Alex Sobel

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

We appreciate that people will be thinking about how they can safely mark halloween. Local Authorities will communicate relevant advice on halloween in their area, and the Government is working with Local Authorities to support understanding of how the social distancing rules apply.

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.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) enforces the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021. The legislation includes investigatory and civil sanctions powers, and requires enforcement decisions to be taken on a case-by-case basis. OPSS uses its powers to accept time-limited enforcement undertakings, including in relation to the cybersecurity provisions, as a proportionate measure to bring chargepoint sellers into compliance where appropriate and as prescribed under the regulations. Government continues to monitor the domestic and workplace chargepoint market to ensure that consumer protections and a thriving market are in place to help maximise the uptake of smart charging.

All licensed domestic electricity suppliers are participating in delivering the Energy Bills Support Scheme. On 25th September 2022, The then Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy issued a Direction under Section 7(3) of the Electricity Act 1989 to enable Ofgem to implement the scheme through modifications to suppliers’ standard licence conditions.

Households without a licensed domestic electricity supply contract are not eligible for the Scheme and can apply for equivalent support through the EBSS Alternative Funding.

Companies supplying no more than 5MW of electricity which they generate themselves, of which only 2.5MW are supplied to domestic consumers, are not required to hold or register for a supply licence.

The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) will be delivered by Local Authorities in Great Britain, and a contracted delivery partner in Northern Ireland, rather than private energy suppliers. We are expecting to pay Local Authorities and the contracted delivery partner ahead of scheme launch, or as soon after that as we receive their payment details, which we have requested. The exact date that an eligible household will receive support will depend on when the application is made and when the payment can be processed by the relevant Local Authority.

Private energy suppliers will not administer payments for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF). EBSS AF payments will be delivered by 363 Local Authorities across England, Scotland and Wales, and by a contracted delivery partner in Northern Ireland. Guidance will be provided to them this month, ahead of the scheme launch.

Leeds Beckett University, which has a campus in the constituency, received £7,566,993 for the academic year in Quality-related research (QR) funding and Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) delivered through Research England. However, UK Research and Innovation do not yet have data for competitive grants in the current financial year 2022/23.

The Government does not hold regional information on the proportion of BME-owned businesses in Leeds North West. Government is aware of the challenges faced by ethnic minority businesses and is taking action to support them. Ministers regularly engage with ethnic minority business leaders and networks to better understand the issues facing them

We are working with stakeholders to agree interventions to improve access to finance. Since its launch (2012) the Start Up Loans programme has issued around 20% of its loans to Black, Asian, and Ethnic-minority business worth £183,308,132

We are also delivering actions set out in the Inclusive Britain report (2022), which aim to support ethnic minority entrepreneurs.

At the end of October 2022, there were 990 domestic installations of solar panels recorded in Leeds North West constituency.

Since the launch of the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution in November 2020, an estimated 68,000 jobs have been supported nationally. This forms part of the around 430,000 jobs in low carbon businesses and their supply chains across the country.

Leeds North West benefits from several streams of devolved funding through the West Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, including £38m per annum to support local priorities including Green Growth.

In addition to this locally determined investment, Government has provided £238,000 through the Community Renewal Fund, to help build the pipeline of talent and green skills in West Yorkshire.

The Government does not collect Green Jobs data at constituency level. Since the launch of the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution in November 2020 an estimated 68,000 jobs have been supported nationally. This forms part of the around 430,000 jobs in low carbon businesses and their supply chains across the country.

Leeds North West benefits from several streams of devolved funding through the West Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, including £38m per annum to support local priorities including Green Growth.

In addition to this locally determined investment, Government has provided £238,000 through the Community Renewal Fund, to help build the pipeline of talent and green skills in West Yorkshire.

Grant funding for renewable innovation or community-based renewable schemes is open for both local authorities and private investors to bid. The Contract for Difference scheme, the Government’s main mechanism for supporting low carbon generation, is awarded through a competitive process, ensuring that the most cost-effective projects are supported regardless of their location.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme is set out clearly in legislation so will be applied in a uniform way by all licensed suppliers. The regulations include a robust compliance and enforcement regime to ensure requirements are being met. Suppliers are also required to inform customers about the details of support, including the amount of the discount and discounted supply price.

The Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database shows that, as of 31 October 2022, 266 heat pump installations were registered in the Leeds North West constituency.

The database does not include all heat pump installations, for example, those installed without Government funding support, such as in new buildings, which are not typically recorded in the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database.

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 1,100 cavity wall insulation measures, 1,200 loft insulation measures, 200 under floor insulation measures and 500 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Leeds North West constituency.

Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes cover October 2020 to September 2022.

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 1,100 cavity wall insulation measures, 1,200 loft insulation measures, 200 under floor insulation measures and 500 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Leeds North West constituency.

Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes cover October 2020 to September 2022.

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 1,100 cavity wall insulation measures, 1,200 loft insulation measures, 200 under floor insulation measures and 500 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Leeds North West constituency.

Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes cover October 2020 to September 2022.

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, around 1,100 cavity wall insulation measures, 1,200 loft insulation measures, 200 under floor insulation measures and 500 external wall insulation measures have been installed in Leeds North West constituency.

Data for ECO covers January 2013 to September 2022. Data for the GHG schemes cover October 2020 to September 2022.

The Government is committed to improving the energy performance of homes across the country, including in Leeds North West.

The Government is already investing £6.6 billion over this parliament on decarbonising heat and energy efficiency measures.

The additional £6 billion of new Government funding, announced in the Autumn Statement, will be made available from 2025 to 2028. This provides long-term funding certainty, supporting the growth of supply chains, and ensuring the Government can scale up its delivery over time.

The Government is committed to investing £6.6bn in energy efficiency, with the Autumn Statement announcing an additional £6bn from 2025-2028.

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 1 awarded around £179m of grant funding, delivering from 2022 into 2023, of which £9.5m was awarded to Leeds City Council to retrofit 630 homes. SHDF Demonstrator has retrofitted 190 homes through Leeds City Council. The SHDF Wave 2.1 competition, which closed on 18th November 2022, will allocate up to £800m of grant funding, with successful projects likely to be notified in March 2023.

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, external wall insulation measures have been installed in some households in all wards in Leeds North West constituency.

The ward in Leeds North West constituency with the highest number of government funded retrofitting measures installed is Weetwood. These measures have been funded through the following government schemes: ECO, GHG schemes, Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). The order from highest to lowest is as follows:

1.Weetwood

2.Headingley & Hyde Park

3.Otley & Yeadon

4.Adel & Wharfedale

BEIS estimates that under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)and Green Homes Grant (GHG) government schemes, external wall insulation measures have been installed in some households in all wards in Leeds North West constituency.

The ward in Leeds North West constituency with the highest number of government funded retrofitting measures installed is Weetwood. These measures have been funded through the following government schemes: ECO, GHG schemes, Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI)and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). The order from highest to lowest is as follows:

1.Weetwood

2.Headingley & Hyde Park

3.Otley & Yeadon

4.Adel & Wharfedale

Under Ofgem’s Maximum Resale Price rules (attached), landlords with a domestic contract with an energy supplier are required not to charge tenants more than they have paid suppliers for the energy.

The Government has introduced a package of measures to provide businesses and households with relief from soaring energy costs this winter. The Government recognises the impact rising energy prices is having on both domestic and non-domestic consumers, including zoos and aquariums that are providing vital life support systems for animals. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme is available to all eligible non-domestic energy customers, including businesses, charities and the public sector, and will provide a discount on the wholesale costs of gas and electricity. This includes Zoos and Aquariums on eligible non-domestic energy supply contracts.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme is available to all eligible non-domestic energy customers, including businesses, charities and the public sector, and will provide a discount on the wholesale costs of gas and electricity. This includes Zoos and Aquariums on eligible non-domestic energy supply contracts.

Zoos and aquariums are not included on the list of Approved Designated Services as set out in the Electricity Supply Emergency Code.

In order for a critical site or service to be placed on the Protected Sites List, the site must meet the criteria set out in the Electricity Supply Emergency Code guidance.

In 2019 the Government consulted on high-level options for reforming parental leave and pay. The Government are currently considering responses to the consultation and will respond in due course. As set out in the Government’s Manifesto, the Government is committed to making it easier for fathers to take Paternity Leave.

All employees with 26 weeks’ continuous service with their employer already have the right to request flexible working.

In 2021, the government consulted on measures that would further support the uptake of flexible working arrangements, including whether to extend the right to request flexible working to employees from their first day of employment. The consultation is now closed, having received over 1,600 responses. We will respond in due course.

The Government is also pleased to be supporting the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill introduced by the Hon. Member for Bolton South East, which passed Second Reading on 28 October.

The setting of the energy price cap is a matter for the independent regulator Ofgem. Therefore BEIS has made no assessment.

Under Ofgem’s Maximum Resale Price rules, landlords with a domestic contract with an energy supplier are required not to charge tenants more than they have paid suppliers for the energy.

The Government is committed to developing the use of hydrogen in transport and officials from BEIS and DfT work closely together in this area, including on the RTFO. The recent RTFO guidance changes for renewable fuel of non-biological origin increase the flexibility for hydrogen producers whilst driving decarbonisation. These amendments confirm DfT’s commitment in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan to maximise transport's use of additional green hydrogen. The Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard covers a range of different hydrogen production methods and BEIS will seek to incentivise projects that can demonstrate they have built or funded new low carbon generation.

The hydrogen business model will be critical to building the UK’s hydrogen economy by unlocking private investment through a subsidy to close the gap between the cost of producing hydrogen and the price it can be sold for. We have confirmed our intention to proceed with a contractual producer-focused business model, applicable to a range of hydrogen production pathways and able to facilitate hydrogen use in a broad range of sectors. We are designing the hydrogen business model to be compatible with other existing support schemes such as the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide a discount on energy bills for all non-domestic customers including businesses, the voluntary sector and the public sector, whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated in light of global energy prices. There are no plans specifically to exclude this type of energy use, and it is important that companies are able to conduct their business in a normal way. Businesses are encouraged to consider adjusting their energy use and increase energy efficiency wherever possible, to minimise the impact of energy costs and reduce emissions.

If the landlord has a domestic contract with their energy supplier, they are required to charge tenants no more than they paid suppliers for the energy, under Ofgem’s Maximum Resale Price rules (https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/2005/10/11782-resaleupdateoct05_3.pdf). This means that the £400 discount should be passed on to tenants.

If the landlord has a commercial contract with their supplier, further funding will be available to provide equivalent support for energy bills for the small percentage of domestic energy consumers not reached by the Energy Bills Support Scheme. The Government will announce further details shortly.

There are rules which can protect tenants and ensure they receive the benefit of this policy. Ofgem’s guidance on how to ensure customers are being charged no more than they should when they buy the electricity through their landlord, including what to do if they think there has been a mistake can be found here: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/docs/2005/10/11782-resaleupdateoct05_3.pdf.

The Government is not aware of any significant imports of hydrogen produced in Russia to the UK. The Government is focussed on developing the hydrogen economy in the UK and working with industry to achieve 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity in the UK by 2030.

The Government is not selling the facility. VMIC Limited is a private company and has always been a private company. Any decisions and information regarding the future of the company and its facilities are the responsibility of the VMIC Board of Directors. The Government supported VMIC as part of our 2017 Life Science Strategy commitment to vaccines innovation, which the pandemic has dramatically accelerated.

All contracts agreed between the Government and vaccine developers have been published on Contracts Finder. Parts of these contracts have been redacted as they are commercially sensitive and so cannot be disclosed at this time.

The Energy Charter Treaty already calls on Member States to minimise the environmental impacts of energy operations.

Member States of the Energy Charter Treaty are modernising the Treaty and ensuring it is aligned with our climate objectives. The UK supports the process to modernise the Treaty in a way that advances the global energy transition, such as the right for States to regulate to reach emissions reduction targets and ensuring a stronger focus on climate security.

Since 2019 we have required all large companies to report annually on how their directors have had regard in their decision-making to the interests of employees, customers, suppliers, the environment and other matters. Companies are free to invite stakeholders to AGMs as a way to understand and consider stakeholder interests.

The UK Corporate Governance Code further provides that premium listed companies should ensure effective engagement with, and encourage participation from, both shareholders and stakeholders.

The Government's ‘Roadmap to Sustainable Investing’, published in October, set out how we will enable and expect business to address the challenge of climate change, including by disclosing climate change transition plans. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/greening-finance-a-roadmap-to-sustainable-investing). From April 2022, large public interest entities will be required to report in line with the recommendations of the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures.

The UK only supports biomass which complies with strict sustainability criteria and generators only receive subsidies for compliant biomass.

The Government only supports sustainable biomass and generators only receive subsidies for compliant biomass. All biomass must be legally harvested in accordance with national legislation of the sourcing country. Generators are required to demonstrate that at least 70% of all biomass must be sustainable. In developing the new Biomass Strategy, the Government will assess the UK’s existing biomass sustainability standards, which are already some of the world’s most stringent, to see where and how they can be improved even further.

Under the Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) all contractors must be Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified. MCS is the leading standards and quality assurance organisation in the domestic renewable heating sector. For products to be eligible for the RHI, they must be MCS certified, and for installations to be eligible, they must be carried out to the relevant MCS installation standard for that technology. As part of MCS certification, installers must also be a member of a Chartered Trading Standards Institute approved consumer code, to which consumers will have access, should there be problems with the installation.

Future funding decisions will be subject to the outcome of the Spending Review 2021.

The Government 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 ensure that advances in the 3Rs are reflected in policy, practice and regulations on animal research.

The NC3Rs receives its core funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Medical Research Council (MRC), and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Since the NC3Rs was launched in 2004, it has committed £100 million in research to develop 3Rs technologies.

In 2015, the NC3Rs with Innovate UK, alongside the MRC, BBSRC, Economic and Social Research Council, and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, developed the non-animal technologies roadmap setting out a 2030 vision and strategy for how non-animal technologies could be used to replace the use of animals in research across a number of sectors for the UK.

The roadmap sets a vision and strategy to accelerate the translation of technologies emerging from research into tests for assessing the safety and efficacy of chemicals (including medicines and drugs) without the use of animals and to guide those working in this area to adopt more humane approaches.

In addition to funding the NC3Rs, UKRI also funds a portfolio of research projects involving humans, human materials, animal models, and non-animal technologies. The replacement, refinement and reduction principles are embedded in all the research within UKRI’s remit involving (or potentially involving) animal use. UKRI also encourages grant applicants, including those whose research does not involve animals but could contribute to greater reduction and replacement, to consider further opportunities to advance the 3Rs.

The MRC has recently launched a new Precision Medicine Accelerator to take the most exciting ideas from discovery science into research using humans, focused on early clinical application. The first step was the establishment of the Experimental Medicine Panel in 2020, which has so far awarded £5.5 million to projects investigating the mechanisms behind diseases such as liver failure, polycystic ovary syndrome, vasculitis, mild autonomous cortisol secretion and malaria.

Between 2015-2019, the 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.

In the recent ‘Build Back Better: our plan for growth’ published alongside Budget, the Government announced the publication of a new Innovation Strategy in the summer. In line with its commitment, BEIS is currently working across government to develop the Strategy in time for then.

The Strategy will outline how we will achieve our ambitions in innovation and where we want to focus our efforts over the next decade. It will aim to set out the strategic objective and create the confidence for increased business investment in R&D and innovation.

The Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, published on 17 March, commits to work with the newly constituted Steel Council to consider the implications of the recommendation of the Climate Change Committee to ‘set targets for ore-based steelmaking to reach near-zero emissions by 2035’. The Steel Council offers the forum for government, industry and trade unions to work in partnership on the shared objective of creating an achievable, long-term plan to support the sector’s transition to a competitive, sustainable and low carbon future.

The Department announced the Clean Steel Fund (CSF) in 2019 and it is currently in development. This policy will take time to design in order to be delivered effectively.

Based on previous evidence, complex decarbonisation projects have long lead-in times and take time to set up. Due to this and other factors, the steel sector indicated in response to the 2019 Call for Evidence that their preference is for the CSF to be launched in 2023. Other schemes are available to support the sector and are live now, including the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund.

The UK is monitoring international progress on low carbon steel making trials, using hydrogen and other technologies, and is actively engaged in international initiatives to support industrial decarbonisation innovation, including the Mission Innovation platform and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition.

Decarbonising UK industry is a core part of the government’s ambitious plan for the green industrial revolution. The Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, published on 17 March, commits government to work with the Steel Council to consider the implications of the recommendation of the Climate Change Committee to ‘set targets for ore-based steelmaking to reach near-zero emissions by 2035’. The Steel Council offers the forum for government, industry and trade unions to work in partnership on the shared objective of creating an achievable, long-term plan to support the sector’s transition to a competitive, sustainable and low carbon future. Hydrogen-based steelmaking is one of the technological approaches being examined as part of this process.

The UK steel sector will be given the opportunity to bid into industrial fuel switching innovation programmes under the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), which is intended to promote switching away from more carbon-intensive fuel sources. The Government has also announced a £250 million Clean Steel Fund to support the UK steel sector to transition to lower carbon iron and steel production, through investment in new technologies and processes.

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.

Future Fund: Breakthrough, due to launch later this summer, is a new £375m UK-wide scheme that will encourage private investors to co-invest alongside government in high-growth, innovative firms. The scheme will be run by the British Business Bank.

Future Fund: Breakthrough will provide equity finance to innovative companies that are able to attract a minimum level of investment from the private sector. Companies must be UK-based with significant UK operations, they must have a track record of investment in research and development, and applications must be led by an established venture capital investor.

More details, including the full eligibility criteria, will be published on the British Business Bank’s website at the launch of the scheme. Arrangements for publishing investments will be decided in due course.

We intend to publish the first ever UK Hydrogen Strategy before summer recess. The Strategy will set out what is required to build a hydrogen economy fit for 2030, Carbon Budget 6 and beyond, whilst maximising economic benefits. It will also discuss the role of low carbon hydrogen as a leading option for decarbonising industrial processes. Alongside this, we will also consult on priority policies including a hydrogen business model, a low carbon hydrogen standard, and the £240m Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.

The UK is monitoring international progress on low carbon steel making trials, using hydrogen and other technologies, and is actively engaged in international initiatives to support industrial decarbonisation innovation, including the Mission Innovation platform and the Leadership Group for Industry Transition.

Decarbonising UK industry is a core part of the Government’s ambitious plan for the green industrial revolution. The Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, published on 17 March, commits government to work with the Steel Council to consider the implications of the recommendation of the Climate Change Committee to ‘set targets for ore-based steelmaking to reach near-zero emissions by 2035’. The Steel Council offers the forum for government, industry and trade unions to work in partnership on the shared objective of creating an achievable, long-term plan to support the sector’s transition to a competitive, sustainable and low carbon future. Hydrogen-based steelmaking is one of the technological approaches being examined as part of this process.

The UK steel sector will be given the opportunity to bid into industrial fuel switching innovation programmes under the £1bn NZIP portfolio, which is intended to promote switching away from more carbon-intensive fuel sources. The Government has also announced a £250 million Clean Steel Fund to support the UK steel sector to transition to lower carbon iron and steel production, through investment in new technologies and processes.

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 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.

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.

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).

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.

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

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.

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

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 Government is committed to supporting UK creative industries to adapt to new arrangements with the EU.

We are supporting the sector by clarifying arrangements on visas, movement of goods and haulage, including through bilateral engagement with Member States. We have taken steps to support specialist concert hauliers, and worked across government and with industry to develop guidance including ‘landing pages’ on GOV.UK specifically for touring musicians and other creative sectors.

We have clarified existing arrangements and established that:

• Nearly all Member States offer visa and work permit free routes for musicians and creative performers. This includes, following extensive engagement by the government and the creative sector, Spain and most recently Greece, who announced a visa and work permit free route in June 2022;

• Portable musical instruments, carried or in a vehicle, can be transported cost-free and should not require ATA Carnets; and

• Small ‘splitter vans’ are not subject to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement limits around ‘haulage for the creative sectors’ and ‘cross trade’. In addition, the Department for Transport is implementing dual registration to support specialist hauliers, meaning they can benefit from more generous market access and cabotage arrangements in GB and the EU.

The Government raised touring with the European Commission at the first meeting of the UK-EU Partnership Council in June 2021. We continue to work with the few remaining Member States that do not allow any visa or permit free touring to encourage them to make touring easier.

We want to build a world-leading digital economy in which no one is left behind by the digital revolution. That means ensuring that as many people as possible can reap the benefits of being online and the technologies that can transform our lives, benefit society and drive prosperity and growth.

However, we are aware that for disabled people, poor design of apps or websites - which does not take disabled users into account - remains a significant issue. This is why, in early 2022, DCMS collected evidence about the nature and scale of the inaccessibility of private sector websites. We are now exploring how the government can effectively intervene and will report back in spring 2022.

This work will complement the government’s 2018 publication of the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations. Led and monitored by the Government Digital Services (GDS), these regulations require UK public sector websites and apps to be made accessible, unless it would be disproportionate to do so.

In relation to video-on-demand (VoD) content, the Digital Economy Act 2017 amended the Communications Act 2003 to give the Secretary of State the power to impose statutory requirements on on-demand services regulated in the UK in relation to access services - including subtitling and signing. Following recommendations from Ofcom in December 2018 and July 2021, officials are considering their proposals and will set out next steps for implementation in due course.

Candidates are not routinely assessed on climate change and climate governance prior to their appointment.

No assessment has been made. The legislation relating to the consumption of alcohol at football matches is a matter for the Home Office.

I welcome the publication of the Destination Management Organisations (DMO) review in September 2021. I am grateful to Nick de Bois and stakeholders across the sector for their engagement in this review of how tourism is structured, organised and funded at a local level in England.

We are now carefully considering the recommendations made by Nick de Bois and hope to publish a response in the coming months.

The Government was clear that anyone suspected of entering the UK with the intention of breaching isolation in order to attend a EURO 2020 match would be denied entry, and that their tickets may be cancelled (if not transferred to someone else). This policy combined with communications to supporters of teams playing in the UK had a significant deterrent effect on those who might otherwise have travelled to the UK for the tournament.

All EURO 2020 matches at Wembley were subject to strict entry requirements. Those seeking to enter were required to provide a negative Lateral Flow test result or (for those from England, Scotland and Wales) proof of full vaccination. Anyone failing to provide these would have been denied entry. The English Football Association was responsible for enforcing these requirements and no data is held on whether any of those denied entry were also deemed to have been breaking border restrictions.

Of the Italian contingent present at the Final, the vast majority were based in the UK (as - other than in the original ballot prior to the pandemic - tickets were not sold to people outside of the Common Travel Area). A small contingent of accredited guests were exempt from the isolation requirement in order to attend the match, but otherwise subject to strict public health restrictions - this included a group of c380 who flew in and out on the day, with no contact with the general public.

Legislation was laid in December 2020 to increase the minimum age for all National Lottery products from 16 to 18 from 1 October 2021, in order to protect 16 and 17 year olds from the risk of gambling-related harm. This followed a public consultation in 2019, and more detailed information can be found in the consultation response and the accompanying impact assessment.

As anticipated in the consultation response, the National Lottery operator was able to implement the change more swiftly, with the new minimum age being implemented online and in retail on 22 April 2021.

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

Details of significant regulatory decisions and the rationale supporting those decisions are published and can be found on the Gambling Commission’s website.

It has not been possible for the Gambling Commission to collate the requested information in the time available, and confirm how many times the National Lottery operator has submitted (a) a risk assessment, (b) an assessment by the game design governance group and (c) academic research to the Gambling Commission for (i) new game proposals and (ii) changes to existing games in each year since 1994; and the nature and outcome of each of those items.

The operator is subject to conditions set out within the Licence which specify that it must adopt, maintain and implement strategies to prevent underage and excessive play on the National Lottery and that such strategies shall first have been approved by the

Gambling Commission. Information on the more specific requirements of the operator in this respect can be found within Condition 7 of the Third Licence.

It has not been possible for the Gambling Commission to collate the requested information in the time available and confirm how many times a player protection strategy has been submitted to them for approval by the operator since the National Lottery was launched in 1994.

National Lottery digital sales increased by £622m between 2018/19 and 2019/20. 48% of this growth was due to increased sales of Interactive Instant Win Games (IIWGs) and 52% was due to increased sales of online Draw-Based Games.

Camelot UK Lotteries Limited is a private, commercial organisation which is currently operates the National Lottery under the terms of the third licence. The National Lottery is regulated independently of Government by the Gambling Commission.

DCMS does not routinely collect separate information about sales of (a) physical scratchcards and (b) online Instant Win games, and as such there are currently no plans to publish this information.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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 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).

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Schools must authorise a pupil’s absence if it is on a day exclusively set apart for religious observance by the religious body to which the parent belongs.

The Department does not define which specific days schools should authorise for religious observance, though generally, it may be a day when the pupil’s parents would be expected by the religious body to which they belong to stay away from their workplace to mark the occasion. The Department advises schools to seek advice from the relevant religious body if they are in doubt.

Parents may apply to the school for a leave of absence that is linked to a religious day. Unlike days that the religious body have exclusively set apart for religious observance, such leave is authorised at the discretion of the school.

Schools and Local Authorities may consider taking further steps to manage the effect of such absence, including setting term dates around days for religious observance, working with local faith groups to develop guidance on absence for religious observance, taking INSET days that coincide with religious observance days, and providing individual support for pupils who miss sessions for this reason.

The Review of Post-18 Education and Funding was published in May 2019.

On 24 February 2022, the department published the Higher Education (HE) Reform Consultation, setting out reforms to the student loan system to put it on a fair and sustainable footing and a package of investment into the HE sector. The department also proposed a range of reforms to improve outcomes for students as a result of their courses and help them move into high-value employment.

The HE Reform Consultation closed on 6 May 2022. The department is now considering the views received and plans to publish a response to the consultation in due course.

Information on child and family social workers trained in assessing risk in cases of domestic abuse and those trained specifically in domestic abuse issues is not held centrally by the department.

Information on children and family social workers is published in the annual Children's social work workforce statistics, available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-s-social-work-workforce. The latest data for the year ending 30 September 2022 was published on 23 February 2023.

This information is based on data collected in an annual census of local authorities in England. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childrens-social-work-workforce-census-guide-to-submitting-data.

Information on child and family social workers trained in assessing risk in cases of domestic abuse and those trained specifically in domestic abuse issues is not held centrally by the department.

Information on children and family social workers is published in the annual Children's social work workforce statistics, available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-s-social-work-workforce. The latest data for the year ending 30 September 2022 was published on 23 February 2023.

This information is based on data collected in an annual census of local authorities in England. Further information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childrens-social-work-workforce-census-guide-to-submitting-data.

The department does not hold data on the number of children who were subject to a child protection plan where domestic abuse was the predominant issue. The data that is held shows that of the 50,920 children that were the subject of a child protection plan at 31 March 2022, 3,780 (7%) had physical abuse recorded as the initial category of abuse.

All pupils in schools are taught about mental health as part of the relationships, sex and health Education (RSHE) curriculum, which the Department has made mandatory in 2020 to ensure that all pupils are taught about important topics. Schools can teach older pupils about suicide in an age appropriate and sensitive way.

Ministers are aware of the interest in the inclusion of suicide prevention material in the RSHE curriculum and have written to key campaigners about this important topic.

The Department is bringing forward the review of the RSHE statutory guidance, and the revised guidance will be published in 2024. The Department is taking a comprehensive, evidence based approach in deciding what should be included and suicide prevention will be considered in the review.

Teaching about political issues, different viewpoints, and the way in which pupils can engage in a democratic society is an essential part of a broad and balanced curriculum.

Citizenship forms a compulsory part of the National Curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4. Within citizenship, secondary pupils in maintained schools in England are taught how Parliament functions, the importance of voting and elections, the role of police, courts and justice, free press, human rights and international law, and the governments of other countries. Pupils are taught the actions citizens can take in democratic and electoral processes to influence decisions locally, nationally and beyond. Citizenship teaching should equip pupils to explore political and social issues, to weigh evidence, to debate, and to make reasoned arguments.

Maintained primary schools and all academies are encouraged to teach citizenship as part of their duty to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum.

Teachers are also able to teach pupils about political and social movements in appropriate places within the history curriculum. This is focused on history, rather than encouraging active participation in democracy, in terms of its purpose.

The Department trusts schools to use their professional judgement and understanding of their pupils to develop the right teaching approach for their school, drawing on the expertise and support of subject associations and other organisations such as UK Parliament, which offers resources, visits to Parliament, outreach sessions and workshops.

Schools can help pupils to set up their own networks or clubs to focus on political issues, where they are deemed appropriate. The Department published political impartiality in schools guidance to support teachers in tackling sensitive issues in the classroom. The guidance is clear that legal duties on political impartiality do not limit the range of political issues and viewpoints schools can teach about. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/political-impartiality-in-schools/political-impartiality-in-schools.

The Schools White Paper, published in March 2022, sets out the Department’s long term vision of a school system that helps every child to fulfil their potential by ensuring that they receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

The White Paper sets an ambition that, in secondary schools, the national average grade in both GCSE English language and maths will increase from 4.5 in 2019 to 5 by 2030.

The Department will achieve these ambitions by delivering an excellent teacher for every child, high standards of curriculum, attendance and behaviour, targeted support for every child who needs it, and a stronger and fairer school system that works for every child.

The 2022 Autumn Statement announced significant additional core schools’ funding, increasing by £2 billion in 2023/24 and 2024/25, over and above totals announced at the 2021 Spending Review. This additional funding will bring the core schools budget to a total of £58.8 billion in 2024/25. This will enable school leaders to continue to concentrate funding in the areas that positively affect educational attainment, including high quality teaching and targeted support to the children who need it most.

It is up to schools to decide what pastoral and extracurricular support to extend to their pupils to support their social development, building on the requirements of the statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum. It is also up to schools to decide how to support pupils to prepare successfully for examinations.

Under the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with the EU, the UK will continue to participate fully in the 2014-2020 Erasmus+ Programme until project completion. Certain projects may continue up to 2024.

The UK government is supporting access to study abroad through the Turing Scheme. ​​The scheme provides grant funding for education providers and organisations to offer their students, learners and pupils undertake study or work placement across the globe. Participants can study or work anywhere in the world, subject to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice.

For the 2022/23 academic year, the Turing Scheme is providing funding for over 38,000 pupils, learners, and students across the UK to study and work in over 160 destinations across the globe. More than half of these opportunities are for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds. In the 2021/22 academic year, the Scheme provided funding for over 41,000 participants, with 48% of this for participants from disadvantaged backgrounds.

For comparison, Erasmus+ participant numbers for higher education (HE) were 15,784 in the 2015/16 academic year, 16,559 in 2016/17, 17,048 in 2017/18 and 16,596 in 2019/20. The Turing Scheme is providing funding for 23,472 HE placements in the 2022/23 academic year and provided funding for over 28,000 HE placements in 2021/22. Direct comparison across all sectors is not possible, given the data published by the European Commission for Erasmus+ doesn’t specify numbers of student participants for other education sectors. Whilst Erasmus+ included some staff mobility, the Turing Scheme is focused on student placements.

In 2019/20, UK institutions received around €134 million of funding from the Erasmus+ programme. €41,257,969 of this was for in further education (FE) and vocational education and training (VET) and €87,621,663 in HE. In 2021/22 the Turing Scheme allocated £24,819,113.40 of funding in FE and VET, £67,001,941.25 in HE, and £6,710,407.60 in schools for student mobilities and accompanying staff. The figures for 2022/23 are £36,376,335.62, £62,115,424.80, and £7,616,999.60 respectively.

The Government does not set any attendance requirements during the period of a managed move.

The law does not allow for ‘trial admissions’, once a child has been admitted to a school, they may only be deleted from the admissions register in limited circumstances prescribed by The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 as amended.

The updated Suspension and Permanent Exclusion guidance, published in July 2022, makes clear a managed move should be used to initiate a process which leads to the transfer of a pupil to another mainstream school permanently. Managed moves should be voluntary and agreed with all parties involved, including parents/carers and the admission authority of the new school. A managed move should only occur when it is in the pupil’s best interests.

Some Local Authorities use their Fair Access Protocols to also consider managed moves. Should anyone have any concerns about the protocols in a particular area, they should take this up with the relevant Local Authority directly.

​​The department regularly discusses skills matters with other government departments, including the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, but not specifically about individual constituencies.

​The department is investing £3.8 billion more in further education (FE) and skills over the Parliament to ensure people across the country, including in Leeds, have access to the skills they need to build fulfilling careers in jobs the economy needs.

​This additional funding will help a wide range of school sixth forms supporting young people, including providers such as Luminate Education Group in Yorkshire. In total we are funding over 18,000 16-to-18 year olds in 2022/23, including several school sixth form provisions based in the Leeds North West area.

​​The local college curriculum offer includes a broad range of skills training and qualifications including T Levels, apprenticeships, an extensive range of qualifications from Entry Level to Higher Education, including higher technical qualifications, and adult education programmes. The provision is shaped in collaboration with local employers to ensure it meets local skills needs and focuses on meeting Leeds City Region LEP skills priorities.

​​The department is also investing in local college estates through FE capital programmes to support estate condition improvement, increase college capacity to support more local people with skills training and qualifications, and T Level facilities with world class equipment.

The department is supporting employers in all sectors and all areas of the country, including Leeds, to use apprenticeships to develop the skilled workforces they need. To support more employers and learners to access apprenticeships we are increasing funding for apprenticeships in England to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year. Since May 2010, there have been a total of 5,880 apprenticeship starts in Leeds North West.

Residents in Leeds can access free Level 3 qualifications to improve their skills via the Free Courses for Jobs scheme, which enables adult learners without a level 3 qualification (or learners with any qualification level but earning below the National Living Wage) to gain a qualification for free.

In addition, the department has also introduced Skills Bootcamps, which are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with an employer.

The department is continuing to invest in education and skills training for adults through the Adult Education Budget (AEB) at £1.34 billion in the 2022/23 academic year. The AEB fully funds or co-funds skills provision for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3, to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. Currently, approximately 60% of the AEB is devolved to nine Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs), including West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), which covers Leeds. This gives WYCA direct control over adult education provision for their residents and provides the local area with the opportunity to meet local needs.

The Department believes that the current school food standards provide a robust yet flexible framework to ensure that pupils in England continue to receive high quality and nutritious food. The framework should build healthy eating habits for life.

The Department’s focus is on promoting compliance with the school food standards. The Department is keeping this under review. In February 2022, the Levelling Up White Paper outlined several measures the Department is implementing to strengthen adherence. These include piloting work with the Foods Standards Agency, investing up to £200,000 in a pilot Governor Training Scheme, and encouraging schools to complete a statement on their school websites setting out their whole school approach to food.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets the standards that all early years providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to age five.

The department has published an article promoting sensory food education on the ‘Help for early years providers’ online platform, which is a resource for childminders, nursery leaders and pre-school practitioners. This supports practitioners to look at incorporating sensory food education into their practice, while delivering the statutory EYFS requirements. The sensory food education article can be found here: https://help-for-early-years-providers.education.gov.uk/get-help-to-improve-your-practice/sensory-food-education.

The department is committed to improving the cost, choice, and availability of childcare. More than £20 billion has been spent over the past five years to support families with the cost of childcare.

In July 2022 measures were announced to increase take-up of childcare support and reduce the costs and bureaucracy facing providers. These plans give providers more flexibility and autonomy, and ensure that families can access government support to save money on their childcare bills. The full announcement can be viewed online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/drive-to-reduce-the-cost-of-childcare-for-parents.

There is currently a £1.2 million campaign underway, led via the childcare choices website, to ensure that every parent knows about the government funded support they are eligible for. The website can be accessed at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The department is also actively considering ways to ensure a sufficient supply of childminders, giving more parents access to an affordable, flexible type of childcare. We will continue to look at ways to make childcare more affordable and to encourage families to use the government-funded support they are entitled to.

I refer the right hon. Member for Knowsley to the answer I gave on 21 September 2022 to Question 45077.

The Schools Bill has not proposed any changes to the route of appeal available to parents against School Attendance Orders.

Once parents have applied for revocation to the local authority, on the basis that their child will receive suitable education out of school and had that application refused, parents can appeal to the Secretary of State to overrule a local authority’s refusal to revoke a School Attendance Order.

There are other routes of complaint available for parents, which includes: the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman when a parent believes a local authority has not acted as per law and guidance; and the Education Act 1996 gives the Secretary of State powers to intervene when a local authority exercises their functions unreasonably or fails to comply with duties under that Act.

Local authorities already have the ability to determine whether a home educated child is receiving a suitable education. The measures in the Schools Bill do not provide local authorities with additional powers to monitor or assess education.

The Government is committed to establishing a local authority registration system for children not in school, as well as a duty for local authorities to provide support to home-educating families. Current guidance already provides local authorities with a framework to determine whether the provision was suitable. Local authorities should have the in-house expertise to make these decisions, but if they do not then they can, and should, consider undertaking additional training.

As part of the Children Not in School proposals, the Department also intends to create new statutory guidance for local authorities on how they should be implementing their duties in relation to the registers, and will also review and update existing guidance as part of this. This guidance, in addition to the measures themselves, will help toward ensuring a more consistent approach across local authorities.

Local authorities already have the ability to determine whether a home educated child is receiving a suitable education. The measures in the Schools Bill do not provide local authorities with additional powers to monitor or assess education.

The Government is committed to establishing a local authority registration system for children not in school, as well as a duty for local authorities to provide support to home-educating families. Current guidance already provides local authorities with a framework to determine whether the provision was suitable. Local authorities should have the in-house expertise to make these decisions, but if they do not then they can, and should, consider undertaking additional training.

As part of the Children Not in School proposals, the Department also intends to create new statutory guidance for local authorities on how they should be implementing their duties in relation to the registers, and will also review and update existing guidance as part of this. This guidance, in addition to the measures themselves, will help toward ensuring a more consistent approach across local authorities.

Regular attendance at school is vital for children’s education, wellbeing, and long-term development. School attendance is mandatory. Under Section 7 of the Education Act 1996, parents have a duty to ensure that their child of compulsory age (5-16) receives an efficient full-time education, either by attendance at school or otherwise.

The department appreciates that barriers to attendance are wide and complex, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Addressing these requires strong relationships and close working between families, schools, local authorities, and other relevant local services. This is the intention of the attendance clauses in the Schools Bill.

When considering the appropriate action to address absence, schools and local authorities should consider the individual circumstances of each pupil and family, and take the best course of action to support the child’s return to school. The department encourages parents to work with their child’s school and the local authority to discuss the reasons behind their child’s absence. They should agree together an action plan, so that the right support can be put in place to help their child to return to regular and consistent education.

The providers who bid to deliver in the Yorkshire and Humber region, and were awarded an Adult Education Budget (AEB) procured contract for the 2021/22 funding year, are listed in the attached spreadsheet.

It is important to note that adult skills in South and West Yorkshire is a devolved matter and that AEB is funded through the mayoral combined authority.

In February 2021, the government set out a roadmap out of lockdown, including for easing restrictions and the control measures that would remain at each step, including in education. In order to take each step, led by data not dates, an assessment was made by the government against four tests.

In July 2021, after a pause to Step 4, it was assessed that the four tests had been met for this – with the success of the vaccination rollout allowing for the safe and gradual lifting of many remaining restrictions across settings including education, whilst continuing to manage COVID-19 through vaccination and remaining control measures proportionate to the COVID-19 outbreak. Details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-summer-2021-roadmap/moving-to-step-4-of-the-roadmap. This includes continued guidance for schools to ensure they keep good hygiene measures in place, keep spaces well ventilated and follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases. In addition, those 12 and over are now being offered the COVID-19 vaccine. Most recently, in September 2021, the Government’s COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021 assessed preparedness for autumn and winter, including plans for control measures. Details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-autumn-and-winter-plan-2021.

In making decisions on control measures in education, we have continually balanced the impact of measures on education, health and wellbeing, and the functioning of school settings, as well as the COVID-19 risks. As the balance of risks has shifted, given vaccination rollout, it has been appropriate to step down measures, as for the rest of the economy and society – with the imperative to maximise face-to face attendance and minimise disruption to education. The department published Evidence Summaries to accompany key decision points in February and July 2021: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evidence-summary-covid-19-children-young-people-and-education-settings.

The department continues to monitor the latest and emerging scientific literature and to work with the Department of Health and Social Care, Office for National Statistics and UK Health Security Agency to develop our guidance for education and childcare settings. The UK Health and Security Agency leads on assessing the overall epidemiological picture and produces weekly surveillance reports, which include data on outbreaks in education and confirmed cases in school age children. Details are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-flu-and-covid-19-surveillance-reports-2021-to-2022-season.

The department collects and publishes attendance data for state-funded school settings. Attendance is currently higher than at the end of the summer term, when contact isolation was still in place in education settings. Details are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.

There are no plans to introduce teaching about specific faiths in any of the subjects of the national curriculum at any of the key stages.

The teaching about the Sikh faith by any school would be expected to be part of the religious education (RE) curriculum. The RE curriculum must reflect the fact that the religious traditions in the UK are in the main Christian, whilst taking account of the teaching and practices of the principal religions represented in the UK, including Sikhism.

The RE curriculum is part of the basic curriculum, rather than one of the subjects within the national curriculum. In addition, the RE curriculum is compulsory in all state-funded schools from age 5 to 18, which includes Key Stage 1.

Schools have the freedom to include content about specific faiths as part of their teaching of the subjects in the national curriculum, such as history or citizenship, but this would need to be in line with the purpose and aims of the subjects themselves.

The Department recognises the significant benefits that youth residentials and summer camps can have for children’s mental health and wellbeing, as well as their educational and social development.

That is why the Government has prioritised the recommencement of residential visits, including youth residentials and summer camps, for children at Step 3 of the roadmap. It has also increased limits on group sizes to 30 from 21 June 2021.

As the Government moves to Step 4 of the roadmap, and the majority of COVID-19 restrictions across all parts of society are relaxed, key restrictions on all education and childcare settings will come to an end. This includes current advice on consistent groups (bubbles) and limits on group sizes for all residential visits. Our priority is to ensure all education and childcare settings are able to offer high quality, face to face provision for children and young people.

At Step 4 of the roadmap, youth residential providers will be able to undertake residential visits in groups of any number, and without the need to keep children in consistent groups: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-summer-2021-roadmap/covid-19-response-summer-2021.

The Department has published new guidance for providers, setting out the actions they can take to reduce the risk of transmission from Step 4: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/999758/OOSS_Provider_Guidance_PDF_Step_4.pdf.

Examinations and other formal assessments remain the fairest way of assessing students. It is the Government’s intention that GCSE, AS and A level examinations will go ahead in summer 2022. The Department recognises that students who will be taking A levels next year have had significant disruption to their education this year. We are therefore considering with Ofqual, the exam boards, and wider stakeholders what needs to be done to ensure that students are able to sit examinations and take other assessments safely and receive grades that are fair, even if further disruption does occur. The Department understands the need for the education sector to have certainty in order to plan for next year, and we will announce further details as soon as possible.

Although the Department remains committed to exams going ahead in 2022, we will continue to work with Ofqual on a range of contingencies in the event of further disruption to education.

Examinations and other formal assessments remain the fairest way of assessing students. It is the Government’s intention that GCSE, AS and A level examinations will go ahead in summer 2022. The Department recognises that students who will be taking A levels next year have had significant disruption to their education this year. We are therefore considering with Ofqual, the exam boards, and wider stakeholders what needs to be done to ensure that students are able to sit examinations and take other assessments safely and receive grades that are fair, even if further disruption does occur. The Department understands the need for the education sector to have certainty in order to plan for next year, and we will announce further details as soon as possible.

Although the Department remains committed to exams going ahead in 2022, we will continue to work with Ofqual on a range of contingencies in the event of further disruption to education.

The department has consulted widely on proposals for reforming post-16 qualifications at level 3. The second stage of consultation closed on 31 January 2021 and set out proposals for a range of qualifications that will sit alongside A levels and T Levels in future. These include academic qualifications designed to support progression to specialist higher education. No final decisions have been made about individual subjects or the future of existing qualifications.

The impact assessment published alongside the consultation looks at the potential impact of the review on students, providers, employers, and the economy but did not look specifically at student progression to degrees in gaming. We are analysing responses to the consultation and will publish a final impact assessment as part of the response to the consultation later this year.

The Department’s guidance on face coverings can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-in-education/face-coverings-in-education.

As the guidance outlines, during national lockdown, in schools and colleges where Year 7 and above are taught, face coverings should be worn by adults (staff and visitors), pupils and students when moving around indoors, outside of classrooms and other teaching situations, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

Based on current evidence and the measures that schools and colleges are already putting in place, such as the system of controls and consistent bubbles, face coverings will not generally be necessary in the classroom.

Children in primary schools do not need to wear a face covering.

Some individuals are exempt from wearing face coverings. This includes people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability, or if you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate. The same legal exemptions that apply to the wearing of face coverings in shops and on public transport also apply in schools and colleges.

Face coverings can make it more difficult to communicate with pupils and students with additional needs or those who many rely on lip reading or facial expressions for understanding. We expect staff to be sensitive to these needs when teaching and interacting with pupils and students.

We continue to provide information to the sector on our guidance, and any changes to it, through regular departmental communications. We will also continue to work with Public Health England, as well as stakeholders across the sector, to monitor the latest scientific and medical advice and understand the impact of the system of controls on staff, pupils and parents.

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 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).

?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.?

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.

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 consulted on the implementation of our due diligence regulations under the Environment Act and published a summary of responses and a government response to the consultation in June 2022.

We consulted on the implementation of our due diligence regulations under the Environment Act and published a summary of responses and a government response to the consultation in June 2022.

We consulted on the implementation of our due diligence regulations under the Environment Act and published a summary of responses and a government response to the consultation in June 2022.

We consulted on the implementation of our due diligence regulations under the Environment Act and published a summary of responses and a government response to the consultation in June 2022.

We consulted on the implementation of our due diligence regulations under the Environment Act and published a summary of responses and a government response to the consultation in June 2022.

We consulted on the implementation of our due diligence regulations under the Environment Act and published a summary of responses and a government response to the consultation in June 2022.

Local authorities are responsible for managing their road networks and have a range of duties and responsibilities to meet in doing so. However, there is no specific requirement on them to prevent or reduce animal deaths on roads. Where wildlife poses a risk to drivers, for example where large animals may be in the road ahead, local authorities can erect traffic signs to warn them.

A focus for this Government is to make roads safer for all users, which will in turn reduce the risk to all animals.

Our recently published Environmental Improvement Plan recognises that air pollution, in particular ammonia, harms biodiversity through nitrogen deposition. The Plan sets out action that Defra has taken including publication of guidance, delivery of advice through Catchment Sensitive Farming and funding for low emissions farm equipment. It also includes ambitious further measures to drive down emissions of ammonia from farming, including new rules to reduce emissions from organic manures and extension of environmental permitting to dairy and intensive beef farms.

The Trends report published by Defra indicates the proportion of SACs, SPAs and SSSIs that are in exceedance of critical loads and levels for atmospheric nitrogen pollution and can be found here: Trends Report 2022: Trends in critical load and critical level exceedances in the UK.

According to the 2022 report, over 90% of sensitive SACs, SPAs and SSSIs are predicted to exceed their site-relevant critical loads for nutrient nitrogen deposition for at least one of their features:
a) 90.9% of sensitive SACs or approx. 78% of all SACs
b) 91.7% of sensitive SPAs or approx. 85% of all SPAs

c) 91.1% of sensitive SSSIs or approx. 65% of all SSSIs

Exceedance of acidity critical loads is predicted for 73.3% of sensitive SACs, 85.7% SPAs and 55.7% of sensitive SSSIs

Information on air quality for individual protected sites can be found on the Air Pollution Information System (www.apis.ac.uk).

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Cardiff North on 27 February 2023, PQ 150587.