Alex Sobel

We have seen no evidence of successful interference in the EU Referendum. The Intelligence and Security Agencies produce regular assessments of the threat posed by Hostile State Activity, including around potential interference in UK democratic processes.

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

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

Levelling up and ensuring high-quality employment across every region of the UK is a key element in the Government’s Plan for Growth. It is estimated that the UK low-carbon economy could grow more than four times faster than the rest of the economy between 2015 and 2030 and support up to 2 million jobs. The Government will ensure that the benefits of our growing low-carbon economy are shared fairly in every region.

The Government believes that animals should only be used when there is no practicable alternative and it actively supports and funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs).  This is achieved primarily through funding for the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs), which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of 3Rs technologies and to ensure that advances in the 3Rs are reflected in policy, practice and regulations on animal research.  Since the NC3Rs was launched it has committed £100 million through its research, innovation, and early career awards to provide new 3Rs approaches for scientists in academia and industry to use.

The NC3Rs is widely regarded as being world leading and has an ambitious international programme to reduce the use of animals in safety testing by working with regulators and companies from the pharmaceutical, chemical, agrochemical and consumer product sectors. This has led to changes in international regulations and company practices. Recent work includes the publication of the findings of a global data sharing project, led by the NC3Rs, that indicates that there are opportunities to shift to using one animal species rather than two for some chronic toxicity studies used in pharmaceutical drug evaluation.

There has been a concern that increased life sciences activity resulting from research to find a treatment for the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased use of animals in research. However, as detailed in the EU Clinical Trials Register (https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/) or Clinicaltrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/), the majority of products in these trials are “re-purposed” drugs and have already been developed for treatment of similar viral outbreaks, such as SARS and MERS, or have been used to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome or other inflammatory conditions. As such, none of these have required additional animal testing.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. The rapid development of vaccines for COVID-19 has been based on a concept that the MHRA has long followed. Previous animal work on very similar vaccines have been used to support the development of the new vaccines and has reduced the number of animal studies.

The MHRA work very closely with NC3Rs in bringing together stakeholders in academia, industry, government and animal welfare organisations to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas, and the translation of research findings into practice that benefits both animals and science.

The Government believes that animals should only be used when there is no practicable alternative and it actively supports and funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs).  This is achieved primarily through funding for the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs), which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of 3Rs technologies and to ensure that advances in the 3Rs are reflected in policy, practice and regulations on animal research.  Since the NC3Rs was launched it has committed £100 million through its research, innovation, and early career awards to provide new 3Rs approaches for scientists in academia and industry to use.

The NC3Rs is widely regarded as being world leading and has an ambitious international programme to reduce the use of animals in safety testing by working with regulators and companies from the pharmaceutical, chemical, agrochemical and consumer product sectors. This has led to changes in international regulations and company practices. Recent work includes the publication of the findings of a global data sharing project, led by the NC3Rs, that indicates that there are opportunities to shift to using one animal species rather than two for some chronic toxicity studies used in pharmaceutical drug evaluation.

There has been a concern that increased life sciences activity resulting from research to find a treatment for the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased use of animals in research. However, as detailed in the EU Clinical Trials Register (https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/) or Clinicaltrials.gov (https://clinicaltrials.gov/), the majority of products in these trials are “re-purposed” drugs and have already been developed for treatment of similar viral outbreaks, such as SARS and MERS, or have been used to treat acute respiratory distress syndrome or other inflammatory conditions. As such, none of these have required additional animal testing.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. The rapid development of vaccines for COVID-19 has been based on a concept that the MHRA has long followed. Previous animal work on very similar vaccines have been used to support the development of the new vaccines and has reduced the number of animal studies.

The MHRA work very closely with NC3Rs in bringing together stakeholders in academia, industry, government and animal welfare organisations to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas, and the translation of research findings into practice that benefits both animals and science.

The Office for Life Sciences are leading on the development of a Life Sciences Sector Vision, which is due to be published over the Summer.

The Vision will form part of the HM Treasury Plan for Growth agenda, published at the Budget in March and will build on the successes of the 2017 Life Sciences Strategy, spearheaded by Sir John Bell.

The Life Sciences Vision will be co-developed with industry and set out the Government’s ambitions for the Life Sciences sector over the next decade. It provides an opportunity to take into account the strengths of UK Life Sciences illustrated by COVID, put fresh energy behind the 2017 strategy themes, and identify new and emerging opportunities for the sector.

The full criteria applied to applications for the Medicines and Diagnostics Manufacturing Transformation Fund has been published and can be accessed via the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/988194/mdmtf-medicines-diagnostics-manufacturing-transformation-fund-scheme-guidance.pdf.

The fund runs only for a single year. We will ensure that the names of successful applicants to the fund are published in a timely manner.

The use of animals in research is carefully regulated and remains important in ensuring new medicines and treatments are safe. The Government funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs). UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds a portfolio of research projects involving humans, human materials, animal models, and non-animal technologies. At this time, whole organism approaches continue to be important as they can replicate aspects of disease complexity when experimentation in human volunteers is not possible for safety or ethical reasons. We do recognise the increasing value of in vitro and in silico models, including organs-on-chips and 3-dimensional mini-brains, which can greatly aid the development of new healthcare innovations and also reduce, refine or replace the use of animals in research.

Between 2015-2019, UKRI’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) spent over £7 million on research grants aimed at developing and applying innovative methodologies to studying human and animal physiology, including in silico approaches, organ-on-a-chip, organoid and other advanced cell culture systems. These methodologies have the potential to reduce the use of animals in research and provide more effective tools for studying human and animal biology. In addition, BBSRC supports the UK Animal Research Network which aims to bring the animal research community together to improve collaboration, and help sustain and develop UK animal welfare research.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is committed to ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of global efforts to improve the use and welfare of laboratory animals. The use of animals in research is carefully regulated and remains important in ensuring new medicines and treatments are safe. The government funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs).  This is achieved primarily through UKRI funding for the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of 3Rs technologies and ensure that advances in the 3Rs are reflected in policy, practice and regulations on animal research. Across the UK, the NC3Rs has invested £71 million in research through grants to universities.

We recognise the important signal that the commitment of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to phase out animal testing on mammals by 2035 sends. The UK through the NC3Rs has been effective at changing international regulations on chemical and pharmaceutical safety assessment. For example, the US Office of Pesticide Programs which is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency has recently changed its fish testing requirements for bioconcentration factor studies based on the NC3Rs work in this area.

The NC3RS CRACK IT Challenges, which funds R&D to solve major challenges relating to the use of animals, includes funded research teams in the EU with the NC3Rs committing £4.35 million to teams led by organisations in the Netherlands. The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development has launched Create2Solve, a funding call in its ‘More Knowledge with Fewer Animals’ programme, that is entirely based on the NC3Rs CRACK IT Challenges programme.

BEIS Ministers are in regular contact with Cabinet colleagues on matters related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including issues relating to reopening.

Venues will only be able to open for viewings, including show rounds for wedding couples, where the venue is permitted to open, or where a relevant exemption applies. Where a venue is required to close for the purposes of a viewing people could have a virtual tour.

The Government recognises the importance of managing energy losses to reduce emissions and protect consumers from unnecessary costs. We have regular discussions with Ofgem, which has the relevant regulatory powers in this area.

Under the regulatory regime, distribution network operators have licence obligations to ensure that losses are as low as reasonably practicable and are incentivised to take action to reduce losses. As a result, for example, it is now standard practice for distribution network operators to ‘oversize’ replacement and new lower voltage cables, which reduces losses and also provides future proofing for demand increases.

The Energy White Paper sets out our long-term strategic vision to deliver an affordable, secure and reliable energy system, consistent with net zero emissions by 2050.

As we pursue this vision, we recognise the importance of managing energy losses to reduce emissions and protect consumers from unnecessary costs. We have regular discussions with Ofgem, which has the relevant regulatory powers.

The Government is working closely with local authorities in England to support the implementation of business grants during the Covid-19 pandemic and monitor the distribution of grant funds.

The data published on GOV.UK regarding the Additional Restrictions Grant is based upon self-reporting by Local Authorities up to the 17^th January 2021. The time period in question includes periods of localised restrictions, which saw many Local Authorities moved quickly between Tiers, complicating the administrative process as business eligibility for grants changed alongside Tiers.

Further data will be published in due course that will set out performance figures for the current period of national restrictions where there has been a consistent grant offer for local authorities to administer.

The Government is working closely with Local Authorities in England to support the implementation of business grants during the Covid-19 pandemic and monitor the distribution of grant funds.

Throughout the pandemic officials have engaged with Local Authorities including through a Local Government Working Group. As the range of grants available has increased, officials have carried out live stream sessions with all 314 Local Authorities managing grant schemes, to provide the latest guidance and respond to questions.

In addition, Ministers have met with Local Authority Leaders and senior officers to discuss ways of improving grant delivery. Information from these discussions has informed work on streamlining existing grants processes and future grants design.

Officials have published guidance for both the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) and the Additional Restrictions Grant to support the distribution of funds to businesses. In addition to the scheme guidance, we publish Frequently Asked Questions documents to help Local Authorities with their administration of grant schemes.

Officials continue to engage with Local Authorities to ensure compliance to both the scheme rules and wider reporting requirements.

The Government is working closely with Local Authorities in England to support the implementation of business grants during the Covid-19 pandemic and monitor the distribution of grant funds.

Local Authorities are entitled to use their allocation of Additional Restrictions Grant until the end of financial year 2021/22.

The data published on GOV.UK regarding the Additional Restrictions Grant is based upon self-reporting by Local Authorities up to the 17^th January 2021.

Further data will be published in due course that will set out performance figures for the current period of national restrictions.

The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund (RHLGF) closed on 28 August 2020, with final payments completed by 30 September. There is therefore no scope for businesses to receive funding as part of this programme.

During the period of local and national restrictions the government has introduced support for business that are mandated to close and those that have been several affected by the restrictions.

For this period of nationalised restrictions, English Language Teaching Centres may be eligible for support through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) which is a discretionary scheme administered by Local Authorities.

In January, a further £500m was made available in discretionary funding via the Additional Restrictions Grant in addition to the £1.1bn already allocated in November 2020. This additional discretionary funding is to support businesses that are significantly impacted by the restrictions even though not required to close.

The Government has introduced an unprecedented package of support for businesses that are required to close, or which are severely affected by the restrictions put in place to tackle Covid-19 and save lives.

English Language Teaching Centres may be eligible for support through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG), a scheme administered by Local Authorities. It is within Local Authorities’ discretion to use this funding to support businesses in the way they see fit. Local Authorities may choose to support those business who have not be mandated to close but have had their trade adversely affected by restrictions.

Local Authorities have been allocated a further £500m in discretionary funding via the Additional Restrictions Grant. This is in addition to £1.1bn already allocated in November 2020.

The Government is discussing this issue with trade associations such as Ukie. We know that bulk purchasing through automated bots is a concern for some of their members who we understand are currently examining further actions they can take to prevent these behaviours, and are working with their retailers to improve experiences for customers.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced a new National Lockdown on 4 January. From 5 January hospitality venues must close; with the exception of providing food and non-alcoholic drinks for takeaway (until 11pm), click-and-collect and drive-through.

We have produced guidance for employers and employees to ensure workplaces are COVID-secure. All guidance and measures are kept under review and updated accordingly.

The Department for Education’s guidance for students and others regarding the student travel window is located here.

Interconnectors between the UK and our near neighbours have proven beneficial to the UK in terms of providing indirect access to renewable energy sources abroad, as well as ensuring the most efficient use of our own renewable resources, helping to facilitate the lowest cost decarbonisation of energy systems across Europe.

The UK is supportive of any energy infrastructure project that it believes will prove beneficial to UK consumers. In terms of financial support, the award of CfDs (Contracts for Difference) to international renewable energy projects is not being considered at this stage, though BEIS remains open to receiving views on the merits of doing so for future allocation rounds.

BEIS is happy to engage with any potential renewable energy project that supports the UK’s goals of decarbonising the energy system at lowest cost. In terms of financial support, the award of CfDs (Contracts for Difference) to international renewable energy projects is not being considered at this stage, though BEIS remains open to receiving views on the merits of doing so for future allocation rounds.

As we recover from COVID-19, the Government intends to deliver a UK economy which is greener, more sustainable and more resilient. The UK is embracing the opportunity to become a world leader in low carbon technologies, services, and systems. The UK low-carbon economy could support up to 2 million jobs.

This year alone, the Government has committed billions in spending as we increase support for our low-carbon economy and green jobs across all sectors of the economy. For example, following the announcements in July, the Green Homes Grant is now live. Under the new scheme, the Government will fund up to two thirds of the cost of home improvements for over 600,000 homes, supporting 100,000 jobs in green construction.

We will continue to build on this even further and deliver a stronger, greener, more sustainable economy after this pandemic. Last month, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister outlined ambitious plans to make the UK the world leader in clean wind energy, boosting our ambition to generate 40GW through offshore wind by 2030.

Achieving our net zero target must be a shared endeavour between governments, businesses and individuals.

We are increasing our work on public engagement on net zero, both in communicating the challenge, and giving people a say in shaping future policies. Publications such as the upcoming net zero strategy will provide important sources of information to engage the public on the governments net zero plans. In addition, Government has invited the public to shape policies on climate change through mechanisms such as consultations and deliberative workshops. We will continue to engage the public as we develop our plans for reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

As stated in the Clean Growth Strategy (2017), the Government is committed to ‘phase out the installation of high carbon fossil fuel heating in homes not connected to the gas grid, starting with new homes, during the 2020s.’ The first part of this commitment, to decarbonise new homes, is being met through the Future Home Standard, on which government consulted earlier this year. The Future Homes Standard will require new build homes to be future-proofed with low carbon heating and world-leading levels of energy efficiency, and is set to be introduced in 2025.

Additionally, we are providing financial support to help decarbonise homes on the gas grid. This is being done through:

• The domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) – a support scheme for low carbon heat installations in domestic buildings that will remain open to new applicants until March 2022. As of September 2020, the domestic RHI has supported around 82,300 homes make the transition to low carbon heat.

• The Green Homes Grant – In his Summer Economic Update, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a £2bn Green Home Grant scheme that will support homeowners and landlords in England to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, reducing energy bills and carbon emissions, and supporting a green economic recovery. Under this new scheme, the government will fund up to two-thirds of the cost of home improvements for over 600,000 homes.

We intend to publish an updated Fuel Poverty Strategy for England by the end of the year which will provide further information on our plans to support low income and vulnerable households as we transition to net zero.

The Energy Company Obligation, worth £640m per year, focused on low income and vulnerable households, has made around 2.1m homes more energy efficient since it began in 2013.

Tackling climate change and delivering our world-leading net zero target is a key priority for the Government, the COVID-19 pandemic has not changed this. We have decarbonised our economy faster than any G20 country this century.

Our existing carbon budgets are among the most ambitious in the world and continue to set the right level of challenge for the years ahead. We have met our first two carbon budgets and our latest emissions projections show that we are on track to meet the third.

Ahead of COP26, and we will set out ambitious plans across key sectors of the economy to meet our carbon budgets and net zero – including an Energy White Paper, Transport Decarbonisation Plan and Heat and Building Strategy. This will build on the strong foundations we have established in the Clean Growth Strategy (which set out our plans to reduce emissions across the whole economy through to 2032) and the commitments in our manifesto.

BEIS has regular discussions with Ofgem, including on what measures might be needed to help remove the barriers to consumer engagement. This includes the potential for collective switching and consideration of the results from Ofgem’s previous trials. The Government will set out more details in due course.

The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) was launched on 4 May to help small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000. The British Business Bank has not undertaken any specific assessment of reports of alleged delays in accessing BBLS facilities. The British Business Bank is however conducting a programme of audits of accredited lenders, and continues to engage with them regularly to discuss any issues with regards the operation of the scheme.

BBLS accredited lenders continue to experience high demand, but the scheme remains open to new applicants. As of 16 August, £35.47billion has been loaned via 1,174,854 facilities under (BBLS).

Terms and conditions of employment are for negotiation and agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives). Provided they do not discriminate unlawfully, for example on grounds of race, sex or disability, employers are free to offer the terms and conditions of employment which best suit their business needs.

However, we expect all employers, to treat employees fairly and in the spirit of partnership. Contract terms cannot lawfully be changed by the employer without prior agreement from the employee (either individually or through a recognised trade union). Depending on the extent and likely impact of the proposed changes, employers should meet with affected employees, or the union where one is recognised, and explain their case for making the proposed change.

The Government is working on a range of measures to realise the benefits of a smarter and more flexible energy system. We are making good progress delivering the actions in the Government’s Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan to remove barriers to smart technologies such as storage and improve access to energy markets for new business models.

Smart charging of electric vehicles during off-peak periods when electricity demand is low can help avoid triggering unnecessary network reinforcement. Furthermore, this technology helps utilise renewable energy and can benefit consumers with cheaper electricity. The Future Energy Scenarios (FES) 2019 produced by National Grid predicts that smart charging could by 2030 shift nearly 50% of EV demand away from peak times. Vehicle-to-Grid technology, where electric vehicles provide power back to local networks, presents an opportunity for EVs to be a significant electricity storage resource.

Next year we intend to mandate that all new private chargepoints must have smart functionality and in 2018 we invested £30 million to support vehicle-to-grid technology. The Electric Vehicle Energy Taskforce reported in January 2020, making 21 proposals on how we can maximise the uptake of smart charging and ensure the energy system is ready for electric vehicles.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has set out his intention to publish the Energy White Paper this Autumn.

The Energy White Paper will address the transformation of our energy system as we deliver net-zero emissions by 2050.

We have taken clear actions to enable flexibility through our Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan, including reforming markets so that they properly reward flexibility, removing barriers for flexible technologies, and investing in flexible innovation.

The Government takes the role heat pumps can have in driving down carbon emissions very seriously and BEIS are currently supporting heat pump deployment via both the Domestic and Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive. As per May 2020 the total number of Non-domestic RHI accredited applications was 2,057 and 57,817 in the Domestic RHI.

The Clean Heat Grant scheme announced at Budget 2020 will provide targeted support from 2022 to help households and SMEs install heat pumps. The Green Heat Network Scheme will also provide support for heat pump installations in heat networks and the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund will support heat pumps providing process heat. These policies have been designed as part of a broader package of measures to support the decarbonisation of heat. The Government intends to publish a Heat and Buildings Strategy later this year, which will set out the wider actions we will take for reducing emissions from buildings.

Following my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement, from 4 July hairdressers and barbers in England will be able to reopen, to offer hairdressing services, once they are following the COVID-secure guidelines.

Other close contact services, like reflexologists and tattoo parlours remain closed until further notice.

We are taking a phased, cautious approach to reopening our economy, working with businesses, trade associations and medical experts on the safest way to reopen close contact services like massage therapists, beauty salons and tattoo parlours, where there is often greater risk of transmission due to prolonged periods of face-to-face contact and close proximity between staff and customers.

We intend to allow close contact services, such as reflexologists and tattoo parlours to re-open as soon as it is safe to do so.

Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and the CSA and CMO attended the C-19 Strategy Committee where the next phase of the roadmap was discussed. SAGE provides world-leading scientific advice to the government. However, making any changes depends on us continuing to meet the five tests.

Following my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement, from 4 July hairdressers and barbers in England will be able to reopen, to offer hairdressing services, once they are following the COVID-secure guidelines.

Other close contact services, like reflexologists and tattoo parlours remain closed until further notice.

We are taking a phased, cautious approach to reopening our economy, working with businesses, trade associations and medical experts on the safest way to reopen close contact services like massage therapists, beauty salons and tattoo parlours, where there is often greater risk of transmission due to prolonged periods of face-to-face contact and close proximity between staff and customers.

We intend to allow close contact services, such as reflexologists and tattoo parlours to re-open as soon as it is safe to do so.

Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and the CSA and CMO attended the C-19 Strategy Committee where the next phase of the roadmap was discussed. SAGE provides world-leading scientific advice to the government. However, making any changes depends on us continuing to meet the five tests.

Following my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement, from 4 July hairdressers and barbers in England will be able to reopen, to offer hairdressing services, once they are following the COVID-secure guidelines.

Other close contact services, like reflexologists and tattoo parlours remain closed until further notice.

We are taking a phased, cautious approach to reopening our economy, working with businesses, trade associations and medical experts on the safest way to reopen close contact services like massage therapists, beauty salons and tattoo parlours, where there is often greater risk of transmission due to prolonged periods of face-to-face contact and close proximity between staff and customers.

We intend to allow close contact services, such as reflexologists and tattoo parlours to re-open as soon as it is safe to do so.

Our approach is guided by the scientific and medical advice, and the CSA and CMO attended the C-19 Strategy Committee where the next phase of the roadmap was discussed. SAGE provides world-leading scientific advice to the government. However, making any changes depends on us continuing to meet the five tests.

The Government is committed to reopening businesses in a phased approach, guided by the science to ensure it is safe to do so. As such, we have now published (23 June) new guidance for working safely during coronavirus for close contact services and restaurants, pubs and bars. This supports the Prime Minister’s announcement on 23 June for their reopening from 4 July where they can do so in a safe and COVID-secure way, and their preparation for reopening at a later date where they cannot reopen on 4^th July – as in the case of some close contact services.

Close Contact Services are defined as work where someone is in close physical proximity to other individuals outside their household for a sustained period of time throughout their working day. This includes tattoo artists who need to be in close physical contact and often in touching distance with people outside their household for long periods of time to do their work.

Some of these sectors remain closed because the risk of transmission in these environments is higher due to the indoor environment and closer physical contact. We will work with the sector to develop safe ways for them to open at the earliest point at which it is safe to do so.

The Government is committed to exploring the?development?of hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier, alongside electricity and other decarbonised gases. Recently, the government published the Energy Innovation Needs Assessment (EINA) for hydrogen and fuel cells which identified that in 2050 up to 15,000 jobs per annum could be created through domestic hydrogen opportunities. In order to support the development of hydrogen, we are

• investing in innovation, with up to £121m supporting a range of projects exploring and developing hydrogen across the value chain;
• supporting hydrogen deployment through our £100m Low Carbon Hydrogen Fund; and
• developing sustainable business models to support low carbon hydrogen production at scale.

We are considering what more Government can to develop the UK hydrogen sector, including opportunities to protect and expand jobs and skills, as part of activity to develop hydrogen as a strategic decarbonised energy carrier for the UK.

We recognise that the scale up and demonstration of hydrogen’s potential in meeting Paris commitments is a global challenge. We are an active member of Mission Innovation and the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy.

Since the UK has left the European Union, we are seeking to engage and cooperate with the EU on hydrogen through normal diplomatic channels, and therefore the UK will not attend EU meetings on this topic other than in exceptional circumstances. Whilst the UK is leaving the EU single market, it remains an important part of the gas supply system for North West Europe. The UK can expect to work cooperatively with its neighbours to sustain this mutually beneficial relationship into the future as the methane gas market is decarbonised, potentially leading to a European hydrogen market.

The UK only supports biomass which complies with strict sustainability criteria,. These criteria take into account of social, economic and environmental issues including protecting biodiversity, land use rights, sustainable harvesting and regeneration rates. They ensure that the carbon stock of the forest from which the pellets are derived is not decreased by requiring that biomass fuels are derived from forest waste wood and residues and that the forest owner adheres to relevant legal requirements to protect biodiversity and the environment.

Current regulations[1] also, over time, increase the stringency of the ceilings and thresholds for the greenhouse gas emissions from producing the feedstock.

Sustainable bioenergy is helping us move to a low-carbon energy mix, increase our energy security and keep costs down for consumers. However, as we decarbonise, it is right to continually review our approach to ensure that we are using the lowest carbon sources of electricity. We have pledged that this will be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it.

We are reviewing the air quality impacts of biomass to ensure that our energy policies can jointly tackle climate change and improve air quality. We are currently consulting on proposals to remove coal to biomass conversions from the Contract for Difference scheme. In addition, all support for coal-to-biomass conversions will end in 2027.

[1] The Renewables Obligation Order 2015 in England and Wales, The Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Amendment Order, the Renewables Obligation (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 and the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme and Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2015 as amended

The Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund have been designed to support smaller businesses and some of the sectors which have been hit hardest by the measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Micro-enterprises with a social purpose are not excluded if they meet the eligibility criteria for the grants.

On the 1 May 2020 the Business Secretary announced that a further up to £617 million is being made available to local authorities as a discretionary fund so that they can address cases that are out-of-scope from the Small Business Grants Fund and Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund, including business sectors that weren’t previously covered and businesses that occupy space and pay rent and rates through a landlord.

Accredited Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) lenders offer a wide range of business finance products including term loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance. Existing lenders range from high-street banks to challenger banks, asset-based lenders and specialist local lenders. Currently there are 15 accredited lenders that are Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs).

In order to offer this scheme, finance providers must be accredited by the Government-owned British Business Bank. The British Business Bank has put in place substantial additional resource to accredit new CBILS lenders as quickly as possible, which will further widen the choice of finance options for smaller businesses.

While the Government accepts that call centres may face specific technological challenges in allowing staff to work from home, they are subject to the same advice as every other employer. Where possible, people should work at home and where they cannot, employers should ensure that the work environment is safe by following relevant guidance from Public Health England.

The Government does not have plans to change the rules around entitlement to refunds, which help protect consumers. Under existing consumer law, consumers are able to choose a voucher or credit note that is valid for a longer period of time, should they wish and if it is offered by the business.

However, we recognise the extremely difficult circumstances businesses are currently facing, which is why on 17 March the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a wide range of support for businesses, in addition to £30bn of support announced in the budget.

The Government recognises the important role that trade unions play in industrial relations. We regularly engage with trade unions and employer organisations on employment issues and have ramped up this engagement in light of the COVID-19 outbreak

The Government recognises the important role that trade unions play in industrial relations. We regularly engage with trade unions and employer organisations on employment issues and have ramped up this engagement in light of the COVID-19 outbreak

Ministers and officials across the Department regularly engage with trade unions, including GMB, on employment issues and we will continue to do so.

The Chancellor has outlined an unprecedented package of measures to protect millions of people’s jobs and incomes as part of the national effort in response to Coronavirus.

We urge employers to be understanding when individuals are unable to work as a result of following Government advice on Coronavirus.

Many people on zero-hours contracts will be entitled to statutory sick pay, although some individuals will not meet the qualifying criteria. Those who are ineligible to receive statutory sick pay are able to claim Universal Credit and/or Employment and Support Allowance, where they qualify.

Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, UK employers with a PAYE scheme will be able to access support, so they can continue paying part of their employees’ salary where they might otherwise have been laid off. This applies to furloughed workers that have been asked to stop working, yet are being kept on the payroll. HMRC will reimburse 80% of their wages, up to £2,500 per month, to safeguard workers from being made redundant. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will cover the cost of wages backdated to 1 March and is initially open for 3 months, but will be extended if necessary. This scheme aims to support all those employed through the PAYE system regardless of their employment contract, including those on zero-hour contracts.

Businesses and employees can get further advice on individual employment issues at the Acas website.

The Government is committed to supporting individuals, businesses, and communities affected by the Coronavirus. At Budget, the Chancellor announced £30 billion of support to help deal with the crisis by investing in public services, increasing support for vulnerable people, and providing businesses with tax reliefs and loans.

Significant further actions have since been announced, including: a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme allowing small and large employers to apply for a Government grant covering 80% of workers’ salaries up to £2,500 a month; cash grants of up to £25,000 for retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000; and deferral of the next quarter of VAT payments for firms, until the end of June 2020, representing a £30 billion injection for employers.

Many of these measures are demand-led and their use will depend on decisions taken by individual businesses. As such, it is not possible to determine in advance how much will be spent in any particular region.

Waste heat capture can play an important part in the decarbonisation of heat, specifically when used in heat networks. In its 2015 assessment the Committee on Climate Change suggested that waste-heat recovery should be contributing a third of heat supply to heat networks by 2050 in order to meet our net-zero target.

The Government recognises that waste-heat is a cost-effective form of low-carbon heat. In the Budget on 11^th March the Chancellor announced a new £270m Green Heat Network Fund. This will fund large-heat pumps, solar thermal installations and waste-heat recovery in heat networks between 2022 and 2025; and we will be consulting later this year on scheme design.

In 2018 the Department published Clean Growth-Transforming Heating, a comprehensive review of the evidence available on the transition towards low carbon heat on each sector of the economy.

The Heat and Building Strategy, which is planned to be published later this year, will build on this evidence and set out the immediate actions we will take for reducing emissions from buildings. These actions include the deployment of energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating technologies as part of a wider programme of work on how we will make progress towards decarbonising all homes and buildings. We are developing policies to deliver low carbon heating in the 2020s and meet our climate targets, which will we consult on.

The Government is planning to publish a cross-departmental Heat and Building Strategy later this year, which will set out the immediate actions we will take for reducing emissions from buildings. These actions include the deployment of energy efficiency measures and low carbon heating technologies as part of a wider programme of work on how we will make progress towards decarbonising all homes and buildings.

At Budget 2020, the Government announced a £12 billion package of targeted measures to support public services, individuals, and businesses experiencing economic disruption because of COVID-19.

Measures include enabling small and medium enterprises and employers to reclaim Statutory Sick Pay for sickness absence due to COVID-19. We are also expanding the Business Rates retail discount to 100% for one year and providing £2.2 billion of funding for local authorities to support small businesses; they will be entitled to Small Business Rate Relief and a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19.

The Government recognises the importance of having a diverse range of pubs in local communities across the country, and the contribution pubs make to the economy and to community life in providing a place to socialise and encourage responsible drinking.

In order to provide support for pubs, the Government announced a freeze on beer duty at Budget 2018. Due to this freeze, the price of a typical pint of beer in 2020 is 2p lower than it would have been had duty increased with inflation and 14p lower than it otherwise would have been since ending the beer duty escalator in 2013.

Many pubs will benefit from the business rates retail discount announced at Budget 2018, which cuts bills for eligible businesses by one third for two years from April 2019. The Government has committed to increasing the discount to 50% in 2020/21. It is available to eligible businesses, including pubs, with a rateable value below £51,000.

Through Government policies we have dramatically increased the deployment of renewable generation. Renewable electricity now makes up over a third of our generation and our renewable capacity has quadrupled since 2010. 24% of the UK’s renewable capacity is located in the North of England.

The Government’s manifesto set out an ambition to further expand offshore wind to reach 40GW of capacity by 2030, and we will continue to work with the offshore wind industry to deliver the ambition for 60% UK content in offshore wind farms, as agreed in the Offshore Wind Sector Deal. New wind farms being built off the North East coast, such as the Dogger Bank and Sophia projects, will provide a huge economic opportunity for the north east of England, delivering 5GW of new renewable energy; enough to power over 5 million homes. UK companies such as Tekmar, JDR Cables and Seajacks, all based in the North of England, are not only supplying UK renewable projects, but winning export contracts abroad.

We are also helping to develop renewable heat network infrastructure across the North. For example, on 3 February, the Coal Authority announced the construction of the UK’s first heat network to take renewable heat from mine water in County Durham.

As we continue to move to a low carbon economy we need to ensure we have a balanced energy mix so we have a reliable, clean and affordable energy system. This means that in the medium term there will be a role for some fossil fuels. The Government has been clear that the development of domestic energy sources must be safe and environmentally sound. As such, we have put in place a robust regulatory regime which provides a comprehensive framework for exploration and production activities.

National Planning Policy is clear that planning permission should not be granted for the extraction of coal unless the proposal is environmentally acceptable or the national, local or community benefits outweigh its likely impacts. The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government leads on planning policy for coal mines in England.

The Government is committed to bringing all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. A key part of this is closing all unabated coal generation domestically by 2025. As a result of existing policies, we have already made great headway in reducing our reliance on coal, which fell from 39% of annual electricity generation in 2012 to less than 3% in 2019. We will shortly consult on bringing the deadline for ending unabated coal forward from 2025 to 2024.

BEIS Ministers and officials have regular discussions with stakeholders on a number of issues.

This is an industrial relations matter for Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union to settle. The Government encourages both sides to reach an amicable agreement. Talking is the best way to avoid industrial action and any disruption to businesses and consumers.

The Gambling Commision is the independent regulator of the National Lottery and one of its statutory duties is to ensure that the interests of all players are protected, alongside ensuring the National Lottery is run with due propriety and that returns to good causes are maximised.

Monitoring is therefore an ongoing process and the Gambling Commission has undertaken an extensive amount of work in this area since 2010. As a result, it is not possible to collate and publish this information in its entirety.

The Gambling Commission publishes details of significant regulatory decisions and the rationale supporting those decisions on its website here:

https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/about-us/guide/licence-to-run-the-national-lottery.

In addition, wider data and research relating to the National Lottery, such as statistics around participation rates, can be found on the Gambling Commission’s website here:

https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/about-us/statistics-and-research.

The third National Lottery licence contains a provision which allows the Gambling Commission, as the sector regulator, to extend the duration of this Licence for a period of six months. A maximum of two extensions are permitted.

The Gambling Commission decided to enact the first six-month extension to the third licence, due to the impact of the pandemic on the fourth National Lottery licence competition. The licence was extended on existing terms of the Third National Lottery licence. More information can be found on their website, here.

The third National Lottery licence requires the operator to implement player protection strategies to prevent underage and excessive play which must be approved by the Gambling Commission.

The Gambling Commission then adopts a variety of measures to monitor, assess and challenge the National Lottery operator’s player protection performance. This includes detailed monitoring to identify risks to players, and where appropriate, undertaking strategic reviews of areas of the portfolio which are identified as higher (but not necessarily high) risk.

The Gambling Commission is also responsible for approving proposed changes to National Lottery games where it carries out thorough assessments of National Lottery game change proposals in line with its statutory duties, including ensuring that such proposals do not present risks from a player protection perspective.

Evidence from the latest (2018) Health Survey for England shows that National Lottery games were associated with the lowest rates of problem gambling of all gambling products considered.

The third National Lottery licence contains a provision which allows the Gambling Commission, as the sector regulator, to extend the duration of this Licence for a period of six months. A maximum of two extensions are permitted.

The Gambling Commission decided to enact the first six-month extension to the third licence, due to the impact of the pandemic on the fourth National Lottery licence competition. The licence was extended on existing terms of the Third National Lottery licence. More information can be found on their website, here.

The third National Lottery licence requires the operator to implement player protection strategies to prevent underage and excessive play which must be approved by the Gambling Commission.

The Gambling Commission then adopts a variety of measures to monitor, assess and challenge the National Lottery operator’s player protection performance. This includes detailed monitoring to identify risks to players, and where appropriate, undertaking strategic reviews of areas of the portfolio which are identified as higher (but not necessarily high) risk.

The Gambling Commission is also responsible for approving proposed changes to National Lottery games where it carries out thorough assessments of National Lottery game change proposals in line with its statutory duties, including ensuring that such proposals do not present risks from a player protection perspective.

Evidence from the latest (2018) Health Survey for England shows that National Lottery games were associated with the lowest rates of problem gambling of all gambling products considered.

The third National Lottery licence contains a provision which allows the Gambling Commission, as the sector regulator, to extend the duration of this Licence for a period of six months. A maximum of two extensions are permitted.

The Gambling Commission decided to enact the first six-month extension to the third licence, due to the impact of the pandemic on the fourth National Lottery licence competition. The licence was extended on existing terms of the Third National Lottery licence. More information can be found on their website, here.

The third National Lottery licence requires the operator to implement player protection strategies to prevent underage and excessive play which must be approved by the Gambling Commission.

The Gambling Commission then adopts a variety of measures to monitor, assess and challenge the National Lottery operator’s player protection performance. This includes detailed monitoring to identify risks to players, and where appropriate, undertaking strategic reviews of areas of the portfolio which are identified as higher (but not necessarily high) risk.

The Gambling Commission is also responsible for approving proposed changes to National Lottery games where it carries out thorough assessments of National Lottery game change proposals in line with its statutory duties, including ensuring that such proposals do not present risks from a player protection perspective.

Evidence from the latest (2018) Health Survey for England shows that National Lottery games were associated with the lowest rates of problem gambling of all gambling products considered.

The competition for the third National Lottery licence was run by the National Lottery Commission, which was merged with the Gambling Commission in October 2013. The Commission announced the outcome of the competition on 7th August 2007.

The Commission received two strong applications for the third licence, from Camelot Group plc and Sugal & Damani UK Ltd. Both bids met the seven demanding Required Standards outlined by the Commission in the Invitation to Apply (ITA). Camelot Group plc was selected as the Preferred Bidder and was awarded the third licence to start from February 2009. Camelot Group plc were considered best able to maximise returns to good causes over the term of the Licence. The published ‘Statement of Reasons’ which discusses the outcome in more detail can be found through the National Archives website.

The Gambling Commission launched the competition for the fourth National Lottery licence on 28 August 2020. The next licence comes into force in August 2023. The Commission’s priority is to run a fair and robust competition and, given that the competition is underway, it would not be appropriate to name, or comment on, organisations that are participating in the competition. The preferred applicant for the fourth licence is expected to be announced at the end of the year.

The Secretary of State has appointed Malcolm Sheehan QC to lead the independent review of the Football Index gambling product and we have published its scope and terms of reference on gov.uk. As I said in my Written Ministerial Statement of 7 June, many former customers of Football Index have already contacted the Department to provide information and they can continue to do so via gamblingactreview@dcms.gov.uk. We will pass on any relevant evidence to the inquiry. The statement can be found at: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-06-07/hcws63

DCMS will appoint an independent expert to conduct a review of the regulation of the Football Index gambling product and to make recommendations to government and the regulators. The review will take an objective look at the decisions and actions of the Gambling Commission and any other relevant regulatory bodies to provide a clear account of how the activities of its operator, BetIndex Ltd, were regulated, identify if there were areas for improvement, and inform our Review of the Gambling Act 2005. We intend to publish a report this summer and the appointment of an independent reviewer and further details on the terms of reference will be announced very shortly. Further information can be found in a Written Ministerial Statement on Regulation of Football Index, available at: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-04-20/hcws929

In order to facilitate the competition for the next licence to run the National Lottery and ensure a smooth transition between the third and fourth licences, the current National Lottery licence contains provisions through which it can be extended by the Gambling Commission by up to one year, through two six-month extensions. Any extension will be on the existing terms of the licence.

In May 2020, the Gambling Commission announced that they would be triggering the first of these extensions to accommodate a delay to the launch of the competition for the next licence due to concerns expressed by interested applicants about the challenges posed by the Covid 19 pandemic. The updated third licence and a notice setting out the decision behind the extension can be found on the Gambling Commission’s website.

The competition launched successfully in August 2020 and the Gambling Commission are currently reviewing initial applications. The next licence will start in August 2023.

Under the terms of the current National Lottery Licence the operator is required to implement player protection strategies to prevent underage and excessive play, which must be approved by the Gambling Commission, as regulator of the National Lottery.

For new game proposals and changes to existing games, the operator must provide the Gambling Commission with a range of information, such as assessments of the risks associated with certain product characteristics, a broader assessment by the operator’s game design governance group and relevant academic research.

In addition, the Gambling Commission conducts regular, detailed monitoring to identify risks to players, and where appropriate, undertakes strategic reviews of areas of the portfolio which are identified as higher (but not necessarily high) risk. For example, in 2020, the Gambling Commission commissioned research to better understand the players of Online Interactive Instant Win Games. The research found an association between players of Interactive Instant Win Games at the £10 price point and some problem gambling behaviours. As a result of this research, the operator suspended the sale of £10 Online Interactive Instant Win Games, which followed the removal of the £10 scratchcard in 2019.

In December 2020, the government increased the minimum age for the National Lottery as a precautionary measure to ensure the protection of young people. These changes were introduced for all games in April 2021, both for online and retail sales.

In line with the conditions of the Third Licence, the operator of the National Lottery is required to publish its Annual Report and Accounts for 2020/21 by 7th October 2021. At this point, the information requested in question 1(a) will be available.

In response to question 1(b), total profit figures are not itemised in this way. However, the 2019/20 annual report of the current operator reported that digital sales accounted for 31.1% of total sales, up from 25.4% in 2018/19.

The table below shows sales data, broken down by draw-based games and instant win games, which includes both scratchcards and online instant win games. Sales are not publicly reported at a more granular level, therefore it has also not been possible to differentiate between sales on the website or the mobile application.

* 2009/10 covers a 14 month period due to the third Licence beginning on 1st February 2009.

The 2019/20 annual report of the current operator shows that digital sales accounted for 31.1% of total sales, up from 25.4% in 2018/19.

The table below shows sales data, broken down by draw-based games and instant win games, which includes both scratchcards and online instant win games. Sales are not publicly reported at a more granular level, therefore it has also not been possible to differentiate between sales on the website or the mobile application.

* 2009/10 covers a 14 month period due to the third Licence beginning on 1st February 2009.

The 2019/20 annual report of the current operator shows that digital sales accounted for 31.1% of total sales, up from 25.4% in 2018/19.

The government is taking the collapse of BetIndex Ltd (the operators of Football Index) and the concerns of those affected very seriously. On 20 April we announced an independent review of the regulation of the Football Index product. The review will take an objective look at the decisions and actions of the Gambling Commission and any other relevant regulators, to provide a clear account of how the company’s activities were regulated, identify if there are potential areas for improvement and inform our Review of the Gambling Act 2005. More information can be found in a Written Ministerial Statement on Regulation of Football Index, available at:

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-04-20/hcws929

While we appreciate that the situation regarding Footstock has also affected some British customers, it would not be straightforward to include the regulation of both companies in the scope of an independent review. As significantly more customers in Britain were affected by its collapse, the review will focus on Football tIndex. We hope the insights from the investigation will inform how novel products are regulated in future.

We intend to publish the Tourism Recovery Plan in late spring.

We are continuing to hold discussions across Government and with stakeholders, including via the Tourism Industry Council, to assess how this plan can support the sector’s short and long term recovery from the pandemic.

We want the British public to be able to get back to doing the things they love safely - including going to sports events. But we recognise the challenges that events face to operate in a way that ensures the risk of transmission is sufficiently low while maintaining commercial viability.

Public safety is our main priority and decisions will be made working with local Directors for Public Health for all pilot events included in the Events Research Programme. The pilots will be run across a range of settings, venues, and activities so that findings will support the full reopening of similar settings across multiple sectors. However the point of the Events Research Programme is not to enable people to watch sport, but to gather evidence.

We will ensure that interim results gathered from Events Research Programmes are fed into policy development swiftly to avoid missing reopening opportunities because of insufficient data. The ERP will align its work with other reviews, including covid status certification and social distancing, to ensure the latest research findings are taken into account.

Under the government's roadmap out of lockdown, cricket grounds will be able to admit fans from Step 3, and not before 17th May.

DCMS’ Creative Industries Economic Estimates show that the UK video games industry contributed an estimated £2.9 billion to the UK economy in 2019, up from £0.4 billion in 2010, and its headcount has grown to 27,000, a 47% increase since 2013.

I am pleased that in 2021/22 my Department will be continuing to fund the UK Games Fund, which provides valuable support to early stage games development businesses and talented graduates throughout the UK. We continue to consider what further actions we can take to underpin the games sector’s vital contribution to the UK’s future economic success.

We are looking closely at industry’s most recent proposals, including The Independent Game Developers Association’s (TIGA) updated proposal for the creation of a new, large scale video games investment fund. My officials have met with TIGA to discuss this in more detail and are willing to continue talking with TIGA, Ukie and their industry colleagues as they develop their proposals further.

The independent review of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) is an important element of the Tourism Recovery Plan. Both pieces of work will be important for setting out the tourism sector’s recovery from the pandemic.

The independent review of DMOs in England will examine how best to structure and support DMOs at a local and regional level in order to deliver the Government’s tourism policy priorities and support economic growth.

The lead reviewer, Nick de Bois, is conducting the review over Spring 2021, before evaluating his findings and submitting a written report, including his recommendations, to the DCMS Secretary of State by Summer 2021. The review launched in March.

The Government has been running four policy reviews to inform the roadmap. The following are supporting the safe reopening of indoor attractions:

• Social Distancing Review to understand when and under what circumstances social distancing guidance can be lifted or amended

• COVID Certification Review to understand the case for introducing certification and the mechanics of a certification programme.

• Events Research Programme, led by DCMS, aims to build evidence on the risks associated with transmission and the extent that mitigation measures could address risk of transmission at events. The programme aims to start in April, with pilot events carried out across a range of settings, sectors, venue types, and activity types; many of which are applicable to Heritage sites. The shortlist of pilot events will take into account a range of requirements needed to test different science-led criteria, including but not limited to - indoor and outdoor settings, small and large venues, seated and standing events, different forms of audience participation, transport to events, duration, and ventilation.

In addition, the online Heritage Working Safely Guidance has been updated following each adjustment to COVID regulation, including the recent Roadmap steps. This guidance is for people who work or volunteer in Heritage locations, and aims to help the sector understand how to make their workplaces COVID secure for employees and visitors. This has been produced by DCMS and Historic England.

Scientific research has proven that the transmission of COVID-19 is lower outdoors than in indoor environments. Outdoor heritage sites, such as the grounds of castles, historic houses and monuments open to the elements have been open since June 2020. However, sites have been provided guidance by DCMS on how to open sites safely. This includes using pre-booking systems and limiting numbers of visitors and employees on site.

Indoor attractions at heritage sites will be able to re open in Step 3 (no earlier than May 17).

There are some indoor settings which are considered lower risk where household mixing is less likely, for example in shops, barbers and exercise facilities. These will be opening in Step 2 (no earlier than April 12).

The current VAT system could be regarded as an incentive to demolish existing buildings entirely and start again. As people take ownership of a property - new build or listed - a standard rate is applied to its maintenance and upkeep; in this respect, there is parity of treatment. However, owners of historic properties, particularly listed buildings, are likely to incur higher costs to maintain their homes. The upkeep of buildings, especially those of heritage significance, is in the wider public interest.

As with all tax matters, this is something which HMT keeps under regular review.

My Officials are engaged with the sector to build a robust evidence base and develop targeted interventions that might benefit listed buildings in this space.

Last year the government announced the unprecedented £1.57 billion support package for the culture sector. The successful applications from the first round were announced late last year, with almost 3,800 organisations receiving over £1billion in funding, saving at least 75,000 jobs.

The successful applications from the second round were announced on Friday 2 April 2021. From this latest round of funding, over 2,700 organisations across arts, culture, museums and heritage have been offered an additional nearly £400 million in grants and loans to help the sector reopen and recover.

Funding from this second round will support organisations to transition from the challenging months of lockdowns and social distancing to welcoming audiences and visitors back to the country’s theatres, museums, cinemas, music venues and heritage sites.

Additionally, the Chancellor announced in the 2021 Budget an additional £300 million to support theatres, museums and other cultural organisations in England through the Culture Recovery Fund. This extra funding, together with other cultural support such as funding for our national museums, means that our total support package for culture during the pandemic is now approaching £2bn.

The UK Government will publish a Tourism Recovery Plan in the Spring. Given the significant impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector, we now face different challenges to when the Tourism Sector Deal was published. The Recovery Plan will build on the foundations of the Sector Deal.

The Government has designed the roadmap for reopening premises following careful consideration of the evidence and scientific advice. The roadmap strikes a balance between mitigating the social, health and economic impacts of closures and the need to avoid a resurgence of COVID-19 infections. It also takes account of the cumulative impact of easing restrictions and the need to assess the impact at each step. Under the current roadmap, all non-essential retail will open at Step 2, not before 12 April. Indoor entertainment and indoor leisure will open at Step 3, not before 17 May.

As the business of Adult Gaming Centres consists entirely of customers playing machines within the premises, they are considered to be entertainment and will open at Step 3. The customers of Licensed Betting Offices (LBOs) may enter the premises, place a bet and leave with a betting slip, a transaction more similar to purchasing goods in a shop. While LBOs will be permitted to open at Step 2, they will be subject to a number of additional restrictions as set out in the previous Tier 3 guidance. These include showing no live sport or racing and having no chairs, as well as early closure. Under normal circumstances LBOs are limited to offering a maximum of four gaming machines and only two may be made available under these restrictions.

In recognition of the impact of requiring some businesses to remain closed for a longer period, the Chancellor announced an enhanced package of support at the Budget, including Restart Grants of up to £18,000 per premises, specifically for those which must remain closed beyond Step 2.

The Government has designed the roadmap for reopening premises following careful consideration of the evidence and scientific advice. The roadmap strikes a balance between mitigating the social, health and economic impacts of closures and the need to avoid a resurgence of COVID-19 infections. It also takes account of the cumulative impact of easing restrictions and the need to assess the impact at each step. Under the current roadmap, all non-essential retail will open at Step 2, not before 12 April. Indoor entertainment and indoor leisure will open at Step 3, not before 17 May.

As the business of Adult Gaming Centres consists entirely of customers playing machines within the premises, they are considered to be entertainment and will open at Step 3. The customers of Licensed Betting Offices (LBOs) may enter the premises, place a bet and leave with a betting slip, a transaction more similar to purchasing goods in a shop. While LBOs will be permitted to open at Step 2, they will be subject to a number of additional restrictions as set out in the previous Tier 3 guidance. These include showing no live sport or racing and having no chairs, as well as early closure. Under normal circumstances LBOs are limited to offering a maximum of four gaming machines and only two may be made available under these restrictions.

In recognition of the impact of requiring some businesses to remain closed for a longer period, the Chancellor announced an enhanced package of support at the Budget, including Restart Grants of up to £18,000 per premises, specifically for those which must remain closed beyond Step 2.

It is our expectation that the reading rooms and study areas of archives in England will be able to reopen as part of step 2 of the Government’s roadmap to ease COVID-19 restrictions, in line with similar functions in libraries. The Devolved Administrations will publish their own plans. As laid out in the Government’s roadmap, step 2 will not commence until 12 April at the earliest.

Many archives provide a range of functions and services, for which they may need to refer to other areas of guidance on reopening; for example exhibition spaces should not reopen until Step 3 of the roadmap, in line with the museums and galleries guidance.

We recommend that archives consult the guidance relevant to their functions. The National Archives will provide further detail to the archives sector relating to archives when regulations are published in due course.

The Prime Minister announced on Monday 22 February that indoor entertainment venues, which will include Adult Gaming Centres, will open at Step 3 of the roadmap, not before 17 May. The design of the roadmap has been informed by the latest scientific evidence and seeks a balance between our key social and economic priorities, while preserving the health and safety of the country.

At next week’s Budget the Chancellor will set out the next phase in our economic support package to reflect the steps set out in the Prime Minister’s roadmap to easing restrictions, tailoring support for individuals and businesses to reflect the changing public health restrictions.

The government recognises that the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be extremely challenging for businesses, including in the arcades sector. That is why we have introduced a number of unprecedented financial packages to help to ease pressures and help businesses navigate through this crisis, including extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, introducing £4.6 billion in lockdown grants for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses and providing further discretionary funding for Local Authorities.

We are continuing to work with organisations in the land-based gambling sector to understand the impacts and how we may be able to support them. Currently, we estimate that up to 5% of adult gaming centres (AGCs) have ceased trading with roughly 10.1% of jobs lost in the past twelve months. This estimate is based on recent discussions with Bacta, the trade association for the arcades sector. We know that there are also significant job losses across the land-based gambling sector from discussions with the Betting and Gaming Council and the Bingo Association.

As set out in response to question 149200 on 9 February, the government has published guidance to help businesses understand how to make workplaces Covid-secure and help tackle the spread of the virus. AGCs should follow the shops and branches guidance in addition to Bacta’s specific guidance for FECs and AGCs to ensure they can operate as safely as possible when they are open.

The shops and branches workplace guidance was intended as guidance for those businesses on how they could operate safely when the regulations permitted them to do so after the first national lockdown and beyond. It does not have a direct bearing on the timing for reopening of the businesses included in the guidance.

The Prime Minister announced on Monday 22 February that indoor entertainment venues, which will include Adult Gaming Centres, will open at Step 3 of the roadmap, not before 17 May. The design of the roadmap has been informed by the latest scientific evidence and seeks a balance between our key social and economic priorities, while preserving the health and safety of the country.

At next week’s Budget the Chancellor will set out the next phase in our economic support package to reflect the steps set out in the Prime Minister’s roadmap to easing restrictions, tailoring support for individuals and businesses to reflect the changing public health restrictions.

The government recognises that the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be extremely challenging for businesses, including in the arcades sector. That is why we have introduced a number of unprecedented financial packages to help to ease pressures and help businesses navigate through this crisis, including extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, introducing £4.6 billion in lockdown grants for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses and providing further discretionary funding for Local Authorities.

We are continuing to work with organisations in the land-based gambling sector to understand the impacts and how we may be able to support them. Currently, we estimate that up to 5% of adult gaming centres (AGCs) have ceased trading with roughly 10.1% of jobs lost in the past twelve months. This estimate is based on recent discussions with Bacta, the trade association for the arcades sector. We know that there are also significant job losses across the land-based gambling sector from discussions with the Betting and Gaming Council and the Bingo Association.

As set out in response to question 149200 on 9 February, the government has published guidance to help businesses understand how to make workplaces Covid-secure and help tackle the spread of the virus. AGCs should follow the shops and branches guidance in addition to Bacta’s specific guidance for FECs and AGCs to ensure they can operate as safely as possible when they are open.

The shops and branches workplace guidance was intended as guidance for those businesses on how they could operate safely when the regulations permitted them to do so after the first national lockdown and beyond. It does not have a direct bearing on the timing for reopening of the businesses included in the guidance.

The Prime Minister announced on Monday 22 February that indoor entertainment venues, which will include Adult Gaming Centres, will open at Step 3 of the roadmap, not before 17 May. The design of the roadmap has been informed by the latest scientific evidence and seeks a balance between our key social and economic priorities, while preserving the health and safety of the country.

At next week’s Budget the Chancellor will set out the next phase in our economic support package to reflect the steps set out in the Prime Minister’s roadmap to easing restrictions, tailoring support for individuals and businesses to reflect the changing public health restrictions.

The government recognises that the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be extremely challenging for businesses, including in the arcades sector. That is why we have introduced a number of unprecedented financial packages to help to ease pressures and help businesses navigate through this crisis, including extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, introducing £4.6 billion in lockdown grants for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses and providing further discretionary funding for Local Authorities.

We are continuing to work with organisations in the land-based gambling sector to understand the impacts and how we may be able to support them. Currently, we estimate that up to 5% of adult gaming centres (AGCs) have ceased trading with roughly 10.1% of jobs lost in the past twelve months. This estimate is based on recent discussions with Bacta, the trade association for the arcades sector. We know that there are also significant job losses across the land-based gambling sector from discussions with the Betting and Gaming Council and the Bingo Association.

As set out in response to question 149200 on 9 February, the government has published guidance to help businesses understand how to make workplaces Covid-secure and help tackle the spread of the virus. AGCs should follow the shops and branches guidance in addition to Bacta’s specific guidance for FECs and AGCs to ensure they can operate as safely as possible when they are open.

The shops and branches workplace guidance was intended as guidance for those businesses on how they could operate safely when the regulations permitted them to do so after the first national lockdown and beyond. It does not have a direct bearing on the timing for reopening of the businesses included in the guidance.

According to Thinkbroadband the proportion of premises in Leeds North West with access to 'partial Fibre', or 'Full Fibre at any speed' is 98.92%. This is above the national average. This encompasses the technologies: FTTC, VDSL, G.fast, Cable, and FTTP. It should be noted that this refers to BT Openreach cabinets only. 100% of Virgin Media cabinets are fibre enabled as they provide at least Ultrafast speeds and up to Gigabit speeds.

As well as the above percentage coverage for Superfast speeds (at least 30 Megabits per second), Leeds North West is well served by Virgin Media and they have upgraded their network in Leeds to provide up to Gigabit Speeds. Mainly as a consequence of this, 73.50% of residents in the constituency can access Gigabit speeds (1,000 Megabits Per Second) and 77.11% can access Ultrafast speeds (100 Megabits per second).

You can get the latest statistics for your constituency here https://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/E14000780

Sports and physical activity providers and facilities are at the heart of our communities, and play a crucial role in supporting adults and children to be active.

Government has provided unprecedented support to businesses through tax reliefs, cash grants and employee wage support, which many sport clubs have benefited from. Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund has provided £210m directly to support community sport clubs and exercise centres through this pandemic. The £300m Sports Winter Survival Package also aims to protect the immediate futures of major spectator sports in England over the winter period.

Furthermore, on Tuesday 5 January, the Chancellor announced £4.6 billion in new lockdown grants to support businesses and protect jobs. Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are eligible to receive a one-off grant worth up to £9,000.

We are continuing to work with organisations to understand what they need and how we may be able to support them.

Throughout the pandemic, the Government has listened carefully to the views of the scientific community, the information from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and its sub-groups when taking decisions on the best way to tackle the pandemic.

Data and scientific advice informing the fight against COVID-19 are published on gov.uk and specific relevant findings are shared in presentations accompanying significant policy announcements.

Unfortunately we know that the virus spreads readily in indoor environments where members of different households and/or support bubbles spend time together. These restrictions do not single out Adult Gaming Centres but apply to a wide range of settings where the risk of transmission is high.

Throughout the pandemic, the Government has listened carefully to the views of the scientific community, the information from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and its sub-groups when taking decisions on the best way to tackle the pandemic.

Data and scientific advice informing the fight against COVID-19 are published on gov.uk and specific relevant findings are shared in presentations accompanying significant policy announcements.

Unfortunately we know that the virus spreads readily in indoor environments where members of different households and/or support bubbles spend time together. These restrictions do not single out Adult Gaming Centres but apply to a wide range of settings where the risk of transmission is high.

Throughout the pandemic, the Government has listened carefully to the views of the scientific community, the information from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and its sub-groups when taking decisions on the best way to tackle the pandemic.

Data and scientific advice informing the fight against COVID-19 are published on gov.uk and specific relevant findings are shared in presentations accompanying significant policy announcements.

Unfortunately we know that the virus spreads readily in indoor environments where members of different households and/or support bubbles spend time together. These restrictions do not single out Adult Gaming Centres but apply to a wide range of settings where the risk of transmission is high.

The government is committed to a free and independent press and does not intervene in what the press can and cannot publish. We are clear, however, that with this freedom, comes responsibility, which media organisations must take seriously. It is important that there exists an independent self regulatory regime to ensure that the press adheres to a wide set of clear and appropriate standards, and to offer individuals a means of redress where these are not met.

The majority of traditional publishers—including 95% of national newspapers by circulation—are members of The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). A small number of publishers have joined The Independent Monitor for the Press (IMPRESS). These regulators issue codes of conduct which provide guidelines on a range of areas and set out the rules that members have agreed to follow.

The Health Protection Coronavirus Restrictions Regulations 2020, passed by Parliament on 1st December, allows theatres and concert halls to host rehearsals or performances without an audience for broadcast or recording purposes. This regulation does not extend to pubs or other hospitality settings.

Accommodation businesses in areas where the Local COVID Alert Level is medium or high are not required to cancel or refuse bookings from people in areas where the Local COVID Alert Level is high.

People can continue to travel within high alert level areas, can make overnight stays, and can leave high alert level areas to go on holiday, but should only do so with members of their own household/support bubble. People living in high alert areas should however look to reduce the number of journeys they make where possible.

We are asking people resident in areas where the Local COVID Alert Level is ‘very high’ to avoid overnight stays in other regions, except for those who need to for work, education or caring responsibilities.

We encourage all accommodation providers to consider their approach towards guests from inside very-high alert level areas. Accommodation providers should communicate to all customers, including those with existing bookings, to not travel outside of the area unless it is essential (such as for essential work purposes or attending a funeral). For existing bookings, accommodation providers should give guests a chance to cancel their bookings if they intend on no longer travelling and staying at the accommodation.

Accommodation providers outside of an area with restrictions may refuse a booking or cancel a booking from guests from inside a very-high alert level area. The decision to refuse service is at the discretion of the business owner, and the terms of the booking contract may allow for discretionary cancellations. Any decision to refuse service should be done with sufficient notice to the guest, and we would expect any funds already paid by the consumer to be repaid.

In March, the Government implemented an unprecedented package to support businesses, charitable organisations, workers and the self-employed through the Coronavirus crisis. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and business rates relief in particular are providing support to organisations across the arts sector. The Government has now announced additional government support to provide certainty to businesses and workers impacted by Covid 19 across the UK. Central to this plan are the new Job Support Scheme and the SEISS Grant Extension.

On 5 July, DCMS announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic.As a result of these grants and loans, organisations will be more able to resume cultural activity, albeit in a socially distanced way. Each organisation that receives money will know what best they can do to support their workforce and keep job losses to a minimum. We recognise the crucial role that individuals play in making our arts and creative industries world-leading, and DCMS are doing everything we can to aid in the protection of jobs, especially as the sector begins to reopen.

We are committed to getting the performing arts sector fully back up and running as soon as it is safe to do so. It is a priority of my department to work with the arts and cultural sectors to address the challenges of reopening.

The Secretary of State recently revealed a five stage roadmap that the government will work through to get the performing arts sectors back up and running as soon as possible:

• Stage One - Rehearsal and training (no audiences)

• Stage Two - Performances for broadcast and recording purposes

• Stage Three - Performances outdoors with an audience and pilots for indoor performances with a limited socially-distanced audience

• Stage Four - Performances allowed indoors and outdoors (but with a limited socially-distanced audience indoors)

• Stage Five - Performances allowed indoors / outdoors (with a fuller audience indoors)

On the 11th July, we moved to Stage Three. This means that performances outdoors can take place in line with this guidance. This includes marquees or tented structures where performance occurs in front of a live audience, such as tented circus events. DCMS will work with sector representative bodies to select a number of pilots for indoor performances with a socially distanced audience, as we look to move into Stage Four.

The consideration of different venues and the activities involved are underpinned by understanding the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 associated with particular activities.

We recognise the importance of re-opening our indoor and outdoor pools and we agree that swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. There are concerns about transmission around points of contact within such facilities, like changing rooms due to the high volume of contacts. As such, we need to provide reassurance that these facilities will be safe, and are working hard to achieve this in the coming weeks.

The Government is actively working towards a safe way to re-open these facilities, with supporting guidance.

As a close proximity venue, with live table games involving handling of chips and cards, casinos are among the group of businesses which are not yet permitted to open. My officials will continue to work with the casino sector to ensure they can safely open as soon as possible.

The UK’s arts sector is one of our greatest success stories and we are doing all we can to support it through the pandemic. We are providing unprecedented assistance including a years' business rates holiday, government loans, the recently-extended Self Employed Income Support Scheme, the Job Retention Scheme that hundreds of organisations have received support from.

Additionally, DCMS has worked closely with its arm’s-length bodies to deliver tailored support packages at speed, including the £160m Emergency Funding Package announced by Arts Council England, made possible by Government funding. This intervention complements the financial measures already announced to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector.

The package includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations, including venues, and £20 million of financial support for individuals, including freelancers, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. To date more than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding.

The Secretary of State, myself and officials continue to consult the Art sector extensively to ensure we fully understand the financial impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the sector.

On the basis of that engagement, DCMS and ACE are continuing to work closely to consider the additional measures required to ensure the long-term recovery and growth of the cultural sector. We remain committed to opening up venues as soon as it is safe to do so and are working directly with the sector on detailed advice and guidance.

The UK’s arts sector is one of our greatest success stories and we are doing all we can to support it through the pandemic. We are providing unprecedented assistance including a years' business rates holiday, government loans, the recently-extended Self Employed Income Support Scheme, the Job Retention Scheme that hundreds of organisations have received support from.

Additionally, DCMS has worked closely with its arm’s-length bodies to deliver tailored support packages at speed, including the £160m Emergency Funding Package announced by Arts Council England, made possible by Government funding. This intervention complements the financial measures already announced to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector.

The package includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations, including venues, and £20 million of financial support for individuals, including freelancers, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. To date more than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding.

The Secretary of State, myself and officials continue to consult the Art sector extensively to ensure we fully understand the financial impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the sector.

On the basis of that engagement, DCMS and ACE are continuing to work closely to consider the additional measures required to ensure the long-term recovery and growth of the cultural sector. We remain committed to opening up venues as soon as it is safe to do so and are working directly with the sector on detailed advice and guidance.

The UK’s arts sector is one of our greatest success stories and we are doing all we can to support it through the pandemic. We are providing unprecedented assistance including a years' business rates holiday, government loans, the recently-extended Self Employed Income Support Scheme, the Job Retention Scheme that hundreds of organisations have received support from.

Additionally, DCMS has worked closely with its arm’s-length bodies to deliver tailored support packages at speed, including the £160m Emergency Funding Package announced by Arts Council England, made possible by Government funding. This intervention complements the financial measures already announced to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector.

The package includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations, including venues, and £20 million of financial support for individuals, including freelancers, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. To date more than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding.

The Secretary of State, myself and officials continue to consult the Art sector extensively to ensure we fully understand the financial impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the sector.

On the basis of that engagement, DCMS and ACE are continuing to work closely to consider the additional measures required to ensure the long-term recovery and growth of the cultural sector. We remain committed to opening up venues as soon as it is safe to do so and are working directly with the sector on detailed advice and guidance.

The UK’s arts sector is one of our greatest success stories and we are doing all we can to support it through the pandemic. We are providing unprecedented assistance including a years' business rates holiday, government loans, the recently-extended Self Employed Income Support Scheme, the Job Retention Scheme that hundreds of organisations have received support from.

Additionally, DCMS has worked closely with its arm’s-length bodies to deliver tailored support packages at speed, including the £160m Emergency Funding Package announced by Arts Council England, made possible by Government funding. This intervention complements the financial measures already announced to ensure immediate resilience of this vital sector.

The package includes £140 million of support for artistic organisations, including venues, and £20 million of financial support for individuals, including freelancers, so they can better sustain themselves, and their work, in the coming months. To date more than 9000 individuals and organisations have been successful in applying for this emergency funding.

The Secretary of State, myself and officials continue to consult the Art sector extensively to ensure we fully understand the financial impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the sector.

On the basis of that engagement, DCMS and ACE are continuing to work closely to consider the additional measures required to ensure the long-term recovery and growth of the cultural sector. We remain committed to opening up venues as soon as it is safe to do so and are working directly with the sector on detailed advice and guidance.

Work is continuing on the consultation response which is currently at the drafting stage. It has been necessary to balance resources with other policy demands, including the current response to the COVID-19 crisis. Subject to these demands, the government will publish the consultation response in due course.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced measures to support businesses and organisations that have been impacted by the pandemic. This includes the Government stepping in to help pay people’s wages – a scheme which is one of the most generous of any in the world – paying grants to support as many jobs as necessary. Any employer in the country who promises to retain their staff, can apply for a grant to cover most of the cost of paying people’s wages. Government grants will cover 80 per cent of the salary of retained workers up to a total of £2,500 a month, with this limit set well above the median income. The cost of wages will be backdated to 1st March and will be open for at least three months. The Government will consider extending the scheme for longer if necessary.

We are also deferring the next three months of VAT, a direct injection of £33 billion of cash to employers which means no business will pay any VAT in March, April or May; and they will have until the end of the financial year to repay those bills.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme will now be interest free for twelve months, an extension from the initial announcement of six months. We have already introduced and announced an extension to the Business Interruption Loan Scheme, which is for small and medium-sized businesses. On 17 March the Chancellor expanded the amount that can be borrowed from £1.2 million to £5 million.

The Chancellor has also announced measures to protect the self-employed and as long as they fulfil the criteria for these measures, freelancers and the self employed in the music industry will benefit from these measures. The Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will support self-employed individuals (including members of partnerships) whose income has been negatively impacted by COVID-19. The scheme will provide a grant to self-employed individuals or partnerships, worth 80% of their profits up to a cap of £2,500 per month.

On 23 March, the Prime Minister announced that people will only be allowed to leave their home for the very limited purposes including shopping for basic necessities, one form of exercise a day; any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person; and travelling to and from work, but only where this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home.

The Government has been clear that there should be no public gatherings of more than two people.

There are only two exceptions to this rule:

• where the gathering is of a group of people who live together - this means that a parent can, for example, take their children to the shops if there is no option to leave them at home.

• where the gathering is essential for work purposes - but workers should be trying to minimise all meetings and other gatherings in the workplace.

The Government has also announced that social events, including weddings, baptisms and other religious ceremonies should not take place. This will exclude funerals, which can be attended by immediate family.

The Chancellor announced additional measures worth £330 billion to support businesses. Measures include increasing the amount available to borrow through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme from £1.2 million to £5 million and ensuring businesses can access the first 12 months of that finance interest free. Measures that will have a direct impact on music venues and festivals include a 100% business rates holiday for 12 months, increasing grants to businesses eligible for Small Business Rate Relief from £3,000 to £10,000 and providing a further £25,000 grants to those with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000.

The Chancellor also confirmed that the advice for people to avoid the likes of pubs and venues will be sufficient for businesses to claim on their insurance where they have appropriate business interruption cover for pandemics in place.

Last week, the Government ordered certain businesses including pubs, clubs and music venues to close. This was followed on Monday by the Prime Minister’s announcement that all non-essential premises must close and that people are required to stay at home, except for the very limited purposes that have been set out. These measures will reduce our day to day contact with other people and are a vital part of our efforts to reduce the rate of transmission of coronavirus. Every citizen is instructed to comply with these new measures and the Government will be ensuring the police and other relevant authorities have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and dispersing gatherings where people do not comply.

The new measures will initially last for the three weeks from 23 March, at which point the Government will look at them again and relax them if the evidence shows this is possible.

Last week the Minister for Civil Society held a roundtable discussion with over 45 charities to understand their concerns about covid-19. We are working with colleagues across government to shape support available to mitigate risks in the coming weeks and months and deliver effectively for communities.

The Government is committed to supporting a modern public service broadcasting system that will meet the needs of UK audiences in the future and remain at the heart of our world class broadcasting sector.

Ofcom’s PSB Review will play an important role in strengthening our understanding of how public service broadcasting, and the regulatory framework which supports it, can adapt to ensure its continued resilience in the changing technological environment. The Government has asked Ofcom to be bold and ambitious in its thinking.

Our public service broadcasting system, and the media more widely, is particularly vital during these challenging times. We welcome the media’s initiatives in ensuring audiences are informed and entertained, and we are working with the sector to ensure that audiences’ changing needs are met, including so that children have access to educational resources while schools are closed.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is responsible for energy, clean growth and climate change.

Private media companies are independent of the government, and their approach to the reduction of carbon emissions is a matter for these organisations.

The BBC is an independent body governed by the Royal Charter.

The Royal Charter requires the BBC to prepare, publish and lay before Parliament an annual report for each financial year to set out the details of its activities and compliance with its duties. Further, the Royal Charter sets out that the BBC must also comply with requests to appear before or submit evidence to either of the Houses of Parliament or one of their committees.

The BBC also allows licence fee payers to hold it to account on a range of issues by contacting the BBC directly.

The BBC is a world-class broadcaster and a cultural institution producing some of the best television and radio in the world. As the national broadcaster it plays a vital role in the UK, particularly in these challenging times.

The government is committed to ensuring that the BBC and all public service broadcasters adapt to a fast changing market, ensuring they remain at the heart of our world class TV sector. There are several important milestones that will support this in the coming years, including the mid-term review of the Charter that will take place between 2022 and 2024.

Ofcom’s review into Public Service Broadcasting will also play an important role in this work, and we look forward to the outcome of its review in due course. We have asked Ofcom to be bold and ambitious in its thinking.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the government, and is responsible for its environmental policies.

In its environmental sustainability strategy, ‘Greener Broadcasting’, published in 2018, the BBC set a target of a 24% reduction in CO2 emissions from buildings and technology by 2022. The BBC’s Director-General, Lord Hall, said: “as a publicly-funded organisation, the BBC has a particular duty to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep our environmental impact to a minimum”.

The BBC sets out its sustainability strategy on its website: https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/reports/policies/sustainability.

The BBC is editorially and operationally independent from the government and the government cannot intervene in its day-to-day decisions, including those taken about its brand and reputation internationally.

However, the Government recognises that the BBC sets the international benchmark for quality, producing outstanding television, radio and online programmes and services that are exported throughout the world. We also support the BBC's mission to bring high quality and impartial news to global audiences, including where free speech is limited.

That is why the government ensured that the Charter gave the BBC a purpose of reflecting the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world and ring-fenced a minimum spend of £254m on the World Service until 2021/22.

Following Charter Review in 2016, the government embedded impartiality into the BBC’s Mission in the Charter. The BBC also has a duty to deliver impartial and accurate news coverage and content under its Charter obligations. It is for the BBC Board to ensure the quality of all BBC’s content, and that BBC output meets the highest standards the public expect.

It is not for the government to make judgements about perceived political bias at the BBC. This is a matter for Ofcom, as the BBC’s regulator. Ofcom is responsible for setting rules to ensure BBC coverage is impartial and accurate under the Broadcasting Code and for holding the BBC to account against its public purposes as the BBC regulator.

The Government has committed to review the Gambling Act 2005, and to tackle issues around loot boxes. Further details will be announced in due course.

From September 2020 it will be mandatory for state-funded secondary schools in England to teach pupils about risks related to online gambling as part of education about internet safety and harms. This is in addition to initiatives by third sector bodies, including the PSHE Association’s resources for teachers, Parentzone’s tools to help parents educate children about gambling and gambling-like mechanics in gaming, and the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust’s (YGAM) training and resources about gambling and digital resilience for teachers, youth workers, mental health specialists and others who work with children and young people.

We also welcomed the launch in January 2020 of the games industry’s Get Smart About P.L.A.Y. campaign encouraging parents to use parental controls and take an active role in their children’s gaming specifically.

The Government has committed to review the Gambling Act 2005, and to tackle issues around loot boxes. Further details will be announced in due course.

From September 2020 it will be mandatory for state-funded secondary schools in England to teach pupils about risks related to online gambling as part of education about internet safety and harms. This is in addition to initiatives by third sector bodies, including the PSHE Association’s resources for teachers, Parentzone’s tools to help parents educate children about gambling and gambling-like mechanics in gaming, and the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust’s (YGAM) training and resources about gambling and digital resilience for teachers, youth workers, mental health specialists and others who work with children and young people.

We also welcomed the launch in January 2020 of the games industry’s Get Smart About P.L.A.Y. campaign encouraging parents to use parental controls and take an active role in their children’s gaming specifically.

The government is aware of concerns around the potential for excessive spending in games, particularly by young people. These concerns are discussed in the recent DCMS Select Committee report on Immersive and Addictive Technologies. We are currently considering the Report and its recommendations and will respond in due course.

We continue to work with industry and the age ratings bodies to encourage the use of parental controls that can disable or limit spending on devices, and welcomed the launch in January 2020 of the games industry’s Get Smart About P.L.A.Y. campaign encouraging parents to use parental controls and take an active role in their children’s gaming.

The Government will respond to the Online Harms White Paper consultation shortly.

However, we are aware of concerns that some entertainment products, such as some video games, could encourage gambling-like behaviour. We have committed to review the Gambling Act 2005 to make sure it is fit for the digital age, and to tackle issues surrounding loot boxes. We will announce further details in due course.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are the independent experts who advise the Government on which vaccine/s the UK should use and provide advice on who should be offered them.

JCVI advises that the first priorities for the COVID-19 vaccination programme should be the prevention of mortality and the maintenance of the health and social care systems. As the risk of mortality from COVID-19 increases with age, prioritisation is primarily based on age.

Regarding the next phase of vaccine rollout, JCVI have asked that the Department of Health and Social Care consider occupational vaccination in collaboration with other Government departments. The Department for Education will input into this cross governmental exercise, and I hope that educational staff, including in early years settings, will be vaccinated as soon as possible.

The department has issued guidance on actions for early years and childcare providers during the COVID-19 outbreak, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures.

Further guidance on the national lockdown from 5 January 2021 is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/950653/Education_and_childcare_settings_-_national_lockdown_from_5_January_2021_.pdf.

Department for Education officials and ministers are in regular contact with local government and childcare providers to understand the successes and challenges in the sector both locally and nationally, and to follow up on non-compliance and misunderstandings about the guidance and law. Local authority early years teams have designated points of contact within the department. The department uses local intelligence to support policy development and to provide local authorities with additional clarification of guidance, if needed, to help them understand and fulfil their statutory duties.

Local government undertakes a weekly data collection that is used to monitor attendance at early years settings, as well as supply of, and demand for, places. This data collection records the number of settings that are open and closed each week and is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak. The data collection was paused over the Christmas period and resumed on Thursday 7 January 2021. The latest data, published on Tuesday 19 January 2021, is available at the link above.

The T Level in Digital Production and Development, which launched this September, covers a broad range of content based on the employer-led for software development technician standard. This T Level will support progression to entry-level job opportunities in this area, including Junior Games Developer roles, whilst other T Levels in Digital and in Creative and Design will develop skills that are directly relevant to the video games industry.

It continues to be the Department’s aim that all pupils, in all year groups, remain in school full time. Returning to school full time has been vital for children’s education and for their wellbeing. Time out of school is detrimental for children’s cognitive and academic development, particularly for disadvantaged children. This impact can affect both current levels of learning and their future ability to learn.

As set out in the Government’s COVID-19 Winter Plan, nurseries, schools and colleges should not change their Christmas holidays or close early this term. Parents should continue to send their children to school during term time. A time limited change to social restrictions over Christmas does not require any children to be taken out of school prematurely. The head teachers and staff of schools have been doing an extraordinary job to remain open, keep schools safe and provide education.

Schools have implemented a range of protective measures to minimise the risk of transmission. The risk to children themselves of becoming severely ill from COVID-19 is low and there are negative health impacts of being out of school. Senior clinicians, including the Chief Medical Officers of all four nations, still advise that school is the very best place for children to be, and so they should continue to go to school.

Closing schools early would also cause additional disruption and inconvenience to many parents, including key workers such as NHS staff due to the additional childcare arrangements required as a result of this action.

If parents have concerns about their child attending school because they believe that they or members of their household may have particular risk factors, they should discuss these with their school.

The Office for Students (OfS) is considering the information it has received in relation to this matter, in line with their normal processes. As is standard practice, the OfS cannot comment on individual cases.

The government is committed to ensuring that students who wish to return home for the winter break are able to do so. It is essential that measures are put in place to ensure this can happen as safely as possible for students, staff and the communities that they return to.

On 11 November, the department published guidance for providers on plans for the end of the autumn term. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reopening-buildings-and-campuses/student-movement-and-plans-for-the-end-of-autumn-2020-term.

As outlined in the guidance, published on 11 November, many healthcare students who are on placements are considered essential workers and such placements can continue until the end of term. We will shortly be issuing further detailed guidance on how the end of term guidance applies to all students on placements, including courses where placements can continue.

The Office for Students, the regulator of higher education in England, also issued a FAQ for students on going home for the end of term, available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/coronavirus-end-of-term. This will also be updated shortly, to address questions that students may have about their placements.

The published data shows that in the 2018/19 academic year, 10,685 trainees on postgraduate initial teacher training courses were eligible for a bursary.

Data for the 2019-20 academic year will be published in summer 2021.

The Department publishes the retention rates of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) annually in the School workforce in England statistical release, available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.

Of the teachers who qualified in 2018, 85.4% are still in service one year after qualification. This retention rate is slightly higher than the previous year when the one year retention rate was 85.1%.

Improving early career teacher retention is one of our priorities. This is why the Department launched the Early Career Framework (ECF) alongside our landmark Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy last year. The ECF will transform the support offered to NQTs by extending the induction period to two years, and will include funding 5% of time away from the classroom for teachers in the second year of teaching so that they can focus on their development. Funding for mentor training and time for them to support their inductees in the second year of induction, as well as training and development resources will also be provided. Early roll out in Bradford, Doncaster, Greater Manchester and the North East began this month and, in response to the disruption to teacher training due to COVID-19, has been expanded by making the high quality training materials available nationally a year early. Full national roll out will take place from September 2021.

The Department will do whatever it can to make sure no child – whatever their background or location – falls behind as a result of COVID-19.

That is why we have provided a comprehensive package of support for remote education, including guidance for parents and carers: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-your-childrens-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19, which covers how they can help their children to learn at home. This support, and the resources set out below, will also be useful to parents and carers of home-schooled children.

We have published an updated list of high quality online educational resources: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources which have been assessed with the support of some of the country’s leading educational subject experts to help pupils to learn at home. The list includes resources in six priority areas including maths, English, science, PE, mental wellbeing and SEND, from Early Years to Key Stage 5, and which are currently available for free.

The Department has also worked with the BBC on its comprehensive new education package, available on TV, via the red button and iPlayer, and online at BBC Bitesize. Bitesize Daily TV shows were watched by over 2 million households on iPlayer in the first two weeks of transmission.

Our latest guidance on education and childcare during coronavirus is available here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/education-and-childcare

These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the support we provide under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.

It is important for schools to be calm and disciplined environments, where everyone follows the rules. As outlined in the guidance published on 11 May, schools should update their behaviour policy to reflect the guidance on protective measures, including any new rules and routines. It should also include appropriate consequences (such as sanctions and rewards), so that teachers can ensure pupils understand the rules and can enforce them rigorously. The disciplinary powers that schools currently have, including exclusion, remain in place. Teachers will be aware that current circumstances may affect the emotional wellbeing of some pupils in ways that affect behaviour, and schools will need to ensure a proportionate response to situations that may arise. The guidance published on 11 May is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools.

Some children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, may need extra support to ensure new norms and routines around protective measures and personal hygiene are clearly understood.

On 28 May, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, confirmed that the Government’s five tests were met and we could move forward with easing the lockdown measures which have been in place across England. Based on all the evidence, we have been able to begin our cautious and phased approach to asking schools and nurseries to open for more children. This means that from 1 June, primary schools have begun to welcome back children in nursery, Reception, year 1 and year 6, alongside the priority groups they have been caring for since the end of March.

We know that, unlike older children and adults, early years and primary age children cannot be expected to remain 2 metres apart from each other and staff. In deciding to bring more children back to school we are taking this into account and asking schools to implement a hierarchy of controls to reduce any risk of transmission. These include minimising contact and mixing by keeping children in small consistent groups. Full guidance on implementing protective measures is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings.

Schools will remain closed until further notice, except for children of critical workers and vulnerable children.

Schools will only reopen when the scientific advice indicates it is safe to do so. We will keep our guidance to the sector about school attendance up to date as the situation develops.

This is a matter for Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation. I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The 2010 Higher Amount Regulations prescribed the higher amounts of tuition fees for new students from 1 September 2012 up to and including the 2016/17 academic year. These regulations were superseded in the 2017/18 academic year.

As stated in the answer to Question 21389, Government has made no specific assessment of the potential effect of the Higher Education (Higher Amount) (England) Regulations 2010 on the current disputes. It would not be proportionate to do so at this time.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) do not hold the data requested nor can it be derived from data that the Department for Education (DfE) holds. HMRC can provide information on Government Gateway outages and downtime, however we cannot link them to parents failing to get a 30 hours code. Government Gateway issues can occur at any time, but they are usually short lived. Customers are advised to try again later. If parents continue to have problems, they can call the Childcare Service Helpline and we can help them.

The grace period enables parents to retain their childcare place for a short period if they become ineligible for 30 hours. Parents who fall out of eligibility in the first half of a term are able to retain their childcare place until the end of that term; parents who fall out of eligibility in the second half of a term are able to retain their childcare place until the end of the following term. Their ‘grace period end date’ is the last date on which they should receive their 30 hours place after falling out of eligibility and is generated by the DfE’s Eligibility Checking System. Childcare providers and local authorities can see this date when they check a code.

The Department is fully committed to Holocaust education. Every young person should learn about the Holocaust and the lessons it teaches us today. The curriculum gives teachers and schools the freedom to decide how to teach the subject and what resources to use to support an understanding of the history of the Holocaust and the experiences of the non-Jewish victims of Nazi persecution.

The Department further supports pupils’ and teachers’ understanding of the Holocaust by providing funding for the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz project (£2,126,437 in 2019-20 and £2,193,675 in 2020-21) and to the UCL Institute of Education’s Centre for Holocaust Education (£500,000 in both 2019-20 and 2020-21, match funded by the Pears foundation). Additionally, £1.7 million for the 2019-20 financial year is being provided for the Bergen-Belsen Commemoration Programme to commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

A wide array of resources are available to help teachers teach about the persecution by the Nazis of different groups of people, including Roma victims.

We expect Higher Education Providers to consider their obligations under consumer law and students’ consumer rights carefully, including during industrial action. This includes ensuring that a range of appropriate remedies and mitigations are available, which may include financial compensation, to prevent and minimise the effects of any strike action upon their students

The Office for Students, the regulator for higher education in England, has issued guidance for students affected by industrial action. It encourages students to discuss with their university or college whether it is possible to make up for any lost teaching, and whether any other loss of services and support can be rearranged to minimise the disruption that students have experienced. Where lost teaching has had an impact on assessments or other work that has had to be submitted, students may be able to submit a claim for this to be considered as part of the university’s mitigating or extenuating circumstances process.

If the issue is not satisfactorily resolved, students can complain through the university’s complaints process; if they are unhappy with the outcome, students have the right to make a complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA). The OIA has also published guidance on its website about its approach to complaints by students affected by the industrial action.

There are currently two industrial disputes affecting higher education in England. The Universities Superannuation Scheme pension dispute relates to the scheme valuation, costs and governance. The second dispute is about pay, gender and racial pay gaps as well as contracts and working conditions. Universities are independent institutions and are responsible for their own decisions on pay, employment contracts and pension provision.

Government has made no specific assessment of the potential effect of the Higher Education (Higher Amount) (England) Regulations 2010 on these disputes. Those regulations prescribed the higher amounts of tuition fees for courses starting on or after 1 September 2012. Following the passage of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, fee limits for prescribed courses are now provided for in the Higher Education (Fee Limits and Fee Limit Condition) (England) Regulations 2018 and the Higher Education (Fee Limits for Accelerated Courses) (England) Regulations 2019 (in those regulations where the first academic year began on or after 1 August 2019).

All schools are required by law to have a behaviour policy which sets out the behaviour expected of pupils and the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour. Schools may only impose sanctions or penalties that are reasonable and proportionate in all circumstances and must not breach any other legislation, such as in respect of disability, special educational needs, race and other equalities and human rights.

The Department’s guidance on behaviour and discipline states that schools should consider whether continuing disruptive behaviour may be the result of an unmet mental health need, in which case a multi-agency referral may be necessary.

Guidance on behaviour and discipline is available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools.

Additionally, in 2018 the Department published updated Mental Health & Behaviour in Schools Guidance, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools--2.?The purpose of this guidance is to help schools to identify pupils whose behaviour may be the result of an underlying mental health difficulty, and to understand when and how to put in place support.?

On 20 January 2020, the department launched a new scheme which makes free period products available for state-funded primary schools, secondary schools and colleges in England. This is an important step to ensure that menstruation does not present a barrier to learning and that no one is held back from reaching their potential. This scheme is part of a wider programme of work, led by the cross-sector Period Poverty taskforce, with the vision to eliminate period poverty and shame around menstruation in the UK by 2025.

?Our guidance on behaviour and discipline in schools includes advice on using isolation, and states that it is for individual schools to decide how long a pupil should be kept in isolation. The guidance also states that schools should ensure that pupils are kept in isolation no longer than is necessary, and that their time spent there is used as constructively as possible. The schools must also ensure the health and safety of pupils, and any requirements in relation to safeguarding and pupil welfare. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools.?

Classrooms need to be safe and calm environments that enable teachers to teach, and children to learn. Schools can choose to remove pupils from the classroom for a variety of reasons.

The Department trusts schools to develop their own policies and strategies for managing disruptive behaviour according to their particular circumstances. To help schools develop effective strategies, the Department has produced advice for schools which covers what should be included in their behaviour policy. This advice can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-and-discipline-in-schools.

The guidance states that schools can adopt a policy which allows disruptive pupils to be placed in isolation away from other pupils. If a school uses isolation rooms as a disciplinary penalty, this should be made clear in their behaviour policy. As with other disciplinary penalties, schools must act lawfully, reasonably and proportionately in all cases, and must take account of any special education needs or disabilities pupils placed in isolation may have. The school must also ensure the health and safety of pupils.

It is for individual schools to decide how long a pupil should be kept in isolation and for the staff member in charge to determine what pupils may and may not do during the time they are there. Schools should ensure that pupils are kept in isolation no longer than is necessary and that their time spent there is used as constructively as possible. Schools must allow pupils time to eat or use the toilet.

We recognise this has been an extremely tough time for the sector and would like to assure zoos that we remain committed to ensuring the sector can deliver the best possible care for its animals. We have extended the application deadline for the Zoo Animals Fund from 29 January 2021 to 26 February 2021, and the fund provides support up until the end of March 2021. The Zoo Animals Fund is an envelope of funding which to provides for zoos which, due to a coronavirus-related drop in income are experiencing severe financial difficulties and need support in caring for their animals. The focus of the fund is on the welfare of zoo animals and if zoos are downsizing or rehoming their collections, including if they are closing, then the fund can also provide support for this to ensure the animals' welfare. The fund has been a lifeline for many zoos and has been accessible to all zoos which need funds to care for their animals, as evidenced by the success of small, medium and large zoos in securing grant funding. We stand ready to process applications and encourage any zoo in need to apply.

Beyond the Zoo Animals Fund, the Government has provided a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support businesses, including zoos, through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19 and we encourage zoos to explore these. Zoos are eligible to apply for a range of support schemes including the Job Retention Scheme, VAT deferral, Business Rates Relief, the Business Interruption Loan, the option to reclaim the costs of Statutory Sick Pay and grant funding.

The health and documentary requirements for pet travel to the EU are set out under the EU Pet Travel Regulations. Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, EU rules also apply to the non-commercial movements of pets into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. There are no derogations for assistance dogs under the legal framework of the EU Pet Travel Regulations.

We will continue to press the EU Commission in relation to securing Part 1 listed status, recognising that achieving this would alleviate some of the new requirements for pet owners and assistance dog users travelling to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We are clear that we meet all the animal health requirements for this and we have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity.

Regarding pet travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government is working with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) on a permanent solution which respects the rights of assistance dog users and pet owners to travel with the minimum of friction. Guidance on pet travel to Northern Ireland is available on the DAERA’s NIDirect website.

We are proactively engaging with the assistance dog community and relevant stakeholders on the impacts on dog movements from Great Britain to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We will continue to work closely with assistance dog organisations to share the latest advice and guidance (in accessible formats) with their members on pet travel requirements.

The Zoo Animal Fund remains open for applications until 29 January 2021 and provides support up until the end of March 2021. We are considering whether an extension to this application deadline may be possible. The Zoo Animals Fund is an envelope of available funds to provide for zoos who, due to a coronavirus-related drop in income are experiencing severe financial difficulties and need support in caring for their animals between now and the start of the next peak visitor season, which is normally around Easter time. If zoos are downsizing or rehoming their collection the fund can also provide support for this to ensure the animals’ welfare.

The Zoo Animal Fund remains open for applications until 29 January 2021 and provides support up until the end of March 2021. We are considering whether an extension to this application deadline may be possible. The Zoo Animals Fund is an envelope of available funds to provide for zoos who, due to a coronavirus-related drop in income are experiencing severe financial difficulties and need support in caring for their animals between now and the start of the next peak visitor season, which is normally around Easter time. If zoos are downsizing or rehoming their collection the fund can also provide support for this to ensure the animals’ welfare.

The Greening Government Commitments are designed to improve the environmental sustainability of the Government’s estates and operations. We are progressing the development of the new framework for 2021-25 and aim to publish new commitments in spring 2021.

The new framework will ensure the public estate continues to reduce its environmental footprint, align with commitments in our 25 Year Environment Plan and be consistent with a trajectory to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. As part of this, we are exploring a range of measures aimed at reducing the environmental impact of government travel, including through increasing the use of low- or zero-emission transport options by Government officials.

The Greening Government Commitments are designed to improve the environmental sustainability of the Government’s estates and operations. We are progressing the development of the new framework for 2021-25 and aim to publish new commitments in spring 2021.

The new framework will ensure the public estate continues to reduce its environmental footprint, align with commitments in our 25 Year Environment Plan and be consistent with a trajectory to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. As part of this, we are exploring a range of measures aimed at reducing the environmental impact of government travel, including through increasing the use of low- or zero-emission transport options by Government officials.

The Zoo Animals Fund opened for applications on 3 August and the closing date has been extended until 29 January 2021. We have received 36 applications, of which 9 have been approved. The rest of the applications are still being processed and none have been rejected.

Please see list of businesses which have accessed the fund:-

1. West Midlands Falconry Display Team Ltd
2. Cheshire falconry ltd
3. Exotic Zoo Wildlife Park Ltd
4. Cornish Birds of Prey CIC
5. Ilfracombe Aquarium Ltd
6. Ponderosa Zoo & RTC
7. National Centre for Birds of Prey
8. Trust for Sustainable Living
9. Screech Owl Sanctuary

The UK has worked in partnership with Brazil for many years to combat deforestation. Through the UK’s International Climate Finance we have funded £259 million of programmes (2012 – 2020) to support sustainable agriculture, and increase the value of standing forests, and restore degraded lands, working with multiple stakeholders in the country. As part of this, the UK recently announced an extension of £16 million to the Partnerships for Forests programme, which supports environmentally-friendly farming and replanting projects in the Amazon, taking its total investment in protecting tropical forests in Latin America to £80 million this financial year.

We are also taking action at home. In 2019 the Government established the Global Resource Initiative taskforce to recommend actions to reduce the climate and environment impacts of key UK supply chains. Today we published our response to their recommendations by setting out a package of measures that we will take forward. One of the key measures announced is that the Government will proceed with a world-leading new ‘due diligence’ law to tackle illegal deforestation, and tabled an amendment to the Environment Bill yesterday. This new law will prohibit larger businesses from using forest risk commodities that were not produced in accordance with relevant local laws. These companies would need to undertake due diligence, and publish information about this exercise, to ensure this is the case. Businesses that do not comply with the new requirements would be subject to fines.

The Zoo Support Fund, which ran from 4th May to 19th July 2020 approved 57 applications.

Please see list of businesses which successfully accessed the fund:-

1. Teen Spirit
2. Jurassic Encounters T/A Ark Wildlife Park
3. Shepreth Wildlife Park
4. Tamar Otter & Wildlife Centre
5. Cumbria Zoo
6. Becky Falls Ancient Woodland Park Limited
7. Predator Experience
8. The Leaf Foundation
9. Island Amazon Adventure
10. Wild Discovery
11. Avon Valley Country Park Ltd
12. Woodside Wildlife Park
13. Dartmoor Zoological Society
14. Oasis Camel Park
15. Brazilia Ltd
16. The Falconry Centre Ltd
17. Chew Valley Animal Park Ltd
18. Sealife Adventure
19. Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park
20. Exmoor Zoological Park
21. White Post Farm
22. Lake District Wildlife Park
23. Ventura Wildlife park
24. The New Forest Wildlife Park
25. Green Dragon Rare Breeds Farm
26. Trust for Sustainable Living
27. Hoo Farm animal Kingdom
28. Porfell Wildlife Park & Sanctuary
29. National Centre for Birds of Prey
30. Exotic Zoo Wildlife Park
31. Raptor Foundation
32. Battersea Park Children's Zoo
33. Cheshire Falconry Ltd
34. All Things Wild ltd
35. Ilfracombe Aquarium Ltd
36. The Whitehouse Centre
37. Old Macdonalds Farm & Fun Park Ltd
38. The Essex Pig Company
39. Wildwood Escot
40. Hamerton Zoological Park
41. Coda Falconry
42. Xtreme Falconry
43. Noahs Ark zoo
44. Tropiquaria Zoo
45. Ponderosa R T C
46. The Parrot Zoo Trust
47. Bendalls Leisure Ltd
48. Libertys Owl Raptor & Reptile Centre
49. Simply Native Ltd
50. Zoo2U
51. Haven Falconry Bird of Prey Centre
52. The English School of Falconry
53. HR Phillpot & Son Barleylands Ltd
54. Kirkleatham Owl Centre
55. Smithills Open Farm Ltd
56. Paradise Park Cornwall
57. Screech Owl Sanctuary

We have not carried out an assessment on the effect of the increase in use of face masks on progress to reduce single-use plastics. During the Covid-19 outbreak facemasks, often made from single-use plastics, have played a vital role in reducing transmission of the virus.

Face coverings required indoors are not the same as the single-use surgical masks or respirators used by healthcare and other workers as part of their PPE. These should continue to be reserved for those who need them to protect against risks in their workplace. Instead, the latest government advice on face coverings provides instructions on how people can make and care for reusable face coverings at home using scarves or other washable textiles, and is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering

Reusable cloth face coverings are also available to buy from a wide range of retail outlets, including online.

We remain absolutely committed to turning the tide on the widespread, and often unnecessary, use of single-use plastics and the threat they pose to our natural environment. We are increasing the single- use carrier bag charge to 10p and extending to all retailers and have restricted the supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton-buds. We are seeking powers in the Environment Bill to charge for single-use plastic items, make recycling more consistent; and reform packaging waste regulations.

There have been no discussions with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Canal and River Trust’s capital programme proposal for contributing towards the wider national post-Covid-19 economic recovery, which included an element of £15 million over five years for a new inland port in Leeds and associated works to support the Aire and Calder Navigation with handling increased and larger freight traffic between Leeds and the Humber.

When the UK moves from the EU REACH system to UK REACH at the end of the Transition Period, the grandfathering of all existing UK-held REACH registrations into the UK system will avoid the need to duplicate animal testing associated with re-registration.

The UK has been at the forefront of opposing animal tests where alternative approaches could be used. This is known as the "last-resort principle", which we will retain and enshrine in legislation through our landmark Environment Bill

We are determined that there should be no need for any additional animal testing for a chemical that has already been registered, unless it is subject to further evaluation that shows the registration dossier is inadequate or there are still concerns about the hazards and risks of the chemical, especially to human health.

Marine protection is a devolved matter and the information below relates to England only.

When the transition period ends we will be able to restrict the fishing activities of all vessels, including supertrawlers, throughout our waters. The UK will be able to decide which vessels can access our waters and the new licensing framework within the Fisheries Bill will allow us to apply conditions to the activities of all vessels fishing in UK waters. Any vessels granted access to fish in our waters, regardless of nationality, will need to abide by UK rules including those on sustainability.

The Marine Management Organisation monitors activity to ensure fishing boats are complying with current rules and will ensure compliance with new measures as they are introduced.

Not all fishing activities within Marine Protected Areas will require management, only those likely to damage the designated features, such as trawling on the seabed. ‘Supertrawlers’ generally target fish within the water column and are unlikely to damage the seabed habitats for which most Marine Protected Areas are designated.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Blaydon on 8 September, PQ UIN 82283.

[questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2020-08-28/82283]

Agroforestry can help towards our climate commitments, protect and improve biodiversity, support healthy soils and productive farms, and improve waterways by creating riparian woodlands.

We recently consulted the public on proposals for a new England Tree Strategy, including how to expand the use of agroforestry. The final strategy, based on analysis of these responses, will include proposals to support agroforestry.

Outdoor areas of aquariums have been allowed to reopen since 15 June, subject to appropriate social distancing measures being in place.

The Prime Minister announced on Tuesday 23 June that, as part of the latest round of easing of coronavirus restrictions, the indoor parts of aquariums will be allowed to reopen, with social distancing measures in place, from 4 July.

As of 29 June, 46 zoos and aquariums have accessed Defra's COVID-19 Zoos Support Fund and signed a grant agreement. These are provided in a list below. On 27 June, the Government announced that zoos and aquariums are set to receive up to £100 million in additional support to help them continue to care for their animals through the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Skegness Aquarium (Teen Spirit Ltd.)
• Ark Wildlife Park (Jurassic Encounters)
• Shepreth Wildlife Park
• Tamar Otter & Wildlife Centre
• Cumbria Zoo
• Becky Fall’s Ancient Woodland
• Predator Experience
• The Owl and Monkey Haven (The Leaf Foundation)
• Amazon World Zoo Park (Island Amazon Adventure)
• Wild Discovery
• Avon Valley Country Park
• Woodside Wildlife Park
• Dartmoor Zoological Park
• Oasis Camel Park
• Amazona Zoo (Brazilia Ltd.)
• The Falconry Centre
• Chew Valley Animal Park
• Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park
• Exmoor Zoological Park
• White Post Farm
• Lake District Wildlife Park
• Ventura Wildlife Park
• The New Forest Wildlife Park
• Green Dragon Rare Breeds Farm and Eco Centre
• The Living Rainforest (Trust for Sustainable Living)
• Hoo Farm Animal Kingdom
• Porfell Wildlife Park & Sanctuary
• National Centre for Birds of Prey (Duncombe Park)
• Raptor Foundation
• Battersea Park Children's Zoo
• Ilfracombe Aquarium
• The Whitehouse Centre
• Old Macdonald's Farm & Fun Park
• Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park (The Essex Pig Company)
• Wildwood Escot
• Hamerton Zoological Park
• Lee Valley Park Farm (Coda Falconry)
• Dorset Falconry Park (Xtreme Falconry)
• Noah's Ark Zoo Farm
• Tropiquaria Zoo
• Ponderosa Zoo
• Bowland Wild Boar Park (Simply Native Ltd.)
• Liberty’s Owl, Raptor & Reptile Centre
• Zoo2U
• Kirkleatham Owl Centre
• Southend SeaLife Adventure

We have provided Leeds City Council with £24.4 million for their Clean Air Zone. This includes funding to implement the zone and to help mitigate the impacts on drivers and on businesses.

The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) is a specific fund that is run by local authorities and linked to business rates. Most farmers are exempt from business rates so the rationale and operation of this scheme is unsuitable for the farming sector.

The department has been in close discussion with banks to ensure the farming sector has access to financial support to ease cashflow problems during this period, including through the HMG backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan (CBIL), and the Bounce Back Loan scheme, which was announced on 27 April, and is the latest step in a package of support measures announced by the Chancellor. The Government will provide lenders with a 100% guarantee on each loan, to give lenders the confidence they need to support small businesses. These loans will be from £2,000 up to £50,000, capped at 25% of firms’ turnover, and the Government will cover the first 12 months of interest payments and fees charged to the business by the lender. Almost all UK businesses will be eligible to apply for a loan under the scheme.

In addition, we have temporarily relaxed certain elements of competition law to support the farming sector during this period. Legislation will be laid shortly to enable collaboration between dairy farmers and producers, supporting them to adapt to changes in the supply chain including decreased demand from the hospitality sector. The legislation will have retrospective effect.

Defra is working very closely with both farmer and processor representatives through this period of disruption to manage the impact on the dairy supply chain of Covid-19 including holding a number of roundtable discussions with the sector. Farmers supplying milk to processors that sell into the food service sector have seen a significant reduction in demand and we have taken several steps to support those affected.

In order to support affected farmers, we have eased some elements of competition law to make it easier for processors to come together to maximise production and processing and storage efficiency until shops, restaurants and pubs are able to open again. This SI was laid before Parliament on 1 May and applies retrospectively from 1 April 2020. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Dairy UK have agreed to work with farmers and processors to help industry take advantage of these easements. The SI is available at the following link:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/481/contents/made

The Government's Covid-19 Business Interruption Loans scheme is available to the dairy industry and where this is appropriate for this business, I urge farm businesses to access the loans that are available to support them in this difficult period. Defra has held urgent discussions with the major banks to ensure they understand that farmers, milk buyers and milk processors are eligible for this scheme and we are working to increase awareness across the dairy industry. HMT have also now announced the new Bounce Back Loan scheme which will apply to businesses operating in agriculture. This will ensure that the smallest businesses can access up to £50,000 loans. The Government will provide lenders with a 100% guarantee on each loan, to give lenders the confidence they need to support the smallest businesses in the country. We will also cover the first 12 months of interest payments and fees charged to the business by the lender.

The Government also took a number of early emergency steps to support dairy farmers and the wider sector. These included designating employees in the food sector as key workers and temporarily relaxing the normal rules on drivers' hours, enabling the sector to keep supply chains running, including deliveries from farm gate to processors.

The existing public intervention scheme for skimmed milk powder and butter continues to be available. This provides a floor price for dairy products, supporting the dairy industry to sell skimmed milk powder and butter into public intervention when the price they would receive on the open market falls below the intervention price. The European Commission has this week approved the opening of additional measures for private storage aid which UK processors will be able to access should they chose to.

We will continue to engage closely with farmer and processor representatives to ensure that we support them throughout this challenging period.

The veterinary profession is vital in maintaining high standards of animal health and welfare in UK, particularly at this very challenging time.

Working alongside HM Treasury, Defra is in regular contact with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), British Veterinary Association (BVA) and other key stakeholders to ensure we understand the economic impacts to small independent veterinary practices and the wider industry over the Covid-19 outbreak.

Following the Prime Minister’s statement of 23 March bringing in the lockdown measures, the veterinary professional bodies produced guidance focussing on the provision of essential services only. This was updated from 13 April, reducing the restrictions. Under this guidance it is for individual vets to make decisions about what work can and should be undertaken and how to do this in line with social distancing guidelines including remote consultations, if practical.

Veterinary practices should be able to access Bounce Back loans, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) or the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS), subject to eligibility criteria for each scheme. Many vets and locums are self-employed and there is also a range of support available where they can demonstrate the financial impact of the Coronavirus outbreak.

The veterinary profession is vital in maintaining high standards of animal health and welfare in UK, particularly at this very challenging time.

Working alongside HM Treasury, Defra is in regular contact with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), British Veterinary Association (BVA) and other key stakeholders to ensure we understand the economic impacts to small independent veterinary practices and the wider industry over the Covid-19 outbreak.

Following the Prime Minister’s statement of 23 March bringing in the lockdown measures, the veterinary professional bodies produced guidance focussing on the provision of essential services only. This was updated from 13 April, reducing the restrictions. Under this guidance it is for individual vets to make decisions about what work can and should be undertaken and how to do this in line with social distancing guidelines including remote consultations, if practical.

Veterinary practices should be able to access Bounce Back loans, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) or the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS), subject to eligibility criteria for each scheme. Many vets and locums are self-employed and there is also a range of support available where they can demonstrate the financial impact of the Coronavirus outbreak.

The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. The industry are working around the clock to ensure people have the food and products they need. Industry is adapting quickly to any changes in demands, and food supply into and across the UK is resilient.

The Secretary of State is holding regular conversations with industry to discuss any additional support Government can provide. To help industry respond to this unprecedented demand we have already introduced new measures to keep food supply flowing. We have issued guidance to local authorities to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets so that shelves can be filled up quicker, and we have implemented extensions to drivers’ hours. We are also temporarily relaxing certain elements of competition law to ensure retailers are able to collaborate effectively in the national interest.

The Government is also implementing a system to support those whose underlying health conditions mean they are at highest clinical risk for COVID-19, and who are therefore being asked to self-isolate for the main period of the coronavirus epidemic. This will include a free grocery pack containing a basic selection of food and other essential household items which will be delivered to those at home and unable to make other arrangements for as long as needed throughout that period.

We will continue to work closely with the industry over the coming days and months.

Under the current Rural Development Programme for England, the total amount paid under agri-environment Schemes in the Yorkshire & the Humber region so far is £243,607,972.

In 2009 the Government launched the Healthy Bees Plan. The plan’s aim was to achieve a sustainable and healthy population of managed honey bees in England and Wales via strengthened partnership working between Government and beekeeping stakeholders.

The first stage included a drive to increase our knowledge of the number and location of honey bee colonies. This meant promoting the benefits to beekeepers of registering their managed honey bee colonies on the National Bee Unit’s voluntary website, BeeBase. Since 2009 the number of colonies in England and Wales recorded on BeeBase has increased from 108,649 to 212,054 in 2019. However, some of this increase will be due to new registrations of existing beekeepers rather than entirely made up of new colonies or beekeepers.

Knowing the location of beekeepers and their honey bee colonies has improved our ability to manage bee pests and diseases, raising husbandry standards through the sharing of best practice. In addition to better recording of colony numbers, it is thought beekeeping itself has also seen a revival with respondents to a recent Government survey indicating that pleasure, production of honey and conservation were important reasons for taking up the craft.

The UK-wide Pollinator Monitoring Research Partnership was established with funding from Defra and the Scottish and Welsh Governments.

The total cost over the three-year project period from 2016 to 2019 was £282,720.

In-kind contributions from UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UK CEH) and other academic and voluntary organisations were also committed to the project, to a value of £201,804 (for example for staff time, data sharing, software). The monitoring work itself was co-ordinated by UK CEH.

A follow-up project is now underway, building on the outcomes from this first one. Further details are available on the GOV.UK website at:

http://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided relates to England only. Across the country, the Government is investing in restoring wildlife-rich habitats and supporting species recovery, including within agricultural environments.

The Government provides substantial public funding for managing protected sites and restoring wildlife habitats, spending £2.9 billion on agri-environment schemes in England through our 7-year Rural Development Programme. Through our programme we encourage farmers and land managers to manage their land to protect and enhance the natural environment by improving biodiversity. For pollinators specifically, the Countryside Stewardship ‘wildlife offers’ provide payments for farmers and landowners to plant nectar and pollen-rich plants for insect pollinators and are now open for applications for agreements starting in 2021.

Looking to the future, our new Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme will be the cornerstone of our agricultural policy. Founded on the principle of “public money for public goods”, ELM is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions, while supporting our rural economy.

Thriving plants and wildlife are public goods identified in the 25 Year Environment Plan and an important objective for ELM. ELM will provide funding for the management of habitats to support this objective.

The 25 Year Environment Plan also sets out the government’s plans to put Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at the heart of our approach. We are undertaking a review of the National Action Plan on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides which will focus on the development and introduction of IPM and of alternatives to pesticides.

We work to ensure and encourage specific action for pollinators through each of these and other initiatives, with our partners on the National Pollinator Strategy. The Strategy sets out how Government, conservation groups, farmers, beekeepers and researchers can work together to improve the status of pollinating insect species in England, on and beyond farmland.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided relates to England only. Across the country, the Government is investing in restoring wildlife-rich habitats and supporting species recovery, including within agricultural environments.

The Government provides substantial public funding for managing protected sites and restoring wildlife habitats, spending £2.9 billion on agri-environment schemes in England through our 7-year Rural Development Programme. Through our programme we encourage farmers and land managers to manage their land to protect and enhance the natural environment by improving biodiversity. For pollinators specifically, the Countryside Stewardship ‘wildlife offers’ provide payments for farmers and landowners to plant nectar and pollen-rich plants for insect pollinators and are now open for applications for agreements starting in 2021.

Looking to the future, our new Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme will be the cornerstone of our agricultural policy. Founded on the principle of “public money for public goods”, ELM is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions, while supporting our rural economy.

Thriving plants and wildlife are public goods identified in the 25 Year Environment Plan and an important objective for ELM. ELM will provide funding for the management of habitats to support this objective.

The 25 Year Environment Plan also sets out the government’s plans to put Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at the heart of our approach. We are undertaking a review of the National Action Plan on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides which will focus on the development and introduction of IPM and of alternatives to pesticides.

We work to ensure and encourage specific action for pollinators through each of these and other initiatives, with our partners on the National Pollinator Strategy. The Strategy sets out how Government, conservation groups, farmers, beekeepers and researchers can work together to improve the status of pollinating insect species in England, on and beyond farmland.

The Government is committed to encouraging local solutions for local problems. This is particularly relevant in dealing with litter and fly-tipping problems, which require a local approach, tailored to the characteristics of the area and the community in which the problems occur.

The role of central Government, as set out in the Litter Strategy for England, is to enable and support this local action: providing a clear legal framework of rights, responsibilities and powers, setting national standards and, where possible, making sure that the costs of dealing with litter issues are passed to those responsible for causing the problem.

The Government has increased the fixed penalties available for councils to enforce against littering offences to up to £150; extended powers to the whole of England to issue civil penalties to the keeper of a vehicle from which litter is thrown; and recently published improved guidance to councils and others on the use of these powers.

This spring, we also will be publishing guidance to help local authorities and Business Improvement Districts plan the most effective bin provision for their local area, making it easier for people to do the right thing and dispose of their waste correctly. This will be supported by a £2 million capital grants scheme later in the year, to assist with the purchase of new ‘binfrastructure’.

Our Clean Air Strategy, published in January 2019, set out the comprehensive action required across all parts of Government to improve air quality and reduce public exposure to particulate matter pollution, alongside other pollutants. Our analysis, published in July 2019, concluded that while significant progress would be made towards the WHO guideline level for PM2.5 through the actions outlined in the Clean Air Strategy, additional action would be required in large urban areas such as London.

The Environment Bill delivers key parts of the Clean Air Strategy, and establishes a duty to set a legally-binding target for PM2.5. We are committed to following an evidence-based process to set this target, seeking advice from a range of experts, in addition to giving consideration to the WHO’s air quality guidelines. We need to ensure that this target is based on realistic pathways, robust science and full economic analysis to ensure that it is both ambitious and achievable, focusing on how the greatest public health benefits can be achieved.

Each year, the Government publishes an indicator of trends in populations of wild bees and other pollinators in the UK, measuring changes in the distribution of almost 400 pollinating insect species since 1980, including 137 species of bees. The indicator shows an overall long term decline since 1980. However, from 2013 onwards, there is evidence of an overall increase in the distribution of bee species, although other insect pollinators have continued to decline.

The National Bee Unit at Defra also maintains a registration system for honey bees and beekeeping in the UK on its ‘BeeBase’ website. Registration is voluntary so it is difficult to provide exact figures on honey bee populations, but it suggests that activity in the beekeeping sector and consequently honey bee numbers are increasing. Colonies recorded on BeeBase increased from 108,649 in 2009 to 212,054 in 2019.

Since 2014 we have been working with a range of partners to implement a National Pollinator Strategy to address declines in wild pollinators and concerns about bee health. This has included establishing a UK-wide pollinator monitoring and research partnership in collaboration with research institutes and volunteer organisations to gather further data on the status of UK pollinators.

This is a devolved matter, and the information provided relates to England only. Across the country, the Government is investing in protecting, restoring and recovering wildlife-rich habitats and species, including bees and other insects.

This includes securing 75% of our network of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) by area in favourable condition by 2042. These sites provide legal protection for our most important wildlife and natural features in England. There are over 4000 SSSIs in England, covering a little over 7% of the country’s land area. Yorkshire and the Humber is home to 371 of these sites, covering an area of 187,144 hectares (https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/ReportConditionSummary.aspx?regionName=YORKSHIRE+%26+HUMBERSIDE&ReportTitle=YORKSHIRE+%26+HUMBERSIDE).

The Government provides substantial public funding for increasing biodiversity, spending £2.9 billion on agri-environment schemes in England through our seven-year Rural Development Programme. Countryside Stewardship’s ‘wildlife offers’ provide for sources of nectar and pollen for insect pollinators and are now open for applications for agreements starting in 2021. Schemes are tailored to the specific biodiversity interests in Yorkshire and the Humber through local targeting statements (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/countryside-stewardship-statements-of-priorities).

We support species recovery through agri-environment schemes and partnership projects. Natural England is working with conservation organisations and landowners on the Back from the Brink programme, a £7.7 million partnership funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and others to put over 100 priority species on the road to recovery. Two Back from the Brink projects operating partly in Yorkshire and the Humber, ‘Colour in the Margins’ led by Plantlife, and ‘Ancients of the Future’ led by Buglife, are creating and ensuring the resilience of rich habitats which support bees and other insects.

We have also supported Buglife’s ‘B-Lines’ project, which has produced maps of potential pollinator-friendly habitat across Yorkshire and the Humber and other regions. Our annual Bees’ Needs Champions Awards have recognised councils and community groups from across Yorkshire and the Humber for their exemplary work for pollinators.

Our 25 Year Environment Plan marked a step-change in ambition for the natural environment and we are determined to build on these successes.

The sale and use of pesticides are strictly regulated and are only permitted where a rigorous scientific risk assessment determines that the proposed use will not harm people or pose unacceptable risks to the environment.

The Government is clear that it is right to minimise the use of pesticides, and to make the greatest possible use of alternative pest and disease control methods in support of sustainable farming and land management. To this end, as set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan, the Government is developing its approach to pesticides, putting Integrated Pest Management at its heart. This will enable us to continue to reduce the impacts of pesticide use and will be set out in our forthcoming National Action Plan for Pesticides.

The Environment Agency (EA) is working in collaboration with partners to develop and deliver an ambitious, long-term capital programme to reduce flood risk across Yorkshire.

Within the current six-year investment period from 2015/16 – 2020/21, a total of £650 million is being invested across Yorkshire. This programme will better protect 67,000 properties from flooding and coastal erosion by the end of March 2021. In addition to conventionally engineered solutions, this programme includes a number of projects that utilise nature based solutions, providing carbon absorption and net gains alongside flood risk benefits. For example, there are three National Natural Flood Management (NFM) pilot projects in Calderdale, Leeds and Pickering.

Details of Government investment in flood defences after 2021 have not yet been announced. In addition to the above, up to £12.5 million is spent every year in Yorkshire maintaining existing flood defences. To help facilitate flood prevention short term and long term actions, the floods Minister Rebecca Pow MP is planning to meet South Yorkshire MPs in the near future in partnership with the EA and the Mayor of Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.

The Environment Agency (EA) is working in collaboration with partners to develop and deliver an ambitious, long-term capital programme to reduce flood risk across Yorkshire.

Within the current six-year investment period from 2015/16 – 2020/21, a total of £650 million is being invested across Yorkshire. This programme will better protect 67,000 properties from flooding and coastal erosion by the end of March 2021. In addition to conventionally engineered solutions, this programme includes a number of projects that utilise nature based solutions, providing carbon absorption and net gains alongside flood risk benefits. For example, there are three National Natural Flood Management (NFM) pilot projects in Calderdale, Leeds and Pickering.

Details of Government investment in flood defences after 2021 have not yet been announced. In addition to the above, up to £12.5 million is spent every year in Yorkshire maintaining existing flood defences. To help facilitate flood prevention short term and long term actions, the floods Minister Rebecca Pow MP is planning to meet South Yorkshire MPs in the near future in partnership with the EA and the Mayor of Sheffield City Region Combined Authority.

In line with the Resources and Waste Strategy for England (2018), this Government is committed to taking forward the best mix of policy measures to reduce the environmental impacts of clothing.

We are working with WRAP and industry stakeholders through a voluntary agreement - the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan - to reduce the carbon, water and waste footprints of clothing by 2020. Discussions are now underway on a new phase for the agreement for the future.

We are also exploring options for extended producer responsibility for textiles and other priority waste streams. In addition, we are seeking powers in the Environment Bill that will enable us to introduce ecodesign and consumer information requirements, subject to consultation, to support durable, repairable, and recyclable textiles.

Our plans will be developed as part of a new Waste Prevention Programme which we plan to consult on later this year.

Short term exposure to elevated levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) can impact the health of vulnerable groups. That is why we provide alerts and advice during air pollution episodes to ensure people can access the information and the health advice they need in order to minimise impacts. During episodes of elevated air pollution Defra works closely with Public Health England and a network of health charities to ensure that key health messages are communicated to those who are vulnerable to the effects of air pollution.

However, the biggest impact of particulate air pollution on public health is understood to be from long-term exposure to PM2.5, which increases the age-specific mortality risk, particularly from cardiovascular causes. The Clean Air Strategy, published in January 2019, sets out the comprehensive action required across all parts of Government to improve air quality, and reduce public exposure to particulate matter pollution. Through the Environment Bill, re-introduced to Parliament on 30^th January, we are also establishing a duty to set a legally-binding target for PM2.5. This target will drive action to reduce long term exposure to PM2.5 and its associated health impacts.

Any proposals for transport infrastructure projects need to be assessed from a local transport and planning perspective. Defra has no plans to conduct an air quality impact assessment.

The Government is, however, committed to reducing public exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution as outlined in the Clean Air Strategy 2019 and this will require reductions in emissions from a wide range of sectors.

In addition, we continue to work with Leeds City Council to improve air quality in the city, including providing £29 million to put in place a Clean Air Zone.

The Clean Air Strategy (CAS), published in January 2019, set out the comprehensive action required across all parts of Government to improve air quality. Towns and cities across the whole of the UK will benefit from the implementation of the commitments made in the CAS.

For example, the CAS outlined a comprehensive suite of actions to tackle emissions from domestic burning, which is the single largest contributor to national emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). These actions include legislating to prohibit the sale of the most polluting fuels, which we have consulted on and to which we intend to publish our formal response in the near future.

The Environment Bill delivers key parts of the CAS, including measures to help local authorities tackle smoke emissions from domestic burning. The Bill also establishes a legally binding duty to set a target for PM2.5_. The introduction of measures to meet this target will reduce PM2.5 concentrations across the whole country, particularly in locations where concentrations are highest, often where people are most exposed such as in urban areas where many people live and work.

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest challenges facing the marine environment today. It’s estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes enter the global ocean each year and, if action is not taken, scientific evidence estimates that the total plastic in the ocean is set to treble by 2025 compared to 2015 levels. Marine plastic litter can move with ocean currents, which makes it difficult to calculate how much is situated in British territorial waters at any given point in time.

This is why we collaborate closely with our neighbouring countries through the OSPAR Convention to reduce the flow of waste into the North-east Atlantic. We are delivering on our commitments in the Marine Litter Regional Action Plan and leading on efforts to tackle the issue of abandoned, lost and otherwise discarded fishing gear.

Prevention of waste entering the marine environment is our current priority. The Resources and Waste Strategy for England, published in December 2018, sets out our plans to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste, working towards our 25 Year Environment Plan target to reduce all types of marine plastic pollution.

Marine plastic pollution is a global issue that requires global effort and solutions. The UK launched the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance alongside Vanuatu in 2018. Through this alliance, a growing group of 31 Commonwealth member states (over half of the Commonwealth) have pledged action on reducing plastic pollution of the ocean.

The Government is making great strides in tackling the scourge of marine plastic pollution, and we have made some good progress. In 2018, our ban on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products helped to stop billions of tiny pieces of plastic entering the ocean. Our charge for single-use carrier bags has also led to a 90% reduction in plastic bag usage and a reduction of plastic bags surveyed on the seabed.

Our 25 Year Environment Plan establishes our target of reducing all forms of marine plastic pollution where possible, and our Resources and Waste Strategy sets out how we will achieve this. We have committed to introducing a deposit return scheme to encourage the reuse of items prevalent in marine litter, and we will explore the use of Extended Producer Responsibility schemes to incentivise innovation for items such as plastic packaging and fishing gear.

We collaborate closely with our neighbouring countries through the OSPAR Convention to reduce the flow of waste into the North-east Atlantic. We are delivering on our commitments in the Marine Litter Regional Action Plan and leading on efforts to tackle the issue of abandoned, lost and otherwise discarded fishing gear.

The Clean Air Strategy (CAS), published in January 2019, set out the comprehensive action required across all parts of Government to improve air quality, and reduce public exposure to particulate matter pollution.

In line with the CAS, Defra consulted on the cleaner domestic burning of solid fuels and wood between August–October 2018. The proposals in this consultation included:

• Restrictions on the sale of wet wood for domestic burning

• Phasing out the sale of traditional house coal

• Applying sulphur standards and smoke emission limits to all manufactured solid fuels

We expect to publish the response to this consultation in the near future.

The Environment Bill, which was re-introduced to Parliament on 30 January, also establishes a legally binding duty to set a target for fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), demonstrating our commitment to take further action on the air pollutant that has the most significant impact on human health. The Bill contains measures to reduce emissions from domestic solid fuel burning by creating a simpler mechanism for local authorities seeking to reduce smoke emissions within their areas.

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

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

Any licence granted by my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade may be subject to conditions. In addition, in line with the Consolidated Criteria, my Department is able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require. There are currently eight extant licences that may be linked to law enforcement agencies. Six are Open Individual Export Licences (‘OIELs’), which have potential end users that include law enforcement agencies. Two are Standard Individual Export Licences (‘SIELs’), which have numerous potential end users that include law enforcement agencies. There are also 15 Open General Licences (‘OGLs’) for which businesses can register that cover the export of anti-riot gear.

Much information is in the public domain already. We publish information on all export licences issued, refused and revoked on a quarterly and annual basis as official statistics on GOV.UK – at: gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data – and whilst data on actual exports is not required to be centrally held, the licences issued until the end of December 2019 are available.

In 2018, the Department for Transport published the outputs of the Transport Energy Model. The model provides a clear assessment of the relative environmental impacts of a range of fuel and powertrain options for cars, vans, buses and heavy goods vehicles over the period to 2050, including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The UK is well placed to be a leader in hydrogen fuel cell powered transportation thanks to our high-quality engineering and manufacturing capability. The Government’s approach to delivering long-term ambitions for greener transport is technology neutral and we are supporting hydrogen where the market favours its use. There are currently 12 publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK that provide hydrogen for both cars and buses. The Government’s £23m Hydrogen for Transport Programme is increasing the uptake of fuel cell electric vehicles and growing the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations. The programme is delivering new refuelling stations and upgrading some existing stations as well as deploying hundreds of new hydrogen vehicles.

The Department for Transport is determined to help keep supply chains moving up and down the country despite COVID-19. That is why we authorised a temporary relaxation of the enforcement of the drivers’ hours rules for the whole haulage industry; which began on Monday 23 March 2020 and will run until Sunday 31 May 2020. This was done on the understanding that driver welfare and road safety must not be compromised. Employers remain responsible for the health and safety of their employees and other road users.

We have not relaxed the drivers’ hours rules in the passenger transport sector.

On 10 February, the Prime Minister announced £5 billion of new funding to overhaul bus and cycle links, including at least 4,000 new zero emission buses, to support the Government in reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

The National Bus Strategy, due to be published later this year, will include further details on these plans.

The Transport Decarbonisation Plan, due to be published later this year, will also set out more information on the Department’s approach to decarbonisation.

Through the Department’s various competitively-bid grant funding schemes for new clean buses over the past few years, under the Low Emission Bus Scheme where funding was awarded in 2015 and 2017, £3,814,000 was allocated to hydrogen buses and supporting infrastructure; under the Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme, £4,360,435 was allocated in 2019 to hydrogen buses and supporting infrastructure.

I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave on 26 February 2020, to Question 18648.

We have always been clear that Heathrow expansion is a private sector project which must meet strict criteria on air quality, noise and climate change, as well as being privately financed, affordable, and delivered in the best interest of consumers. It will receive no public funds.

The department has allocated over £8 million to funding hydrogen buses and infrastructure as part of the Low Emission Bus Scheme and the Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme. Funding was allocated based on the quality of the bids received, with the same funding approach being taken irrespective of the technology chosen.

US Department of Defense (DoD) military and civilian personnel stationed at US military bases in the UK, and who are subject to the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, are permitted to drive on their domestic licenses. However, the US DoD requires its military and civilian personnel, and their dependents, to pass a DVLA written driving test before permitting their staff to drive in the UK. US diplomatic staff, to whom the NATO Status of Forces Agreement does not apply, can apply to the DVLA for a Diplomatic Driving Permit without taking any further tests but, in the interim, may drive in the UK on their domestic licenses for a period of up to one year.

The Department has announced a number of approaches to encourage bus companies to green the fleet.

In September 2019, we announced £50 million towards the creation of an all-electric bus town, and a review of bus funding to ensure it supports the environment and improved passenger journeys, alongside a National Bus Strategy for England.

In February 2020, we also announced funding for at least 4,000 new zero emission buses as part of the £5 billion of new funding to boost bus and cycling links, driving forward the UK’s progress on its net zero ambitions.

The Department supports an ambitious approach to decarbonising the transport sector. Since 2010, over £240m has been provided to clean up the bus fleet, including £48 million in 2018 that funded 263 zero emission buses through the Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme.

In September 2019, we announced a package of commitments in A Better Deal for Bus Users, including a further £220 million to support buses of which £50 million is available for an all-electric bus town or city. Other commitments include a review of bus funding to ensure it supports the environment and improved passenger journeys, and a National Bus Strategy to be published later this year.

The Prime Minster announced £5 billion of new funding for buses and cycling on 10 February 2020, which will provide at least 4,000 new zero emission buses as well as many other measures to be detailed in the National Bus Strategy.

The Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which will be published later this year, will set out a cross-modal approach to decarbonisation.

The Government is committed to promoting the bus sector as a key contributor to air quality and carbon reduction targets.

The Government published a suite of policies in A Better Deal for Bus Users, which includes a review of bus funding to ensure it supports the environment and improved passenger journeys. The Department is currently seeking expressions of interest from towns and cities interested in becoming an ‘All-Electric Bus Town’.

Further details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-the-all-electric-bus-town-scheme

The Prime Minister announced funding for at least 4,000 new zero emission buses as part of the £5 billion of new funding to boost bus and cycling links announced on 10 February. Further details on how that money will be allocated will be available in due course.

The Department is committed to supporting improved bus services in the North, including low carbon buses.

The first Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy - Report to Parliament published on the 7^th February 2020 provides full details of the steps the Department is taking to promote cycling and walking. This includes details of the £2.4 billion which is being invested in cycling and walking over the five years to 2020/21 through the statutory Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. Funding has been provided for provision of safe and direct cycling and walking networks, cycle training and a range of behaviour change and modeshift activities.

Since 2010 the Government has invested around £150 million towards new cleaner buses.

The Government has supported the use of a range of low carbon bus technologies, including hydrogen, through funds including the Low Emission and Ultra Low Emission Bus Schemes. These schemes have provided funding for the purchase of 62 hydrogen buses.

We have also announced a review of bus funding and an upcoming National Bus Strategy, which will consider how to support the uptake of low carbon bus technologies.

The Government’s National Planning Policy Framework advises local authorities to promote healthy, inclusive and safe places which encourage walking and cycling.

The four national highway authorities published joint guidance in November 2019 on how to design cycling infrastructure into strategic road schemes.

The Conservative Party manifesto announced a £350 million Cycling Infrastructure Fund, with mandatory design standards for new routes. The Department will shortly be publishing revised guidance for local authorities on designing safe and efficient cycling infrastructure, which will need to be considered when setting local standards and in the development of new road schemes.

Local Highway Authorities are responsible for the maintenance and management of the local road network within their areas and this includes measures to help reduce road congestion. It is the for the Leaders and Mayors of local and Combined Authorities to decide how best to manage the relative mix of traffic in their cities.

The Government is tackling congestion across England through investment in roads, public transport and active travel. The £2.5bn Transforming Cities Fund is empowering 18 city regions to deliver improvements to commuter connectivity which will provide faster, more reliable transport links such as new light rail, bus or cycling infrastructure. The Government has also recently announced a further £5bn of investment in buses and cycling across England.

Through the National Roads Fund, the Government is providing £28.8bn which will fund vital improvements on the Strategic Road Network and on the Major Roads Network.

The Government is committed to decarbonisation of transport and is consulting on bringing forward the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible.

The Government is also supporting areas that have identified Clean Air Zones as a means of reducing Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) to legal levels by charging older, dirtier vehicles for entering an area.

All health professionals carrying out assessments are clinically qualified and registered practitioners in their own field. DWP requires health professionals to have a broad training in disability analysis as well as awareness training in specific conditions, which includes Muscular Dystrophy. While preparing to undertake an assessment, health professionals have access to a range of resources as well as experienced clinicians to support them in assessing individuals with conditions that they may not be familiar with. Additionally, assessment providers engage with medical experts, charities and relevant stakeholders to strengthen their training programmes.

PIP claims are assessed on the basis of functional need rather than health condition.

UC and ESA do not categorise referrals for a Work Capability Assessment by condition. Information on how a health condition affects their ability to perform everyday tasks is gathered by asking claimants to complete UC50/ESA50 (Limited Capability for Work Questionnaire).

In PIP, UC and ESA there are no specific claims processes designed for individual health conditions such as muscular dystrophy however the Department takes seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants with form completion as follows:

a) For PIP

As part of the PIP New Claims processes all customers, including those with muscular dystrophy, are asked if they have the support they need to make their claim and complete the application process. Claimants are offered additional support where appropriate and this is noted on their records to ensure they continue to receive the support they need throughout the PIP process.

b) For UC

If a claimant needs help with the completion of the UC50 there is help available from the Health Assessment Advisory Service.

We want the application process for Universal Credit to be as quick and easy as possible to ensure that claimants receive their money at the earliest opportunity. Comprehensive support is available to claimants to use our digital service, however we recognise there will be occasions when people are unable to make or maintain their claim online, so telephone support is available.

Universal Credit has been designed with a diverse range of claimants in mind and in these instances where digital access is not possible, information normally available through a claimant’s online account will be communicated in an alternative format, which is best suited to an individual’s circumstances. The initial verification can include a home visit to support a claimant with making their claim and completing any other administrative tasks required to ensure that they receive the correct payment.

Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland have supported over 200,000 individuals through ‘Help to Claim’ since April 2019, offering tailored and practical support to help people make a Universal Credit claim up to receiving their first full correct payment on time. ‘Help to Claim’ is available online, on the phone and face-to-face in locations including Jobcentres and Citizen’s Advice Bureaux.

c) For ESA

For new claims to ESA, assistance with form completion takes place over the telephone. For New Style ESA claims, Visiting Officer support is available to help complete claim forms if this cannot be done through support from family, friends and 3^rd parties or via support from a Work Coach in the Jobcentre.

If a claimant needs help with the completion of the ESA50 there is help available from the Health Assessment Advisory Service - if the claimant is deemed vulnerable we can consider requesting support by means of a DWP Visiting Officer.

Those whose employers ask them to stay away from the workplace due to coronavirus concerns, who do not qualify for Statutory Sick Pay, may be able to claim Universal Credit and/or new-style Employment and Support Allowance. Those who do qualify for Statutory Sick Pay will not be eligible for new-style Employment and Support Allowance but may still qualify for Universal Credit depending on their circumstances.

There is clear evidence about the importance of work in tackling poverty now and in the future. For example, a child growing up in a home where all adults are working is around 5 times less likely to be in poverty than a child in a household where nobody works. The majority of people in in-work poverty either work solely part-time, are the single earner in a couple, or are full-time self-employed.

Delivering a sustainable long-term solution to poverty means building a strong economy and ensuring that the benefit system works with the tax system and the labour market to support employment and higher pay. There are over 1 million fewer workless households compared with 2010, with around 730,000 fewer children in workless households, and over 3.8 million more people have entered work, averaging around 1,000 people a day. Around three-quarters of the growth in employment since 2010 has been in full-time work. Our unemployment rate is now less than half the Euro area average. Around three-quarters of the growth in employment since 2010 has been in full-time work, substantially reducing the risk of poverty.

Joseph Rowntree Foundation reported that Universal Credit is likely to help an extra 300,000 members of working families out of poverty.

Universal Credit is designed to help people move into work faster, stay in work longer and spend more time looking to increase their earnings. It provides more financial help with childcare costs (eligible claimants are able to claim up to 85 per cent of their childcare costs, compared to 70% on the legacy system), a dedicated Work Coach, and removes the 16-hour ‘cliff edge’ for those who are working. We are confident that, as UC reaches more working families, we will see more people working full-time and ultimately achieving independence from the State.

We will continue to reform the welfare system so that it promotes work as the most effective route out of poverty and is fairer towards those who receive it and the taxpayers who pay for it. We also want to identify opportunities to create a highly productive workforce, improving progression prospects for the lowest paid people so everyone has the right skills to meet the UK’s future demand. That is why we are delivering a significant programme of research and testing to build the evidence of how to overcome the obstacles that people face so that they can improve their earnings and career prospects.

The Government has made a commitment to publish a new National Strategy for Disabled People in 2020, focusing on removing barriers to ensure disabled people can lead a life of opportunity and fully participate in British society.

Business has a vital role to play in making its products and services more accessible. In support of that objective, I have appointed 18 Sector Champions to use their influential status and leadership to drive change across in individual business sectors. The sectors currently covered are Advertising, Banking, Broadcast Media, Gaming, Hotels, Leisure (Physical Activity), Live Music, Retail, Tourism, Transport - Airports, Buses and Trains, Arts and Culture, Insurance, Technology, Countryside and Heritage, Web Accessibility, Brand and Design, and Products and Spaces. In addition, the Retail Forum was established to improve accessibility and inclusion of its premises and services for disabled people.

The Government is also working to support people with disabilities who are in work or wish to work. Over 16,000 employers have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme, which provides employers with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to attract, recruit, retain and develop disabled people in the workplace. The Access to Work scheme offers a discretionary grant of up to £59,200 per year for in-work support above the level of reasonable adjustments for people whose disability or health condition affects the way they do their job.

No such assessment has been made. The ambulance service is an emergency service. National Health Service ambulance trusts are category one responders under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.

The Government, through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), announced £40 million of funding over five years for brain tumour research as part of the Tessa Jowell Mission. This funding will help the Tessa Jowell Centres of Excellence to develop a one-year curriculum to train specialist brain tumour oncologists. The NIHR is also collaborating with key medical research charities to bring together industry and researchers and ensure that patients continue to benefit from charity-funded research.

The NIHR is also engaging with UK Research and Innovation colleagues, to maximise the effectiveness of Government budgets, in generating and translating these new scientific discoveries as into new treatments and diagnostics for patients. A 2018 review of evidence suggested that approximately 2.5% of brain and central nervous system cancers are attributable to modifiable causes. The majority of these are attributed to excess weight.

Public Health England supports local authorities and the National Health Service to commission weight management services that are based on and align with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance for weight management. These types of activities may help prevent brain tumours attributable to modifiable causes.

Treatment decisions for brain tumours should always be made by doctors based on a patient’s individual clinical needs and preferences. Brain tumours can be treated using a number of treatment modalities, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as appropriate to the tumour type, size and position. These treatments fall within the scope of NHS England direct commissioning responsibilities for specialised services.

The Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is continuing to encourage applications for research in this difficult area. The NIHR is also planning and funding workshops via the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission to support researchers in submitting high quality research applications in order to increase this small research community.

Spending Review 2020 provides £260 million to continue to increase the National Health Service workforce and support commitments made in the NHS Long Term Plan, including continuing to take forward the Cancer Workforce Plan - Phase One. Full details on funding allocations towards NHS workforce budgets, including Health Education England, in 2021-22 will be published in due course. This will cover the whole cancer workforce including those providing services for brain cancer patients.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne) to Question 168813 on 24 March.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has not identified any robust data to indicate that, as a group, persons with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome are at higher risk from COVID-19, therefore those under 50 years old with this condition are not prioritised for phase one of the programme.

For those facing significant financial hardship as a result of the managed quarantine charge, there is an opportunity to apply for a deferred repayment plan when booking. This is available for individuals who receive income-related benefits and they will be required to pay back the charge in 12 monthly instalments.

Retired general practitioners have been asked to offer their help through the National Health Service Bring Back scheme.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council re-introduced emergency standards that enable final year nursing students to undertake up to 100% of their time in clinical practice. Final year nursing students are able to choose whether or not to move into clinical placements which count towards their learning outcomes. Approved education institutions retain oversight of the students and where they are placed, which could include working on the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

There are no plans at present to introduce a blanket policy on COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic hospital visitors. However, we have introduced targeted asymptomatic testing for visitors to maternity scans and end of life care.

We have put in place exemptions to social contact restrictions to facilitate support for those who need it most and to mitigate the greatest risks of isolation. A parent or guardian of a child under five years old is less likely to be able to leave their child in alternative care arrangements whilst they take up outdoor exercise with another person. Exempting children under five years old from the gathering limit thereby ensures that parents and guardians of very young children are not disproportionately impacted by the restrictions. Further extending any exemptions at this stage would pose a risk to transmission rates. We will continue to keep the restrictions under review.

We continue to work with the devolved administrations to seek a coordinated approach.

There are no plans at present to introduce a blanket policy on COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic hospital visitors. However, we have introduced targeted asymptomatic testing for visitors for maternity scans and in end of life care.

There have been no specific plans to do so.

In England, the Vaccines Deployment Programme Board led by NHS England and NHS Improvement ensures that the distribution and supply of vaccine reflects each region’s requirements.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have set a 45% dental activity target. This target is based upon clinical advice and modelling from the office of the Chief Dental Officer and has taken into consideration robust adherence to infection prevention and control guidance and social distancing requirements. Furthermore, data on the percentages of activity dental practices have achieved to date supports the view that the target can be safely attainable.

National Health Service commissioners have the discretion to make exceptions, for instance in cases where a dental practice has been impacted by staff being required to self-isolate and the reinstatement of shielding during the national lockdown. There are currently no plans to review or change the unit of dental activity targets for January to March 2021.

The Department of Health and Social Care continues to work closely with the Department for Education, NHS England and NHS Improvement, Public Health England (PHE) and a wide range of stakeholders to support all people’s mental wellbeing and mental health. We are working with them to ensure that children and young people and their parents or carers know what support is available.

To support children and young people’s mental wellbeing, we launched in September our £8 million Wellbeing for Education Return programme. It has supported education staff to respond to the emotional and mental health pressures some children and young people may be feeling as a result of COVID-19.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service (RDS) provides advice and support to research teams to develop and submit high quality applied health and care grant applications to the NIHR and other national peer-reviewed funding programmes offering specialist advice on all aspects of an application. There is online research support resources available at the following link:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/researchers/apply-for-funding/how-to-apply-for-project-funding/

Local vaccination providers, including hospital trusts and Primary Care Networks, are working with employers of eligible health and social care staff, as well as other frontline occupations specified in the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations’ guidance, to arrange vaccinations. Nationally the Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement are also working with staff groups and representative bodies to ensure that both employers and staff receive accurate information about the delivery mechanisms and the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

There are a number of ways individuals can access testing without an email address or internet access. Individuals can ask someone they trust who has a mobile number or email address, for example, a family member to book a test or receive their results. If this is not possible, individuals can contact 119 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 0300 303 2713 in Scotland to book a test at their nearest test site and to receive their results, either via a call back to a landline or by contacting 119 once the results are available. We are working to further improve the accessibility of testing via non digital routes.

Hospices across the country have played a vital role in the COVID-19 response, helping to provide more capacity for the National Health Service and continuing to provide care to those who need it. Regular asymptomatic testing on a weekly basis for clinical hospice staff was introduced from 4 December. Hospices are now able to order polymerase chain reaction tests through our online portal and we would encourage all hospices to do so. This is in addition to the existing testing available to all symptomatic health and care staff as a priority, including hospice staff.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has been reviewing data on clinical risk factors associated with serious disease and mortality from COVID-19. The JCVI updated its interim advice on priority groups for COVID-19 vaccination on September 25 and is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/priority-groups-for-coronavirus-covid-19-vaccination-advice-from-the-jcvi-25-september-2020/jcvi-updated-interim-advice-on-priority-groups-for-covid-19-vaccination

This advice remains under constant review by the Committee and will be updated at the appropriate time after considering the latest evidence on COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines.

The COVID-19 vaccination programme is based on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI is an independent expert advisory committee to the Government.

For the first phase, the JVCI have advised that the vaccine be given to care home residents and staff, followed by frontline health and social care workers, including hospice staff and staff working in neurological and other specialist care homes, then to the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors, including underlying health conditions.

The COVID-19 vaccination programme is based on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI is an independent expert advisory committee to the Government.

For the first phase, the JVCI have advised that the vaccine be given to care home residents and staff, followed by frontline health and social care workers, including hospice staff and staff working in neurological and other specialist care homes, then to the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors, including underlying health conditions.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has based its advice on the data it has reviewed from a number of sources including the Office for National Statistics and Public Health England. For the purposes of COVID-19 vaccine prioritisation, the definition of care homes as all care home premises licensed and registered with the Care Quality Commission, applies.

The Joint Committee and Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has based its advice on the data it has reviewed from a number of sources including the Office for National Statistics and Public Health England. For the purposes of COVID-19 vaccine prioritisation, the definition of care homes as all care home premises licensed and registered with the Care Quality Commission, applies. This definition does not include hospices.

Hospices are included in the JCVI’s advice as part of their prioritisation of frontline health and social care workers.