allowing them to adapt and diversify more quickly to meet changing circumstances.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Lord.

In 2019, the Government held a consultation inviting views on policies which aim to tackle some of the challenges associated with non-guaranteed hours. These included proposals on providing reasonable notice of shifts and providing compensation for shifts cancelled at short notice.

We are analysing the results of this consultation, especially in light of the impacts of Covid-19 on the labour market and will respond in due course.

Achieving our net zero goal requires all businesses to take action. In order to drive this forward, my Hon. Friend the Member for Arundel and South Downs has been appointed by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister to be the UK’s Net Zero Business Champion ahead of COP26. My Hon. Friend’s role is to encourage UK business to sign up to climate action via the Race to Zero science-based targets initiative, to champion the actions that UK businesses are already taking and to help UK businesses exploit the many opportunities of the transition to a low carbon economy.

By November, the aim is for as many UK small businesses as possible to join the Race to Zero – a global effort to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we all generate to zero by 2050.

Taking action on climate change will help businesses to grow, seize new opportunities and adapt against the challenges of a changing planet. Reducing emissions can lower businesses’ running costs, save them money, and attract new customers who want to shop sustainably.

The Government recognises the significant impact that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had on both employers and employees, and their mental wellbeing.

In order to highlight available support around mental health for business figures including entrepreneurs, the Government is signposting to resources for businesses and employers, including Mind’s website and the Mental Health at Work toolkit, through GOV.UK. We also continue to work with the Thriving at Work Leadership Council to encourage employers to sign up to the Mental Health at Work (MHAW) commitments and to engage leading Mental Health charities and organisations to better understand issues around SME mental health, financial insecurity for small business owners and the self-employed, and continue to explore what further support may be offered.

We also know how worried people are and we are taking many steps to protect both jobs and the long-term financial future of businesses during the current economic emergency. Throughout this crisis, our priority has been clear: to protect lives and livelihoods. We have introduced an unprecedented and comprehensive package of business support measures to help as many individuals and businesses as possible, which has mitigated some of the worst immediate impacts of COVID-19 on risk factors for poor mental health. This includes measures such as the small business grants, the Coronavirus loan guarantee schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the deferral of VAT and income tax payments, and more. Businesses can also access tailored advice through our Freephone Business Support Helpline, online via the Business Support website or through their local Growth Hubs in England. The Business Support Helpline continues to support business owners with tailored advice and information, and also signposts individuals to mental health support services where appropriate.

The Government aims to make the United Kingdom the best place to start, grow and run a business. Support for small businesses to grow and invest comes on top of the Government’s existing plans to support growth through significant investment in infrastructure, skills and innovation – as set out in ‘Build Back Better – our plan for growth’, published alongside the Budget.

From April 2021 until the end of March 2023, companies can claim 130% capital allowances on qualifying plant and machinery investments. The super-deduction is the biggest two-year business tax cut in Modern British history - supporting British enterprise in leading us to the post-pandemic economic recovery. Under the super-deduction, for every pound a company invests, their taxes are cut by up to 25p. The super-deduction cuts the tax bills of companies that invest and the more they invest the less tax they will pay.

In order to help smaller firms improve business practices and productivity we are developing a new world-leading SME management training offer, Help to Grow: Management, aiming to directly upskill 30,000 business leaders helping them realise their potential. The Government will also launch a new online platform where businesses can access impartial advice on software, and a voucher to reduce the costs of buying that software through the Help to Grow: Digital scheme.

Our new Recovery Loan Scheme launched on 6 April, provides additional finance and further support to protect businesses and jobs, ensuring businesses continue to benefit from Government guaranteed finance throughout 2021. The new scheme will enable businesses of any size to continue accessing loans and other kinds of finance from £25,001 up to a maximum of £10 million per business as they grow and recover from Covid-19 related disruption. Invoice and asset finance from £1,000 is also available.

For those starting a new business or for businesses which have been trading for up to 24 months, the Start Up Loans Company provides loans of between £500 to £25,000 at a competitive rate of 6%. In addition to finance, every loan recipient is offered a dedicated mentoring service and access to a free expert business mentor for 12 months to help them with every aspect of setting up a business. The Start Up Loans programme, operated by the British Business Bank, has issued loans to businesses in every Local Authority and UK parliamentary constituency since 2012.

The Government continues to provide a range of support and information for small businesses, including on starting and running a business, through our online services on GOV.UK. Support and advice is also available via the Business Support Helpline on FREEPHONE 0800 998 1098, and via the network of 38 local Growth Hubs in England.

We have extended opening hours for retail from 7am to 10pm until the 21^st of June 2021, giving people greater flexibility to avoid peak times and easing transport pressures.

In order to support hospitality businesses, the temporary pavement licence provisions introduced in the Business and Planning Act 2020 create a quicker and cheaper process for businesses to obtain a licence to place outdoor furniture, including tables, chairs, and stalls outside their premise. The Government intends to extend the temporary pavement licence provisions for 12 months until September 2022, subject to Parliamentary approval.

In order to make sure that businesses can make the most of the summer, businesses such as pubs and restaurants, including where these premises are in listed buildings, will be allowed to use their land more flexibly to set up marquees and provide more outdoor space for diners as restrictions ease, allowing them to serve more customers and recover from the effects of the pandemic. They can be kept up for the whole summer rather than the 28 days currently permitted.

We are also providing a £56 million Welcome Back Fund which will help councils boost tourism, improve green spaces, and provide more outdoor seating areas, markets, and food stall pop-ups – giving people more safer options to reunite with friends and relatives.

Late payments damage the cashflow of small businesses, which can hold back investment or job creation and, in the worst cases, lead to job losses and business closures.

Action to stop the damaging practice of late payments remains a key priority for Government.

On 16 March, we announced the appointment of Liz Barclay as Small Business Commissioner, who will continue the excellent work of interim Commissioner Philip King in helping small businesses secure the payments owed to them and to galvanise UK businesses behind a new culture of prompt payment.

In October last year, we consulted on new powers for the Commissioner, including the power to order payments, levy fines and open investigations based on third-party information. The responses to the consultation and further proposals will be published in due course.

In January this year, we also announced reforms to the Prompt Payment Code to help build a culture of prompt payment between companies and challenge UK businesses to change their practices and stand by small partners at a critical time for the UK’s economic recovery.

The Government has committed to consult on making flexible working the default unless employers have good reasons not to. The consultation will consider flexible working in all its forms – it is not just about where people work, but also about when they work and the associated number of hours. The consultation will be launched in due course.

In March 2018, the Flexible Working Taskforce – a partnership across business groups, trade unions, charities, and government departments – was set up and ran for a period of 18 months to advise the Government on policies and proposals around flexible working.

Earlier this year, my Hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets wrote to the co-chair of the Taskforce, Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), to commission a further 18 months’ work from the Taskforce to help inform the Government’s thinking as we develop the detail of new policies and navigate the impact of Covid-19 on future ways of working.

The Taskforce has been asked to produce advice for employers on “hybrid” and other ways of working within the next six months, which will aim to support businesses in addressing the challenges, issues, and opportunities associated with these new ways of working.

Retailers have been able to benefit through an unprecedented support package including loan schemes, grant funding, tax deferrals, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

The Government will continue to provide eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties in England with 100% business rates relief from 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2021. This will be followed by 66% business rates relief for the period from 1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022, capped at £2 million per business for properties that were required to be closed on 5 January 2021, or £105,000 per business for other eligible properties.

We have provided one-off ‘Restart Grants’ of up to £6,000 for non-essential retail premises, expected to benefit over 450,000 non-essential retail businesses.

My Rt hon Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a new ‘Help to Grow’ initiative, providing £520 million to help SMEs recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by adopting digital technologies and providing management training to boost productivity.

The initiative contains two schemes:

• Help to Grow: Digital – this scheme will be available from the Autumn with small businesses able to access free impartial advice on how technology can boost their performance. Eligible businesses will also be able to get a discount of up to 50% on the costs of approved software, worth up to £5,000. Vouchers are initially expected to be available for software that helps businesses:
  • Build customer relationships and increase sales.
  • Make the most of selling online.
  • Manage their accounts and finances digitally.
• Help to Grow: Management – this scheme will offer MBA-style management training to SMEs with the aim of increasing innovation and boosting growth.

Through regular engagement with small and medium-sized businesses, the Government is aware of the issues highlighted by the results of the takepayments survey and recognises the individual impact on those that have lost jobs or had their livelihood affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Plan for Jobs measures announced last year provides significantly expanded employment support, (including extra Work Coaches) to help people who have become newly unemployed, and individuals who have fallen into longer term unemployment, whoever they are and wherever they live.

Further support will be announced shortly. DWP Train and Progress (TaP), a new DWP initiative aimed at increasing access to training opportunities for claimants, will see an extension to the length of time people can receive Universal Credit while undertaking work-focused study.

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the government has sought to protect people’s jobs and livelihoods across the UK, spending £352 billion on its package of support for affected businesses. This package includes grants, loans, and business rates relief, as well as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) which has been used by 1.3 million employers to support 11.2 million jobs at a value of £53.8 billion. The CJRS has been extended to September 2021.

The Budget announced on 3 March 2021 also sets out how it will support a plan for recovery that focusses on backing business, improving skills, and creating jobs. As part of this support, businesses of any size will still be able to access loans and other forms of finance worth up to £10m via the new Recovery Loan Scheme which launched on 6 April, replacing the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans scheme. The Restart Grant supports businesses in the non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure, personal care and accommodation sectors with a one-off grant, to reopen safely as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

The Government recognises the significant impact that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had on both employers and employees.

In order to highlight available support around mental health, the Government is signposting to resources for businesses and employers, including Mind’s website and the Mental Health at Work toolkit, through GOV.UK. We also continue to work with the Thriving at Work Leadership Council to encourage employers to sign up to the Mental Health at Work (MHAW) commitments. We also engage leading Mental Health charities and organisations to better understand issues around SME mental health, financial insecurity for small business owners and the self-employed, and we continue to explore what further support may be offered.

We also know how worried people are, and we are taking many steps to protect both jobs and the long-term financial future of businesses during the current economic emergency. Throughout this crisis, our priority has been clear: to protect lives and livelihoods. We have introduced an unprecedented and comprehensive package of business support measures to help as many individuals and businesses as possible, which has mitigated some of the worst immediate impacts of COVID-19 on risk factors for poor mental health. This includes measures such as the small business grants, the Coronavirus loan guarantee schemes, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), the deferral of VAT and income tax payments, and more. Businesses can also access tailored advice through our Freephone Business Support Helpline, online via the Business Support website or through their local Growth Hubs in England. The Business Support Helpline continues to support business owners with tailored advice and information, and also signposts individuals to mental health support services where appropriate.

Further measures were also announced by my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget that build on the significant support already available as well as set out how current support will evolve and adapt. This includes the extension of the CJRS until September 2021, and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue with a fourth and a fifth grant. The Chancellor announced that a further 600,000 people, many of whom became self-employed in 2019-20, may now be able to claim direct cash grants under SEISS. The Chancellor also announced in the Budget that from 1^st April one-off Restart Grants of up to £6,000 for non-essential retail and up to £18,000 for hospitality, leisure, personal care, and accommodation businesses will be available to support them to reopen as Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed.

Businesses and individuals can use our checker tool on GOV.UK to quickly and easily determine whether they are eligible for any further financial support at this time. We will continue to work with colleagues across Government, businesses and other organisations, to ensure the right support is available for employers and employees.

The government engages with a range of stakeholders to understand the reach and scope of the grant support that has been made available. All small business premises that have been mandated in legislation to close are able to access grant support including up to £4,500 per six weeks of closure.

For those small businesses that have not been mandated to close, £2bn of funding via the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) has been made available to Local Authorities to develop business support, including grants, that suits their local area. Local Authorities provide regular data reports on the number and value of grants they are making across all grant schemes available, and this is available on the GOV.UK website.

The impacts on the UK economy of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement and our global trade deals will not be fully understood until the new processes and procedures are fully embedded. We have secured a Trade Deal that we believe will sustain the success of the UK manufacturing sector with 100% tariff liberalisation, and modern and appropriate rules of origin. This includes Product-Specific Rules of Origin tailored to the needs of UK businesses in manufacturing sectors such as automotive, aluminium, chemicals, machinery and food and drink.

The British Business Bank’s Small Business Finance Markets Report makes clear how difficult the last year has been for many small businesses, which is why the Government continues to provide an extensive and generous package of support.

This package of support includes the extended furlough scheme, VAT and business rates relief, loan guarantees and direct cash grants so small businesses are able to keep afloat, protect jobs, and build back better from the pandemic.