Alex Burghart

The Government is committed to commencing the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010. The duty will require public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to actively consider how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage. To ensure effective implementation, we will certainly give due regard to the equality impacts of commencement.

The exchequer contribution to the Ministerial Pension Scheme in the financial year 2024–25 is 10.5% of pay per annum.

The bodies and offices that are classified as regulated appointments are listed, by department, in Schedules 1 and 2 of the Public Appointments (No. 2) Order in Council 2023. Appointments to the Board of HM Revenue and Customs, as a non-ministerial department, are not classified as regulated public appointments.

Guidance on ministers’, special advisers’, and senior officials’ transparency returns is published on GOV.UK and includes details of who would be considered senior media figures for these purposes.

The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (known as the HD Committee) has one sub-committee, the Advisory Military Sub-Committee. The terms of reference for this committee can be found on gov.uk.

The Government’s manifesto set out a number of commitments to reform of the House of Lords. The manifesto was clear that, as an immediate reform, it would introduce legislation to remove the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords. The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill has now completed its passage through the House of Commons and had its first reading in the House of Lords on 13 November 2024.

This is the first step in reform of the House of Lords and it is right that the Government focuses on completing the passage of this Bill.

The Senior Appointment Protocol is being updated and will be published in due course.

The Office of Manpower Economics was set up in 1971. Its name was changed to the Office for the Pay Review Bodies on 1 October 2024, to reflect better the role of the organisation.

i.AI is building to a full complement of 70FTE. Recruitment was paused due to the pre-election period and will resume shortly.

As a new team i.AI is still recruiting to fill the agreed full-time headcount of 70 staff. The current equivalent headcount is 43.

Predictive modelling is widely used across government departments, including DSIT, and is implemented by analysts from the various analytical professions. These professions are brought together by the ONS-based Analysis Function, which co-ordinates analytical standards, including learning and training resources, and quality assurance. The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), which is now part of DSIT, is driving cross-government AI-adoption plans which will increase departments’ access to high quality predictive modelling. CDDO develops standards and guidance for AI adoption, including the Algorithmic Transparency Recording Standards which support the National Data Strategy commitment to explore an appropriate and effective way to deliver greater transparency on algorithm-assisted decision making in the public sector.

The figures for the number of Turing Scheme applications and placements were recently published on GOV.UK and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/turing-scheme-funding-and-assessment-outcomes-2024-to-2025.

For the 2024/25 academic year, education providers and other eligible organisations from across the UK have been allocated over £105 million to send more than 43,000 students on study and work placements across the globe. Around 23,000 (53%) of these opportunities will be for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.

More applications were successful this year than ever before, with significantly higher interest in the scheme from colleges and schools and more competitive, high quality applications overall.

The Turing Scheme received 755 applications, compared with 619 last year. 642 applications were successful, including 118 more schools than last year and 44 more further education providers, with participants expected to travel to over 160 destinations around the world.

With regard to the location of Turing Scheme placements, providers are currently in the process of replanning their placements following the announcement of finalised funding allocations. As such, the department is unable to currently confirm these details. However, it will publish further information on destinations in due course.

The department is awaiting finalised data for the 2023/24 financial year from providers so cannot provide data for this year.

The department has published separate reports on the implementation of Skills Bootcamps for the 2022/23 (Wave 3) and 2021/22 (Wave 2) financial years, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66e9a3f824c4f1826d81bcbd/Skills_Bootcamps_Wave_3_Implementation_Report.pdf and here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66d5bdfd701781e1b341db13/Evaluation_of_Skills_Bootcamps_Wave_2_Implementation_Report_updated_2024.pdf.

These reports include breakdown of Skills Bootcamp starts by region and course type (discipline). The department does not include breakdowns by local authority area in these reports and is referring to Skills Bootcamps starts with these figures.

1. Table 1 (page 21) of Wave 3 report: Breakdown of applicants and starts for Wave 3 and Wave 2 Skills Bootcamps (course type)
2. Table 5 (page 25) of the Wave 3 report: Applications and starts by Government Office Region
3. Table 4 (page 26) of Wave 2 report: Applications and starts by Government Office Region

To note:

• Totals are lower than the reported total starts because some management information (MI) records do not have an accurate postcode, or no postcode listed. Totals also do not reflect any updates to starts figures that the department makes to its published statistics releases, following publication of the implementation report.
• The number of starts in the Wave 3 MI data is slightly higher than the published starts data which was due to challenges with the HGV data and accurately calculating starts. The starts release was a more conservate estimate of starts compared to the MI.
• At Wave 2, Rail was classified as part of Skills Bootcamps in Green Skills.

Multiply is the government’s UK wide programme for improving adult numeracy. Multiply provision spans from supporting to build confidence with numbers through to full maths qualifications.

The department provides funding to all local areas in England to deliver adult maths programmes with a focus on improving the functional numeracy of adults, breaking down barriers to participation in adult basic skills, and improving labour market outcomes. The following information therefore relates to the Multiply programme in England.

Local areas have welcomed the programme and the flexibility to deliver innovative approaches to drive learner demand. As of April 2024, over 120,000 learners have participated in a Multiply course in England. There was a 5.8% increase in adult participation in education and training in 2022/23 and an increase of 4.6% in 2023/24. Local areas have informed us that most of this rise is driven by Multiply courses.

The extensive Multiply programme evaluation is ongoing and will conclude in winter 2025/26.

The government is committed to supporting the continued roll-out of T Levels to ensure young people have a choice of high quality options post-16.

T Level providers have access to a suite of support and resources to help them prepare for and deliver T Levels. This includes workforce support from the Education and Training Foundation, which helps with the teaching skills, subject knowledge and industry skills needed for successful T Level delivery. Further information about the resources available to T Level providers can be found here: https://support.tlevels.gov.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/13561653292818-New-resources-for-schools-and-colleges-added-all-in-one-place.

Providers planning to deliver T Levels for the first time can access a support package from the Association of Colleges, including help with planning, organisation and curriculum design.

The department has made practical tools and resources available to help providers source and deliver high quality industry placements and all providers have £550 allocated for each T Level student as part of their wider 16-19 funding allocation to help with these costs. T Level funding rates have also been uplifted by 10% for the 2024/25 academic year to help providers expand the number of T Levels offered and the number of students enrolled.

The department’s T Level ambassador network continues to champion the T Level programme with members sharing their experiences and passion for technical education. The network now stands at over 700 members including employers, providers, students and other organisations.

The department is introducing new T Level foundation qualifications that are specifically designed to support students’ progression to T Levels. Approved qualifications will be available for teaching from 2026.

The department is committed to working to break down barriers to opportunity, harnessing talent and driving growth. In July this year, my Right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced that the department is undertaking an internal review of post-16 qualifications reform and has paused the planned defunding of qualifications that was due to go ahead on 31 July 2024. This was followed by a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 July, which can be read here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-07-25/hcws22.

The department understands that the sector needs certainty and will publish the outcomes of this review before Christmas.

Stakeholder views from all parts of the system will be important to contribute to the direction of future policy. Later this month departmental officials will begin engaging with providers, including those delivering T levels, awarding organisations and other key stakeholders.

In line with this being an internal review we will not publish the terms of reference. My noble Friend, the Minister for Skills is overseeing the review which is being undertaken by officials who the department does not intend to name.

The Government confirmed at the end of September that we would no longer proceed with the introduction of mandatory GB-wide ‘not for EU’ labelling from the beginning of October 2024, as originally proposed. We will put in place the legislative powers necessary to apply labelling requirements across Great Britain in a targeted way, should that be needed to safeguard the supply of supermarket supplies into Northern Ireland. We will set out further details in due course and will not hesitate to intervene if necessary to support Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market.

Currently, imports of vaccinated ducks cannot be certified as the animal health requirements in the Import Health Certificates cannot be met. Standard certificates for imports of products of animal origin and live animals, available on GOV.UK, are used.

Traders are regularly updated through industry groups, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency addresses technical operational queries via exports@apha.gov.uk .

France cannot currently export duck meat or products to Great Britain if they come from ducks vaccinated against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

Importers must ensure their suppliers can certify that the products are from unvaccinated ducks. The French competent authority has been clear in advising their industry on the rules surrounding HPAI vaccination. Close collaboration with suppliers is crucial to ensure that certificates are accurately completed according to the flock's vaccination status. This is key to meeting UK standards and avoiding incorrectly certified imports

It is important to protect animal health and welfare and avoid the economic impacts posed by disease incursion. Therefore, UK businesses importing duck products or meat must currently ensure they are sourced from unvaccinated animals. The Department understands the concerns of GB importers and remains in close dialogue with industry and the French authorities to seek further information relating to France’s Avian Influenza Vaccination Plan.

As part of the Moderna-UK Strategic Partnership signed in December 2022, Moderna is building an mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility in Harwell, Oxfordshire. The Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre will support the United Kingdom to be more resilient in the face of future pandemics and health emergencies. It is expected to become operational in 2025.

Moderna is also committed to substantial investment in research and development activities in the UK over the 10-year partnership. This includes running a significant number of clinical trials in the UK and funding grants for UK universities, including PhD places and research programmes.

Since the partnership was established, Moderna has launched 13 trials at over 80 sites in England, Scotland, and Wales, including for Mpox, respiratory syncytial virus, and COVID-19 vaccines. Moderna has funded a PhD at the University of Cambridge and four mRNA Access Partnerships across UK universities. This partnership will also create over 150 skilled jobs in the UK.

The OBR memo line was incorrect and it has now been amended - Correction on 7 October 2024: The published Economic and fiscal outlook included an incorrect definition of the policy and its costs. We have made this correction to the highlighted cells above and detailed this correction in the Correction slip within the Economic and fiscal outlook.- to align with the published figure on page 118, Table 5.1, of the Autumn Budget 2024.

The Treasury routinely uses the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, public sector borrowing and public sector debt.

Section 33 of the VAT Act 1994 provides a scheme that allows local authorities (LAs) and similar public bodies to refunds of VAT equal to that incurred on purchases of goods and services relating to their statutory non-business activities. The scheme was introduced to prevent VAT falling as a burden on local taxation. As funding for maintained schools is channelled via LAs, maintained schools benefit from the scheme. Section 33B, which allows academies to recover the VAT they pay, was introduced in April 2011 to ensure that academies were not disincentivised from leaving LA control.

FE colleges and sixth forms are not eligible for VAT refunds as they do not fit the objectives of either Section 33 or Section 33B (protecting local taxation or encouraging academisation). Almost all sixth form colleges (the second most common type of FE college) have the choice to restructure as 16-19 academies, enabling the recovery of VAT under the refund scheme; however, many choose not to.

Education services supplied by an “eligible body” are exempt from VAT. For VAT purposes, an “eligible body” broadly refers to most regulated, publicly funded, or not-for-profit education providers. This means no VAT is charged on supplies of education made by further education colleges, nor are further education colleges able to recover the VAT they have incurred on their expenditure.

We are ending the VAT exemption for private schools. The government will introduce 20% VAT on education and boarding services provided for a charge from 1 January 2025. This will include education and vocational training provided either at sixth forms attached to private schools or stand-alone private sixth form colleges. However, education and vocational training provided by further education colleges will not be subject to VAT.

On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boarding services provided by private schools.

Any fees paid from 29 July 2024 relating to the term starting in January 2025 onwards will be subject to VAT. Furthermore, where a school in England has charitable status, the Government will legislate to remove their eligibility to business rates charitable rate relief. This is intended to take effect from April 2025, subject to Parliamentary passage.

This includes independent schools, part-funded by overseas governments, bi-lingual schools, and faith schools. The final policy design will be confirmed at the Budget.

A technical note setting out the details, alongside draft VAT legislation, was published in July and is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vat-on-private-school-fees-removing-the-charitable-rates-relief-for-private-schools.

Business rates are administered by local government. Therefore, local authorities are responsible for determining eligibility for reliefs, including with respect to dual-use locations. Charitable rates relief is available to properties deemed to be ‘wholly or mainly’ used for charitable purposes. Certain properties are exempt from business rates including buildings that are places of public religious worship and buildings used for the training and/or welfare of disabled persons. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is responsible for determining whether a property meets the necessary legal requirements to be exempt. Details on final policy decisions regarding the removal of private schools’ eligibility for charitable rate relief will be set out at the Budget.

The Government has carefully considered the impact that changes to the tax treatment of private schools will have on pupils and their families across both the state and private sector, as well as the impact they will have on state and private schools. Following scrutiny of the Government’s costing by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, the Government will confirm its approach to these reforms at the Budget on 30 October, and set out its assessment of the expected impacts of these policy changes in a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN). TIINs give a clear explanation of the policy objective, including details of the tax impact on the Exchequer, business, individuals and any equalities impacts.

These changes will not affect the VAT status of FE Colleges. Maintained schools are funded by local authorities, who are able to recover their VAT through the s33 VAT refund scheme, which aims to ensure VAT is not a burden on local taxation. Academies can also recover their VAT under s33B, to ensure they are not disincentivised from leaving LA control. FE colleges do not meet the rationale for admission to either refund scheme.